A sweet mama came up to us in tears at last weekend’s conference. She wailed, “I can’t do everything I’m supposed to!”

The question we wanted to ask her is “Who told you that you were supposed to do all that?”

Yeah, it’s true. There’s a lot you really are supposed to be doing – like discipling your family, keeping the kids safe and fed, and keeping the house somewhat hygienic. That is tough enough. It’s all we manage many days! What we’re concerned about, though, is the huge burden homeschooling parents are feeling to somehow do a whole lot more than that. Where do these burdens come from? Who told you that you were supposed to do all that?

The Teflon Teacher?

There are some very persuasive speakers out there who carefully cultivate an image of perfection. Their legalistic formulas for the perfect family seem too much for ordinary people to accomplish — because they are! The teacher himself may not even be living it, as we’ve seen lately. Folks, if we ever come across like we’re perfect, just peek in our van. It bears more resemblance to a garbage truck than a family vehicle when we’re on the road. Seriously, “There is none righteous, no not one.” Romans 3:10

The Pinterest Perfectionist?

It’s fun to look through all the ideas on Pinterest, but sometimes we get the idea that if our children don’t have petit fours in the shape of their favorite literary characters every Friday afternoon that we’re failing as homemakers. Funny, I can’t remember a verse that says your house has to be perfect and you have to be crafty. And I’ll even bet the lady that took that gorgeous picture had to shove the dirty pans out of the way to do it!

The Fabulous Friend?

It’s super-easy to compare ourselves to our fabulous friend whose house always looks like Better Homes and Gardens and forget that we have lots of littles and she only has two teen girls at home. Many times, too, we’ve found that the friends we compared ourselves unfavorably with are suffering in ways we can’t see behind the scenes.

Sometimes our burdens are not from the Lord, but from men. Let those go. <—Click to tweet that.

Friends, our Lord says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

God loves us so much. He gives us grace and forgiveness, not judgment, much as we might deserve it. We don’t have to earn His favor — we can’t earn His favor! Isaiah 64:6 says, “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”  Yet the Word says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Dear friends, when you are staggering under the burdens, lay them at the foot of the cross and ask our Lord which we really are supposed to do. You can’t be perfect and neither can your children. But the Word of God still says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

He delights in your way. Delights. What joy there is in realizing that. Joy and liberty and happiness. Let’s lift our eyes and look at the Son!

Your friends,

Hal & Melanie Young