Teaching On The Brain

"Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:19

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.

² I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching." Proverbs 4:1,2

So today I thought I'd share about the proof that God can change anyone's heart. Because he recently did a big work in Andy and I. I've been thinking about blogging about it, but this was one of those decisions that we needed to talk to other people about it, before I just randomly blogged about it. But the proof is in the pudding here, my dear friends, because has changed our hearts in a very big way- and only God could do it.

First though, if you're curious, here are a couple of old blog posts where I shared my original viewpoint on schooling:

Be Careful

Stars And Schools

Seasons change though, and God has done a complete 360 on Andy and I. It's amazing, because if you talked with either of us, back in September, our thoughts on schooling at home, we'd launch into an amazing lecture about how our children belong in public school, and how wonderful it is for our kids. Equally amazing, is how around Christmas time, a great big fat idea was plopped into my head and God completely caused it to explode. After much prayer, and consideration, and really seeking God hard as to what he wants us to do, we are 100% confident that God wants us to homeschool our children. It's incredible to actually say that, because it wasn't that long ago that we were uber-critical of those who did homeschool, and we were so confident that public school was the way to go. This doesn't mean that we were wrong- but it does mean that we are entering a new season, a new time, and the new season is that our children will stay at home with me all year round.

And, even better, we're all totally looking forward to it. God placed the desire in our hearts to teach our children, where before, if you asked me, I was all about not having enough patience or the will to do it, and now, well, fall can't get here fast enough. God also placed a desire in our children's hearts to stay home with us. It wasn't that long ago that I was trying to convince my brother and sister-in-law that my niece would love preschool, and now, that very niece totally inspired both my kids to want to try doing homechool. It's amazing to look back on a situation and see where God laid all the pieces to the puzzle. Equally interesting, is that while the whole homeschool experience will have fantastic spiritual benefits, what our eyes were opened up to was the mere fact that our daughter is bored in school and is not learning at her full potential. When she is spending seven hours a day at school, and comes home and shows me all the drawings she had time to do... well, something isn't right.

For me, it ultimately came to one day I simply asked the kids their thoughts about homeschooling. We discussed it, and they were really intrigued and were open to try it. Not an hour later, I sat down with my Bible and read the story of Moses's mother.

"Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. ¹⁰ When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water." Exodus 2:9-10

I thought about this woman and about how little time she spent with her son, and it just came to me that she did not waste a precious second of the three years that she likely had Moses with her. She probably kept him until he was weaned, and then gave her to Pharaoh's daughter. And I thought to myself about about all the time that is being wasted with school. Abigail probably spends at least half her day either playing or doodling or reading because she has nothing else to do. And then she comes home from school, does the busy-work they call homework, does the required at home reading, because an hour or so during the school day isn't enough, and then it's time to wind the day down, only to begin again the next day. There's just something that is broken with this system, and it was as if I read that passage in the Bible and God told me that I can correct this problem.

I am so blessed that I have a husband who works hard so that I can stay at home to be with my children. Yet next year, Zander would go to school full time, and I would be home doing... what? So instead of seeking a job or finding a hobby to occupy my time, I'll be filling my time with my children. We will learn together, and we will grow together. It's going to be so exciting, and I am also grateful that God placed this desire on our hearts when He did. Timing wise, halfway through the school year, it's given me plenty of time to research curriculum and talk to other homeschooler and really figure out what we want to do. Abigail will finish third grade and Zander will finish preschool and then we will move forward together.

Where part of me was also worried about finding the energy to school two children along with keeping everything else taken care of, I also know that God has steered us in this direction. He has given us this task of taking care of our children's education, and he will provide all the resources we need. He will provide the funds we need to order curriculum and all the supplies we need. He will provide the desire to learn in the children, and he will provide the energy I need to keep going every day. He is our source, our ever-present help, and He will see us through on this task that he has laid before us.

"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men." Proverbs 4:13-14