There have been many things over the past few years that I have been investigating.  Having kids makes life and choices a whole new ball game.  I am thankful that all I can do is my best, and God will “fill in the gaps” where I make mistakes.  In the meantime, I just pray through things, make decisions based on what I understand His word to be telling me, discuss things with my husband (ultimately following his lead), and seek counsel from others (though, I have to be careful with this as well).

There are so many things that I never would have considered to be a big deal that have become a big deal because of the internet.  At the same time, the internet is great for knowing more about things to help make choices for the family.  Though sometimes things can be researched too much and made an idol.

Without the internet, I wouldn’t have thought about the fact that having the kids believe in Santa could be a bad thing, homeschooling vs. public school wouldn’t be as “in my face,” but I would have never known about natural living, whole foods, BPA, toxins in “commerical” products such as shampoo and deodorant, natural and home-birth, grinding wheat berries to make flour, soaking grains, cloth diapering (at least the way it’s done today), “green living” wouldn’t be so popular, etc.  Again, I believe many of these things to be good, but sometimes I make them an idol.

When I was talking about homeschooling the kids the other day (trying to “talk Robert into it”), Robert actually asked me if I wanted to homeschool because I really feel it would be best for our kids or because so many of my “stay at home mom friends” do it.  He asked me if I really feel it would be best to homeschool OUR kids even if they can get into a great school.

That really had me thinking. 

I really don’t want to go back to doing things because it seems like everyone else does it.  Just because something works for one family doesn’t mean that it would work for our family and our kids.

Today I have decided to take a step back (again) from thinking about what is best for everyone else (or even what I enjoy), and think about what is best for our family.  Before we had all this new information, people just did the best they could.  I’m thankful for information, but at the same time, I feel that it sometimes brings more anxiety to someone who is already a perfectionist .

Does anyone else struggle with this, or am I the only one?