The Homeschool Minute ~ Standing Firm

Hey Mama,

You homeschool them. And in doing so, anytime your children desire to talk about the Lord, they can. They can lift up His Name if they so desire! There are no bans on the name of Jesus in your classroom. If an opportunity presents itself – a teaching moment so God’s word is able to be tucked away inside their hearts, you won’t miss it.

It’s a serious calling. And you have responded to that call. You have heard His voice and did not turn away. You know academics are highly important, life skills crucial, music and the arts fantastic. But none can even come close to that of teaching them His ways.

His ways are higher. Higher than any human system.

Faithful Mama, you are safe in His hand. He will continue to direct you. Stay the course. Do not turn away from that call. You answered. He will do the rest.

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

Daughter of the Living King, leaning not on your own understanding but instead continuing to lean on Him – in faith – may you have PEACE that you never even knew existed. Peace from above is yours. Never will He leave you hanging. He holds you tightly.

And His hand is on your head tonight.

~ gena

Dear Friends,

Looking at today’s topic, I’d like to first veer way off-course with a story about what I am learning about jogging–and finish with an application to homeschooling … and how YOU can make it to the finish line.

In March, 2014, I met an old friend in Canada whom I had not seen in years. I didn’t realize that I was seeing her at first, because the person standing in front of me bore little resemblance to my old friend. Smiling at my disbelieving reaction when someone introduced us, Marion told me that her life had been changed by learning to run with the Couch to 5K (in 9 weeks!) mobile app. Losing more than 60 pounds and becoming physically fit will do that to you.

Well, I was all ears!! Eating out for months at a time as we traveled year by year had added pounds and decreased health, to the point that I was willing to try something totally outside my comfort zone. I told Marion that I had never been an athlete, and she assured me that she had never been one before, either. Her experience encouraged me to actually download the app, buy the running shoes, and go out the door.

Though the first month was very encouraging, the strain of traveling debilitated me once again, and I had to quit. I tried it again in August–and quit at my grandson’s traumatic birth and death shortly after.

I really want to do this, though. I tasted last year what it felt like to run, to get strong, so I decided to try it again. This time, though, I am going to take it slow. Instead of 9 weeks to a 5K, I am attempting to do it in 18 weeks. I am paying attention to my body, not pushing it hard, but encouraging a steady, little by little growth in strength and stamina. And the finish line is becoming more and more of a reality to me.

So, how does this relate to standing firm in your decision to homeschool? Well, here are three lessons I am learning about accomplishing something near and dear to your heart:

1. A role model is powerful. Seeing someone else do what you want to do gives you an assurance that you, too, can do this! If you don’t have a homeschooling mentor nearby, my book, Beyond Survival: A Guide To Abundant Life Homeschooling, was written for that very purpose.
2. Don’t attempt to do too much too fast. Learning how to homeschool your kids is a huge learning curve, and if you don’t recognize that, you could find yourself sidelined by frustration or find that your kids are utterly resistant. Here are blogs I have written that can help: Homeschooling How-To’s.
3. Take time to nurture your family and yourself. Burning out and giving up may seem like the only option when things are too hard. I’ve learned that taking time to recover, to recuperate, to reinvigorate can make all the difference. For more advice on this, click here.

And, as Todd Wilson constantly reminds us, look for a homeschool friend to join you on your journey.

Remember, stay relational!

 Diana

dianawaringpresents@gmail.com