WOW! I Can’t believe I am about to type these next words……. We have 31 lessons left for our first year of homeschooling!!!! Can I get an applause???? Not for me, but for my girls. I wish I had cameras at my house this school year to document each homeschool day, I am pretty sure we have had some drama, that everyone could feed on for the rest of their lives. 🙂  Maybe, I should rename my blog— Keeping Up With Parnell Academy!!! — Nah

The girls and I were talking over breakfast how we have had good times this school year and some challenging ones. We have had days of laughter and days that all three of us woke up not wanting to do school at all, days our make up was running down our faces, because we were just so frustrated and wanted to quit and give up! But we didn’t and here we are approaching the end of our first homeschool year with excitement!!!

As a first time homeschool mom I struggled greatly with a feeling of inadequacy, often my days ended In feelings of regret that we didn’t do enough for that day, or when I thought I had that math, language, science problem figured out and then taught them, and it ended up being wrong…… these are the days I wanted to throw in the towel…. these are the days The Lord stood with me and strengthened me. Looking back it had to have been Him. There is no way I could have done this all on my own. So far we have all made it out alive, all but one coffee cup and one stapler. (One day I will write about the day I threw the coffee cup across my kitchen.) Stay tuned.

I have heard a saying, “the true you is the one behind closed doors— That’s a scary thought for some, especially homeschool moms!”

I was telling my husband the other day if you really want to know who you are inside and out…. homeschool your kids, that will show you really quick who you are behind closed doors! My girls have seen the good, bad, and the ugly of their mom these past 9 months. They saw their mom wrestle with God for the call He had put on her life. A call she wanted nothing to do with what-so-ever! They have seen my weakness and my strengths throughout the year. Most of all I hope they saw a mom leaning solely upon The Lord for her strength each day, a mom refusing to give up, and find an answer for each question they had. A mom determined to figure this thing out, no matter what it took.

With all this being said, I look back at lesson one and thank The Lord God for getting us to lesson 140. During my quiet time a couple of weeks ago, I came across 2 Timothy 4:16&17

16) At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me, may it not count against them. 17) but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lions mouth. 2 Timothy 4:16&17

I couldn’t help but bow my head and thank The Lord for first putting this call on my life, yes it has been hard and hasn’t been easy, but my God stood with me and He strengthened me each day, His MIGHTY POWER has been made PERFECT through my weakness!!! Homeschooling my daughters has made my relationship with The Lord stronger and I can truly say that I serve a faithful God, because He has been faithful to us throughout this journey.

This time last year is when all the school meetings were piling up one almost everyday, if not everyday then about every other day.  This is about the time of the year when the school counselor looked my husband and I into the eye and told us that our youngest daughter’s cognitive ability was boarder-line mentally retarded, (his exact words) because of some “wonderful” standardized test. <— (yes, for those of you who know us you read that right.) If only they could see her soar now!!!!

I have seen the hand of God protecting my girls of what could have defined them their whole lives. He has guided us here and where He guides He will provide. My heart is full of praise and thanksgiving for a call I once never wanted anything to do with. We are looking forward to next year already!!!!

If God has put you in a place “you want nothing to do with” surrender to Him whatever it may be. Maybe He wants you to surrender your life to Him, maybe He is trying to protect you or your family from something, maybe its a finance situation, a rebellious teenager. And never say you can’t because with God all things are possible!! Whatever difficult situation you find yourself in today, surrender it to God. You will be greatly blessed and so will the people around you!!!!!

Jesus said ” I have come that they (us) may have life, and have it to the full! 

Because He Lives,

Jessica Parnell