As homeschool moms, we can get quite concerned about covering everything. In fact we sometimes have the ability under the influence of this concern to schedule every single minute of our children’s days with school work.
I am guilty of this…I do it every year as I plan.
This year is not ANY different. Despite what all the homeschool naysayers say…I WANT my children to get the BEST possible education. I want them to excel in so many areas, and I forget one little BIG thing. What does God have planned for my children? When I make my plans, have I stopped and asked God’s opinion? Did he have a say?
Honestly NO, not with my first go around…EVERY. Single. YEAR, I have to replan, because I have these big ideas in my head, but there is no way, on Earth, that any child could accomplish what I am pushing my children to do…See, I didn’t consult God on what he wanted me to do…When I did go back and pray and work through it again, I didn’t get rid of what I wanted, I added what God led me to, but did not eliminate anything.
No Way Could We Get it All Done
Our current, planned without asking God, 2011-2012 daily schedule is about 6 hours of book work a day…WHAT!!!! Nope, will not work, and it is better to realize this now, then to wait, try this current schedule, get irritated and frustrated.
Wouldn’t it be easier just to consult God first? Why don’t we? Because we fall into the trap, that we know better? or We fall into the trap of the institutionalized education mindset that say we must do this, this and this, or their education is lacking so much that they will never survive in society and get a real job…
A Real Job?
Wait, what is a REAL job? Is that a job where you hate what you are doing, but you do it, because you make a lot of money, and they you become a materialist hoarder that others envy? or Is it a job that keeps you away from family for hours and hours or days, weeks or months at a time? (not talking military there). Or is it a job that meets the financial needs that you have with enough left over to be able to bless someone going through a hard time?
I know where my REAL job ideal fits in, but so many parents get stuck on the amount of money a child could make if they pushed this and that, and taught this, that and a few more things. Really though, why are we home educating? We want to train our children up in the love of God, and be able to teach them everything we know about God, allow them to further study Him whenever He leads Himself to them.
Teach them about God First.
So, as I go back and work on those plans where I kind of forgot about asking God, His plans for my children this year, I am going to close my eyes to the busy-ness that the Institutional mindset has tried to shine into our day. I am going to put my blinders on and take on a tunnel vision while plan according to God’s Plan for our children, pray through it, and pray each day as we start our homeschool days.
A Plan Built on Prayer is a
Plan that Will Work.
mother, christian, wife, woman, child of God. It is about my life as a farmer’s wife, as a cook, a baker, a nurse, a teacher, a woodworker, a housekeeper, a farmer (yep, I drive tractors, pick up hay bales, and other farm duties), a gardener. So, what you read here, is me, as a transparent sometimes hot headed, passionate, and opinionated person.
Hi! Hunting for Edna!
Thanks for the reminder!
Wow…I jump over here and read this, then I head over to Angie’s blog and read what she has to say and I am struggling with the same thing! Being willing to stop and wait for God to lead instead of heading off in my own direction hoping God will pick up the pieces. I will pray that God will guide us as we try to put away the world and follow Him!
My thoughts are in this stream this morning - I am sharing a few links with my young preschool/early elementary readers. Love this reminder that it happens every year! Came to find Prarie!