Thursday

Homeschooling -- The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done


I thought my college Head and Neck Anatomy class was hard. I thought studying for and passing the National Board for Dental Hygiene, all seven hours of it, was hard, too. I thought working full time and volunteering at church was hard. I thought childbirth was hard. And colic. . . . months of colic. 

It was hard to surrender my child over for surgery at 9 months old. So was praying for her salvation since before she was born. Staying married during rough times is always hard.
 

In comparison though, homeschooling remains the hardest thing I've ever done.
   
And if I had the choice to make again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. 

Despite the lonely days when I thought if I didn't see another human being over three feet tall I would scream. Despite the 547 days of phonics instruction before one of my daughters could read a four-word sentence without pausing. 

Despite the buckets of tears I (we) shed over Chemistry, Algebra, and Geometry. 


 Despite the days when fear would grip me as I wondered if I might be single-handedly sabotaging my children's entire academic future. Despite the days when I dealt with the same sin for the 100th time, and then had to correct it in my children as well. 

 If I had the choice to make again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. 



I'd do it for the joy of hearing my daughter pray to receive Christ into her heart during morning devotions. 




I'd do it for the pleasure of watching my daughter read all the way through Go Dog Go and knowing that I had taught her to read.

 I'd do it again for the character training I received through the years. I'd do it again for the opportunity to trust God when I knew that apart from His work in our homeschool, it would not succeed. I'd do it again for the privilege of watching Him work in each of my daughter's lives as they came to understand the world through a Christian perspective. 

 
I'd do it again for the precious gift of time. . . never enough, but SO much more than many of my friends had with their children during their growing up years.




 

I'd do it again for every field trip/vacation we took to fascinating places on a shoestring budget.

 I'd do it again for the chance to pray and ask God for all that we needed and watch Him provide bountifully.



I'd do it again so I could own part of their high school graduation and their college acceptance. 




 I'd do it again for the satisfaction of knowing that I had obeyed what God told me to do. 

 If I had the choice to make again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. 

"I can do all things through CHRIST who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13).



 This is the first chapter of Lori's new devotional book,Joy In the Journey ~ Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms With a devotion for every day of the week, Joy in the Journey also contains application questions, an action step, and a prayer. It's suitable for your personal devotions or for use by your support group for meeting topic ideas.

To read more about Joy In the Journey ~ Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms and what other homeschooling moms are saying about it, click here.

To order a paperback or Kindle copy,  Joy In the Journey ~ Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms

To read other posts on homeschooling:

To read the post "Homeschooling--Choosing the road less traveled," Click Here.
To read the post "Homeschooling--When you've lost your joy," Click Here.
To read the post "Homeschooling and God's mercy--When you feel like a failure," Click Here.







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34 comments:

  1. I love this! My mom homeschooled my siblings and I (she is currently homeschooling my two younger sisters), and I know for a fact she feels the exact same way.

    I've been to a private and a public school as well, and homeschooling is by far the best.

    We are so blessed to have that opportunity.

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    Replies
    1. Meagan, thanks so much for connecting. It's so good to hear from someone who was homeschooled. One of the greatest gifts my daughter ever gave me was to interrupt a homeschool mom's meeting, along with two of her friends, to publicly thank their moms for all our sacrifice. Wow -- now that's a keeper :)

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  2. "Despite the days when I dealt with the same sin for the 100th time, and then had to correct it in my children as well."

    No kidding! I can relate to this. Perhaps, learning that I am incapable of success without the Lord is the best thing about homeschool.

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    Replies
    1. You know, Tereasa, when I began homeschooling, I thought it was so the Lord could disciple my children through me. Now I know that it was so the Lord could disciple me through my children. How good He is!

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  3. I appreciate your post, especially because you have been through it all and seen a beautiful outcome with your daughters. Thank you for the perspective. I am thinking about homeschooling but fearful of so many things. It's nice to see "what can happen" instead of worrying about all the "what ifs."

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    Replies
    1. Oh, Keri, that's what makes it such a faith adventure. It is being certain of what we do not see, and trusting God to provide where he leads -- everything, from supplies, to wisdom, to friends, to ability, not to mention patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control! May God richly bless you as you seek HIS will for your family. (James 1:5)

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  4. Wow---love this!!! As a former teacher, I so love watching little ones learning to read...but nothing better than a growing understanding of God.
    Blessings to you!
    Thank you for linking up with me today. It's a new linky party and I am glad to have people stop by! :)
    Michy

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  5. Michy -- you know exactly what I"m talking about, then. When the lightbulb goes off in their little minds and they realize that the sky's the limit and EVERY book on the shelf is theirs to conquor, it's a joy to be a part of. Thanks for tagging back!

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  6. This is so encouraging as a new home school mom. Thank you! I'd love to have you link this up to Titus 2 Tuesday on Cornerstone Confessions. Hope to see you there.

    Kathy

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  7. Lori...Can I relate to your joy of homeschooling. I have seen one through graduation and have another graduating this upcoming year then I'll be down to one at home. It goes by so fast but for all the same reasons as you, I'd do it again. Thank you for sharing this part of your book at WJIM this week.

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations, WJIM, when a homeschooled student graduates, the whole family graduates! Well done :)

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  8. What a fabulously encouraging post! As someone only a few years in to my journey, I do wonder if I'll be okay with my decision at the end of the road. Thank you for your wise words!

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    1. Hi Dusty,
      I don't think I'll ever regret the time I've spent with my daughters. Even having had all the time we had together because of our homeschooling lifestyle, I still feel like it wasn't enough, and there are still things I wished I had taught them. . . pray lots, love well, enjoy the little things. God bless you, and thanks for visiting :)

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  9. Yes, I think it was probably the hardest thing I ever did, too. Definitely harder than teaching school -- public or private! And yes, I'd do it over again as well! You showed it so honestly and well!

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  10. What wonderful encouragement for all homeschoolers! Thank you for sharing on NOBH!
    Love and God Bless,
    Christy

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  11. Anonymous8:57 PM

    Lori,
    What a great, encouraging article! I loved it. Thanks for linking up with us at Courtship Connection!
    Kathie
    www.corutshipconnection.com

    ReplyDelete
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  17. Beautiful encouragement as we are gearing up to start another year of homeschooling. Thank you :-)

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  18. Thank you for the encouragement! I am in my 2nd year and sometimes I wonder if I'll make it to high school! It's nice to see others who have and who would do it all over again!
    Bless you!

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  19. Very well put! When you're slogging through the trenches of "homeschool warfare," it's hard to see the wonderful end result, but you've said it so well. I, too, after 24 years of confusion, inadequacy, and tears, would do it all again in a heartbeat!

    We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us!

    Lisa

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  20. I love this. I'm feeling led to homeschool, but I'm SO incredibly intimidated by it. I feel so inadequate. I loved reading this, and I think I might just buy the book, too!

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  21. What a wonderful post. I'm going to save this to read when I have doubts, get burnt out, and just don't know if I want to do school that day. I love it. Thank you for sharing.

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  22. Anonymous8:43 AM

    Beautiful writing! I did not homeschool my sons but I am an elementary teacher. Your words resonated with me. Being a teacher is a challenging journey but knowing that God is by our side 24/7 allows us to have the strength and knowledge to move forward. I am visiting here today from Rachel Wojo's Whimsical Wednesday link up.

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  23. Anonymous8:45 AM

    Part 2 - Ooops! I'm visiting through the Messy Marriage link up. Have a blessed day!

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  24. We were just talking about homeschooling in a women's group last night. This is a wonderful post that reminds those struggling of the importance of this calling.

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    1. also through Messy Marriage link up

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  25. I love hearing this, since we're in the preschool years!

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  26. Thanks so much for sharing this over at WholeHearted Wednesdays this week.

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