I had the privilege of being a participant on a panel of educators at a MOPS meeting this morning (MOPS = Mothers of PreSchoolers). I was a little intimidated at first as the other 3 participants were all institutional school administrators, but it is always a joy to talk about homeschooling, and this morning was no exception.
The MOPS moms had submitted questions ahead of time, and they asked some very good ones! It is my prayer that some of the moms will seriously consider homeschooling their children, as there is simply no better way to disciple your children and train them "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" as parents are commmanded to do in Eph. 6:4. For those moms who do choose to utilize institutional school for their children, I pray they will continue to be the ultimate authority in their children's education, and be very involved in the classroom!
I have been studying Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It has some very compelling thoughts related to the value of homeschooling. Consider the weight of these words:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
How can I impress the commandment to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" upon my children if we are never sitting together at home? And how can I impress them upon my children if they are not first on my own heart? This book I am reading, Teaching the Trivium, describes how the Israelites took the above verses literally and would attach parchment scrolls of these verses on the posts and gates of their houses. Unfortunately it became the custom to roll up the scroll before attaching it, so every day they touched it or kissed it as if it were a protective charm, but they didn't read it! I so don't want to give my children the head knowledge of God's Word without it being impressed upon their very hearts. I am so impressed to just get close to Jesus. So many of my daily struggles and frustrations would simply melt away in His presence.
So.....after this stimulating morning at MOPS I went to the bank. All. By. Myself. DURING THE DAY. Do you realize the significance of this? It felt strange not to be holding some little person's hand! And after I was finished at the bank I made a quick trip to the grocery store. All. By. Myself. And I didn't even need a cart!! And I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. Strange. A taste of things to come.......but don't let that come too soon!
When my hubby and kids came home from co-op (where he had once again taught my classes - yay hubby!!!) I really missed them and was so ready to see them again! Thank you Lord, for settling the barren woman in her home, as a happy mother of children. (Psalm 113:9)
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4 comments:
Thank you for sharing this morning! We really want to send our kids to PCA, but if we are unable to, we are considering homeschooling.
Mark was homeschooled off and on, and his siblings were almost exclusively homeschooled until 9th grade. His mom started a homeschooling group, and now she does portfolio evaluations for the state (PA). I've never talked to her too much about it, so it was great to hear what you had to say.
I have to admit when I first found out you were doing this, I wasn't understanding why you were doing it. It seemed like you were facing an inquisition panel or something.
I used to feel bad for a lady at church with whom I worked on various chilren's projects. She said she was often ostrocized by homeschoolers because she chose public school for her kids. And her dc were frustrated by the private school kids, who cliqued with each other. I do share the same feelings you do about home schooling. I think it's the best way to go! However, among the Christian community as a whole, it's too bad there can't be more unity in Christ, despite the different paths where the Lord leads us. I am glad you were able to come away from this as positively as you did. I don't know if I could. =)
Blessings,
Laurie
Laurie, I completely agree with you. As christians I think we too often accuse each other when we should be supporting. I do not pretend to know what God's plan is for each family's educational choices, and they don't answer to me anyway, but I do wish that more christians would seriously PRAY and seek God's face about it rather than assuming they'll go to an institutional school. I know that many of my peers have done this and God has led them to an institution, but I am also aware of many peers who have not made it a matter of prayer and just done "what everyone else does".
It was NOT an inquisition! It was a very open and friendly forum for discussing all the options (homeschool, public, private, and charter). It went well and was fun!
I have noticed, as I go about doing errands on my own these days, that I seem to be invisible without my children. The bank tellers and store clerks no longer recognize me!
Very strange.
Susan
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