Decisions, decisions...

I've made no secret that this year is all about High School prep. It's my last year homeschooling, insofar as we know right now. I have people ask me from time to time what I plan to do next year, and thus far have always answered, "I don't know; it's a little early to tell." On one hand, I could go find a 'real' job and shift back into the 9-5 world. On the other hand, I could focus on my writing and caring for my home and family. I could be here when I get home from school. School hour jobs that pay a decent wage are tough to find unless you work at the school. Been there, done that. It was fun, but not that fun.

I was talking with some friends over the weekend about various physical ailments and one of the gals whipped out a book about aromatherapy. (We were at her house; it's not something she carries around in her back pocket.) I have done some research on aromatherapy and herbal remedies, barely enough to get me into trouble, but I have toyed with taking some classes on the subject. My friends encouraged me to do so.

When I got home, I did an on-line search. I looked five or six years ago and found one school in the U.S. that was considering a distance-learning program. I didn't find them on this search, but I did find one in my state. It's on the other side of the state, but they're entirely self-directed. I can earn a Family Herbalist Certification in less than a year, or I can go all the way to Master Herbalist in two to three.

I'm actively praying about it. It's not a cheap course, but it won't break the bank. I can use my knowledge to help my family and friends, it would help a lot with writing historical fiction. There is also potential for it to be an income producing venture, but I'm sure there would be additional expenses, even if I work sporadically from my home. I would need, I'm sure, some sort of state license at the very least. It's not a question, at this point, of whether I'm going to take some of these classes. The question is when do I take them, and how many? Will I be able to justify spending several thousand dollars for research and treatment of strictly family members? Is it worth my time to acquire the knowledge, only to help family members, and no one else, out of fear of liability?

I'm not in this for the money. If I can make some money, that's great, but my first objective is to learn what I can about herbal healing so that my family can be as drug-free as possible. Prescriptions are only getting more expensive. If chronic conditions can be treated with herbs and prevention, it will be far less expensive in the long run (and, I'm sure, much gentler on our bodies), and I may be able to justify the cost that way.

At this point, I'm open to prayer, suggestions, and opinions. Fire when ready.