Purpose - Focus - Reasons

It's happening. The end of the school year is approaching, and we are all getting antsy to just finish up already! There are only a few weeks left before all (with the exception of science) of our lessons are finished.

We've had a few weeks of rain, and now, finally, some beautiful sunshine. But the warmth seems only to make tempers run hot -  #1 is distracted during his math and cannot for the LIFE of him remember what the other name for 1 thousand is (ten hundreds), even though we've been over it three times already.

#2 is revving his sister into a tizzy, encouraging shouting and yelling and running and jumping, all while we're trying to accomplish the remainder of #1's French.

#2 is SUPPOSED to get some kindergarten work in today, as is #3 supposed to have some one-on-one. Not going to happen.

No one is listening to me. While reading science, they stare off into space - then, when asked a question, immediately respond with "I don't know". Without even thinking. I re-read it, ask the same question. They still don't know. What is in your ears?!?!

This is the time of year where us homeschooling moms almost throw in the towel. The weather finally turns nice, and the last thing we want to do is stay cooped up inside to finish lessons no one seems to be learning anything from anyway. We've been through a long, hard (for most of us) winter and we're just ready to be done.

• Some are contemplating quitting  - that would be me right now - but only because I am frustrated over this one day (thank GOD each day dawns anew!). 
• Some are aching to put away the massive amount of school books and manipulatives that seem to have taken over the entire house - until next year anyway. 
• Some just want it all over with so they can see what in the world went wrong with all the good ideas and how it happened that you lost your motivation and reason for wanting to implement them in the first place. 
• Some just want to sleep in and let the kids sleep in instead of getting up before 7 every morning.

If you're in one of those categories, then I am sure you will appreciate this series coming up from Raising Arrows. As I was reading Amy's intro to the Homeschooling With Purpose post, I realized that we didn't really have a VISION for our homeschool.

My husband and I were both homeschooled from young ages. And we both knew, going into married life together, that we would, without a doubt, be homeschooling our future children. So here we are now, with Grade 1, Junior Kindergarten and a toddler. Some days go really smoothly. Other days I feel like I'm drowning and ask myself if we've really accomplished anything?

I had a wonderful opportunity last night to sit down with my husband (we went to see The Lion King on stage!) and talk about WHY we homeschool. And as soon as I started asking the question, my own answers started tumbling out. It was a good thing his mouth was full because I don't think he could have gotten a word in edgewise! It was like the Lord was giving me the answers as soon as I asked the question. As if all I needed to do was just verbalize what my concerns were, and he answered.

(**SIDE NOTE I believe this is why praying out loud is so effective. The Holy Spirit leads us to pray in ways (at least for me) that we would never be able to in our heads. Plus, it is a bonus to keeping yourself focused!)

Do you have someone you can go to and spill your guts about what you're experiencing? Husband? Family member? Other homeschooling moms? Once you get it out, there is almost always a comforting, reassuring word from the Lord through the person you are confiding in. If you don't have someone you can talk to, talk out loud to the Lord! He hears and he cares about everything that you are going through. Besides, he is the one who gave you the vision to homeschool, therefore he already has the answers to your questions! All you need to do is ask!

I am hoping after I finish this series with Raising Arrows to have a better idea of what our homeschool PURPOSE is. But for now, I am confident in this:

• The Lord has called us to homeschool our children because I CAN. He has given me the tools and the training to be able to accomplish it. That doesn't mean it is going to be easy. It does mean I have to lean on him every second of every day.
• We are homeschooling again, because I can, and if I were to ignore this fact and send our children to school (Christian, Catholic, public, private), then I would be sinning against the Lord. Not everyone can homeschool. But as long as I am able to stay home with my children, not working, I will be their teacher.

So, why do YOU homeschool? I'd love to hear your reasons, visions, purpose for your family homeschool!