i originally wrote this word of encouragement, in 2010, to encourage other homeschool families during this funky time of year, after the excitement of Christmas holidays, but still not nearly close enough to Spring Break.
A lot has changed for me since 2010. Nine years ago, I had a sophomore in high school, an 8th grader, a 5th grader and a 2nd grader. Now my oldest son has graduated from college, is married, and is a teacher and a basketball coach. My daughter, who is recently engaged, graduates with her PTA degree in May. My middle son is at Troy University seeking a sports journalism degree. He will be walking from Troy to Panama City Beach next week to raise money for Jeep Sullivan’s Outdoor Adventures for Wounded Warriors. And my youngest son, a junior in high school, is dual enrolled in a couple classes at GCSC and I teach the rest at home. He loves basketball and plays for Deane Bozeman High School. He is currently running track for Bozeman and starting a new job at Chick Fil A this week.
Even though much has changed, I would still share this same piece of encouragement nine years later. I still face many homeschool challenges, most of which revolve around time management issues as I balance, the roles of mom, homemaker, teacher, small business owner and friend. This time of the school year still drags its stubborn feet incessantly. Can’t Spring Break just hurry up and get here?! On top of that, my three kids who are still in college all have different spring breaks.
Due to Hurricane Michael this has been an already challenging year. We started in August with an excellent school plan, two classes at the college, two classes with Arete Collaborative Academy and two classes at home. We were ready and our hearts were filled with joy. After the hurricane, we were homeless, and I just sort of shut down. I had a hard time making decisions, teaching my son, battling fear, running my household and keeping up with a somewhat normal schedule. My favorite response to my kids, who needed my strength, was, “I don’t know”. Finally after all these months, things are just now beginning to rebound for me, and we have been in a new home since Christmas.
With that being said, I know a lot of you are still displaced, dealing with all kinds of things that never invade a normal school day; contractors, insurance agents, mediators, rentals, repairs so forth and so on the story goes. So more than ever please give yourself grace. Remember, homeschooling isn’t a sprint. It is a heck of a long marathon. So stay the course and stick to the raft.
It’s that time of year again, when the “homeschool blues” creep into your heart and life. It is the middle of February, the excitement of the Christmas season has long since passed, you are looking at your lesson plans wondering how you will ever “catch up”. Your goals, some of which you just newly made in the New Year, are becoming strangely dim. First, let me assure you-you are not alone! We all doubt our qualifications and ability to teach from time to time. We ask ourselves, “Would my kids be better off being taught by an academic institution, rather than by me, their own God given parent?” We look at our own messy house, our needy toddler, our bickering children, our daunting “to do” list, our books yet unread, our vision of peace and joy, which seemingly is crumbling down around us, and we cry out, “Is this really worth it?!” I have a few words of encouragement for you today: Stick to the Raft!!
Several years ago, we read a Lamplighter book, Stick to the Raft, which was originally written in 1877. It is a story of a young man’s journey of faith. A poor boy is honored for his hard work and honesty, when misfortune invades his life, and his faith is tested. I want to share an excellent quote from this book. “It’s my dead mother’s idea, sir. Soon after father gave himself to the Lord he had to take a raft to a neighboring village, and when he started, mother told him to stick to it, and explained that she wanted him to hold on to a Raft which would bear him at all times. She meant the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is a delightful book, with a wonderful message of hope. Today I share that hope with you: Stick to the Raft!
Remember homeschool mom (dad), what you are doing has eternal value. It doesn’t matter if you don’t finish your assignments by the first of June. However, it does matter that you stand steadfast; knowing in your heart that nobody has the burden for your child(ren) that you have. When they were born, God placed that burden in your heart. That burden drives your desire to help them succeed in every area of their lives. You know their strengths and weaknesses, the good, the bad and the ugly. You can tailor their academic study, life skills development, character training, and spiritual growth to each individual child. Don’t’ forget that the time that you spend with your children, as you teach them at home, is an incredible gift from God. Again, I encourage you: Stick to the Raft!
In warfare, an army is much more effective when they know their enemy and what they are up against. The same holds true with educating our children at home. If we know that the “homeschool blues” creep into our lives this time of year, we can be prepared to battle, and come out on the other side victorious. There are several practical ways we can combat our enemy. First, let us make no comparisons with other homeschool families, with public or private school families, or even between our own children, and what we have accomplished in the past. God has a specific plan for your family, including each individual child, during this precious season of life. We need to keep our eyes on Him. Second, delve into God’s Word, to seek the strength, hope, and encouragement that you need today. Discover how the Lord instructs you to teach, train and direct your children. Third, call a fellow homeschool mom (dad) and encourage her (him). Amazing things can happen when we take our focus off of ourselves and make a concerted effort to bless someone else. Lastly, pray and seek the Lord for yourself. He knows what your children need most and will give you the wisdom to accomplish what He desires in their lives during this particular school year. His grace is sufficient. It will empower you meet the challenges head on, and His mercy will sustain you as you faithfully obey His leading. But most importantly…….. Stick to the Raft!
Taking Back Happy 