THEO

A Christian homeschool….isn’t that what we all set out to build when we launch our home schools?  Unfortunately, in many homes, this idea gives new meaning to the phrase “hindsight is 20/20.”  As much as I longed to found a Christian homeschool for my two boys 12 years ago, in many ways, looking back, it seems I merely established a school for two.  A school directed by my husband and me making the best decisions we knew to make.   I don’t want you to take me wrong. We have frequently prayed over decisions; we are both serious about our walk with the Lord.

I just think secular roots ran far deeper into our worldview than we could possibly have known back then.  Gradually and continually since 1994, God has opened our minds to see countless secular opinions that were deeply rooted in our minds and habits.  Visualize them as innumerable, yet life sustaining arteries, filling in every crevice of our body. Yet these beliefs weren’t giving life blood to my organs but input to my decisions, the very decisions which were shaping my children, the two cherished treasures that I longed to protect the most.

Although I am not going to be perfect this side of heaven, I now get it. I can’t co-pilot with the Lord.  He must drive 100% of our school for it to be a Christian school.  I must be hands off; no more making the calculated decisions, weighing between curriculums, balancing extra curricular activities.  Granted, He has given me a mind to use, but we all know the difference between deciding what we think is best, forcing what we want rather than leaving the choice to Him.

My advice as a veteran home school mom?  Be true to yourself when you set off on the home schooling journey. Go as spiritually deep as you can, as quickly as you can. Work hard, study more than you ask your children to study.  Strive to grow and stretch yourself mentally but also with discipline in all habits of your life.  Oswald Chambers says to make a habit of not having habits.

Obviously we need routine for our children to thrive, but so often we worship our methods and fail to see the matchless opportunities God lays before us. I don’t know how better to say it; you can trust the Lord with your days and weeks.  Put every “card” on the table for God to reveal the truth regarding your worldview and your belief system. Let Him show you what area needs growth next in your life.

Your children will flourish as they catch the excess of growth you experience in your own life each day.  He is trustworthy, unchangeable.  Give it all to Him, especially your minutes, your kids, your pride, your own ability to think through the right decisions.

Then watch to see what He will do…Those rude comments from strangers or family members won’t matter any longer….and it won’t be so stressful to pick out new curriculums or to keep up with the house, baby and math…

Daily devotions were designed for one of two purposes. One is to study the greatness of God in order to deflate our egos so we can have proper perspective on our contributions to the world. The second is to study the greatness of God in order to inflate our egos so that we can have the proper perspective on the value we bring to this world as the Lord’s children.  Spend time at least once a day focusing on Him by reading His word.

Many of us work our money hard, especially as a homeschool family.  We don’t have any choice but to make the most of every penny by borrowing curriculum when possible, finding it used at other times.  We use produce co-ops and coupons to make the most of our food budget.

But do we focus on spending our time as wisely?  Are we as good of stewards of each minute or hour as we could be?

Many of us are masters at multi-tasking so I can already hear your protest as I write.  Multi-tasking is not the same as being a good steward. We can cram more things into our schedule but that doesn’t mean that we are doing the right things—only more.

Many nights, I have awaken in the night, literally in a sweat of panic, wondering what good things I was focusing on to the detriment of the best.  In particular, what small, yet critical issue was I leaving unsaid in my parenting.  “Lord, where am I scrubbing the deck while the ship is sinking?”  My constant prayer has been, “Lord please reveal where I have gone wrong, where I have stepped off the path.  What I have said too much and what I need to say for the first time.”

As always He is faithful to reveal and to speak truth into my life when I ask. I am not sure about the theological ramifications of my next belief, but at times, I believe the Lord will speak into our lives regardless of our desire to hear from Him. Other days, He will remain silent until we ask.  As I said, I don’t understand the theological implications of that thought, but it has been my experience.

In parenting, God has frequently remained silent until I have asked for His input. The same goes with my own spiritual walk with the Lord.  He hasn’t jumped in with a to-do list to organize my day or my years.  However, when an event occurs, one of those events  which has stripped away my self confidence to reveal a crack in my worldview or my beliefs or my self esteem, He has responded swiftly and clearly to my cry for insight and help.

Because of His ability to repair my soul in minutes, He and I have made a lot of headway in my life because I have submitted countless times over the years to His revealing and healing touch.  I have often thanked Him for being my counselor. Unlike an earthly counselor, He is a free counselor and fixes in minutes what would take a human counselor years to identify and solve.

I used to meet an older person, wow, someone maybe 50, and think they are so wise.  I wish I had been born as wise as they were.  Now that I am approaching 50, I understand. They weren’t born any wiser than you or I, but they have spent decades working on their spiritual walk.  What we work on is what we will accomplish.  If we work at eating, we will accomplish weight gain. If we work on exercise, we will accomplish strong muscles.  If we work at watching tv, we will win a contest about movie star or tv trivia.

Unlike other things, God has given some extra leverage to the effort we spend on our spiritual life.  Think of a small drop of water hitting the same rough boulder over a few decades.  That small drop of water will accomplish much in smoothing out a spot on that boulder.

Same with the effort we give to our spiritual walk. Most of the time, God isn’t asking for an hour a day, maybe only a few minutes.  A drop of effort on our spiritual journey can produce results like you aren’t able to envision.  He will use that small drop of effort to smooth out wide areas of space in our souls, actually expanding them to include thoughts goals, and values we never dreamed.

Then, when we turn 50 or 60 or whatever age, our efforts will have produced wisdom which is then available to serve us in our old age.

What are you spending your time on?  Are you merely packing more into each day?  Or are you putting first things first?  Time is more finite than money. We can always earn more money; we can’t add one minute to our life.  Spend those minutes wisely.

Let me close with Matthew 7:24-29

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Everyone hears the words
But only a few act on them
Those who act on them are building a house on the rock.
Storms come to all — to those with houses built on rocks
— to those with houses built on sand
But only those who heard and acted building their house on the rock will survive the storms
Those with houses built on sand will fall, according to verse 27 they won’t only fall but great will be their fall.