In place of Gena this week:

Homeschool Motivation   

by Karen "Spunky" Braun

When I began homeschooling in 1994 with four little ones under age 5, I knew that I was going to be at this for a long time. With each passing day and trial, the potential was there to grow weary and give up. I didn't want to quit. So I prayed and asked the Lord for a vision that would keep me motivated and going strong no matter what was ahead. God did not disappoint. He responded with a word, ART.   

Three simple letters because He knew that, as a young mom, that's about all I'd remember. But they were powerful and packed with meaning.  

A is for attitude,

R is for relationships  

T is for teaching and training

Kept in the proper order, I had a vision for the "work of ART" God was creating in my family. But in the wrong order, they spelled disaster.

As a curriculum junkie, I was tempted to put the Teaching ahead of the attitudes or the relationships. Quickly, I learned that even the best curriculum cannot be taught when my attitude is wrong or when there are conflicts in the home. To put Teaching before Attitude or Relationships would be to create TAR, a sticky mess that would not be easy to work with. So Teaching had to go last. 

As a mom, I knew I wanted our home to be an enjoyable one that fostered good relationships, but I didn't want it to be child-centered. I desired a home centered on Christ. If I put the Relationships ahead of a godly attitude, I would end up with a RAT. And Lord knows, I hate RATS!

No, if God promised a work of ART, then it must begin with me and my attitude.

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant. . . . God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. . . . Do all things without grumbling or complaining." (Philippians 2:5, NASB)

My Attitude must be like Christ. This is all for Him and His good pleasure. Christ didn't grumble or complain . . . or quit.

ART has sustained me nearly 20 years and will keep me going strong until my sixth child graduates in 2021. 

So if you're looking for motivation for the coming year (or decade), seek the Lord and His word for you. He will not disappoint, and at the end of your journey He will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter now into the joy of my rest."

~Karen "Spunky" Braun

www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com   

A new lunchbox, pack of crayons, and pencils-all things that made the beginning of school seem like a great adventure when I was young. As I would quickly find out, some things may have been different, but most things were the same as I remembered. Still, with each fall's back-to-school ritual, there would always be the hope of a good teacher, new friends, and gaining new skills.

One of the things we did to begin each new year of homeschooling was to go out to breakfast on the first day of public school. Though that may seem extravagant, it set a certain tone for the year that said yes, we are homeschoolers. We are different and we like it. Being out and about on the first day of school also gave us all a great sense of the freedom and liberty our homeschooling granted us-to do things our way, not just the way it was done by everyone else. During that breakfast we would take out notebooks and talk about the plan for the year: what subjects we would study and with what materials, what support group activities we looked forward to, as well as other activities, such as sports or music lessons.

We also talked about our personal goals. We discussed each person's strengths and weaknesses and how we could address or appreciate each. I included myself in this conversation, sharing my own needs as candidly as possible. We would then commit to prayer and encouragement for each other in these areas. The sense of teamwork that would emerge from these breakfast meetings was palpable. We were all on the same team and wanted to appreciate and encourage all family members, not presume upon them. Taking each other's contribution for granted usually opened the door for the enemy to sow division between us and the goals God has given us. In our family, gratitude for one another and what we do keeps the enemy's seeds from taking root. We tried to begin the year with our relationships in mind, knowing that care for each other enabled learning to happen more easily.

What makes a return to study more fun? Valuing each other and the time you have together. Looking forward to the new things you will learn and share. Working together to see good fruit produced in you and in others as well. As you begin your year, you can look forward to these rewards. Oh yes, we also bought new lunchboxes, crayons, and pencils. Some traditions are worth keeping.

~ Debbie