No turning back

Last week I found myself a bit overwhelmed with the immense responsibility of educating our children. I knew it was a big job, and I know a lot of people look at us like we are nuts, but we felt very clearly that it was God's call for our family this year. Even knowing that though, when things were rough last week, I immediately looked at the calendar and only half jokingly told Jeff, "Public school starts next week....it's not too late to change our minds!"

My sister recommend a book to me called "Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit" by Teri Maxwell. I have not finished it yet, but so far it is excellent. I just started to read the book last week, and it was so time appropriate for me! Here is a quote from the book that really it home for me this week: "Keep in mind that the Lord uses difficulties in what we are doing to refine and grow us. Seldom are those struggles a signal to undo what He has called us to do! The problems should be pulling us to a greater level of seeking the Lord and depending on Him. They should not be causing us to consider returning to where we were before He directed us to homeschool."

So true, and just the reminder I needed this week!

So, on a lighter note, and to remind myself when the going gets rough, I thought I would occasionally post a few "joy of homeschooling" moments. A friend of mine is posting benefits of homeschooling on her blog that I have really enjoyed reading and relating with her comments.

So here are a few of our joy of homeschooling moments for this week:

1. Luke asked me for MORE Bible verses to memorize. (We have been doing one a week, but he is soaking it up and asking for more). I also came down in the morning as he was working on his activity, and he was making up his own songs to go with Bible verses we have been learning. Later in the day I heard Ben trying to entice Luke to disobey a house rule and I heard Luke say "No Ben, I am guarding my heart and not sinning against God." Yeah for hiding God's Word in our hearts and applying it!!!!!! That goes along with my friend's number one benefit to homeschooling our children....teaching them TRUTH!!

2. Luke was drawing on paper and I asked him what he was drawing. He told me "I drew a venomous box jelly fish from Australia" and it actually looked like a venomous box jelly fish! This goes along with my friend's number two benefit, Mommy and Daddy get to learn new things. Did you know what a venomous box jelly fish, tapir, or capybara are? And where in the World they are found? I didn't but we all do now!

3. We read a story about Koala Bears from the library and both boys ran to get our globe to show me where Australia was and explained that it is both a country and a continent. Yes, we are learning math, and reading, and handwriting....but we have the time to explore our son's interests as well and they LOVE animals.

4. Several times last week when I was listening in on the boys playing they were acting out or using quotes from books we have read together this summer. One time I had the boys playing in their room with Jacob while I bathed Gracie and I heard them giggling like crazy. The reason? Ben had told Luke "Let the Rumpus begin!" (From Where the Wild Things Are) I love that my children can enjoy books together and even share inside jokes as a family about quotes from books.