How is parenting going for you, homeschool mom? Do you sometimes feel that you want to escape into another world within your thoughts when things get rough? Dear homeschool mom, let me encourage you in your parenting with a brief illustration of hope, found in growing the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Picture This
There are these amazing orchards found throughout the entire world. The first thing to remember is that there is only one Gardener who tends to these orchards. And will you believe it when I tell you that while these trees are rooted, they’re free at the same time? Indeed, they have the liberty to sway and wave about wherever the Spirit of the Gardener is present.
Windstorms come. As a result, sometimes they break here and there a little. Or a lot. But because their roots run deep into rich, excellent soil, nothing can uproot them.
Myriads of trees from all over desire the fruit that these trees bear. Often times, other trees bear little of the same fruit or struggle to bear any of it at all. As a result, they feel like failures. But the good news is that as individual trees choose to let the Gardener prune and shape them, they grow and bear more fruit. And it’s just as true for the young trees that spring up from the fruits of these more established trees.
Breaking Down the Illustration
As you may guess, the orchards are our homes. And we homeschool moms and our children are the trees. Of course, the Gardner is our Heavenly Father. While the fruits the trees bear are the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Be Encouraged
First of all, dear mom, I know that you’re doing the best you know how to. In the middle of it all, you may feel like you’re having a hard time keeping your head above water.
Not surprisingly, the windstorms of life come. And sometimes, like with any windstorm, branches break off. I like to refer to it as God’s Natural Tree Trimming Service. In effect, we upwardly branch our arms toward our Heavenly Father. We look to Him to grow us, to prune us, and to shape us.
But as you immerse yourself in biblical principles intentionally, your roots grow deeper in the rich, excellent soil of God’s Word. Ultimately, you don’t have to feel like you’re winging it or dealing with one disaster to the next. There is hope and Scripture tells us how to grow in Him and how to grow our children as we mentor them.
The Key to Growing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Although many of us homeschool moms have the best of intentions to bear these fruits, we often times struggle with doing so. After all, we’re just as much human as our children. Yet, the Bible assures us that we can bear good fruit.
While you may remember them, let’s go through the list: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-government.
What’s last on the list? It’s self-government. Be that as it may, I believe that this is the key to bearing all of the other fruits. And this is why.
If I’m being self-governed in any facet of my life, the other fruits will grow out of that one fruit. Picture this with heart attitude, thought life, health, finances, and all the other areas of life that God addresses in His Word.
Teaching Self-Government
Are you uncertain about how to teach self-government? It’s okay. For this reason, there are resources that are helpful to us parents.
First and foremost is God’s Word. As we learn Scripture together, we can choose to put Biblical principles for behavior and thoughts into practice. How blessed our families will be as parents and children do this.
Secondly, there are us moms. Our children look up to us for how to live and love. As we own our personal abilities of self-governance, our children take notice.
Thirdly, Nicholeen Peck of Teaching Self-Government offers outstanding and practical resources that work for teaching self-government. Her history consists of working with troubled children in the foster care system, ages 12-18. While not all children reflect that status, her experience in teaching children to govern themselves is valuable. Peck’s book, A House United: Changing Children’s Hearts and Behaviors by Teaching Self-Government, is also a great resource to begin educating yourself on this topic.
Last but not least, the power of calm is immensely needed. In her video, Introduction to Self-Government, Nicholeen touches on this. In short, calm is environmental and spiritual. It can be felt and it sets the tone for everything else.
You Have a Big Heart
Beyond a doubt, it takes heart to parent and it takes heart to homeschool. The fact that you’re doing both shows that you have a big heart. Once you accept that about yourself, it’s easier to embrace this hope in our Lord and Savior Jesus to help you succeed. Because what you tell yourself matters.
You might also enjoy:
- Dear Homeschool Mom . . . are you weary?
- A Homeschool Mom’s Must-read List for the Best Year Ever
- Dear Homeschool Dad . . . you wife is exhausted
