FINDING JOY IN ALL THINGS

                     Does this seem a contradiction? How can we possibly find joy in all things?  I have asked myself this many times over my life time.  I’m sure you have, too.  It’s not the easiest thing to do especially on those days when things seem bleak and hopeless.

     Do you have days in your homeschooling when you find it hard to have joy?  Believe me, I totally understand!  There have even been days I’ve asked myself why the Lord called me to homeschool. I know I’ve shared with many of you that I never wanted to homeschool and thought people who did were rather strange and weird! Now, I’m one of the strange and weird, but it’s a wonderful kind of weirdness! I’ve found that homeschooling has strengthened my faith in the Lord and set my feet and my children’s feet in the right direction.   If others in the world find me weird, it’s wonderful! That means that I’m setting myself and my family apart from the world and what a wonderful “weirdness” to have!!  I remind myself of this on those days that we aren’t the picture perfect family of homeschooling. We don’t always finish our daily lesson plans – we don’t always read all the literature that I dream of having my children read.  My children aren’t always getting along like I would like.  In fact, at this age in their lives (teens), they find more to disagree about than to agree on.  Believe it or not, my children do not jump up out of bed and with happiness skip to their school books and start their daily lessons.   I know that’s hard for many of you to believe!

     Seriously, I think we have to look at our days as a whole and focus on the little blessings that have happened each day.  Maybe it’s the day your children really do skip to their school books without being told.  Maybe it’s when they grasp the whole reading concept. Maybe it’s as small a thing as putting their books and things away all by themselves.  We have to look at the joy in things because first the Lord calls us to – “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” – James 1:2 KJV; and second because we need our children to see that we are finding joy in the daily life that the Lord has given us and blessed us with.  What greater riches are there than having the grace and joy from our Lord, Jesus Christ?

                                                           2007 Julie Danielson