Are You a Homeschooling Mother in Good Spiritual Health?

The spiritual health of the homeschooling mother is of vital

importance to her being able to fulfill her mission and daily

duties in a loving, patient, and wholehearted manner.

A homeschooling mother (or other person who has taken on this role

in the home) needs to be in "good spiritual condition" in order to

keep a positive attitude and embrace the needs, challenges, and

situations that arise on any given day in the home study program.

Along with mental health, intellectual health, and physical health,

keeping one's spirit nurtured and centered enables the devoted

mother to be strong in body, mind, and soul!

If you are a homeschooling mother (or guardian, teacher,

daily care-giver), these ideas will provide you with several

ways to ensure that you are tending well to your spiritual health:

Practice your faith

Make your faith a priority in your life! Do not tuck it away on

a corner shelf in your heart, but let it spring forth and be a

part of who you are each and every day. Attend worship services,

study the teachings and catechisms, read about the lives of

those whom you admire and wish to emulate because of their faith

in and service to the Lord. Surround yourself (and your family)

with signs and symbols of your beliefs. (Passing in front of a

picture of Jesus and pausing a moment there to reflect works

wonders to calm a troubled heart on a stressful day! Keeping

reminders visible of the One for whom you do all things brings

strength and encouragement to you as you carry out your daily

duties). Along with the beautiful window treatments and color

schemes that you put so much effort in to beautify your home,

allow yourself too, to express your faith and celebrate your

beliefs by adding pictures, statues, framed artwork and other

items to the decor of your home!

Make Time for Private Prayer and Meditation

This conscious act and effort is one of the most essential things

when trying to become spiritually healthy. All homeschooling

mothers are busy! However, all homeschooling mothers also have

the ability to choose how the day will be organized and carried

out (for the most part). DON'T NEGLECT YOURSELF WHEN IT COMES TO

MAKING TIME FOR PRAYER!

This time does not have to occur at the same point in every day

(although if you are able to do that, it is well and good...but

not necessary). You also needn't try to set insurmountable goals

for yourself as far as meditation and prayer time are concerned.

Often, a homeschooling mother will have the best of intentions

at heart when deciding that she wishes to read through the Bible

in a year, or say an entire Rosary for mothers at home each day,

or read a certain amount of chapters in a book on spirituality,

etc...That same mother will become quickly discouraged and

frustrated with herself when unforeseen circumstances arise

(which almost always do in the homeschooling environment) and she

is unable to keep to her planned prayer/reading time.




The point in making time to pray and meditate is just that you

do it. Give yourself a few moments to stop, breathe, think, and

connect with God. If you're able to set aside 10-30 minutes at a

scheduled time, that's great! After all, it is God who sent you

your duties and responsibilities to begin with. He knows that

your time is limited in this state in life. It is not "how much"

time you set aside to pray, but rather that you DO set aside

time to pray...even if it's just a few moments here or there. If

a set time is not a possibility for you, then simply concentrate

your efforts to take time...ANY time...when ever it is

available...to go off by yourself and "be still in the Lord". If

there are certain prayers you enjoy saying in these moments,

then say them with JOY.

If you prefer to light a candle and sit in silence or with some

meditative music playing, then do so as well.

God will bless and reward you for even the smallest moment

offered to Him for the purpose of enriching and strengthening

your spiritual health! And you will find that you are far better

able to be patient and willing in the childrens' studies and

in the events of the day if you have allowed yourself a moment

or two of prayer and meditation with God.




In addition to living out your faith on a daily basis and making

time to pray, there are other things that you can do to keep

yourself in good spiritual health.

Consider the following ideas:


A Homeschooling Mother's Spiritual Health