Well, we’re back to school (for real) this morning, and it’s safe to say that I’m scared you-know-what-less.
Seriously? This is my 10th straight year of homeschooling. You’d think I’d feel more comfortable.
(Oh! And I tried to do my own highlights yesterday and overcooked a couple strands. They are now a screaming bright yellow on the top of my head.)
(This, my friend, is insult to injury.)
I don’t know what I get so nervous, except that I am trying to go about the Lord’s work and this is a temptation. As one dear friend expressed it to me yesterday, “We know these children. We’ve done this before. Nothing really changes. I think it’s that for one day, we truly feel the weight of their education on our shoulders.”
Yes, that’s it in a nutshell.
It’s the fear of wanting to teach everything perfectly. It’s the ridiculousness of thinking that I’m on my own.
The cry, For God, with God, in God, may well be the watchword of the [homeschooling] teacher. In the beginning of the World War, two warships were trapped in the Harbor of Messina. Outside the harbor a squadron of hostile ships was waiting, but the brave lads who were marooned on the ships that seemed to be doomed, nailed their flag to the mastheads so that whatever should betide th ships, their country’s flag would not be hauled down.
In a similar way the [homeschooling teacher] must make sure of her trust in the Lord. She will need the divine assistance to tide her over the disappointments that will be part of her lot. An experienced teacher has confessed that no method, however good, can work the miracles our enthusiasm is likely to expect. Divine Wisdom Incarnate could not find a greater work than the one we have set before us as our life’s work: to get souls to love God and their neighbor. Let us remember, with all reverence, that Divine Omnipotence, Incarnate, failed most miserably in direct visible results. Some measure of success will attend even our puny efforts, for “Behind us as before, God is, and all is well.” For the rest there is consolation in the thought that the aim, if reached or not, makes great the life:
If great thy purpose, though thou fail
Thy life is not without avail.–from The Catholic Teacher’s Companion
by Rev. Felix M. Kirsch
Happy Back-to-School! Pray for me and I’ll pray for you.
Definitely praying for you!
You inspire me! All you schooling mama's!
This was such a beautifully honest post, Margaret. And I thank you for sharing … I will pray for you today (I already have but will continue). I hope your first day is wonderful. I can just tell you are doing a beautiful job with your children.
I plan on making those schultütes for my children's first day tomorrow … I have one who is especially anxious about starting the new school year. It breaks my heart, of course … So, I thought adding a little fun to her first day just might help.
Oh, and I'm sorry about your highlighting mishap =( I hope it is correctible or that at least you can somehow blend those strands in somehow!
God bless!
We started yesterday, I stayed up the night before til 1:30 am and just decided to take the plunge and get it over with, it was raining all day anyway!
Whew! first day done!!
We made first day floats:
Orange sherbet
Orange diet pop
"Orange you glad it's the first day of school?"
Or more for the mama:
"Orange you glad the first day of school is over?"
Your friend sounds very wise.
Here's hoping and praying we can remember that He is guiding us as we attempt to guide them. We're not on our own here. Hugs!
Jamie, all I can think about your first-day floats ("orange you glad the first day of school is over") is "I'll take a shot of vodka in mine, please."
Ha! Thanks for the very welcome laugh, bearing.
And yes, Jenn, my friend is very wise. 🙂
You can do it…and you will do it. You are just YOU!
man…I have done that and been there with that hair stuff. Would love to see a pic!
Never took a pic of my bright orange bozo hair I once had!
I'm right there with you. Shaking in my little yellow boots. 😉
I will indeed keep you in my prayers and thank you in return for yours. May God bless your school year.
We must remember that our children will never get a perfect eduction here on earth, as in learning each math fact/history date/part of speech perfectly…
And that's o.k.
What we do need them to learn perfectly is that they are loved more than any thing else, and not only by us parents, but by their Father in Heaven….
Three of my children are post high school with various BS degrees and one doctorate… They managed their college classes just fine – in spite of my teaching!
I think we were successful in educating them all because they have not left the Church. They know and love their Catholic faith, and that's all that REALLY matters in my book.
And don't forget those two main rules for life:
#1: Don't sweat the small stuff.
#2: It's all small stuff.
May God bless us as we strive to educate our children at home!
Yep, I felt that this morning! Glad it's over and I'll join in on the little night cap. Doesn't matter how many years it's been since the 'real' first day, it's still THIS first day.
did someone mention vodka?
i could use some me-self!
and do show us your bright yellow highlights margaret…neon is so in! and besides it will give all of us scared. tired. mamas something else to think about. besides how we are quite possibly screwing our kids up by keeping them out of "real" school.
praying for you.
definitely.