You Won't Mess Them Up!

How's everyone's year starting out?  

I was struck in the heart at my last homeschool mom's meeting. One of our group members brought a friend who was new to homeshooling.

Bless her heart, this sweet lady was a beautiful mess.  She was crying and questioning whether she was going to fail or mess up her daughter.  I said, "Hold on!  Any of you who have ever felt like that, please raise your hand."  Of course, every hand in the room flew up in the air!  

We've all been there haven't we?  I'm eleven years into this journey and would be a big ole liar if I said I didn't still wrestle with those kinds of thoughts.

If you are out there reading this in blog world and you are feeling these things, I just want to tell you that you are ok.

Did you get that and let it sink in???  

YOU ARE OKAY!  YOUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN ARE OKAY!

At that meeting, my friend Anne shared this with the new homeschooling momma:  "You know, the Lord is teaching me that I don't have the power to ruin my kids."

That struck me and has stuck with me ever since!

Seriously, think about that.  As Christians, we give our children to the Lord.  We fully recognize that apart from Christ we can do nothing!  We say, "You want me to WHAT?  You want me to homeschool my kids?!?!"  

We then move to, "Okay, well if you want me to do this, you better help me because I don't have a clue!"  

We usually make our plans and fumble for a bit, and then we get more humble and really cry out, "Father, help me!  I mean really help me because I don't know how to do this, and I think I might mess up my kids!"

If we can keep going, push past that stinkin' thinkin', and realize that when we invite God in and give it to Him, we no longer have the power to screw up our kiddos!  Nope, it's arrogant to think that way.  We've given them to the Father.  HE will be faithful to complete the good works He begins.

We don't have to fear!  GOD did not give us a spirit of fear!  It's not from Him!

Now sure, it will look different than the school system, but that's okay!  He had you teach them at home for a reason.  It's not supposed to look like traditional school.

I know that terrifies those of us who have been in the system for so long, but there is more than one way to do things.  Seek God for YOUR FAMILY.  

Don't worry about looking like someone else or telling others how they need to do things like you.  You shouldn't even have time for that if you are seeking the Lord for your family.

Relax and believe that if He called you to it, He absolutely will equip you to do it.  Then, walk forward in His strength and boldness!

Year Eleven!

Another year is underway friends!

That's right, Year #11 has begun!

We are three weeks in and things are going great!  

I was a bit apprehensive at first.  Of course, after just having surgery, I wasn't sure what I was ready to handle, but we also made quite a few changes in curriculum and activities.

I can say I am very tired right now!  However, I have so much peace that we are where we need to be, using what we need to use, and resting in knowing God is leading this ship!

Alex and Trey have started at a new co-op with amazing kids and like-minded mommas teaching various classes.  I get to teach Health and Introduction to Logic for high school credit!  I'm having a blast!

Garrison is taking one class at the same cottage school he was at last year.  All three boys are in a speech and debate club now.  We will travel some with that, but the families who were in it last year can't say enough about how fun it all is!

It's nice to feel like we are finally connecting in this community. We moved here in 2008 and it was our hardest move and felt like we may never find a network of people.

I'm thankful for the opportunities that lay before us this year.  I know it will stretch and grow each of us, but it will be a good, peaceful, and joy-filled process!

Garrison is 16 and technically a junior.  He will finish all of his high school credits this year though, so we aren't sure what next year will look like!  Alexander and Trey are in eighth grade.

Time sure has passed quickly.  Seems like just yesterday I was thinking, "Okay.  I can do this.  I can homeschool.  I can teach first grade.  How hard can that be?"

Now, here we are!  Eleven years later...and I know how hard teaching first grade can be!  And second and third and sixth and...

BUT!!!!!  I also now know how rewarding all those hard times can be and I wouldn't trade them for anything.