Why in the World Would You Want to do That?

There I was, at the dreaded office Christmas party. As part of his job my husband had to attend certain functions and this was one of them. I didn’t belong here with all these doctors, lawyers, and career women. No matter how I said it – housewife, homemaker, or even nest builder, there always seemed to be an “only” in front of it that made the next word seem of little or no consequence.

 

I was trying to stand inconspicuously in a corner, sip my punch, hoping Dan would want to leave soon when I saw I was being approached by Dr. Edward’s wife. My heart sunk. She was an attorney. Whatever would I find to say to her? I took a deep breath and tried to remember what Dan had told me. His secret to getting along at these functions was to ask questions, find out what the other person was interested in, and then get them to talk about that.

 

She introduced herself and I greeted her and said Dan had told me she was an attorney. I asked what type of law she worked in. She replied that she was an attorney for the school district and continued to tell me a little about her job. Then came the dreaded question – “What do you do?”  I swallowed hard and told her that I was a homemaker and we home educate our 3 children. “Why in the world would you want to do that?” she spat at me.

 

My mind whirled. What was I going to say? Suddenly I remembered a scene from my childhood. There I was, in my favorite spot, sitting on the old abandoned plow in the grove behind the barn. When I was able to steal away this was where I went and I always daydreamed about the same thing. Someday a wonderful man would love me, ask me to marry him, we would have a big family, and spend all our time together. Other girls dreamed of careers but not me. My heart’s desire was to be a wife and mother.

 

Life seldom happens as we dream it will and I ended up having a very fulfilling career but by the time I was 30 no man had appeared to love me and ask me to marry him. I remember crying out to the Lord, “Remember me? I’m the one who wants a husband and a big family. I’m not getting any younger you know.” Another 5 years went past before I met my dear husband, then another 3 before we married. When I was 40 years of age we began our family and the years had rushed past since then. We had 3 babies in 5 years in addition to 2 miscarriages.

 

Our lives were very busy with Dan finishing up his schooling and beginning a new job. We decided to home educate our children and the main portion of that fell to me since Dan was gone much of the time. I found it extremely challenging and rewarding. I remembered our oldest daughter Emily coming to me when she was about 6 and saying, “Mommy, I know why you home school me.” When asked why she replied, “Because you couldn’t bear to be away from me all day.” I realized that she was most definitely right, not only could I not bear it, but I didn’t want to be away from her all day. Our days are wonderful. We get up together; gather to read from the Psalms or Proverbs and to pray for our day, then off to chores and breakfast before beginning our school day. I remembered thinking how some parents thrill to see their child’s first steps, but I had been privileged to see them read for the first time, conquer tough math concepts, learn to write, and a dozen other “firsts” normally relegated to a formal teacher.

 

It was at that point I realized that I was doing everything I had ever dreamed of doing. As I proceeded to share these things with Mrs. Edwards my enthusiasm grew and I must have told her considerably more than she really wanted to hear. She finally excused herself to talk with someone else. I breathed a sigh of relief but not because I was glad to have her leave as I would have been at the beginning of our conversation. I was a new person, confident in my role as wife, mother, home maker, and home school mom. I was doing exactly what I always wanted to do. How many people can say that?

 

I looked around the room. Dan was no where in sight. I thought to myself, who can I talk to now and how can I get them to ask me “What do you do?”

 

That party was at least 16 years ago. I’m still a homemaker, but I no longer put “only” in front of it. Our children Emily 24, Rebekah 22, and Eric 20, are still home educated and we have no plans to stop. We still get up together, gather to read from Psalms or Proverbs, pray and go off to chores and breakfast before beginning our school day. At the end of our day we prepare a good meal for Dad and wait in great anticipation for his return so we can share all the adventures we’ve had during our day. Learning has become a way of life for us. It is no longer relegated to the school room. We all love our lifestyle.  I am very content knowing the Lord has given me everything I have ever hoped for and look for every opportunity to tell people what I do. I have seen this Scripture fulfilled in my life –“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21

Finding Joy in the Journey,

Phyllis

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Phyllis Sather

Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:

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