Homeschooling

In a room full of ladies, the question is posed, “Why are you homeschooling?”

A list of explanations drift through my mind, until a Christian lady in this secular setting, reaches up her hand and described…

Green apple on stack of red books.
Green apple on stack of red books.

“Homeschooling IS discipleship”.

And why is it, we thinking about pastoring and mentoring, teaching, educating and serving other people…but often we neglect those closest to us?  Why is is harder sometimes to disciple those under the very same roof with us?

I thought of academics and high standard, about how much I wanted to be the one morally shaping my children, but it wasn’t until I heard those three words, my thoughts aligned with the REAL reason I chose to sacrifice so significantly for my children.

I homeschooled my older two for eight years, but our youngest at the time was a decade younger, and being deaf in one ear, we thought it was imperative to place her in developmental preschool, and then mainstream her to provide her with some “positive peer-pressure”.

It was a successful decision and she ended up catching her up to all her peers…

And it wasn’t until I heard Him whisper one morning in prayer that I ever thought to homeschool again.

So our answer to, “Why homeschool?” really became simply an act of obedience to His still, small voice….

The past four years I had built this cushy life. Had coffee breaks, prayer meetings, walks and long talks with people I wanted to see while my days were free with kids at school.

I could go and come, read, write, do whatever my heart pleased. Why would I want to give that up?

And it wasn’t until I took the first step, that I felt His overwhelming peace that confirmed I was following where He was leading.

Still, I knew when I heard her words, “Homeschooling IS discipleship” that it was not fair for me to lead Growth Groups, and disciple others in my social sphere, while neglecting to produce to the full potential, my very own daughter.

Everyone’s story is different. Everyone home-school’s because a handful of unique and likely very viable reasons.

While as I tackle my ninth year back into homeschooling…will you join me in considering, the most important reason to homeschool?

Here is what God has been showing me…

  • And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” ~ Duet 6:6-9
  • “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” ~ Proberbs 22:6
  • “A child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” ~ Prov 29:15
  • “Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” ~  Psalms 127:3-5

Let me close with a quote from Billy Graham,

“The family should be a closely knit group.

The home should be a self-contained shelter of security;

a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught;

and a kind of church where God is honored;

a place where wholesome recreation and simple pleasures are enjoyed.”

Below are some Rich Faith Rising posts on Homeschooling:

Will you stop back in and join me frequently as our homeschool journey is just beginning again, and likely in the days to come there will be many, many more posts about homeschooling.

 

 

 

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