Proverbs 31 Homeschool Moms

©Copyright 1996 by Tamara Eaton
Used by Permission

Sometimes we just need to take time to do a “reality check” in our homes. We have to remind ourselves, “What does the LORD require of me?” Perfection, in this season of life, in our houses, in our homeschools, and in ourselves, is not going to occur!

Some homeschooling moms have this idealistic vision of a Proverbs 31 homeschooling mother who rises while it is yet early and prepares a large, nutritious hot breakfast for her family, (complete with homemade bread, she never buys “store-bought!”) then has time to devote an hour to the Lord in prayer and Bible Study (whoops! Make that two hours, an hour for each!) and then has the house all sparkling clean by 8:00 to start homeschool!

Her energy level and sunshiny disposition remains steadfast all day, never letting up for even a second. She runs an “one-room-schoolhouse” atmosphere in her kitchen or family room. She lectures brilliantly, reads entire books in one sitting just for fun, all HER children know all their multiplication tables by the second grade. She teaches them all to copy her flawlessly beautiful old-fashioned penmanship. Her children are enthusiastic learners all the time and never are reluctant to have school, but actually beg for more on the weekends! They are all well advanced in all subjects. They are also finished by noon so that she can devote the rest of her day to other meaningful, important activities.

Lunch is gourmet, and so is dinner. The kitchen literally sparkles, the sink and floor areas in particular. She makes everything from scratch, even her own soap. Yet, she does it all in her “spare” time, so as to not take precious moments away from the time she could be spending with her husband and children.

She is always available to answer the phone and the door, to encourage others and just provide entertaining chit chat to the lonely. She is never more than a load of laundry behind…and all of her family’s socks match. She has a policy of mending clothes the second they are brought to her…this is simple, she always has matching thread and materials because she makes all of their clothing, too!

But who is the Proverbs 31 homeschooling mother? One who loves the Lord with all her heart and does her work as unto the Lord…serves her family as she would serve the Lord. She’s not perfect, but she has a steadfast love for her family and it shows. She takes time to examine priorities and prayerfully consider what just HAS to be done, so that she can eliminate the unnecessary. She takes time to rest herself and provide for her own needs, too. She understands that this helps her be a better mom and wife and servant of the Lord!

She doesn’t carry around a large burden which the Lord never intended…a burden of “perfection” as she perceives it. Instead, she lets the Lord carry that burden, and she joyfully yields herself to His Holy Spirit to be lead, used and encouraged in her daily walk with Him. While she admires other godly Christian women, she doesn’t constantly compare herself with them. She knows that God has created her uniquely and that there is no one on the face of the earth that will be just like her, nor have her unique gifts and ministry.

When she wakes up in the morning, her first thought is not, “What must I do to be a Proverbs 31 wife and mother and woman today?”, but instead she lifts praises up to the Lord, “For this is the day that the Lord has made, and I will be glad and rejoice in it!” She lets the love and joy of the Lord flow through her…those “Living Waters!” It just naturally reaches out to embrace her family and others that she has contact with throughout the day.

Let us all yield ourselves to His Holy Spirit today and allow the Lord to work through us and in us!