Plans vs. Preparation

Does your homeschool have ups and downs?

We have so many ups and downs in our homeschool, it can give you motion sickness.

Two weeks ago, we decided to take a short break from doing full school days so we could pack for the first family vacation we have had in 2.5 years!  We were so excited to go to the Baltimore Harbor and play in the area museums, sight see, and be tourists!  Would you like to guess when we went to Baltimore???  It was during their record-breaking snow, of course.  We were there for one and a half nights, before we awoke the kids at 3 A.M. to drive home and avoid the second barrage of snow!  Failed vacation. 

When we arrived back home, I thought we had better make up for our homeschooling “vacation” days.   I decided I would take a bit of a break from my real estate business so that I could focus 100% of my energies on homeschooling.  Instantly, 3 buyers came running to me, asking for my help in finding their dream homes, saying they wouldn’t work with any other agents.  I’m thankful for the business of course, but it didn’t exactly enhance my homeschooling schedule!  Failed focus.

Well, this week I really put my foot down.  I actually made the declaration, “This week, we will do nothing but school, so we can all feel caught up again.”  Lo and behold, Georgia got more snow in one day than we’ve gotten in the past 3 years.  Public school kids were stoked about being out of school, and many of them spent 3 days in my house and yard.  That’s not the best environment for completing a homeschool day!  Failed resolution.

Yesterday evening, I took a deep breath.  I really don’t like to fail.

Me:  “God, I have no idea how to get over this very large bump in the road.”

Psalm 32:8
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

Well, I definitely need instruction and counsel.  I’ve proven that I can’t figure it all out by myself.

Me:  “But Lord, are we totally helpless at this point?  Will we ever be caught up?”

Proverbs 15:22
Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

Ok, I see that counselors are becoming a big part of this conversation.

Me:  “I will do everything I can to try to catch up God, and if Googling ‘homeschool schedules’ counts as counsel, then I’m golden.  But you KNOW I will seriously need Your help, too!”

Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

So, I sought out some counselors.  After an hour of searching Google, and doing some serious planning this morning, I devised my very own “morning calendar” for the family to follow, and a customized homeschool schedule to reference daily.  If you are interested in seeing my homeschool calendars, please feel free to visit my homeschool blog at http://4KiddosAtHome.blogspot.com. 

I gave each child a small amount of chores to complete each morning upon awakening, listed a showering schedule, and listed what time everyone should meet at the table for breakfast on our morning calendar.

On the homeschool calendar, I gave an allotted amount of time to each subject, alternating some subjects on different days.  We tried the schedule for the first time today, and I was THRILLED with our success.  We finished exactly on time, and we all felt great.  Thank you, God.

Sometimes our plans for life don’t go the way we had hoped.  But a little preparation never hurt anyone.

Proverbs 16:9

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.