Previously: Part one: Adequate nutrition, adequate sleep
Part two: If you need a break, take a break
Part three: Less is more
Part four: Solve family problems
Feed your spirit.
Everyone understands how important proper nutrition is to having enough health, stamina, and emotional well-being to homeschool (adequate nutrition, adequate sleep). But adequate “nutrition” is just as important for our spritual well-being. The word of God is the food of our spirit man, and daily communion with our heavenly Father restores our soul.
Time is at a premium for a busy homeschooling mom, so the question always comes up: how much time is enough to spend attending to spiritual matters? Is once or twice a week at church enough? I guess that question requires an individual answer. Is once or twice a week enough to feed your body? Then why your spirit? Is seeing, sharing with, and loving your husband once or twice a week enough to nourish you as a wife and he as a husband? Then why your heavenly Father?
But the last thing God wants is to be squeezed into your to-do list somewhere out of obligation, like cleaning the toilet bowl. Bible reading can be part of family devotions (husbands, serve your wife and children with family devotions!), and communing with the Almighty can happen anywhere: while doing dishes, cooking dinner, or hanging laundry. I early on discovered that the Lord doesn’t mind laundry, LOL. The point is, make sure He is just as integral a part of your day as the schooling and household chores.
He has called you to homemaking, parenting, and homeschooling. He equips us for that which He calls us. If it is all too overwhelming for you lately, time to do a spiritual tune-up: how much are you relying on the strength of the arm of flesh to get the homeschooling done? How much of your daily chore list is your list and not His? Green pastures and still waters are available to my spirit and yours. The well of living water is open. Come, drink, and rest.
To be continued …
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Update: continued in part six: Keep the big picture in view
Thanks so much, Christine! We do need to feed our soul with His Word. He is the only One who can revive us when we are down.
Keep the great blogs posting, my friend!
Thank you, Christine, for the reminder. What a struggle this can be! Yet it should be quite the opposite. I think I’ll sign off now…