Last year was my 3rd year of homeschooling. It was also the hardest year I have ever faced since I began this journey of homeschooling. I was exhausted. I was impatient. I was overwhelmed by being a Mom and trying to educate my children. Today, I want to talk about what I learned from a hard year of homeschooling. I read so many blogs, asked for so much advice, but yet I was still exhausted. I was so exhausted that didn’t even think I would be able to keep up with all the advice that I was reading. I thought that maybe it would be better if I didn’t homeschool this year.
* I want to take a minute just to say that this post doesn’t apply just to homeschooling. It’s really about the journey of motherhood. I hope you’ll take a moment to give it a read whether you homeschool or not.
But when I mentioned to my husband, he asked me “why would we stop, it’s going so well…” I said, “Is it?”
Perspective. That one simple word has so much meaning.
Why did I feel ready to give up?
One word. Perspective.
My perspective was that I was not doing a good job. That all my little failures were adding up to big failures, yet my husband saw the way our kids were growing and learning. I often think that they learn in spite of me. That they are really the ones that are teaching me.
No. 2-Here’s the thing: I am a fixer. A problem solver. An analytical thinker. If things aren’t going right, there has got to be a better way. I have to find a way to figure this out.
You know what habit this fixer often falls into?
It’s looking for advice everywhere. Reading all the many helpful blogs. I love blogs. They are my thing. I love google. It solves a lot of problems for me. But those things are not helpful when I forget to run to God first.
You know what looking for advice in all the places causes?
Confusion. Confusion isn’t from God.
When I read all that advice, I often forget to ask God. To lean on his strength, his ability. His grace is sufficient for me. His power is made perfect in my weakness. God isn’t a God of confusion.
One definition of Grace is the empowerment to do what he has called us to do.
I haven’t heard him tell me that I’m not called to homeschool anymore. If that’s case, maybe I’m supposed to trust a little more.
Does this mean that I don’t want to quit sometimes? No. There are times I still really want to give up on this whole gig. I want the freedom that I think would come if I wasn’t so responsible.
It’s overwhelming at times to be responsible for my children’s education. It’s a weight that can sit heavily on my shoulders.
It’s overwhelming to be a parent. To be so responsible for their spiritual life.
Yet, I am called. You are called.
Here’s the thing; we are not called to control everything. Remember what I said about Grace?
Grace is the empowerment to do what he’s called us to do.
God has given us the grace to be everything that he’s called us to be.
Phil. 4:13 (NKJV) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
I’m thinking that verse doesn’t mean “I can do all things through google or reading someone’s blog if I just find the right one.”
It really means that Christ will give us the strength that we need to do what we are called to do.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
If he’s called us, he will give us the grace we need to complete whatever he’s called us to.
As I write this, I want you to know that I have absolutely not arrived in this. Control is something I struggle with daily. Performing to get things right is an old habit that I must constantly work on.
I am enough (with Christ) just the way I am. You are enough (with Christ) just the way you are. He has given us our children. He will equip us to handle everything that comes our way. We just have to let him.
Psalm 37:5 (NASB) Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Almost every time I sit down to read my Bible or even write, I come full circle. Right back to Trust.
He’s given us our children. He will equip us. If we trust in him, we can deal with everything we face.
It sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Like it’s too simple.
But it’s not easy. And it’s not simple. This thing called trust takes surrendering every. Single. Day.
I challenge you, today. Let go. Trust God.
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