Homeschool Diaries: A New Chapter

It's July. Last month I attended a Classical Conversations practicum (and finished each day with VBS at night...as a rapper...that's another story!).

As I mentioned in a previous homeschool post, I am taking on the director roll for our local community. Inadequate doesn't even begin to describe how I feel in this new position. However, I am always reminded that the Lord does not call the equipped, He equips the called. And I always cling to His Word that says, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Honestly, this position randomly opened up after I had been praying that the Lord would provide the finances for our children to go this year. Last year it was just Hannah, now Grant is at the age he must join. And while Classical Conversations is very affordable compared to most other homeschool programs, it is still pricey for us during this season of life. So basically, the Lord dropped it in my lap unexpectedly through the previous director, whom I highly respect.

In thinking through this decision, I prayed. I made my list of why I should take it and why I shouldn't. Most of the reasons why I shouldn't simply pointed to fear. Fear of what more experienced moms would think. Fear of failure. Fear of my own inadequacies. And as far as reasons why I should, well, it was, what I believe clearly now, the Lord's answer to prayer for provision for our family to be able to attend. More importantly it was another opportunity to trust the Lord in MY WEAKNESSES to work and to stretch me and get me to an uncomfortable place that forced me yet again to lean on Him and not my own "abilities." And while it is definitely uncomfortable, it is the best place to be. It seems that has been a lot of what He has been teaching me the past year.

So, like I said, I attended the practicum. It was a great reminder for me as to why I believe this is the best place to educate our children. I honestly get pretty fired up about it. I know it's not for everyone. And that's okay. I'm thankful for those families that are a part of the public school systems (or private schools) who are laboring for Christ there. So thankful.

And I'm thankful to have the opportunity to provide a Christian classical education for my children that I am praying the Lord would use in a mighty way in their lives to go out into the world and defend their faith, Lord willing they become believers, and proclaim the gospel to the lost world.

Also, I see the benefits of this method to produce clear thinkers who understand how to think, how to process what they read and hear, and how to correctly apply it.

We live in a confusing world. It's deceptive in so many ways. Whatever you believe regarding the Obamacare, it is a piece of legislation that requires the understading of the Constitution, how to correctly interpret it, as well as how to think through the role of the government and how it was intended to relate to the people it governs. I will be the first to admit, I'm not a great thinker. It's hard for me to discern good vs. bad legislation at times. Heck, I don't even know that I can tell you much about the Constitution and the intentions of our forefathers who wrote it. But we need thinkers...who can take the information they know and correctly apply it. And I wonder about those men in our government and if they really are "thinkers," men who are correctly looking at a historical document and able to discern what it is saying and what the intentions were behind the men who created it. Or is it each man for himself who wants to make a document say what he wants it to say?

I'm not looking for a debate on ObamaCare. I'm just using it as an example. In Classical Conversations, our children will study the Constitution (in later years), the actual document itself, along with other historical documents and begin to make conclusions on what it is saying and then how to apply that to our society. That excites me. It's something I never did. I believe it would help me be a better citizen in our society. I feel I would be better able to defend what I am saying and better able to draw out strong convictions.

Obviously there is so much more I could say and there is so much more to unpack regarding what is a classical, Christian education.I think most people think I'm a bit crazy when I try to explain it. I would have a few years ago. But I realize, that's okay. I think I am coming to a place where I don't feel that I necessarily need to defend it. Like I said, it's not for everyone. The Lord puts on each of our heart's where He wants us and where He is leading us, even with our kids' education. It's great to see the diversity and the way He spreads out His people in order to build His kingdom. After all, isn't that what it is really about? So it would be crazy to have all homeschool Christian families or all public school Christian families, or all private school Christian famililes. Instead, He has placed each of our families in specific places. May we bold with His positioning and see it as a way to spread His gospel and bring glory to His name.