Surviving or Thriving? Back to School Reminders for Moms...Part 2

Today I am going to continue my series on Back to School Reminders for Moms.  Each day, in the middle of all the situations where the Lord has placed us, we have the chance to thrive. However, if we do not make careful choices when it comes to our attitudes, and if we do not fix our eyes on the Lord and His strength, we will find ourselves merely surviving in midst of our day to day responsibilities. As I said in Part 1, these posts fall under the category "Preaching to Myself". When I relate a personal example I am not somehow suggesting that I have arrived in these areas. I am merely remembering God's faithfulness in the past and providing my experiences as an encouragement to you as you consider your school year ahead! Let's get started with Part 2!   

Give Your Limitations to the Lord. All of us face situations that cause us to feel limited. Seasons of poor health, financial difficulties, inadequacies in a particular subject matter, a baby in the hospital, pregnancy complications, general lack of outside support, cramped living conditions...these are just a few of the difficulties our family has faced in our thirteen years of home schooling. And do you know what? With each situation the Lord has been faithful and shown His power in our weakness! Give your limitations to the Lord and gather up your faith in his goodness and love for you...He will provide! Perhaps he will provide a way out ( like an awesome Algebra 2 teacher!), or maybe he will provide a way through ( like the time he caused our favorite babysitter to be on paid leave from her nanny position just as I was trying to juggle parenting a hospitalized preemie and caring for 4 children at home...did I mention she was a certified teacher and helped with their schooling as well as general child care? Only God could come up with such timing!).  Maybe the Lord will sustain you in a supernatural way that causes others to see you in your trial and give glory to Him. Regardless, His power is made perfect in weakness ( II Cor. 12:9) and you can trust Him as you face difficulties.

Don't Be Afraid to Find What Works for Your Family.  I spent several of my early homeschooling years trying to imitate the methods of a friend that  I greatly admired. I gradually realized that not only were our children very different , but my friend and I were very different, too. In fact, I really think our "different-ness" in personality is what gave us such a rich friendship.  However, when it came to schooling choices she could  just read the scripted math lesson and her children understood perfectly, and I needed to cut up apples and draw diagrams...for my students to learn,as well as to keep myself from falling asleep with boredom :).  God gave your children to you...he picked you for them! When it comes to schooling choices and decisions related to parenting ( extra-curricular involvement, bedtimes, daily routines and so on), be inspired by those around you , but be yourself and don't be afraid to be unique in your approach! 

In addition, do not neglect the option to change things for a season in order to gather yourself and pray through your choices.  Our family did this in the two years following the birth of our preemie.  In a year's time we had a pregnancy with bed rest, a preemie who was in the hospital for several months, a baby who didn't sleep/had therapy appointments every week/breathing treatments every few hours/frequent ER visits, and a job change/out-of-state move. After much prayer, we enrolled our oldest two children in Classical Conversations for 7th and 8th grade after our move. Co-ops are not my thing (although we loved the CC program overall),  but for that season of "recovery and reorganization" it was just what we all needed.  It didn't last forever. Talk with your husband, seek the Lord, and allow yourself the freedom to make changes if needed!   

Well, it is time to get my day going here... be sure to read Part 1 and Part 3  if your time allows. Have a wonderful time preparing for your school year!