That Ragged Old Flag, by Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - paying tribute to our American Flag...

This Privilege Called Homeschooling...

Well, it’s here… the beginning of another school year. Welcome back to the trenches ladies. Glad to have the company.  After 17 years, I can say that I never feel "ready". I am always scrambling to get organized, trying to prepare in ways that will make the year a bit smoother… copies made, a rough idea of lesson plans, reading lists done, etc. In the end, I’m never totally prepared, and I just take the plunge. I tend to start our school late August or early September, taking it slowly. This gives me a couple of weeks to add in new subjects or activities over a little stretch of time, and is not quite so overwhelming for us. But I know others that start right up with a full subject schedule and that works great for them. Gotta love the flexibility and individuality of home schooling!

As I begin another school year, I spend some time renewing my commitment to this calling on my life called "homeschooling", asking the Lord to renew my vision for my family and to equip me to be faithful. And I have a confession. I love the home schooling lifestyle and I enjoy my kiddos. Oh, some days are harder than others and not so much fun, but deep in my heart, I love our days together and the opportunity for discipleship and fellowship and relationship. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I have another confession. Even though I do love home schooling, sometimes I get weary or lazy or distracted from this precious task. I then have to ask the Lord to turn my heart back to my home… to my husband and children and tending to their needs and "keeping" my home. Can anyone relate? Do you sometimes struggle with staying on task too? It’s not that I don’t want to do it. It’s just that there are so many distractions… a To Do List or a phone call or housework or scrap booking (HA!) or my computer is calling my name. So I am praying for focus for this year, and straight priorities, and the skills to manage my time and a "first things first" mindset.

Okay… I have another confession. There have been seasons in life… a crisis of some sort, health or financial issues, difficult relationships, broken hearts, selfish thoughts… when I don’t know if I have enough in me to do a good job. Truthfully, I’ve never considered putting my children into any form of public school. That is the equivalent to the "d" word in my marriage. We just don’t go there. It’s not an option. But I have felt depleted. At those times, I have no choice but to take the next step, do the next thing, in spite of how I feel. And ALWAYS, for 17 years, the Lord is Faithful. He renews my strength. He brings clarity, direction, motivation, and eventually restores my joy and appreciation for this calling. Yes, on our best days, home schooling is a "calling". On our worse days, it is "obedience". But always it is a blessing.

Wherever you find yourself regarding homeschooling this fall… enthusiastic or intimidated, excited or exhausted, raring to go or reluctant, I pray you will join me in committing ourselves to our children and our families as I believe God has asked us to do. Let’s pray that our hearts will be turned towards home and that those things that try to rob us of a good attitude or time with our children will be seen as just that… a thief. Let us appreciate with grateful hearts, this privilege called home schooling.