PrincipledMom™

As we approach the close of another year of home education, I thought I'd share some ideas to prevent "fade out"--you know, when your school year sort of fizzles out until you one day you just don't have school anymore. Kids love big finishes, so here are some ways to go out with a bang.

Say a  prayer. This is first on my list because to me it's the most important. You always need direction from God, especially when you feel dry or tired.

Shake things up. vary your routine and/or your setting. Grab your stuff and head to the park. Or the backyard. Or the museum. Have school in the evening on the trampoline or Sunday afternoon cuddled up in bed together. Who says we home educators can't take our act on the road?

Take stock. This time of year is a natural time to re-evaluate things. Do you really have to finish that book? Are you behind on something? Review and see what's really important to finish and what can be left behind, what can continue on and what can be finished. Set new goals just for the end of the year to make your last few weeks your most productive.

Find your passion. If you are feeling a little burned out, try studying something your kids are really excited about. It doesn't have to be a major unit study, but adding something your kids love to learn about will make the other things a little more palatable.

Be a show off. Hold an open house for friends and family. Let the kids give a presentation on something they learned this year. Fix a few simple snacks. Display notebooks and artwork and let the kids shine.

Take five. Find a way to work in a few days of rest and relaxation. A little time in the sunshine and fresh air (even in your own backyard), then you will all be ready to make that final push.

We have a winner! Some families may like to offer some kind of reward for finishing strong. The rewards can be monetary, material or even priviledges. The ideas here are endless, so just let your mind wander.

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The Lord is my Shepherd...He makes me...He leads me...He guides me... (Ps. 23)

A shepherd is always on call. Day or night, he must be prepared to lead his sheep to food and water or away from danger. Sheep are not good at finding their own sustenance and must be led. I cannot leave my children to fend for themselves. God gave them to me and I am responsible for them. I need His guidance to in turn guide them. I must keep my spirit sensitive to God so that I can lead them as I should.

For a sheep to follow, he must be sure it's the right voice. He must trust the shepherd by what he hears. As long as I get my direction from the Lord, I can rest assured that my guidance comes from Him. Also I must train them to hear God's voice for themselves. The home is the ideal place to learn to hear God's voice. It is (or should be) a safe training ground where children can pray, hear God's voice and test it with God's Word to see if it really is the Lord. What a privilege to guide my children as they hear from God for themselves!

Sheep must also trust that the shepherd knows what is best. They believe that he has their best interest at heart and that he would never lead them "astray." I must check my attitudes, my habits and ny behaviour. Are they misbehaving, or are they simply imitating me, being led astray by my poor example? My children have to trust that I am always concerned with their well-being. It is my job to make sure they are protected from all that is evil and exposed to all that is godly.

Sometimes guiding the sheep means correcting. Some sheep don't want to stay in their fence. They want to wander into pasture they see on the other side. They must be corrected with a gentle but firm voice and sometimes moved to prevent them from hurting themselves. How often do we see our children longing for the pasture on the other side, even if their pasture is better? We must lovingly correct and steer them back to what is best for them.

As a mother shepherdess, I am always on the lookout for the very best pasture. There they can eat to their fill and rest contented that I won't let anything happen to them. 

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Continuing my theme of shepherding under the care of the Good Shepherd in my home education, I want to discuss a challenging topic, especially in today's Amercian society.

...I lay down my life for the sheep... (Jn. 10:15)

 It is not an easy thing to do. The shepherd of Jesus' day would lay down in front of the gate to the sheep pen and make sure nothing got in to harm his sheep.  His audience would know how literal that statement was.

A shepherd is not a part-time occupation. You are on-guard for your helpless sheep 24/7. You must put all other things aside as you check them daily for parasites, disease and skin ailments. You make sure they have the best food and water.

And as I am occupied with checking to see that what they are exposed to is good for them, they will flourish. I take the time to check them over, inspecting them daily for growth and for problems so I can deal with them quickly. When sheep are infected, it can infect the others quickly, and so it is with siblings. When one is injured in heart, I take hasty steps to assure their full recovery. I make sure there are no attacks from the enemy and no pests making it difficult for them to rest and learn at the feet of the Good Shepherd.

As a home educating mom, I must also may my life down. I must put aside things I would like to do. I must postpone things I am interested in, sometimes to the point of aggravation. My heart must be turned toward my children. 

If I am training them up in the way they should go, that takes my life. It's all day, every day (Deut. 6:4-9). It is a lifestyle of discipleship. It's a constant denial of my flesh and my agenda. It's putting my sheep ahead of my own wants. And that has been a painful but necessary (and completely fulfilling) endeavor. If God truly has called you to home educate your children, are you really missing out on anything? Does He ever call us to something and then withhold blessing, contentment or joy? Certainly not. I encourage you to completely surrender to the Lord for this season. Lay your life down for your little lambs and see if God will not richly reward you more than you could ask or think.

That's not to say I never get time to do things I like to do. But it is in balance. My children should never see me neglecting their needs to fulfil my desires. Nor do I just give and give until I am exhausted and empty. I seek the Lord daily for strength, direction and grace. I seek Him for what I am to do and what I am to teach. He fills my cup to overflowing  (Ps. 23:5) so that I have something to offer my little lambs.

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As a mother, my view of training my children up is very emotional. My thoughts are toward my relationship with them, toward shaping them while nurturing that special relationship, which is not always easy. I love to think of my children as little lambs, and when I read the phrase that titles this post (by Mrs. Mercy Warren to her dear friend Mrs. John Adams), I meditated on what it means to be a shepherdess in my humble home. Taking my example from the Good Shepherd and from the wonderful little book A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23, I compared ways my home education is like shepherding.

Feed My Lambs (Jn. 21:15)

The lambs are completely dependent on the shepherd to lead them to good food. And that may not always be easy. First, you must know what good food looks like. It may look good at first, but when you inspect more closely you see it is not good for your precious sheep. It is our responsibility to feed the sheep God has entrusted to us.

Their nourishment must be consistent. They must have a steady diet of good food and clean water to be healthy and feel they can rest. Hit and miss meals will make for skinny lambs because they never rest and because they are malnourished. It is difficult to have your children master any subject if they only get a smattering of subjects and have no real schedule or educational goals. Here is a good place to insert your philosophy of education. Don't have one? Well, you better get started...

It must be enough to fill them up. Again, sheep do not rest if they are not full. It is not enough to lead them to good food. It must also fill them. And, as sheep, children can have a voracious educational appetite. If they crave more, give it to them. Not so much they throw up. Sheep don't overeat. Just lead them and let them fill themselves. They will stop when they have had enough.

It must contain the right nutrients. The sheep have different nutritional needs than chickens or snakes. They need what sheep need. Your children have unique needs, learning styles and abilities. Customize the diet and watch your children thrive. This is one of my favorite things about home education. Each child can receive just what he needs.

As the shepherd you must be kind and nurturing. They will not feed if they are frightened. Who wants to learn from a teacher who is sullen, angry or just indifferent? If you are a "lively teacher," if you have internalized the material and mastered its principles, then you know where to lead your little lambs. You know all the best little clumps of sweet grass for grazing and the coolest, most refreshing water. You lead them and let them eat and drink to their heart's content. Don't leave this task to others. As your sheep, you know what is best, because the Good Shepherd will also lead you by His Holy Spirit in this same way.

Feeding His sheep as I have described above, takes much time, prayer and dedication. Those who have made that decision are not superior or more spiritual. They have simply made a decision, chosen the road less taken. And that has made all the difference.

This is one of my favorite paintings (by Bouguereau).

It hangs in a local museum. I have a print of it in my art studio. It is inspired.

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