It’s 10:00 am and you still haven’t started your first homeschool lesson. The kids won’t settle down, you didn’t do your lesson plan for the week, you have a sink full of dishes, and the laundry needs to be done. You would think that coffee would help, but it doesn’t! To top it all off, you just saw a fellow homeschool mom on Instagram showing her tidy house, and hard-working kids, completing their perfectly planned lessons, all while wearing huge smiles on their faces. You may be tempted to feel defeated, to feel inferior, but it is a trick. We all have days that are less than perfect. Let’s face it, we are not perfect! We certainly don’t have perfect kids. There is no perfect mom, house, marriage, or homeschool. Don’t let Instagram fool you.
 Life has taught me that comparison is poison, it is. You are unique and you have been equipped for the task ahead of you, even when it feels like you are still in training. Do your job well, and see it through to the end! Even when the workload is overwhelming when the kids are ungrateful when you want to put them on the school bus and never look back….keep going. If you have been called to homeschool, then you have what it takes. God knew that. With all of your imperfections, HE saw them and still, HE chose you to lead these amazing little human beings (who turn into amazing big human beings). HE knew that with your drive, passion, vision, and guidance you would make it successfully to the finish line. Now, I currently have 3 marathons to run, and 3 finish lines to cross, but I know that I will get there. Sure, there are days when I want to quit, but I prepare, I train, and I pray! Oh yeah! Did I mention that I cry sometimes, too? It’s hard at times, but you can do it! People may think that home education is a waste of time, that you are crazy for trying to take on such a task, and they may even question how prepared you are….but keep going! This is your race to run, no one else’s. Stay focused on the task, not the distractions. There may not be a large group waiting for you at the finish line. There may not be a lot of people cheering you on, but God will be there, your family will be there, and that is all that you need! That is all that matters in the end.
Above all else, don’t forget to enjoy every hug, every laugh, every milestone, and every opportunity to pass on knowledge. Enjoy every moment and don’t take a single thing for granted. Take in the beautiful scenery around you every day, even on the days when it is difficult to find beauty in it! One day, your marathon(s) will be over, you will cross that finish line, and your race will be done. You will be letting your children free into the world. When they look back, what will they remember? Will they remember how perfect your house was? Will they remember every curriculum you chose? Will they remember how much money you spent on them? No, they will remember YOU. They will remember your sacrifices, the memories that you made together every day. Most of all, they will remember and learn from seeing the race that you ran. Soon they will be ready to run their race, preparing for their life course. They are learning how to train for this amazing journey, this amazing race from you! So, on the days that you want to quit, when you can’t see the finish line, when you see others passing you by…keep going! Don’t quit, you can do it! Go and finish strong! Finish well! ❤