I have been trying to listen to Debra Bell (Homeschool guru) all day (ok, well, not alllllll day) and it just won't play on my computer. Frustrating. I really wanted to hear this encouraging talk that she gave to homeschool families back in February. You see, I have been battling alot of discouragement lately in regards to the homeschooling endeavor. My friend Tina W. encouraged me to listen to this message by Deb Bell that she was able to benefit from. And I finally had some time to do this, but it just won't play.
But even though I haven't gotten to hear this famous homeschooling mom who literally "wrote the book" on homeschooling, something neat is happening in my heart today. Hope is rising. God is at work. As I looked at my children, all three sitting at the dining room table working on various schoolwork (well Kendall was just coloring, but let's call it "small motor development") I saw fruit from my labor. Kara is reading fluently for just turning seven. She whipped through three pages of math that dealt with tens and ones like it was nothing. She knows all of the Old Testament books of the Bible in order, and is almost finished learning all the New Testament books as well. Keaton is looking up things like the Gobi desert on the internet, reporting on it, and able to show me on a map of Asia where it's located. She writes beautiful cursive letters and loves to create stories. She is a read-a-holic and loves to draw and paint in her spare time. These are good signs! Education is happening! All I did was show up, teach the stuff, and pray my socks off! I can't tell you how BIG this is for me, friends and family! The tricky thing about homeschooling, along with every thing else in this life, is that you simply can't compare yourself to others or you will soon become frustrated, anxious, and defeated. But God is graciously helping me to see the glass as half-full today. Full of hope, full of answered prayer, full of Him. And that's where I need to start and end each school-day.
1 comment:
It sounds like you are on the right path Kristen and good for you! We had a rough day on Monday and I said some things to Kiersten that I regretted and we just had to go our separate ways but I am so thankful for the grace God gives us that even in our worst moments He is there and taking care of things. I don't know if you saw on my blog but I couple of days ago I posted a link to a talk Steve Lambert (author of the curriculum we use) and I would encourage you to listen to it if you can. He is just very encouraging and I love so many of the things he says. One of my favorite things is that when God calls us to homeschool it is more for us really than our children because we have to utterly depend on Him to get us through! I know I have learned so much since starting this journey this year about myslef and I am so thankful for that. Praying for you friend! ;)
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