I think of the home education process as a tapestry. It’s a beautiful work that will stand the test of time (hopefully) and bless all who look at it. But it’s not easy. It takes time, dedication and resolve. But thankfully we are not in the process alone. The tapestry wasn’t our idea in the first place. (Deut. 6:7, Col. 1:16)

It is unique to your family. No one else’s home education will look just like yours. And the pattern can’t be copied exactly. If you are trying to copy another family’s pattern, you may be frustrated because it isn’t working out right. You must get your pattern from the Master Pattern Maker, Jesus. (Titus 2:14)

How many times have you changed something about the way you are educating your children? I hope it’s often. I don’t mean your philosophy or even the content, but just the delivery or the materials. I hope you are always evaluating what is working, what needs improvement, what’s coming next in the weave. Checking the color, the pattern, again just to make sure, adjusting as you need to. And making sure we are adding enough of the right things: scripture, reasoning, fruit of the Spirit, compassion and the like. These are what keep the stitches from pulling out. Reasoning from the Word of God anchors all of the stitches. Your children own their own faith, being rooted and grounded in love. (Eph. 3:17)

From the back, where you are working on the daily process, it may look like a mess. It’s not always pretty. There are knots and extra string and things that don’t look like they belong there (at least that’s my experience!). I encourage you from time to time–move around and look at the front of it. Enjoy the beauty and wonder in the whole picture, the design the Pattern Maker is creating. Marvel in the intricate details and how it is all coming together. Look with new eyes and see how far you’ve come. Then get back to work! (Eccl. 3:11)

I also hope you are not afraid to change things up, to do things differently. Each of your children are completely different and have unique learning styles, interests and strengths. Each time you weave the next child into your tapestry you will make some adjustment. And each time you do, the pattern becomes more detailed and lovely because we all add something to the tapestry that would be missing otherwise. (Ps. 139:14)

Don’t be discouraged if one of your children has a math weakness or ADD or another sort of challenge. Look at it as adding to the tapestry, teaching you about yourself, your child and God. The challenges will not ruin your masterpiece. On the contrary, it will make it better, even spectacular–something it never could have been without the rich experiences challenges provide. (Rom. 8:28)

Now from time to time you may see that you’ve made a mistake. Maybe you thought you knew what was next in the pattern or just thought you would do your own thing and it isn’t working out at all. You will have to remove some stitches. Or rework an entire section. Take heart. The Master is patient and has everything under control. Allow Him to guide the stitching and things will be back on track in short order. And He will take the section you thought was ruined and add it to the design, making it even more lovely than it would have been without it. (Jer. 29:11)

Enjoy your tapestry. Enjoy the way it is all working together. Enjoy the process. Don’t wish anything away because before you know it, the process will be over and your masterpiece will be complete. I don’t want a single stitch to be missing in my work. I want to complete it with joy and rejoice in what the Master has done. My tapestry will stand as a testament for the ages, telling all who look on it of God’s faithfulness and goodness to us on this journey. (Acts 20:24) (2 Th. 2:15-17)

(c) 2006 Anna-Marie Hawthorne all rights reserved