Faith Over Fear in Our Fantastical Journey of Homeschooling Part Two

If you read my last post, you recall that I left off with my optimistic mindset on the brink of a new adventure called, homeschooling. My husband and I were both excited to begin, and had agreed that we would take it one year at a time. For Kindergarten, I chose a curriculum called, Sonlight. In my mind, having a boxed curriculum would be the perfect start. It would give me a daily set of boxes to check for completion, as well as a script to follow.

I probably should mention that my daughter (The Writer) was four at the time. I also had a two year old boy and an almost one year old boy. Trying to fit in 1.5 to 2 hours of work seemed doable. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that this commitment to homeschool was not for the faint of heart.

Here is what I anticipated the day would look like…

Breakfast

Bible Time

Language Arts

Baby takes a nap

Playtime with the oldest boy (The Evangelist)

Math

History/Science

Lunch

Read Aloud before rest time

This seemed like a great schedule…however, my day looked nothing like this.

The Writer was much more interested in reading the books herself instead of allowing me to teach her

Buggy didn’t take his morning nap

Evangelist, who already had more energy than the Energizer bunny, struggled with wanting my attention and went through the work box ( one for each school day) that I created for him in 10 minutes instead of 2hrs.

As the distractions kept coming, I became more and more discouraged. How was I going to be able to manage this? How was I going to teach a child who is convinced she is quite capable of doing this whole school thing without me? How do I handle meltdowns and diaper blowouts, laundry, meals, and keeping the house clean? Oh, and how am I supposed to do all of this while Buggy has yet to sleep longer than a five hour stretch?

I wish I could say that this day was an anomaly. It wasn’t. Throughout the next few years, I made calls to the local Christian School for information packets, ready to throw in the towel on this homeschooling thing. I cried many tears in my journey, and facing so many questions by others (some seeking to understand, but the vast majority just being critical), I just didn’t see it as sustainable.

However, that husband of mine, who was later to jump on the bandwagon, reminded me of the calling that the Lord had placed on our lives. He reminded me of the specific ways God confirmed the calling and that He wouldn’t have called me to it if He wasn’t going to carry me through it!

Can I tell you just how thankful and blessed I am for his leadership? It would’ve been so much easier for him to see the struggle and want to alleviate it. You know what they say, “Happy wife, happy life!” I am beyond grateful that he reminded me to keep my focus on obedience to the Lord, and leave the results to Him.

Somewhere during that first year, I realized that doing all that was encouraged or required in Sonlight was a bit too much for our season of life. I was discouraged and didn’t know what step to take next as far as curriculum was concerned. I felt very alone in homeschooling, and although I had met a friend who schooled her children at home, I was a bit overwhelmed by joining a group with all my littles. I was missing out on a key asset to homeschooling, community.

My husband and I both had attended Christian conferences in the past, and I did a little internet search to see if conferences were available for homeschooling. Little did I know, this would be a lifechanging experience for our family!

Teach Them Diligently 2016 in Sandusky, Ohio-WOW! We set out that morning thinking we were alone in our journey, and upon arrival at The Kalahari, we quickly realized that thousands of people across America were living out this same calling to homeschool their children from a biblical worldview. It was overwhelming, but in all the best ways!

Some key takeaways from the conference that have kept us motivated and encouraged for almost a decade…

Ken Ham’s talk regarding the literal interpretation of Genesis…neither of us believed in evolution, but we were gap theorists. We will never forget him saying, “How much clearer could God have made it? There was evening and there was morning-the first day.”

Todd Wilson’s enthusiasm and encouragement lit a fire under us. Him speaking of his years of experience and how the Lord had used homeschooling to build family relationships and disciples for Jesus was inspiring.

Seeing thousands of people lift their voices to the Lord in worship together reminded us that God, in His grace, had provided others to come alongside us in this journey. People from all over the nation who had been homeschooled themselves and were now choosing to homeschool their children had so much knowledge to share.

The vendor hall- I can’t even explain the overwhelm – again, a good version – that I felt when I entered the vendor hall. Who knew there were so many options for curriculum? I thoroughly enjoyed being able to look through curriculum, talk to the authors, and to purchase it at prices special to the convention.

Another favorite over the years has been, Israel Wayne. His session, “Education, Does God Have an Opinion?”, based upon his book was phenomenal. In it, he reminds us of the 10,800 hrs the average student is scheduled to be in an educational institution from grades K-12. Are we investing those hours in the best way possible for our child? He also discusses Ephesians 6:4, ”Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but instead, train them up in the nurture (literally, “Biblical counseling”), and admonition (the Greek word, “Paideia”) of the Lord.” (KJV)

He went on to explain Paideia’s definition from the Encyclopeida Brittanica:

“Paideia, (Greek: “education,” or “learning”), system of education and training in classical Greek and Hellenistic (Greco-Roman) cultures that included such subjects as gymnastics, grammar, rhetoric, music, mathematics, geography, natural history, and philosophy. In the early Christian era the Greek paideia, called humanitas in Latin, served as a model for Christian institutions of higher learning, such as the Christian school of Alexandria in Egypt, which offered theology as the culminating science of their curricula. The term was combined with enkyklios (“complete system,” or “circle”) to identify a large compendium of general education, hence “encyclopaedia.”

He said, “Everything that could be taught in academics was wrapped up in the Greek word, “Paideia.” It was the word the Greeks used for “Schooling.” Paul commanded fathers to train their children up NOT in the Paideia of the world, but instead, in the Paideia of the Lord.” Wow! This was mind-blowing!

Each year we look forward to returning to TTD for the unique Christ-focused encouragement they bring. Speaking with Leslie and David Nunnery regarding their vision for TTD and for family discipleship through the tool of homeschooling was just what our family needed. We are continually encouraged to remember that homeschooling isn’t about education. It is most definitely a part of it, but the heart of a Christian homeschooler should be to use the extra allotted time to disciple our children. Throughout the years, we have watched the Nunnery’s pour into the TTD community in so many ways. We have received the benefit of their prayers and wisdom, teaching, and sacrifice. If it weren’t for the Lord using them, our journey would look much different and much less joy-filled. Their creation of TTD365 has brought so many dear, like-minded, life-long friends into our lives. We are forever grateful!

Time would fail me to list all of the blessings we have experienced through homeschooling. Here are some of my favorites, though…

Watching the children grow in their walks with Christ through daily discipleship

A more relaxing life, as the need to transport children to and from school is eliminated.

It allows us to cater curriculum to the level and learning style of each child, with the freedom to choose what books and teaching modalities are incorporated.

The opportunity to see character deficiencies and the time to be able to study scriptures and books that target those areas has been a great blessing.

Being able to answer their questions about life in real time

Vacationing at cheaper prices and less people on the off seasons

Following a year-round Sabbath schooling calendar. We are able to have more frequent breaks and fit our 36 academic weeks into 12 months instead of 9

Being able to encourage our children through their learning struggles, identify how to help them, and cheer them on without them being in an atmosphere of comparison with peers

Helping them with their academics when we are all fresh instead of it waiting until they return from school and everyone is tired and hungry

and more…

Homeschooling is doing life together, seeking as a family to Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength together. It is igniting a love of the things of God, seeing the world and all of academia through the lens of truth : His Word.

This journey has had many great moments, and many difficult ones. Homeschooling through multiple moves, chronic illness, fostering, adopting, church planting, deaths, behavioral difficulties, special needs diagnoses, etc. has grown our faith and strengthened our resolve.

Perhaps the Lord is calling you to homeschool. Perhaps he has a different plan for your family. Whatever the calling he places upon you, He will equip you to do it. He has already created the good works that you are to walk in. Pray and be open to the calling the Lord has for you. Make sure that your calling aligns with scripture to ensure that it is from Him. Live intentionally and walk obediently despite those who may not support your calling. Get ready for spiritual warfare, the enemy and his minions fight hard against those living in surrender to God. Know his tactics. He instills fear, breathes lies, and creates mountains that only faith can move.

Remember the God you serve is greater than the God of this world. Your journey, like mine, likely won’t be smooth sailing. However, as Charles Stanley once said, “Whether things are sailing smoothly or the bottom has dropped out, He is always trustworthy. You can count on Almighty God to keep His everlasting Word.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Deuteronomy 6:7 “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.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”