"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." Matthew 5:14-15

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45-46

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Looking Ahead

Here I am, almost at the end of my 12th year of home schooling. It seems hard to believe. When I started out twelve years ago I really wasn't sure if we would continue all of the way through - not because I wasn't in favor of it, but I was insecure in my abilities. I guess you would say I'm in the home stretch since my oldest son only has a year of schooling before he graduates and moves on to college. Incredible! Next year my youngest will be in 9th grade, which leaves only four more years for me to be home schooling. I know how quickly time passes, and before I know it those years will have passed away.

So as I look ahead to four or five years when I no longer have the responsibility of their education, I begin to wonder what things God will have in store for me. Is there anything that I can be doing now to cultivate and prepare myself for that time? I have always had a desire to write, and I think that God will use that more in my life as I get to the point where I have the time and freedom to write. But I also have a desire to mentor and work with women to encourage them to follow after what God has for them, and not what the world says. We live in a time when it is getting harder and harder to go against the flow. It is so important that we do make a stand for our beliefs and stick with it.

In this waiting time it is important to still spend quality time with the Lord and to dig in His word to discover what His will and desires are for my future. In the mean time I can also be doing research - learning how to be a mentor, better writer, encourager, etc. I want to prepare myself for what lies ahead so that I will be faithful. As you look ahead what new things do you feel God wants you to do?

3 comments:

Marilyn in Mississippi said...

Oh how well I can identify with this post! I started teaching our oldest child kindergarten in 1983 when there were hardly any other homeschoolers in our state. I felt like I was really going against the flow but that was what my husband and I felt the Lord was asking us to do. Within three years I was teaching all of our children.....kindergarten, 2nd grand and 3rd grade......and continued teaching them until they all graduated from high school. When they were all in school and we were working so hard every day I used to wonder if I would ever achieve the "goal" of graduation! Well, that seems like such a long time ago now! My youngest graduated from homeschool ten years ago next month! Since then I have, as you hope to do, done quite a bit of writing and also have had the time to do some volunteer work. We all have seasons in our lives. Enjoy this one! It will be gone all too soon!

God bless you!
Marilyn in MS

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Wow! You must be feeling so many emotions. How wonderful that you were able to homeschool throughout high school as well. My kids are still itty bitty but I already feel God calling me to write more.

Deborah said...

Hi, just 'popping' in!
I'm got a little jealous as I read your post. We began homeschooling our oldest kids in 1987..I think?! and they are all grown up long ago, but we have a second 'batch' and the youngest is just six. There are days when another 12 years of homeschooling looks very long indeed! But, on the other hand, I wouldn't hand it over to anyone else!