Dear Mom, Let us begin our time together in prayer. Jesus, we praise You and thank You for the gift of life. Lord, we ask that You empower and inspire each mom who finds that she faces very difficult choices with regard to family life. Many the times that we are confused and struggle with situations that have the potential to weaken our resolve to turn first to You and to Your holy and all perfect will for our lives. Lord, we ask that in those time of confusion and anxiety that we are showered with the graces necessary to rest in Your embrace and to allow our weary spirits the great comfort of Your tender love and mercy. We ask that You be with this dear mom at this time as she is facing a sorrow. Lord, help her to see that nothing separates her from Your desire to be in her life and to guide her through the burdens that You alone are asking that she carry. Lord, in Your mercy direct her actions so as to bring her peace and assurance. Amen. It is obvious that you are concerned about the effects that public school will have upon your dear children. You are also concerned about the amount and the quality of instruction that you are going to be able to give your dear children during this time while you are recuperating from the birth of your baby. Remember that many times we fast forward to the worst case of events when we are under stress. We are not able to see the simplicity of solutions during those times when our spirits are crowded with anxiety. It is reasonable that your dear children do enjoy the experience of public school. I would imagine that they are gregarious and happy to be with other children most of the day. This is a good thing. Remember that a good solution to a struggle is just that: a good solution for a time. When the crisis has past or you are feeling better then it is entirely reasonable for you to bring the children home. You can make that choice when you are ready. Jesus loves your children and through your prayers for them He is guarding and protecting them each day. Our children are created for one reason and that is to return to the Lord in the Heaven home. Every experience, every moment in every day is about this goal. The Lord uses all experiences to bring each of us closer to Him and the truth of His overwhelming and comforting love. Jesus has all the answers and He is not hidden in mystery or confusion. Evaluate how you are feeling after the holy days of Advent and Christmas have past. Perhaps this would be a good time to bring the children home. Maybe it is better to wait until the end of the school year. Maybe right now this day is the best day. Ask the Lord to show you through His tender love the path you should take. How will you know? Once the choice is made you will experience a peace that is unmistakable. You will feel empowered to do what needs to be done. You will see through the struggle to the grace hidden within the struggle. If you decide to leave the children in public school, you can look upon this year as a sabbatical for you and for them. They will be refreshed and ready to return to the rigors of homeschooling with a fresh perspective. In the meantime make an effort to find other homeschooling families in your area. Seek out those moms who would like to form support networks and who are willing to perhaps offer a day of fellowship through a cooperative experience. Many times these very simple cooperative experiences fulfill the need that children have to connect with their peer group and to be challenged within a classroom setting. Please do not let the Tempter rob you of the great joy of having such a lovely family. Look upon your dear little babies and be renewed with the Lord's great love and His abundant generosity. Jesus longs to see you peaceful and ready for the work ahead. Sending out a prayer,
Rita Munn |
