1st Day of School, and Years to Go

School!  School, Exciting, new, busy, busy, fun-and did I mention . . busy.  Another year has come.  We commence.  Last week Monday to be exact.  Trying something new: scheduling.  Doing something old: traditions (for the 1st day).  It's all very exciting.  

Bits and pieces of our first day.  This is how we begin.  As a tradition the kids "walk" to school on this day.  The walk consists of going out the back door and around the house to enter and be greeted at the front door.  Always with smiles and giggles.  Excitement.   Then the yearly photo on the porch.  This is un-excapable!  Next, introductions to new books, and getting to the studies of the day.   More fun and leisurely for a school day.

Now over the years I have learned to plan for this day.  We did a bit of preliminary work, in order that our day go a bit smoother.  It worked well!  There was more time to introduce materials.  This day was fun, as well as "accomplished."  We ended on time.  The house was clean.  Dinner ready to go~huge bonus.  The day ended and I had that sense that all was well and good.

All of this wonderful-truly.  But as my whole purpose for writing and sharing different ideas and events, is that while from the outside thing may seem wonderful, there is always a bigger story.  A story I like to call -reality.  So, fast forward one week, to "Week 2, Day 1."  Ouch!  An overwhelming day.  Challenging.  High stress.  The day -taking too long.  We ended late. What a difference from day one when things felt so wonderful!

  The days of feeling "accomplished" really are few.  But that's okay.  I know why I'm doing this.  And have a little note on my desk for reminders:  

To Influence my Children's Lives

To Instill Biblical Values

To Share Meaningful Experiences

Once I read a list of "Reasons to Homeschool," and these were a few of the ideas that stood out to me.

  This is a decision we have made for our family.

 On the tough days I find it critical to remind my self of why.  We live in an ADD culture.  ( I don't say this in any way to demean that condition.)  I truly believe this.  I see it in my self (too much).  We begin something, and when something - better, more exciting, or even more convenient comes along - we so easily throw our convictions out the window.  

Do you know it took W. Wilberforce 20 years of bringing up the issue of slave trade before there was any sign of significant movement on it?  Not to mention almost his entire lifetime of relentlessly pursuing the end of slavery to finally see laws in England change.  I'm not sure that we have this steadfast spirit in our culture today.  This relentless pursuit of our convictions.  I've seen my own self falter.  Others falter.  Let's instead look to positive examples of the past, all the times that a man or woman stood up.  The road isn't easy.  You may not see immediate impact.  But in the end the results are clear, if only we choose to be steadfast.  By God's grace, I pray that I will be.

The road might be long - We cannot see everything ahead - But it's beautiful.