Remember the Why
Being a wife, mother, homeschooler, running a business and serving in the church can be overwhelming to say the least. There are days when I feel like a deer caught in headlights, staring blankly into space wondering where to begin. As God is growing me and my family day by day, He continues to remind me that I cannot serve two masters and is helping me to focus on the point of everything, which is to glorify Him.
Remember the Why
Everything has a purpose in our homes. Our charge as parents is to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6, NIV). That is why I am homeschooling my kids, that their education will lead them into a relationship with Jesus. Because this is our priority, our day starts with devotionals and prayer time. If my children grow up with the best education, can recite verses and Latin, produce the most amazing science fair projects and write the most eloquent essays but they don’t know and love Jesus, then we’ve missed it. I have to continually remind myself this is the point of it all, if not I am prone to become frustrated and angry, to focus on the results rather than the process of learning.
I have to remember the “why” behind my work as well. Using the gifts God has given me to serve my family and provide for things we might not have otherwise is a blessing. My husband and I own our own business and I work essentially as a freelancer. That means I have to continually seek out work or I don’t get paid. I struggle with worry in this area which can lead to stress and distraction when I’m with my family. God has never failed us, and I need to trust that He will continue to generously provide for us. If my work is consuming my thoughts and I’m short and cranky with my family, once again I’ve missed the point.
Being able to work and homeschool is a blessing. When the days are hard and the nights are long, we need to remember the gift of both our jobs and our children. When discouragement overtakes us we need to say with David “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land” (Psalm 143:5-6). God is so faithful and true, He is our ever present help. There is such joy to be had as we focus daily on glorifying God in and through it all, fixing our eyes on Jesus and we run the race he has set before us.
