Oh those things you think you’ll never do! I was one of those people raised with traditional values in a very traditional home. I never, ever would have thought I would one day homeschool my own children. Not only did I not know any homeschooled kids growing up, once I became a mother I didn’t personally know any families who homeschooled their children either….Until long after I started homeschooling our girls.
But hey, my husband and I always tended to march to the beat of our own drummer. Little trendsetters we were. Except no. Not so much.
Honestly, at the time we just felt like we kinda fell into homeschooling, only truly it was the Lord’s plan all along for us to homeschool our girls during each of the seasons of their lives we have done so. We have homeschooled both, and one, and then the other one. We try to follow the Lord’s leading before our own, and pray that we will not fall back into our natural tendency to want to be in control and do things by our own strength. Because, really, that just makes things that much harder.
And y’all. Homeschooling is hard enough already! Truly it is often a very draining, time-consuming, even grueling at times feeling endeavor. But other days it can be wonderful, and free-ing and downright awesome! Honestly, it’s just like any other area of our lives…. can’t just about everything we experience, at times alternate between awful and awesome?
Hahhha.
But really, there’s a reason for that. As much as we may crave escape when things get hard, the deeper purpose for the hard things is still there. And ya’ll? I know. Here I sit typing this, at the Panera one mile down the road from my house — having been encouraged by my sweet husband to take a break, after a long hard homeschooling day. Not every day goes down as this one did, but oh — this was not my favorite day ever.
In Isaiah 48:10 the Lord tells us, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.”
My lovely little “refiners” are waiting to welcome me back home the moment I walk back in the door. Today, they helped try me in the furnace of momentary affliction…. until I had to walk away in tears of exasperation. More than once. Yep, It wasn’t pretty! But oh how I love them both so much! And the thing is, we ALL have our qualities that try others around us. We may be His image-bearers, but not one of us is perfect, not yet. So, our good and wise God provides us the blessing of being in relationship with others, knowing that His children are not all the same. They will sometimes rub each other the wrong way, grate on each other’s nerves. Frustrate, sadden, disappoint and let each other down. See when that happens, that’s when we have opportunities to remember that we were never meant to find our final contentment and satisfaction in each other. And it needs to happen again, and again, and AGAIN. Because we forget… we just forget that God alone was meant to satisfy our every longing. And you know what? I think the sweet bursts of joy and delight found in connecting with our loved ones are just a bonus. He ordained those moments too… Because He loves us!
Charles Spurgeon said, “Had any other condition been better for you, than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there. And you know what? I really believe that! That belief is not something that typically comes easily or quickly in one’s life — But the Lord who loves us? He sometimes allows these tender tests, these painful providences to grow and shape us into people that will one day look a whole lot more like Him. 🙂
Jim Elliott once said, “Wherever you are, Be all there.” That is my goal. May we all wake up to those words on our tongues and in our hearts more often. Wherever we are, whatever our day looks like. Homeschooling, or hard at work elsewhere!
So tell me! Have you ever homeschooled? Considered homeschooling one day? I know I never did! Ever struggle with what educational decisions to make?  I know I often do! So lets talk about it below, in the comments 🙂
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- Making the Choice: School or Home? ...9 parents' reflections ⋆ Betsy's Photography - […] Sybil Brun, She Lives Free […]
Aw glad to learn all of this about you! “Wherever you are – be all there.” – LOVE that. Such a good way to live. I was homeschooled! And we are planning on homeschooling our littles when they come of age!!! Such a cool way of life! XO
Brittany, so good to know about you too! Oh I love that! Thanks for visiting! XO
Sybil this is an awesome post! Like really! I appreciate you sharing your heart both the joys and challenges and choosing to be used by God through them both. I love when you said, “can’t just about everything we experience, at times alternate between awful and awesome?” This is so very true. I too believe God allows such experiences to shape up and make us into who He wants us to be.
I have not homeschooled but I have considered it. Our first born does well in the classroom environment and I think it’s especially helpful since he is the first child and was the only child for 6 years. But our second… our little princess….. uuuummm yeah, she might insist on being homeschooled :-). The thing I see as important in determining if homeschooling would be good for your children is knowing which environment they would thrive better in.
So awesome of you to commit to homeschooling the girls. You’re an awesome mom and I know they appreciate you for it. Keep up the great work!
Love it! Thank you so much, Rokia!
I love this post! When I started school, my parents had to pull me out due to a medical condition. My mom decided to homeschool me for a year, and it just stuck! I know a lot of people have opinions about what homeschooling families are like, but ignore those. I think the calling to homeschool is God calling you to minister to your family in a really beautiful way!
Chelsea, thanks so much for your comment! I couldn’t agree more that it is a beautiful ministry! And by the way, your blog is beautiful!
This was a great read. I also am going to be homeschooling my boys. Thanks for linking up to Pintastic Pinteresting Party as well.
Thanks so much Jill! Is this a regular link-up? Would love to stop back by!
Yes, it is a regular link up. Just stop by weekly to share what you ‘ve got. Nice to meet you.
Thank you for the transparency! I am definitely feeling a bit run over today from my little refiners. Thank you for encouragement! Nice to see you at the weekly moments and musings link up:)
Thank YOU for the encouragement as well Heather! I understand that over-run feeling ; ) …. good thing this is a marathon not a race, for us homeschooling families, there will be easier days ahead!
This was such a good read! I can’t wait to pass this on to a friend of mine who has been homeschooling her children for a few years now.
Awe thank you so much Tina!
I do home school and today was one of those days for me! My kids are exact opposites in everything so we have no real subject that I can catch a break from. If one is good at math the other isn’t, if one knows all the history the other doesn’t. Did I mention they both learn very differently? Along with such opposite personalities…oh yes some days are better than others and today was not one of the better ones.
Oh KC I could have written most of your comment myself – I know how hard that can be. Hang in there Mama! You are challenged but it is seen, and it matters!
You wrote: “Charles Spurgeon said, “Had any other condition been better for you, than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there. And you know what? I really believe that!”
I believe that too!
Hello!
I d like to tell you that in these times it s better to do homeschooling than the regular school, as there are many negative influences there, where the child can not yet provide.
So that s the job of us moms to protect them as long as we can , or they grow up.