Chart and Compass Part 3

I've talked elsewhere about my "chart" of where we are aiming for our kids to be as adults.  I've said that our "true north" is our call to help each kid become who God created them to be.  Now I'd like to talk about the compass of joy.

Simply put, if I (or the kids) don't have joy with the way we are home schooling, I know something is wrong.

Does this mean that every moment is delirious happiness?  No!  Every day (hour?) has it's ups and downs.  Joy is a deeper feeling of peace and wholeness that persists through difficulties.  

It does mean that if long division yields dividends of misery with a remainder of tears, or if a kid must be continually pushed to do a project, or if I dread the start of the school day,  something needs to change.

It does not mean that we just don't do difficult things, or things that don't immediately look fun. There's a lot of joy in challenge!