Priorities...

As a Christian Mom and a fairly staunch traditionalist, I have long struggled with what my priority should be. Of course as a wife and the mother of three, I find my first and strongest loyalty to be my family. The question that I struggle with is "What is the most appropriate way to act on that loyalty on a day to day basis?" Should I concern myself first and foremost with the occupation of keeping house and maintaining the stability our home? Or do I concern myself with the financial stability of said home and continue my career?

During my husband's College and Seminary years, I maintained my status as a stay at home mom. I could never find myself completely at peace with my role due to nagging guilt over our financial situation. After eight years as a stay at home mom, I was offered a teaching job at a small Lutheran school teaching first and second grade. At the end of this school year, having taught two years, our financial situation is much improved. By the end of July, barring any unforeseen complications, we should be out of debt with the exception of our student loans.

The dilemma:
Should I stay at home and sacrifice our second income?

OR

Should I continue teaching and sacrifice family time?


Is there another option that will allow me to continue earning an income without sacrificing family time? Should the fact that my students and their families are largely unchurched enter into the decision?

In August I started a second part-time job working with a direct marketing company. As of right now, my income with this company is close to half of what I make as a teacher... To say that the Lord has blessed my work with this company would be an understatement as in only three months I have twenty-five distributors on my team. I could continue working with this company and still be home most of the time. BUT is that the Lord's will for my life? My husband questions whether two degrees in teaching would be going to waste if I am working a job that I wouldn't need a degree for at all...

Also, quitting my teaching job would mean that of course our children could no longer go for free to the Lutheran school where I teach. Because of the progression of age of our children, paying full tuition for all three of them at the school where the kids went to before I started teaching is not an affordable option. If I quit my job, my educational options for my children would be public school or home school.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...