Perfect Peace
Being a homeschool mom was not even on my radar when my son entered kindergarten. However, as one week turned into the next, I began to feel unsettled about it. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the school. I taught at the school for 8 years before staying at home. His teacher was the best of the best. Still, something wasn’t right. I just didn’t have a peace about it. My husband and I prayed and prayed about what to do. Homeschooling became something that was on my mind more than it wasn’t. At the end of his kindergarten year, I decided just to try homeschooling. My thought process was, it’s first grade. What am I really going to mess up? I don’t remember much about being 6 myself.
It was very strange that next August. All of my friends were posting pictures of their kids with their new clothes and backpacks holding their chalk board signs with their new grade written on them. Sam started his first grade year in his boxers. I don’t even think he put a shirt on until his daddy came home! (His choice). His little sister wore an old flower girl dress with a crown and decided she would start school too. She even dressed the baby for the big day!
That first year was NUTS! But I felt a perfect peace. That doesn’t mean that our days were always perfect. Some days were SO HARD that I wanted to cry and did cry. However, I saw God’s hand in our journey. He sent encouragement through new friends, through aha moments from my children, through his word, and so many other ways. On top of that, my kids LEARNED, sometimes much to my amazement!
We’ve been homeschooling now for 4 years and every year we continue to pray for God’s will his sweet peace in how we educate our children. I understand that our journey is not another family’s journey. Mercy, I wouldn’t push homeschooling on anyone. I’ve found myself in the middle of the homeschooling vs public schooling debate when I’ve least expected it. In those times, I yearn to be a turtle and just stick my head in my shell. That’s not my fight. I’ll quickly find a good excuse to flee. I see Satan all over that. He loves to pit momma against momma. It’s legalism in the worst way. Sometimes, a mother will come to me asking advice whether to homeschool or not. My advice is always the same. Pray about it. Pray for God’s will and peace about your journey. Our journeys are not the same, nor should they be. Let’s encourage each other mommas. In the end, we’re all hoping to be in the same place.
“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on you,
Because he trusts you.”
-Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
Elizabeth Doan is married to her hubby David for 14 years. Mother to four wonderful kiddos: Sam (10), Sarah (8), Evie Joy (4), and Sadie Rose (6 months). Homeschooling Momma for 4 years with 17 years to go! Elizabeth’s favorite quote in the whole wide world is: “Life is frittered away by details. Simplify, simplify.” -Henry David Thoreau