Tilling The Soil

A thousand different topics have gone through my head as I have brainstormed over exactly what to write about in my starter post… I finally settled on telling you about tilling the soil.

You see, I’m a newbie homeschooler in every way. I attended public school most of my life, and until I was in my late teens/early twenties, I didn’t even know any homeschoolers – let alone anything in regards to what homeschooling was about. I mean, I’d heard of it, but beyond that, my knowledge was non-existent.

Then, my kids and I had the opportunity – the blessing, really – to go stay with some family on my husband’s side who happened to be homeschoolers. We were with them for a few weeks, and my eyes were opened to this amazing new world. 

I brought the subject up to my husband, who, to be honest, is still on the fence about the idea, but he has conceded to let me give it a go. Of course, to me, this means the pressure is on – haha! I began doing some research, which, to be honest, has been quite overwhelming. There is so much information out there; so many different sources all pointing you in a hundred different directions of what the best homeschooling style is, which curriculums you “must” have, what kind of schedule you should be on, etc… It left my head spinning!! Over time, God has brought several homeschooling families into our lives, and in countless small ways, I felt His reinforcement of His calling to home school. Eventually, I found that one of my greatest sources of information has been actually talking with those homeschooling families who have “been there and done that”, so to speak; Those who have gone through it and those who are currently going through it. They are the ones who can share the nitty-gritty details of what they have found that works and what doesn’t seem to… While each family’s experiences are going to be different in little and in big ways, they all have something to offer – tidbits of information here and there, that I am able to slowly piece together to help form my family’s own unique picture.

That is exactly why I have joined this blog: I am just starting to figure things out, not unlike many of you, I’m sure! Forget planting seeds and watching them sprout, grow, and bloom… I’m just getting started tilling the soil… Scratching and digging my way through the weeds, finding some pebbles here and there, trying to sort out the things that will hinder the seeds I’m preparing to plant from flourishing…

It’s not a pretty sight yet, but if you’ll be patient, and bear with me as I do the work, I’ll look forward to rejoicing with you when my – and your - seedlings begin to sprout, and will gladly share with you any and all trials and triumphs along the way. And I know we will triumph, because homeschooling is not just a decision made. It is something I feel called to do, and although I’m just figuring things out right now, I know that God won’t ever call you to do anything that He will not equip you to accomplish.

Keep reading… These ladies I have the privilege of writing with have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share… I am so excited for the opportunity to learn with and from them, and hopefully, I’ll be able to bring a little harvest to the table myself. So, pull up a chair - or a garden bench - and let’s get digging!