Homeschooling from the Heart

Words penned by Debbie Strayer ~ The Homeschool Minute ~ May 25, 2011

Home education is the education that comes with being a part of your home. Some years are much more about life and its adjustments than about what comes from books. You may want to broaden your view when you think about how things have gone.

When you review your year, make sure you look for all the types of growth that have taken place, for both you and the children. Ask yourself these questions: What challenges did we face as a family this year? (Finances, family illness, new babies, toddlers or teens, moves, stresses, etc.) What adjustments have we made this year? (What did we do to continue in spite of our challenges?) What growth have I seen? (In attitudes, actions, service, etc.)

Once you have considered these questions, take these next steps:

~ Give your year to the Lord. Scripture is clear. God is near to those who come to Him humbly.

~ Get some rest. Take time to seek the Lord for the lessons of this year and His plan for the next. Give yourself and the children a break of whatever length you feel is best. It may be a day, a week, a month, or a summer. Pray and listen to the voice of the Lord, wise counselors, and your husband.

~ Look forward to His grace and direction for the future. He is faithful to provide for those He calls, and homeschooling is a calling (I Thessalonians 5:24.) It is on His shoulders, not yours, to get this done.

From many years in the classroom, I know there were children who were there in body while their hearts were elsewhere. I don't think those days of school amounted to much for them. From many years of homeschooling, I know that there were days when my children were there in their hearts while their minds may have been elsewhere. With my eyes fixed on Jesus and His plan, those days at home were never losses.

More encouraging words from both Debbie Strayer and Ruth Beechick can be found here: Articles to Inspire