Seeing Homeschooling Through the Eye of Faith

Oh my dear friends who are following me through these pages!!! I love you.  I hear your struggle.


Carry on, keep going. You look at my homeschooling, see my amazing children and wish and wonder.  All I have done is "fail," start over, "fail," start over, "fail,"...and then realize with each perceived "failure" we were actually stumbling forward and our "mistakes" taught us and refined us, making us as much the people we are today as our "successes."

I heard it said that you should only plan on one day in ten being a "good" homeschooling day.  Looking back, I realize that those days that I thought were wasted, when we went off the planned path and argued all day, seeking resolution, trying to fix relationships, dealing with our very human-ness.

It reminds me of a quote someone shared at my son's funeral so many years ago:

I am especially impressed as I consider the week leading to His death: the chief priests challenged His authority, tried to trap Him, and twice conspired to kill Him. In Gethsemane, while His disciples slept, He suffered the sins of all mankind and bled from every pore. He was betrayed, arrested, questioned, struck, spat upon, and beaten. After interrogation by the ruling council, He was mocked by Herod and finally taken to Pilate, where He was made to stand before an angry mob. Whipped and crowned with thorns, He was forced to carry His cross to Golgotha. Nails were driven into His hands and feet. His body was raised up between common thieves. Soldiers cast lots for His earthly possessions, and vinegar was given to quench His thirst. After six hours, 20 He commended His spirit into the hands of His Father, gave up the ghost, and died.When we observe the last week of the Savior’s life from our earthly perspective, our first impression may be one of suffering and destruction. We may see only the Savior’s mother and others weeping at the cross, soldiers afraid, the earth in great commotion, rocks broken up, the veil of the temple rent in twain, and three hours of darkness covering the land. A similar scene of storms and destruction unfolded in the New World. In short, we see the terrible tempest raging.But look again—this time through the eye of faith.

In the last, most agonizing weeks of His life, consider that Jesus taught, testified, lifted, blessed, and strengthened those around Him. He raised Lazarus from the dead, taught about His Father, set the temple in order, gave several parables, witnessed the widow offering her mite, instructed His disciples about the signs of His Second Coming, visited the house of Simon the leper, instituted the sacrament, washed the feet of the Apostles, and taught His disciples to love one another. He testified of His divinity as the Son of God and taught of the Comforter—the Holy Ghost. In His great Intercessory Prayer, He prayed to His Father for His Apostles and all who believe on their words, “that they might have [His] joy fulfilled in themselves.” 21In His darkest hour, the light of peace and joy did not fade. It grew brighter! After His death, He appeared to Mary Magdalene. What joy must have been felt that morning as the news spread: “He is risen”! 22 In time He came to the women on the road, to Cleopas and a disciple who were traveling to Emmaus, to the Apostles and disciples in the upper room, to Thomas, who doubted, and to others. Again, there was joy and rejoicing in the Atonement and the Resurrection. 23...
My brothers and sisters, however dark conditions may seem in this world today, whatever the storms we are facing personally, in our homes and our families, this joy can be ours now. Sometimes we don’t understand death, illness, mental and physical disabilities, personal tragedies, war, and other conflict. Some of these are a necessary part of our mortal probation. Others, as Enoch foresaw, are part of the preparation for the Savior’s Second Coming, when “the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but,” said the Lord, “my people will I preserve.” And when Enoch saw all these things, he “received a fulness of joy.” 25

 Now look at your amazing children with the "eye of faith."  Look at your homeschooling.
You  were called to be your children's parent. 
Short "Awesomeness" from Uchtdorf (40 secs)
Follow the Spirit.  Look into your children's eyes and see their greatness...they will feel your sincerity.  And they will rise to it.   Create an environment of learning--free from distraction and full of respect--and defend it with your dying breath.  Do it for them.  Do it for your own education, your education that embraces and includes the realization of your children of their bright and powerful mission.