circaeducation There is no doubt that being a homeschooling mother is hard work! What makes the job even harder is the fact that much of society is downplaying the role of a mother, especially a homeschooling mother. Few people today value this position. Mothers are told that they are wasting their talents, suppressing their personalities, and sacrificing their futures. But is this really true? Have we bought into the lie about the real role of a mother?
The real role of a mother
I won’t try to speak for others, but in my own life, the opposite is true. My talents are being used to bless the lives of the people I love most: my husband, children, family, and friends. My personality is tempered and fully realized as I have ample opportunities to put aside my own desires and find true joy in serving others.
Instead of sacrificing my future, I am investing in it with the love poured out into the present. I am raising my children intentionally, realizing that their lives will impact the lives of others for many years to come, and that they are in fact eternal.
Though I know all these things to be true, I still face times of doubt, fatigue, and frustration. One thing that I find tremendously encouraging is the fact that I have dear friends who have been homeschooling for many years, whose children’s lives testify to the fact that homeschooling can have amazing results. I also try to read books, magazines, and blogs that uphold the value of motherhood and homeschooling. But I think the most important thing is the need for a vision.
It seems to me that most things that are truly worth doing in life are wrought with trials and difficulties, and the reason why people persevere is because of the belief that what they are doing is of eternal value and will have far-reaching consequences. The same holds true for raising and homeschooling children: knowing what my vision is can help me to see beyond and live above the daily trials and challenges I face. Having a vision can enable me to face the most difficult obstacles with joy, knowing that the outcome is more than worth the effort. My vision is to raise children who will be a light in the darkness, who will see the value of putting others first and caring for the needy. It is to raise children who have an insatiable thirst for learning and discovery and are equipped with the ability to find the answers they seek. I want them to have the courage to stand up for what is right and even take risks when risks are called for. I want them to be diligent, purposeful, and decisive. I want them to be wise in the face of adversity. And when it is time to send them out into the world, I hope that they will change it for the better as they interact with those around them, like ripples on a pond. That is my vision.
At times I marvel at the years of preparation needed to climb Mount Everest: the training, the risk, the unbelievable hardships and trials, and even suffering involved in reaching the goal. If others can overcome such obstacles to reach the top of a mountain, then, with God’s help, I can overcome the daily trials of raising children to impact the world for generations to come!