The 2007 NCHE conference is now history; while our pocketbooks are somewhat lighter, we are all encouraged, loaded down with new curriculum, and enthusiastic about the coming year of homeschooling.  We were encouraged as much by the fact that we now KNOW we are not alone in our homeschooling (after experiencing the large crowd at the conference!) as we were by the messages of the workshop speakers.  How do we go from the “high mountain top” experience of the conference down to the “rubber meets the road” reality of daily homeschool life?

Realize that no one is the “perfect” homeschool family.  We’re sure every speaker or leader at the conference would adamantly agree that they are not perfect and that each has areas in which they personally struggle.  Often as new (or not so new!) homeschoolers, we are tempted to look at others, particularly speakers at homeschool conferences, who are further down the homeschooling road than we are, and place them on a pedestal, considering them experts.  We think they are the perfect homeschooler.  Then we live our lives trying to emulate them and feeling defeated when we fail. Let us encourage you to use what you learned at the conference by gleaning ideas, tips, etc., from the speakers about "how to" homeschool, but allow God to help you apply them to your home and feel free to toss out what doesn’t work for your family.  Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  If God has called you to homeschool, please remember that He will enable you as well!  Don’t strive to be the “perfect” homeschool family or follow precisely someone else’s method of homeschooling, just strive to be obedient to whatever God shows you is best for your family. 

Focus on discipleship not academics.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17.  Or, put another way: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3.  It is so easy to get focused on academics, from looking at curriculum (can anyone say “Bookfair?!), to just getting in a mode of "getting it done" everyday.  Let's face it, academic achievement is much more measurable than character development.    However, our children’s character development is vastly more important.  At the end of our lives, we won’t be wishing we had done another math or grammar lesson, but perhaps we will wish we had spent more time training our children in a certain area of their character in which we see them having difficulty.  We’re not at all suggesting throwing out the academics, just be willing to stop a lesson or veer from an intended lesson when the Lord leads.  We find that we can be driven to "get through" the schedule and have missed some valuable discipling opportunities over the years.  Perhaps you struggle with this too, if so, continue refocusing and keep discipleship your priority.  Remember Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

 Allow God to help you plan your child’s school.  Don’t rely on having the “newest” or “best” curriculum, even the ones from Cathy Duffy’s “Top 100 Picks”!  Take this advice from a homeschool mom recovering from “curriculum buying disorder” (aka- a curriculum junkie!).  God wants us to be practical and do all we know to do to organize, become informed, and prepare for the coming school year.  However, God loves and wants His best for your children and ours, even more than we do.  If we will absolutely surrender to Him, He will give insight to you (both husband and wife) about what He has planned for each of your children.   He is faithful to supply so that they will lack nothing.  Allow Him to orchestrate the days of your lives; to lead you to specific curriculum; to provide extra activities.  God has taught us through both good and bad situations: difficulties such as moves and miscarriages; provision of opportunities such as music lessons, living in a foreign country for a summer, Spanish lessons, mission trips, and apprenticeships.  We are not special; He will do the same for your family and it will all be uniquely tailored to your situation.  God always does more than we can ask or imagine when we follow His leading in planning school!

Recognize what homeschooling can do for you.  God showed us long ago that homeschooling wasn’t just about educating our children.  The venture through the homeschooling years is definitely a faith walk as well as being without question one of the most rewarding things we have ever done.  God is using daily life in the trenches of homeschooling as a tool to shape US to be more like Him.  As much as He cares about our children, He also cares about us, the parents of these children.  The daily possibility of “rubbing each other the wrong way” provides many opportunities to live out what we have learned from God’s Word.  It’s no secret; homeschooling can be very challenging, but through it, we can grow as well.  Luke 6:40 “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  So often because of the busyness of life, we are tempted to try to do it on our own.  But the homeschooling lifestyle forces us to realize our desperate need for Him each day and the importance of spending time with Him in His Word and prayer. We hope you, too, will recognize God’s greater purposes in leading you to homeschool.

 What we have shared with you as practical ways to bring lessons learned at the conference to the reality of your daily homeschooling life are not earth shattering revelations, nor do we have it "all together" in these areas, but we hope that they have encouraged and reminded you (and us!) of things we probably already know, but need to remember anew.  Isaiah 58:11-12 is our prayer for your homeschool year:  “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.  Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”