To School at Home or Not School at Home, That is the Question!

To School at Home or Not School at Home, That is the Question!

 

You might be thinking that I am talking about, whether or not we should homeschool. If you are reading this, you are probably already a homeschooler! ☺ What I am talking about is how we are going to home school.

When I first started writing this article, it had nothing to do this. I was discussing a totally different topic, however, as I worked through it, what the Lord pressed upon my heart, was, what is it we are really doing here? Are we striving to mimic schools? If so, wouldn’t we be sending our children to the local school? But, we are not. We have taken on this task, for a reason. Why? Why have you chosen to home educate your child/ren?

I think that is where we need to start! If we are not sure of the why, then there is no way we can follow through with the how! I believe the very first thing you should do, is spend some time with the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to help you guide your homeschool. In I Corinthians 10:31 it says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” If we should be bringing Him glory in all that we do, then He should be in the planning process! And He should be a part of every single day!

If Jesus Christ is not the cornerstone of your homeschool, and you are simply homeschooling for financial reasons, or academic reasons, or any of the other laundry list of reasons a family has, as times in your life change, you will not have a firm foundation, to rest upon.

In this economy, many of us are homeschooling on an extremely tight budget. I know that we are. This reminds me of the principal of tithing. On paper it just does not seem possible. However, when we are faithful to give the Lord what already belongs to Him, God always makes a way. Homeschooling is the same.

If God is in your homeschool, if we are willing to let Him lead the education we are providing to our children, dare I say, His children, He will enable you to succeed.

If Jesus Christ is the center of your homeschool, then every other decision you make will be based on Him, and on your biblical world view. Once that is set, you can look at what your goals for your child/ren are.

Look down the road, what are you hoping to see? Whatever your answer may be, chart a course to that destination. And remember that it will not always be easy. You will hit detours and bumps in the road. While you may have mapped a course to a specific goal, be mindful that our eyes should always be upon Jesus Christ and He will direct our path. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”.

So when life’s detours come your way, don’t become defeated, know that the Lord is re-charting that course for you. Many of the course corrections that come in our home, are ones that fall into the character building category. I would like to tell you, that it is always my children, that need to have their character built. However, that is simply not true. Homeschooling has not only allowed me to help cultivate godly character in my children, but also in me.

When I signed on to homeschool, I had no idea, what I was getting into. It is the hardest and the best thing I have ever done. It challenges me in ways, I ncould not have imagined. Our children are watching us, in all that we do. In every situation. How we handle ourselves when we are not at our best! And when nobody is watching. They watch how we speak to our spouse, and they feel how we speak to them. Are we being faithful in our own bible reading and prayer life, as we teach them to be. Are we working diligently at the tasks on our list, as we ask them to work on theirs? They listen to see if we praise the Lord for everything, not just the good things.

I don’t say all of these things, to stress or worry you. I say them, to remind you that in our own power, we simply cannot succeed. However, with the power of our Lord living in us, we can accomplish much! I John 4:4 says “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” We are not alone in our endeavor to “Train up a child in the way he should go..” We have the Lord to lean on, and the Lord has provided us with friends! Proverbs 27:17 says, “ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Let’s help each other along this journey. Help each other to stay faithful to the Lord, and stay the course that has been set before us.

I pray that the Lord will bless your families and your homeschools for many years to come!

I have heard it said, “God does not call the enabled, He enables the called”.