I am really looking forward to school starting back. I never dreamed I would say that. God has helped me to grow in some areas this summer. Last year was a struggle for me with homeschool. There was many days I thought of putting Courtney in Public School, but God was always faithful to help me see that was not the right decision. I believe that God wanted me to homeschool and I know he will help me.
I am not a teacher, and it is very hard to get things across sometimes. When I post on this blog I am not a professional, and don't try to be. Many times I just type and don't even think about the wording. I know some of you have made comments about my Southern talk and my was and were and my wording. (See you better watch who you talk to and tell things to.:) Smile;
Please remember I am not doing blogging for a grade. If blogging was a term paper I would search it over and over. My grades were very good in school. I just don't take the time to do that on my blog.
Anyway..... God allowed me to find this book this summer. "Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit." by Teri Maxwell.
This book was such a huge blessing to me. God helped me to gain so much from it. I found the reason why sometimes homeschooling is not easy. We have to homeschool with a meek and Quiet spirit. If you don't have this book you should order it.
I will be using this book all year because I found so much help with it.
Meek according to the Webster Dictionary means "mild of temper, soft, gentle, not easily provoked or irritated."
Quiet according to Webster means "peaceable, not turbulent, not giving offense, mild, meek, and contented.
There is so many things that will try and rob our meek and quiet spirit. I will share a few things that I got from the book. Fear and Worry is a big robber. The bible tells us in 2Timothy 1:7 " For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
I find myself worrying over the curriculum we are using, the education my child is getting, if I am doing the right thing. I worry that I am a terrible mom and teacher. Reading this book helped me to see that I don't need to worry about those things. I need to pray and let God worry about them. Many times last year I felt like quitting homeschooling because it was not easy. In fact some days was so hard that I would be sick. Teri helped me with this thought. " May we never choose to turn back from the path the Lord has set us upon simply because it isn't easy."
Sometimes we feel like a failure as a homeschool mom. I know myself I felt like I could not handle it anymore. I felt like it was not for me and my children. I felt powerless. Another thought from Terri that helped me, "We might be powerless, but God is not. "Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Homeschooling is a good thing. I believe that is what God wants me to do.
There is way to many things for me to name that will try and rob your meek and quiet spirit.
Terri said in her book that the list for the meek and quiet robbers fall into three main categories. Fear, disorganization, and anger." Each of these is the opposite of a meek and quiet spirit. These negative characteristics keep us from teaching (and loving) our children as we so greatly desire."
We do not have to be helpless victims of our emotions. We do not have to let our feelings rule our lives and leave us forever at odds with a meek and quiet spirit.
Depression also plays a huge role in stealing our meek and quiet spirit. That is something I feel we have to work on very hard. I have saw how depression has effected many people this year, and by God's grace I refuse to give into that.
Contentment is something that will help and greatly influence our meek and quiet spirit. God is helping me with that also. Sometimes we always want something different. We want a better house, a better car, a better curriculum for our school year or what ever. Once we get these things we find ourself complaining because they don't make us as happy as we thought they would.
I know I have thought many times of things I could do with my days if I was not homeschooling. As Terri said, "This only leads to discontentment." That will rob your meek and quiet spirit.
Contentment is something I am praying much about. I am very grateful that God has allowed me to stay home with my children and homeschool them.
1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I would recommend this book very highly if you homeschool. If you want to order a copy you can go to the Maxwells web site and order it.
They have many books to order. She has a schedule book that is pretty good if you have a large family. I only have two children so it is not a easy thing for me. I do plan on a schedule this year. I might post about that later. For tonight I must go.
