REMEMBER THE CALLING

Waaay back in March, I attended and actually helped set up a workshop for homeschool moms called,

"Remember the Calling:  Finding Joy in Letting God Lead Your Homeschool Journey."

A local homeschool mom, Karen DeBeus of SimplylivingforHim.com came and spoke an encouraging word to us.

It was a nice night with a really small crowd ;)

I didn't take many pictures, but I did take a few notes that I shared with some people that were unable to attend.  I'm just going to copy them as I sent them.

SimplylivingforHim.com is Karen DeBeus' website.  She also has a podcast and other resources.  Biblebasedhomeschooling.com is another site.

So some of the main points:  

Who is in charge of your homeschool?  It is ALL about the Lord.  

We serve a Super Lord so we don't have to be supermoms

We can get bogged down with the day to day things and even give up on our school year (thinking that next year will be THE year it all gets done)--but finish well.  Live in this moment because the next is not guaranteed.

Do you have JOY in your homeschool?  Look back to see why you started homeschooling.  What is our purpose?

With your children write a mission statement.  Have clear goals for yourself and your children--and they may have nothing to do with academics, but rather about pointing your children to Jesus and having them be kind and productive members of society.  Everyone learns at different rates so also don't fall into the comparison trap.  You can be your own worst enemy.  Let go of the pinterest/facebook/supermom expectations.  She also talked a lot about simplifying.  It is not necessarily having and doing less STUFF (though that is certainly part of it) it is having MORE JESUS!  Homeschooling is not between you and your neighbor or you and your parents etc.  It is only between you and God.  

Matt. 6:33

If we seek Him first (in our homeschool) *He will equip us

                                                          * He knows what our children need

                                                          * He will work no matter the style or curriculum we use

                                                          * If we seek Him first, we will be doing things "right"

Here are some verses to encourage: Psalm 126:3, Isaiah 58:11, Hebrews 3:16, Proverbs 16:9

What legacy are we leaving for our children and how do we want to be known? Is our identity in being a homeschool mom or is it in Jesus?  What will our children remember us as?  Mom loved and pointed us to the Lord (and that is WHY she did everything) or Mom did every craft and whatnot..The first should be our goal.

Before talking to your friends or consulting the catalogs or reviews, be in PRAYER over choosing curriculum!  How many of us do that??

Be in God's Word--it should be first thing you see and absorb everyday and it will give you strength.

There was so much more in the presentation, but that is a little sampling.  Hope you are all well!

As I said, it was a very encouraging night.

I hope we get another opportunity to have a time like this sometime in the near future!