It’s spring, my favorite time of year. For over a decade, I have eagerly awaited and joyously celebrated the coming of spring like a pagan. The sun is here! Thus begins nine months of sun and warmth and iced coffee and tans. Bring on the vitamin D and the sweet tea!
How can a textbook hold a candle to a blue sky? What does it profit a woman if she grades all the papers but loses her own sandals? In the springtime, my mind wanders towards freedom faster than a seven-year-old can sneak out the back door.
Homeschooling is not so much fun now.
But don’t you know it, I have a good four to six weeks left of curriculum and courses and readings and writings. Is it worth it? Let me count the ways.
Why We Must End Strong
1. Responsibility is real.
I do want to teach my children — by actions as well as by words — responsibility. I want to show them that all that nagging to “finish the job” is not just background noise, that it’s actually reality.
It is so tempting to believe that the sun is the reality, the green grass, the picnics, the grilled steak, then sundresses, these are the things we can sense, can feel, can experience, can know.
We don’t see or taste or hear or even smell responsibility. Nor knowledge, character, truth, integrity. Is it not just as real? If so, then is responsibility less valuable than my iced caramel latte?
It depends. Is this Monday or Thursday?
I have to end strong because these intangibles must be stronger, truer, more valuable than the physical things I want so badly. And I want my children to live that way, too.
2. The end is the greatest lesson.
It is so tempting to quit early that I looked ahead at the last few weeks to see when we could call it done. In our humanities courses, we are finishing off our study of the history, geography, literature, cultures, and philosophies of ancient times.
And these Romans just won’t die. Please, barbarians, I beg of you, put an end to this! SACK ROME NOW!
But when would I rather quit? Before Christianity is married to Romanism? *sigh* Can’t skip that. Before the decline of the empire? Spread of Christianity? No? How about the division? The fall? AAAAARGH!
We have to get to the end, or the past nine months’ study of the previous three thousand years makes little sense. We can’t skip the culmination.
And that’s what we miss when we leave off any study, any discipline, any habit too soon. We miss that ultimate lesson, the concluding point that ties it all together and makes sense.
The denouement.
3. Freedom is sweeter when it is earned.
I have quit a lot of things in life — college, jobs, ministries, relationships. Quitting is sometimes good. Knowing when to end is just as important as knowing when to begin.
But when God hasn’t ended it, when He has not shown clearly the time is fulfilled, it’s not time to stop. It’s time to press on. Because when it is truly accomplished, then freedom is won. Satisfaction is earned. Joy is full.
So no matter what you are plodding through, END STRONG. Finish your school year. Complete that project. Fulfill your responsibilities. You can do it!
And if you want some encouragement along this home stretch (I know I can use it!), please join me and my friend Jenny as we challenge each other every day. We are instagraming our progress each day at #hsendstrong. Join us?
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