I’m selfish!

That’s right, you heard me: I’m selfish. It’s out there for the world to see. God Himself says He is a jealous God, so maybe there is a righteous kind of selfishness, too.

I have four beautiful children, whom I’m privileged to homeschool. “One day at a time” has somehow added up to years. We have wonderful times and difficult days, but I’ve never regretted my choice. I’ve been able to watch my children grow and mature in so many ways.

I’ve seen that light-bulb moment flash onto their faces as frustration transformed into understanding. Having the freedom to choose subjects that intrigue their curiosity to escalate their learning. It is absolutely priceless! When multiplication facts get boring, we take them outside to meet the trampoline for a change of venue. When fractions don’t make sense, we chop up an apple to tangibly illustrate the concept.

If the long second semester starts to drag on and summer just won’t come fast enough, we just pack up and go to the zoo, on a Tuesday! Better yet, we head out to the local amusement park, mid-week, of course, and don’t have to wait in a single line. Talk about selfishness! We don’t have to wait until 3PM before we go anywhere. We get to steal a little sunshine, just because.

We take time to graffiti that board in the kitchen which will have to be ripped out and replaced when we move. You know the one, there in the doorframe, where hopeful sprouts line up to see if they’ve grown another millimeter (since yesterday). In reality, that board is just the physical proof that time flies way too fast. Someday, I won’t have to look back and wonder where it all went, because I was there. Time is our most precious commodity. I think it’s okay to be a little selfish with it. More than anything, I affirm our children need our time.

I won't have to look back and wonder where it all went, because I was there. Click To Tweet

I don’t believe anyone in the world knows children better than their parents. I also don’t think anyone should care more about our child’s education. God gave us our children, and commanded us to train them. We can’t do that without giving them our time. Every day we have 24 new hours to love them. I want, more than anything, to make those count.

As my children grow, I will be nurturing their relationships with each other. It’s a beautiful thing for brothers and sisters to be best friends. Does this mean we are always peaceful around here? Ha! I assure you, we, like the apostle Paul, have not yet arrived. That trampoline out back serves us well as a place to escape—or just work out some frustrated energy.

Time is our most precious commodity. I think it's okay to be a little selfish with it. Click To Tweet

The Scriptures say in John 15:13 that the greatest love we can give is laying down our lives for each other. Death isn’t the only way to lay down our lives. How much harder to lay it down in life. I recently read a quote by Ann Voskamp, in her new book The Broken Way. It says, “A willingness to be inconvenienced, is the ultimate proof of love.” WOW! That statement hit me like a brick, right between my tunnel vision, homeschool momma eyes. Those eyes that are always looking to squeeze in just one more project.

So, am I a little selfish? Maybe, but maybe selfishness isn’t always a bad thing. Perhaps it can even be a form of love. I want to be able to slow down in a driven world, and enjoy the moments that make life. To touch and explore their curiosities around them, with them. To have the time to stop and watch a bee collect pollen. To take the time as a family to really live life together.