Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Back-to-School Blues


We do get to take some pretty fun field trips...


This time of year is always tough for me. I love the school supplies, and the cooler weather, and the return to routine, but it is hard when my Facebook feed is full of back-to-school pictures, so many blogs I follow are posting school lunch recipes, and Pinterest is swarming with pins of ways to make returning to school easier!

Because my kids aren't "going back" to school. We will start school, of course, here at home. I won't get to kiss my kids goodbye and return to my quiet house where I can spend my hours as I please. I will be looking at curriculum and lesson plans, while trying to juggle cooking, cleaning and laundry. And I wish that didn't make me a little less-than-thankful, but it does. I know the grass is always greener on the other side of the schoolyard fence, but sometimes it is just hard to appreciate how hard I've worked to water my own lawn!

I suppose in the same way that public school moms wonder "how we do it", I wonder how they do it. Do they get to enjoy immaculate houses and long, leisurely lunches? Do they read dozens of books and work out at the gym every day? I'm quite certain it is not as wonderful as I imagine it to be. And I could certainly put my kids in public school and find out!

But I'm not going to. I truly believe that God has called us to homeschool for this season in our lives. If that season lasts until Carson graduates I am looking at at least 12 more years. And I don't expect anyone who feels called to send their kids to school to feel guilty-I am not the Holy Spirit! Ask the Lord what He wants you to do, and go confidently with that.

And that's what I have to do when I am jealous over what I imagine must be the wonderful luxury of *not* homeschooling-I am sure that comes with trials and troubles all it's own. Instead I am going to focus on doing what I know I am supposed to do: trusting that the Lord will provide and continuing in confidence, knowing He will support me.

"He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:8-10

So, maybe I will have to stay off the Internet for a little while, but I hope that the Lord will bring to mind all the blessings our family receives by following Him in obedience. Following the Lord's will is never easier, no matter the course, but it is the only thing that will ever lead to true contentment!

2 comments:

  1. I saw you comment about this post and had to come read it. Thank you for writing it. I feel mostly the same. My friends all have to be out the door at 7:00 a.m. and then sit in long car pool lines. I am so grateful I don't have to do that. But yeah, it's back to work for us. This is only my second year homeschooling. And now it's back to being a little weird when I am out with all 3 of my kiddos in the middle of the day. ;)

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    1. I so appreciate you taking the time to comment! Being able to avoid all the crowds during school days if we go out always makes me happy, even if it does mean lots of "so, is school out today?". ;) I am glad that I am not the only one who gets a teeny bit jealous, even though I shouldn't!

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