Laying Down the Homeschooling Burden
Titus (our videographer) and I have continued making short videos to encourage homeschool mamas. The one we are releasing today asks the question: Can homeschooling be a lifestyle and not a burden? It took my family four years to make that switch. If you are still in the burden stage, I hope it will come lots faster for you. Below this video are the text of the video (including a link that I also hope will be helpful) and a few more thoughts.
Video Text
During our first two years, we carried our homeschooling responsibilities around like a big sack of rocks – and oh, that sack felt heavy! Eventually, we learned to make homeschooling who we were instead of what we did. We wrote out this goal:
We believe that we should spend our lives praying for and pursuing our goal:
That we, our children and their spouses, our grandchildren and their spouses, and every succeeding generation live as Christians on earth and live forever in Heaven with our God and with each other.
I made a list of specific objectives to help us reach that goal. As we continued to homeschool with defined purpose and freedom, we met our state course requirements, but meeting those was not our primary purpose. There had to be a why behind what we did. The why made all the difference.
My prayer is that God will help you lay down any sack that feels heavy on your back. If you are feeling discouraged about homeschooling, I encourage you to pray and to focus on the things that are most important — eternally. That is something we are still praying for for our family.
Some More Thoughts
While I have enjoyed making these videos this summer, I want to be sure that they don’t come across as simple answers to issues that feel overwhelming when we are in the middle of them! When one of my friends tells me stories from her life, she often includes the statement, “God was in the middle of it.” She’s right.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember it though. Just last night Ray and I learned about two events coming up this week that will wreak some havoc with what we thought was an already full schedule. When I got off the phone after learning about the second event, I looked at Ray and said, “I guess I’m supposed to be in _______ on Saturday.”
It’s when we forget that God is in the middle of our lives, working for good, that we get overwhelmed and discouraged. The longer I live, the more I know that nothing is too hard for our Father. Nothing. Let me say that again — nothing.
The night before Jesus went to the cross, He gave His disciples a promise they could count on. We can count on it, too.
These things I have spoken to you,
so that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you have tribulation,
but take courage; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
A few years ago I was feeling stressed and not really sure why at the time. Through a Bible study I was doing at the time God revealed to me that I was not trusting him. I was worried about making sure the kids were getting all they needed and He whispered to my heart that He was in charge of the outcome, I simply needed to do the job I was called for. He has provided for each of the kids educational needs over and over again. And I get to enjoy watching my kids learn and trusting the outcome to God. I needed this reminder today, thank you!