My Work of Art

As I considered what to share with you, I recalled our summers in the past . . .
One of our favorite times of the summer is the day when we all sit and share
--either by stating or blurting out or jumping up and down in excitement--
the ideas we have that we’d love to learn about for our upcoming year.
The list is always quite lengthy and includes everything from
how pencil sharpeners work
to what people in India like to eat.


A few years ago, I purchased a canvas that I had plans of filling with the varied ideas of our family. I had hoped to have each child express their desires on this canvas. I could picture it in my mind hanging as a reminder of all the dreams we each had for our year.

It is with those thoughts that I write this message to you on this beautiful sun-filled, dreamy day!

Do you see your family as a work of art? Do you recognize the worth of this beautiful piece you hold in your hands? Do you see how each detail that is added provides a new layer, a new depth, a new insight? Is this a piece of work that you stand back and admire? Is it a piece that is still in the making? Is it perfected? Does this work of art speak to your soul and make a smile cross your face? Does it motivate you to do more, to be better?

Take a moment and think of your homeschooling as a work of art.
This work of art is all that YOU make of it . . .
it is all that YOU put into it.
When you look, can you see the magical piece of work that you have poured your time, talents and love into?
Is it a place you long to be?
Is it inviting?
Do your children long to join you?

A simple acrostic that may be of help to visualize the creation of this fabulous Work of ART follows:

A is for Attitude

R is for Relationships

T is for Teaching

When we focus on keeping things in this order--Attitude, Relationships, Teaching--it can be a wonderful thing! If you are anything like me, you may have a tendency to put the Teaching ahead of the attitudes or the relationships, but when our Attitude or the attitudes of our children are not “right,” there will surely be conflicts in our homes and our Relationships will suffer for it . . . teaching must come last, it must be the last priority. This does not mean teaching cannot happen on a daily basis in a most fantastic sort of way . . . it can and it will when all things are in order. It is so much more important to keep an eye on where our Attitudes lie and if we are putting our Relationships with our kids above the education and the Teaching of them.

May your Work of Art speak to you and to your children . . . and may it be a constant reminder of the beauty that homeschooling can be!

(Written as Presidents Message for August Newsletter for DHSA)