First Week of School

All through my summer activities, I still tried to blog.

When we spent a week serving the Lord at Bible camp, I blogged a week ahead of time, so I didn't miss a day.

When I traveled for two weeks through North Dakota and Montana, I  blogged nearly every day. During a week of Vacation Bible School I blogged.

During a camping trip and a trip to see my parents,  I still blogged.

But, after a summer of playing and traveling, I had to come home to the cold, hard reality that all play and no work kept Momma Mindy from being ready for another year of school.  I came home with a whole summer of activities to unpack, one week  to prepare for my 17th year and not much time or ambition to blog.

After 17 years, there isn't that much to acquire for school.  My house is overstocked with supplies, manipulatives, games and extra school supplies. 

I just needed to restock, restore and renew my zeal for teaching my children.

For 17 years, I have always been ready to start a new year.  Other years I have been more excited and giddy, but these past few years the feeling is more that I am just stedfast.

I've put my hand to the plow and I'm not turning back.

For years, I homeschooled mostly because I wanted to. I love being with my kids.

As my kids aged, I homeschooled because I needed to.  The world was not going to  impart the Christian values, beliefs,  life goals, principles and purposes the Bible teaches.

Jon's first day of High School,

at home with Mommy, of course.

Rebekah declared her first day of

second grade to be "really easy."

I have been praying seriously for over a  year that the Lord would restore my joy in homeschooling.  I recently realized, He has answered my prayer, I just wasn't seeing it.

In James 1:2, when we are told to "count it all joy" it doesn't mean that we jump up and down and scream "Praise the Lord" to prove that we are not depressed about our circumstances.  It is more of an inward understanding, obedience and expression of faith - we trust the Lord for what He is working in our lives.

I long ago came to the understanding that homeschooling and parenting is not just about raising my kids, it's about raising me up in the Lord.

So, we have our books, sharpened pencils,  fresh workbooks and manipulatives ready for another year of academics. I am not jumping up and down in excitement over a new year, but I am calmly confident the I am in the Lord's will and that He will be doing a work in all of our lives this year.

And in this, there is joy.