www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
feelings direct our actions? That might
get us into trouble. Some folks actually
stop homeschooling because of feelings.
If we dwell on our fickle feelings, our
thinking will become clouded, and we
become unproductive. The Word of God
is where our mind should dwell, for that
is where truth is, and that is where our
minds are renewed (transformed) and
we will finally be able to know the good
and perfect will of God (Romans 12: 1, 2).
Should we wait until we feel like homeschooling before we bring our kids home
where they belong? Or should we lay our
feelings down at the feet of Christ and
take them captive unto obedience? Obedience should always come before and
even replace our feelings. Our obedience
will be rewarded by God. Our feelings
will be rewarded with more like feelings
and can lead to a downward spiral.
I may never feel fully qualified or fully
prepared or fully secure, but I think my
children are secure in knowing that I am
committed to this God-given conviction
and will continue doing the right thing
whether I feel like it or not. I want them
to be obedient no matter how they feel
when they are on their own someday, so
I cannot be the example of someone who
gives up.
So, what do you do with all these feel-
ings? When you are weary or frustrated
or anxious, let the children hear you and
see you go to Jesus. Cast all your cares on
Him. Have a good cry, and then rejoice
in His care for you. Stand on His prom-
ises. This will be an important lesson for
your children, because they will be pre-
pared and able to find peace in their own
time of need.
“Thou will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee” (Isaiah 26: 3).
5. Lacking Order and Discipline
If your house is out of order, and your
children lack discipline, you will be
unprepared for much else. Stop other
things, and start teaching the kids in
both order and discipline, and you
will eventually find peace. Create that
chore chart. Take one half hour a day to
do one thing that is calling you loudly.
Clean out that pantry that is bugging
you. Tackle that pile of papers. Take
care of those piles on the floor. Rethink
that fifth grader’s curriculum. You can
do this. If things are overwhelming
you, do one thing at a time until they
are under control. And give yourself
grace if you have a lot of little ones underfoot. Sometimes our peace of mind
comes from enjoying them and letting
the dust gather.
The children will eventually learn that
they cannot have free time unless their
schoolwork and chores are done and
their spaces and things are cleaned up.
This will help you and them in the long
run. Teach them to cook and clean properly. It is messy and takes more time now,
but the rewards will be great down the
road. Set a flexible, basic schedule and
make things doable for all of you.
Put your kids on a timer for chores and
electronics. Twenty minutes of chores,
then the reward of twenty minutes of
electronics. It might be best for everyone
if you put a timer on your own surfing
the Web, too. There is so much to virtually distract us from what is important in
real life.
6. No Vision
Are our children prepared for their future in this age of extreme moral decline? If we are not prepared to teach
them the ways of God now, who will,
and when? It’s time to have a vision of
preparedness. We are the families of
the hour to affect change on the hearts
of the next generation. The time is now.
Let’s not wake up too late! Let’s not be
unprepared, or train children to be unprepared. Let’s prepare our children
now for life and faith and persecution
and Heaven, too. Home education is a
Are our children prepared for their future in this age of
extreme moral decline? If we are not prepared to teach
them the ways of God now, who will, and when?
