I was at the dentist's last week and the hygienist (knowing I homeschool) asked me when school would be starting. My standard answer to others that have asked was that we would be starting in the middle of August. She said, "Oh, that is next week. Are you ready?" Well, I laughed out loud because I hadn't realized that we were already at the date I had set for starting school and I was nowhere near ready. I said something to that effect and laughingly replied that I guess we'd start the first of September. She was gracious, but it set me to thinking about when and how school would really start at our house.

I should know by now how to deal with newborns and new school years. I have had a newborn just about every other year for the last 17 years. But every time school is about to start, I forget how hard it is to "get ready", let alone "get set", and "go," especially when caring for a newborn.

The children have all enjoyed the freedom they have had, but I am (almost) ready for a routine to start again. But the ominous question looming in the back of my mind is, "will it ever start?" Will I ever really be ready the way I want to be? Will I get that curriculum ordered, or those daily schedules made? Will I get the house in order before I start schooling?

Because I know myself too well, I know that I have to just jump in and start no matter how unprepared I am. If I wait until I am prepared, we would never start. Life just keeps going and doesn't slow down long enough for me to prepare much of anything. So, we get out the old books, see what we don't need, order what we do, find books off of our shelves that have been waiting to be used, and we jump headlong into the school year.

Another question to ask might be, "Will school ever end?" As homeschoolers, we are teaching our children how to teach themselves both now and in the future in whatever capacity the Lord desires. So school will always be in session because our children will always be learning. While I may not be optimally prepared, I know I will at least be consistent, and with God's help we will get through one day at a time and we will come out ahead.

When faced with the pressures of a new school year plus the cares of life piling up, we could easily start to cry. A good response would be to cry out to God and ask Him for His guidance and wisdom and strength for each day. When you come to Him in worship of Who He is, you suddenly realize that truly nothing is too difficult for Him. All those things that seem difficult to us, when seen in the light of the Lord's power, become less daunting. We give Him our fears and He increases our faith. We give Him our uncertainty, and He gives wisdom in return. And, between the questions of "Will school ever start?" and "Will school ever end?" the Lord stands and says, "Walk with Me here."

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Deborah Wuehler is the senior editor for The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine. She resides in Roseville, California, with her husband Richard. They are the parents of eight children: three teenagers, three elementary, a preschooler, and a baby. They have been homeschooling since the birth of their firstborn who is now graduated from high school. Many of her articles can be found on www.Crosswalk.com, and many other homeschooling sites. She is a group leader in her local homeschooling support organization and she loves digging for buried treasure in the Word, reading, writing, homeschooling, and dark chocolate! Email her at senioreditor@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com.