Grass is Greener Syndrome...help?

[andreamichele13]

Carrie,

I won over a new HOD convert! haha. I was just SO ecstatic about finding HOD that I had to share with my friend and she loves it! She is ordering it for her daughter soon!!!!

Andrea

[Tracee]

I struggled with this also, but now I just catch myself looking ahead at other guides in HOD . I see friends struggling trying to find the right curriculum, and I know that I'm so blessed. I still remember another mom telling me about HOD at a park. I didn't think much of it at the time, but when I got home and looked at it online, I fell in love. HOD is everything that I wanted for my children's education but was unable to pull it together myself. I'm so thankful the Lord led me to HOD. Thank you Carrie and family for your faithfulness. HOD is a blessing to our family.


Tracy

[chillin'inandover]

The pastor had a few comments about marriage and stated that the grass may be greener on the other lawn but yours will be green if you water it. I can stop being a curriculum searcher and just tend to the one I have and just watch the children bloom. HOD has been great for teaching and reaching my children's hearts for the Lord! I am going to go water my lawn!

[wonderfilled]

I have been blessed reading this thread.

Chillin'inandover, I love that thought about the grass being green if we water it. How true!

[Starla]

I tend to research curriculum to death... It's kind of like opening up your mouth to an open fire hyrant and trying to take it all in at once. Overwhelming and no purpose is served. All that's really needed is to go to the water faucet at HOD and find that it's broken down bite-sized doses are very doable and just right for both my kiddos and me. They are now loving to learn I thank the LORD for putting HOD in my pathway!

[water2wine]

I have noticed a pattern with curriculum hunting and hsing moms. There is always a group that comes up singing the praises of this new thing they have found or just started to try. The ones that sing the loudest and are seemingly the most excited about something new are the same ones about mid school year that are often complaining and looking to jump ship. I think the thing people are searching for really is not excitement, it is contentment and that can only come from having Christ in the center of your hsing and listening to Him when He answers. All that requires that you actually take the time to pray and wait on an answer. I am a big believer that God is not uncertain and constantly shifting. I think He is a God of order and certainty. When I hear Him call me to a curriculum I have faith in Him and rest in that knowing if He called me He will also bless me and the kids in that. I am not sure that people that are constantly shifting mid year and trying something new all the time from one thing to another are really asking God to show them a plan and a specific path then taking the time to listen and trust His answer. Perhaps God has called Him that way but I try to remind myself how God has worked with me in the past and for me it has not been a constant shifting that has brought me peace and feeling closer to Him in our hsing. So I think looking at how God works with you personally is very important.

When I hear people all excited about something new I have learned a new habit. I am excited for them and I pray for contentment for them. Then I remind myself of all the blessings we have in HOD. Honestly re-affirming what God has clearly shown us a few times is all it takes and then you really come to a feeling of being pretty grounded in what God has shown you. And then there is one more thing. I also believe that what blesses one family may not bless another. So I always keep that in mind. Just because it is great for them does not mean it will work for my family or more importantly it may not bless our family. So in that I stick with what has worked, brought us joy and I have seen God's hand in daily. I think keeping those things in mind really helps. Contentment is the hardest thing to buy, so if you have it don't sell it easily.

Two things I have found God is very faithful with are that when I pray to ask How He wants me to teach my kids He answers. And when I pray to have Him show me what He wants me to use and to reaffirm or show the path He has for us, I find He answers as well. I think He really wants us to leave that in His hands. That does not mean I never look. I do but only in the areas that I feel God still has more to show me. As far as what is our base I know He has HOD for us so I do not even look at other things in that area. That makes what I do look at fun and not a burden full of panic. If I am panicking I know I am off track. That has helped a lot as well.

Praying that God will show you what He has for you and give you contentment in that.

[Heart_Mom]

I have noticed a pattern with curriculum hunting and hsing moms. There is always a group that comes up singing the praises of this new thing they have found or just started to try. The ones that sing the loudest and are seemingly the most excited about something new are the same ones about mid school year that are often complaining and looking to jump ship. I think the thing people are searching for really is not excitement, it is contentment and that can only come from having Christ in the center of your hsing and listening to Him when He answers. All that requires that you actually take the time to pray and wait on an answer. I am a big believer that God is not uncertain and constantly shifting. I think He is a God of order and certainty. When I hear Him call me to a curriculum I have faith in Him and rest in that knowing if He called me He will also bless me and the kids in that. I am not sure that people that are constantly shifting mid year and trying something new all the time from one thing to another are really asking God to show them a plan and a specific path then taking the time to listen and trust His answer. Perhaps God has called Him that way but I try to remind myself how God has worked with me in the past and for me it has not been a constant shifting that has brought me peace and feeling closer to Him in our hsing. So I think looking at how God works with you personally is very important.

When I hear people all excited about something new I have learned a new habit. I am excited for them and I pray for contentment for them. Then I remind myself of all the blessings we have in HOD. Honestly re-affirming what God has clearly shown us a few times is all it takes and then you really come to a feeling of being pretty grounded in what God has shown you. And then there is one more thing. I also believe that what blesses one family may not bless another. So I always keep that in mind. Just because it is great for them does not mean it will work for my family or more importantly it may not bless our family. So in that I stick with what has worked, brought us joy and I have seen God's hand in daily. I think keeping those things in mind really helps. Contentment is the hardest thing to buy, so if you have it don't sell it easily.

Two things I have found God is very faithful with are that when I pray to ask How He wants me to teach my kids He answers. And when I pray to have Him show me what He wants me to use and to reaffirm or show the path He has for us, I find He answers as well. I think He really wants us to leave that in His hands. That does not mean I never look. I do but only in the areas that I feel God still has more to show me. As far as what is our base I know He has HOD for us so I do not even look at other things in that area. That makes what I do look at fun and not a burden full of panic. If I am panicking I know I am off track. That has helped a lot as well.

Praying that God will show you what He has for you and give you contentment in that.

"Like!"

[psreit]

water2wine-
It IS contentment, and the peace that comes with that contentment, as I can attest to it. You are right, too, that the same thing doesn't work for everyone.

Some keep searching for a 'better' curriculum because of their own discontentment. But, I believe that even those who are at peace with what they are doing, can be sidetracked by what others are saying, simply because Satan wants them to feel inadequate and wants to cause doubt in what they are doing. He certainly doesn't want us teaching our children the values taught in HOD and many other homeschool materials out there. So, many are faced with the 'grass is greener' syndrome for that reason. When I homeschooled my older children, I didn't feel adequate, and questioned whether I was giving them what they should have to graduate. So, I did plenty of switching. I know I can't go back, but if I had to do it over again, I would have done things a lot differently. Maybe it is experience and wisdom that has brought me to this point. I started out a little rough with my last one, but I knew I had to have consistency. Also, I know it was not by chance that I came across HOD, so that peace is what gives me the strength to not give in to those thoughts that there may be something else I should be doing.

Satan is the author of confusion, so he doesn't want us to be content and stable. So, to everyone, my words of encouragement are, 'If you know HOD is what's best for your family, keep at it, and don't give in to the doubts that may come. The Lord is blessing through HOD, so continue enjoying those blessings. I am'.

[Molly]

This has been such an encouraging thread to read. It has shown me again why I am so thankful God has lead our family to HOD. It has also been a blessing knowing, that during the last week and a half when I ended up in hospital having emergency surgery and am now recovering, that we will just pick up where we left off and carry on. I so look forward to the continuing journey with HOD.

[Heart_Mom]

This has been such an encouraging thread to read. It has shown me again why I am so thankful God has lead our family to HOD. It has also been a blessing knowing, that during the last week and a half when I ended up in hospital having emergency surgery and am now recovering, that we will just pick up where we left off and carry on. I so look forward to the continuing journey with HOD.

Praying for you!!!

[doubleportion]

I finally stopped having that syndrome when I found HOD! HOD was the fourth curriculum we have used in my 7 years of homeschooling and is such a perfect fit! I think there are times that God leads you to something new, as He did for us when I discovered HOD. Seasons in life change and sometimes your family needs change. I'm so glad that the Lord led us to HOD. And for once this year when it was time to consider the old annual change up, I thought for about a minute and then said NO WAY! I am so happy with HOD and all that it provides for our family that changing curriculum is no longer a blip on my radar!

I think so much of what the other ladies have said before me is so true. When God is in the center directing your homeschooling you don't ever have to worry about being anywhere but just in the right place.

Enjoy the peace and confidence that using HOD offers. And know that there is plenty of grass that is sooooo not greener

Edie

[doubleportion]

This has been such an encouraging thread to read. It has shown me again why I am so thankful God has lead our family to HOD. It has also been a blessing knowing, that during the last week and a half when I ended up in hospital having emergency surgery and am now recovering, that we will just pick up where we left off and carry on. I so look forward to the continuing journey with HOD.

I have to second that experience! I was hospitalized three times last year and had two surgeries. HOD made it possible for school to still get done in the midst of all those great challenges for our family.

Edie

[Heart_Mom]

I tend to struggle with constantly looking at new curriculum, but I've finally come to the conclusion that unless something is truly not working I should stick with it!

HOD is certainly working for us, and I intend to continue to use it for years to come!

[tjneary99]

psreit and water2wine,
Agreed ladies!

[mommyofmany]

simply because Satan wants them to feel inadequate and wants to cause doubt in what they are doing. He certainly doesn't want us teaching our children the values taught in HOD and many other homeschool materials out there.... Satan is the author of confusion, so he doesn't want us to be content and stable. So, to everyone, my words of encouragement are, 'If you know HOD is what's best for your family, keep at it, and don't give in to the doubts that may come. The Lord is blessing through HOD, so continue enjoying those blessings. I am'.

I was thinking this same thing last night! Satan is so great at convining people there must be something better out there, to lead us away from the Truth and the Lord's best for us and our children!