take heart.

If you are homeschooling your children, the day will come when it suddenly occurs to you that you are educating your children. You know it, but you don't know it fully until you get a couple of kids in grade 7 and up. And you ask yourself, "what am I doing?" Especially if you have boys. It's a competitive world out there and we all want our kids to be successful. 

First off, define success. Be honest. Isn't it great to tell everyone that your kid is going to med school over being a manager of a fast food restaurant? You know it is.  That's only because of the culture we live in and what we've been exposed to. Let's face it. We've got some humility to work on. 

Secondly, the Israelites needed constant reminders and so do we. Fifteen years into homeschooling and I was still questioning myself. That's because almost daily, faith and reality meet in our lives. If we "see" it, we don't need faith. The buck does not stop with us. It stops with God. We forget that. We really do. And when our lives are continually built upon this truth, we will be more rested. We won't put unreasonable demands upon our husbands, our kids, or ourselves.

Unless the Lord builds the house,

its builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchmen stand guard in vain. 

In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

for he grants sleep to those he loves. 

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

children a reward from him. 

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one’s youth. 

Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127 

Are you "toiling for food to eat"? Are you toiling about lots of things?

The Lord builds the house. This means that He is with you. This means He is building your children. You're just helping Him. And He will help you. Promise.