I am pleased to be participating in this blog hop, 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials, along with 89 other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. Just as every single homeschool is different, each family's essentials will be unique as well. What's essential for one family may not be essential for another family. I hope you all will be blessed by this series and will be encouraged in your homeschooling journey for 2014. And may you be confident in your own homeschool essentials!
5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Day 1: Calling
My first and foremost homeschool essential is CALLING. This is the very heartbeat and foundation of my homeschool. I need to know for sure that it is the Lord's calling on my life to homeschool. Without it, I couldn't do it.
Before my husband and I even had kids, we knew we were going to homeschool. We truly felt called for me to do it. There wasn't much discussion about it or stressing over pros and cons. It's just what was, and I admit, I wanted to homeschool. I felt confident that God would equip me with the tools and talents needed to carry out this endeavor with my children. And He has been faithful.
Does that mean I've never had doubts or bumps in the road? Hardly. I'm human. My kids are human, I think. ;) So, obviously it hasn't always been a stroll in the park. Starting with my first born as a kindergartener (if you don't count all the hours I spent preschooling my kids), I am approaching my 10th year of homeschooling, and there've been some extremely challenging homeschool phases and moments when I seriously thought, I can't do this anymore. There've also been times when I wondered, Should I be doing this anymore?
I know what it's like to homeschool an extremely strong-willed child who used to challenge me from dawn till dusk. I felt that if just this one child went to school, my house would be peaceful for myself and 2 other children. Each time I cried out to Jesus over this very matter, I'd hear Him whisper to the depths of my soul that my child was right where he needed to be, and that I needed to continue with my calling to homeschool. Though I was overwhelmed and beyond exhausted, I knew I could do it because it was God's will. I clung tightly to Galatians 6:9 believing with all my heart that if I did not give up, I'd reap a harvest at the proper time.
I now know what it's like to be the parent of a teenager. Yikes! I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of some serious eye-rolling and severe mood swings. I know what it's like to have a child go through a season of hating homeschool.
I know what it's like to have a child who is pretty apathetic toward anything having to do with what we call "school." Y'all, this can be just plain hard.
What's kept me from burning out or giving up? What's kept my frazzled self from showing up at the bus stop in tears with all 3 of my kids in tow? The answer is simple: It's my calling from the Lord. Each and every time I've ever been at the end of my seriously frayed rope, God encourages me to keep "walking in a manner worthy of the calling I have received." (Eph. 4:1) First and foremost I know this passage is speaking of one's calling as a believer, but my personal walk with the Lord includes this crazy homeschool journey. And I want to be worthy of this calling!
For me, homeschooling has to be more than keeping my kids out of public schools and keeping them safe. It has to be a calling. How about you?
Be sure to visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew as there are 89 blogs participating in this blog hop. Following is just a sampling . . . check them out! Jennifer will be having some giveaways on her blog this week, too. :)
Lisa @ A Rup Life
Jordyn @ Almost Supermom
Jenn @ Teaching Two Stinkers
Crystal @ Crystal Starr Blog
Jennifer @ Chestnut Grove Academy
Wendy @ Simplicity Breeds Happiness
Jodi @ Insane in the Mombrain
Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Lynn @ Ladybug Chronicles
5 comments:
We have very similar post! I said God's will but calling is almost just another way to say it. Great post!
We've had some similar experiences. :-) We decided to homeschool while I was still pregnant with our first child. I certainly know what it's like to deal with strong-willed kids and kids that don't like schoolwork much, and I sure know about teenagers! Glad that God has reaffirmed his calling for you and for me in our situations so that we can keep on during the harder days.
Our minds went to the same place. Love your descriptions as, of course, I have had the same feelings in my 6 years of homeschooling.
what a great post. Having God's will is so important to any homeschool family.. Looking forward to reading your posts this week23422999 345
Very good post, Brandi, because that's the most important part. Thanks for the transparency. =)
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