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Just keep swimming....just keep swimming...


Recently, a friend of mine told me that she was frustrated with homeschooling,  I sympathized with her.  I've been down that weary road of frustration many times.  Homeschooling can be hard--no doubt.  There are days when you are really scratching your head and wondering what you were thinking.  You might even be questioning the Lord and wondering what HE was thinking when he asked you to take on this project....but rest assured--if you truly are following the Lord's leading in this area, then he will give you the tools you need to complete the task.  Isn't that true of other areas of our life though?  Truly---whatever God has called you to do, he will provide the tools you need.  Why is that so hard to grasp though?

Truthfully, I was filled with doubts regarding homeschooling.  I was pregnant with our fourth child at the time, and couldn't see how I was going to teach a 1st and 3rd grader all while juggling a toddler and a newborn.  Impossible?  Yes.  Yet...God didn't let me get away with those thoughts.  That first year proved to be far better than I ever imagined and I've now been doing this impossible task for fourteen years.

Now...this post isn't really about homeschooling, nor is it about my "great ability" (sarcasm alert!) to teach my kids.  The truth is that I struggle with my "abilities" all of the time, but not just where homeschooling is concerned.  I struggle with my abilities as a mom, a wife, daughter, sister, friend, musician, teacher, writer, homemaker, cook...Oh!   I could go on!  Questions like, "Did I prepare my lesson for Sunday well enough?"  "Does so-n-so know I care about them even though I haven't called them in two weeks?"  "Will my laundry ever be caught up?"  "Why can't I keep house like my mom?"  "Why can't I think of anything new or exciting to make for dinner?"  "Will I ever have time to finish that project?"  "Can I really sing?" "Am I really a musician?" "Why don't my kids listen to my advice?"  "Why are they doing THAT?!"  "What if I apply for that job and no one will hire me?"  Oh my!  I can wear myself out without even working at it too hard!

Sometimes I overthink things so much that I talk myself out of doing something.  I won't even begin with that list, or this post will be entirely too long to read!  I know many of you reading this struggle with similar issues. Some of you struggle with issues I haven't listed here, but they are just as difficult for you to deal with.  You too, are filled with self-doubt.  Sometimes you too, talk yourself out of doing things you know God has nudged you to do...but why?  If God has nudged you, don't you think HE thinks you can do it?

Ah!  That's it!  There I go again, relying on my own strength and my own abilities, instead of truly leaning on the One who has all of the strength and all of the ability I will ever need.  My daughter has a short saying she says to me when I tell her I'm thinking of doing something.  She says, "Do it!  You know you want to!"  She is usually right....just the fact that I'm thinking about doing something means I want to.  You do too.  So....

"Do it!  You know you want to!" And just keep swimming....

“What is impossible with men is possible with God.”  Luke 18:27 (HCSB)

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