They've Caught On!

We were sitting around the table "at school" this week - going through our Bible lesson. We have been working on our catechism materials, going through a new curriculum called "Fighting the Good Fight" from Piper's "Desiring God for Children" and touching/reviewing Biblical Doctrines for young children in the mix of things. Needless to say, our Bible time takes us quite a while in the mornings....but all of it is flowing together well and it leads to GREAT discussions/questions from them. All of that to say, that at some point our oldest, Caleb, makes an "off-hand" comment about how he and Joshua understand that "this" is really the most important thing we learn about. When I asked him what he meant, trying to see where he was pulling this from and what had gotten through - he said that he and Joshua had noticed that we talk about this doctrine-stuff at least 4 times a day (in their personal quiet time material we have them working through, in our Bible study time in class, in our church history curriculum, and then at night with Daddy in our family time)....so it must be pretty big stuff. Then he reminded me that Dad always tells them that it is more important to him that they know their catechism and their verses than that they score a touchdown, etc....

In our time of homeschooling you hear a great deal of "yes, ma'm"s when they breath that sigh of "alright" under their breath (you know the sigh I am talking about)...you see the hints of disappointment tug at their mouths when you call them in to get ready for school...you sense the obvious displeasure at having to do yet another subject or workbook page, or heaven-forbid - math problems! And yet, somewhere in the mix of it all....in the quiet, subtle undertones of the day, they hear loud and clear where your heart is....they get it! They see the point! They understand the purpose - it is amazing when you have that moment that they point to and say "that's why" you are doing what you are doing!!!! Yeah!!! I told Chad that I was thrilled that this was the moment they saw and clung to - and not the times that my attitude blows it over curriculum planning or when a home repair throws our schedule off, or when my lack of discipline throws our whole day out of sync because I was too lazy to get all of my stuff done the night before...or how I can just be the chief of all sinners and have a really lousy day....they see all of that too - it is by God's grace that He allows them to look past all of that, and realize that there is something really BIG about all this DOCTRINE-STUFF!!! I said it to someone last night - there are so many times I pray, "God, protect them from my stupidity"....and in the midst of that He reminds me (and hubby helps to remind me), just give them His WORD and it will be enough. So, for all the homeschool moms out there - as you gear up for this year - remember, they see where your heart is and the messages you send without a word...they see where the emphasis is - even if we don't point it out!! They get it!

The Children of Caesar

Voddie Baucham does an incredible job of outlining one of the reasons that we have made the choice to homeschool our children. Everyone chooses to homeschool for different reasons - some, it is the time with the kids and family. For others, it is the need to spend extra time/attention in particular subjects. For many Christian families it is a choice to avoid the culture of the current school systems and the youth of our society. Most homeschooling parents have prayed and discussed, sought counsel and shed tears over whether or not they would take this step - and generally it is for a combination of these reasons and so many more....

We are no different. We made the choice to homeschool for the sake of family time, for a more well-rounded education, for the opportunity to teach our own children what we think they should know and to handle the "touchy" subjects ourselves.

But, to "sum up" our reason for homeschooling? We want our children to have a Biblical Worldview....we want them to have a foundation of Scripture and realize that, as a Christian everything we do and everything that we are flows through Scripture. So much of the modern church "compartmentalizes" - I am a Christian...I read my Bible, I am at church every Sunday, I even fellowship with my Sunday School class....but the everyday stuff never gets that attention - the conflict with my boss at work, the 'bully' at school, teaching my kids about money, what movie I watch with my friends....you see, these things happen "in between" my church days and therefore, they are "my areas"....

I want my children to begin and end in Scripture - whether they are arguing with each other or talking about the latest movie - I want them to think about things Biblically - that we are to do "ALL THINGS" for the Glory of God! I realized that when they spend the bulk of their day being taught in a government run classroom, with government instituted curriculum and taught from a government dictated perspective....I am not going to make great strides toward my goal in the hour I have between homework, dinner and bedtime. I think Voddie is right when he makes the statement "if we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education, we need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans". His arguement is this - if we don't like the government's way of thinking (ie...sex education, homosexuality, abortion, evolution, secular humanism, moral relativism, socialism, feminism, etc.) - we must intervene. We are responsible for our children - we will be held accountable.

I realize that I will look back at my children's lives and my parenting and, as I already do, I pray "God, please protect them from my stupidity and ignorance and keep from them my wickedness"....I do not want them to turn out like me - I want them to understand more, love Christ more, have more of a passion for the Word of God and to be more bold in living for the Glory of God....I cannot give them the foundation for that if I am not wholeheartedly, purposefully and diligently "redeeming the time" to pour the Word of God in them! For us, this was a determining factor - the determining factor. It is not for everyone - I realize that and there is not a judgement about that decision.....but we must spend every moment that we have with them - whether it is during the day or in the evenings - we must be diligent about putting before them the things of God and teaching them to think Biblically....not casually, but passionately! Render to Caesar what is his - but not our kids....

"And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)."