Labor Day is one of those holidays that each person views in
his/her own way. For many, it is that
last day of summer fun as that season closes and the back to school season can
be no longer delayed. It is a chance to
refine our schedule and settle into a new routine. It is also filled with the anticipation of
the fall season and cooler temperatures (and in Georgia that is a welcome
anticipation – it’s been really hot here.) It is a myriad of emotions that spark a myriad of emotions.
This year, more than any other, I have been touched by the
change that our lives take and the adjustments that we make in our
homeschooling life. I look at the changes and must admit that many of them I would have never chosen; honestly, I don't even remotely enjoy a few of them. Nonetheless, I am not a stranger on an island - there are others. It is a group that seems to equal an endless amount of questioning and seeking. I have had the honor
of speaking with many homeschooling parents, families, and inquirers. Many of those conversations include the
person that I am speaking with telling me what someone else has directed them
to do. While we all need to learn and
one of the best ways to learn is from those around us – we need to remember
that those around us are NOT our measuring stick (ouch that's a tough one).
When we continue to do things the way we have always done
them or based on the guidelines of another person we grow stale and we miss the
blessings that God has in store. While I
completely understand the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach – I don’t
think that we always realize our brokenness.
Comfort and/or complacency can be the beginnings of a fractured
homeschool.
Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? 5 years ago?
We are impacted by our experiences and shaped by the things that happen
in our daily lives. However, sometimes
those lessons that we learn are more of a strong hold or stumbling block than
they are a motivator. We do things and
don’t do things because we do not want to find ourselves in a specific
situation nor do we want to experience a particular hurt/discomfort and we certainly do not want to bring that about for our children/students.
We need to reevaluate. It is
time to step out in faith and abandon the fears that are so easily clung
to. Go with what you know – that which
can NOT be disputed.
1. 1. YOU were
hand-picked. YOU were specifically
chosen. God created that life that you
call your child and He specifically matched you for them. You were His first choice, His only choice to
parent that child; you were a choice that He made with infinite wisdom.
2. 2. When things are specifically matched – made for
each other – the fit may not always seem perfect but it is. It is exactly as it was meant to be. Trust the union that God created and trust
your “Mommy instinct.” You are the only
one that has the instinct geared specifically for your child.
3. 3. Experience is a life lesson. You are not on an island and your experiences
are not solo flights. Enjoy the God
crafted family and learn things together.
You learn more when you admit you aren’t sure of what to do next than
when you decide to fake it. Cool, calm,
and collected are not the only characteristics that God uses. He uses real people in real time.
4. 4. Soak it all in.
Don’t dismiss the little moments because each moment comes but
once. Enjoy the fact that we have a
loving Father who doesn’t require that we repeat our mistakes but can pepper
them with an immense number of blessings.
What does all of this mean?
It means that we live in a world surrounded by many lifestyles, choices,
freedoms, and opinions. You are only responsible
for your homeschool and your actions.
You have to follow the plan that you feel God has laid before you. Respect the plans offered by others but don’t
abandon the one that was meant for you.
You are not wrong, you may not be right, but you are specifically chosen
and in addition “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
I, personally, have come to the conclusion that I will never figure out
the perfect formula because I am not a perfect person, a perfect example, or a
perfect planner. What I can experience
is His perfect peace when I relinquish the bond of those things that are not
from Him and embrace the journey that He has given me. I can ask the questions but the answers that
I must trust are the ones that God has given ME and not the ones that meet the approval of public (or popular) opinion.
