5 Essentials of Homeschooling: So You Wanna Be Superwoman

 This week I am going to talk to you about the 5 Essentials of Homeschooling. Instead of writing about my favorite brand of #2 pencil and math curriculum, I want to talk to you about what I consider to be truly Heart issues. Of course, these issues are what I have found to be true in my own experience. They might be different for you. My topics for the week are Discipline (the self kind, not the a timeout…though you might need one), Flexibility (and if you can put your leg over your head I don’t want to hear about it), Creativity (you might be able to borrow someone else’s), Teachability (believe it or not…you’re not done learning)  and Grace (I need it daily!). My apologies to those who really wanted to know my thoughts on dry erase boards (I like them) and co-ops (I am slightly afraid of them). Happy Reading!

Today is my last post for the 5 Essentials of Homeschooling Blog Hop. 

I really consider this to be the most important "Essential," not only in Homeschool...but in Life. 

Like my header picture? I could be Superwoman. Well. If you took away the dark, shiny hair, the flawless complexion, the 14-inch waist, the super human strength and general awesomeness. 

Truthfully, there is not much to compare me to Superwoman. Though I try and convince myself now and again I must possess some of her wicked ninja moves. 

Do you know your limits?

I find I know them, but have difficulty sticking to them.  Superwoman I am not. 

Another story (cue sappy daytime soap opera music). I have been in treatment for cardiomyopathy since 1999. For those of you who are not "in the know," it is disease of the heart muscle. In my case, my heart  weakened. Doctors aren't sure why it weakened, but weaken it did.  Most of the time I’ve puttered through life with no ill effects. I am treated with a few different kinds of medication and have a good prognosis. It has caused a few issues for me. For one,  I've 2 major episodes of Congestive Heart Failure. The first happened when I was just 27. 

The second happened in 2006 when Josiah was just 4-years-old. This episode left me broken. Financially, emotional, physically. I spent too many days in guilt. My little boy was not experiencing the same kind of childhood that little boys should have.  My husband had spent too many years taking care of me. 

You can see that I was right smack in the middle of a huge pity part (complete with all the ice cream I could eat). I might have had good reason to feel like this might be the end of the world (let alone my life), but I wasted valuable moments not embracing what I did have. 

Do you ever feel like you just aren’t enough? 

The laundry (oh, the laundry) never seems to be done.  I feed my son all the wrong things. I never seem to be in step with the latest homeschool trend. Some days it’s all we can do to get through our schoolwork...forget about lunch. 

This verse has been such a comfort to me over the years. 

"And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

In this Homeschooling journey (and in life) we will all eventually feel like we aren’t enough. We can’t do enough to keep up. We aren’t equipped to handle the task in front of us. Raise a hand if you’ve been there. Sista! I see that hand (or is that mine?).

This where Grace comes in. 

Grace is recognizing that I can only do what I can do. God’s going to have to fill up the rest. 

Grace is knowing when I need to take a step back and just rest in Him. 

Grace is being able to say, “no,” to those things that I need to say “no” to. 

Grace is understanding that God has not given me more than I can bear. If I have added to that…I need to stop it! 

Grace is being confident that He has numbered my days and He guides my steps. And that He is sufficient. Even when I feel that I am not. 

Here is what I have concluded. It might change one of these days, but for now,…it’s all I’ve got. 

When it’s all said and done, God has given me the care of this beautiful boy. He is also able to provide my husband and me what we need to complete the task of raising him. We might not make all the right decisions, but we try. I can’t promise that I will never make a trip through the Drive-Thru. That I might never cancel Math for the day to read a book. Most of Josiah’s clothes will be clean when he leaves the house, but I can’t make any guarantees about his underwear. 

As I face the other challenges in my life, I am reminded that He can take care of those things, too.

So, my friends. Today (on this last posting for 5 Essentials of Homeschoolin) I encourage you to give yourself a little Grace. I know I need some. 

Be sure to check out the following blogs. We are all part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. You can check out even more by clicking on the banner below. 

Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road
Heather @ Thrift Schooling
Joanie @ Simple Living Mama
Lisa @ Home to 4 Kiddos
Amy @ Homeschool Encouragement
Monique @ Living Life and Learning
Jenn @ Fresh Start Academy
Lori @ Special Connection Homeschool


  


I hope this series has blessed you in some way. Have a great weekend!