A Lesson in Abundance

This morning, I read the account in the book of Mark where Jesus fed the multitude with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. After everyone was fed there were seven baskets full of leftovers! What abundance!

As I pondered, my mind went to our homeschool adventure. I began homeschooling my older children with a lot of apprehension about whether I was equipped for the task of educating them. The reason we decided to homeschool was strictly for spiritual protection for them…and we obeyed God because we knew that He was calling us to do that. I could not have possibly known the abundant blessings that would be ours in this way of life! God not only fed my children “lunch” (that spiritual undergirding that we so desired), but also put into our “basket of leftovers” such things as:

• a much richer academic environment than they had had before
• a deep and abiding sibling relationship
• strong friendships with other homeschooling families
• opportunities to learn “outside” of the educational box
• new siblings :-)
• a contented mom
• a first-hand view of many answered prayers

We may have thought that we were sacrificing many things in order to obey the call to homeschool. But God, in His abundance, has given us blessing upon blessing!