Saturday on the Homestead: What Is Your Passion?

This topic came up on a homeschooling forum this week.  One of the moms asked us what our passion is.  There were a lot of responses, many of them in the form of different arts, crafts, scrapbooking, that sort of thing.

I like those things (okay, not scrapbooking).  I enjoy making beaded jewelry, I like to take pictures, I like to make cards and bookmarks, I used to (B.C. - before children) enjoy counted cross stitch.  But these are not passions.

Even reading, believe it or not, is not truly a passion.  It is a relaxation, often it is a resource for my passion, but in and of itself, it is not the passion.

My passion is serving.  Followed closely by home educating.

Now, lest you think I am all holier-than-thou-or-anyone-else, please hear me out.  I don't mean servitude.  I mean serving and being able to minister and be hospitable to those around me.  It starts with my family, and flows to my church and homeschool group and friends from there.  I love to have the kids' friends over, to have other families gather with us, to host a group of ladies for a book discussion or Bible study, or just to hang out.   I look forward to fellowships and bringing food, or taking a meal to a family with a new baby.  This particular season of life has brought the blessing of having a flexible schedule, to be able to take the time to talk to my boys, to spend time with my husband, to be an ear and heart to other women.  My joy is in organizing events for our homeschool group, getting together with the other families, and especially this year, and there is a special love (love, love. love) for our science co-op.

I guess I am passionate about Apologia General Science this year.  Thank you, Dr. Wile!

I love getting to talk to the kids, and to try to help reinforce what their moms are doing, to give them a spot to do the "fun" part of science (ie, mix stuff together and see what happens) with each other.

Yesterday I was at the skating rink with all the homeschoolers.  I think this is our 8th year of monthly skating at the local rink.  The first few years it wasn't hardly worth the owner's time and gas money to open for us - some months only three families showed up!  But now, there is a big crowd most months.  I get out and skate with the kids, and see all ages, from little guys being pushed around in strollers to high schoolers, watch them all interacting and having fun......and I think, "I did this."  And I get such a rush of joy from it.  I am not getting into some wild back-patting, but I organized this years ago, it is my baby.  And now, it is a well-established monthly event.  It did not take much effort, but it took a commitment to be there every.single.month for a few years to help get it going.  I think I have maybe missed one or two in the last eight years.

To have a bunch of little guys high-five you at the skating rink, this is joy.  To sit on the couch in the morning with my husband and sons, and study God's word together, this is joy.  To have four boys have FUN writing crazy stories together, or see them in deep strategic conference as they plan their next air soft war, this is joy.  To gather with a bunch of ladies who know each others' hearts so well that we can laugh and cry together, this is joy.

To see a family come walking through our front door carrying a mixing bowl full of cookie dough, and ask if they can bake the cookies here, that was some joy!

So, it would be nice, I suppose, if I could find some great artistic ability, or political cause, or intellectual pursuit.  And maybe someday I will.  But for now, my passion is here, in my home, in my family, in this community.

And I have found joy.