Home and Class and Spirit

“I used to think God guided us by opening and closing doors, but now I know sometimes God wants us to kick some doors down.” – Bob Goff

Thankful that I have not had to kick down any doors in the public school system and that at least in the state of California there have been other parents, teachers and servants of the people that have done that for my family and so many others. The above images are my boys getting ready to head off for the first class-day of the school year at their Charter school. Also check out a peek at our first Home Day this year. I homeschool them three days a week and they attend class at a school that feels like home two days a week. So grateful that they get the classroom experience that my husband and I didn’t have as homeschooled kids and that I get a little break that our moms didn’t have while homeschooling us. The support that I receive in addition to their class-days is so essential and I truly could NOT imagine homeschooling completely on my own. My hat goes off to all the moms who live in states where this isn’t an option and soldier on daily on their own or organize co-ops and such themselves.

I do alter my curriculum somewhat from exactly what the school provides as do most parents that are involved in the charter. It’s amazing to me that my kids are receiving such an organized educational experience while we still have the freedom to tailor learning styles to what will benefit them most. Parents frequently ask me for curriculum suggestions or homeschooling resources. My go to starting point for the How and What is A Well Trained Mind by Susan Wisebauer. And my inspiration for the Why is For the Children’s Sake and When Children Love to Learn, both books on the Charlotte Mason Philosophy.

There are still tears and frustration and doldrums on a frequent basis but there are moments of magnificent discovery and quiet contemplation that I would not miss for the world. I can not imagine our lives any other way during this season. I know the time will pass and they will grow and I do not know where this journey will take us and often that causes me to worry . . . What will high school and college look like?  Will I have prepared them adequately? How will they find jobs, 10, 20, 30 years from now that feed their souls and support their needs? Who will they become? How will they look back on their time learning at home? What will they think of me, a mom that has never been able to just be Mom as I also fill the role of their teacher? Last night during the beautiful worship service we attend every Sunday evening we sang of His love enduring forever, and ever . . . and I was reminded that the world is no better and no more broken than it has ever been. Nothing can crowd out his love or cause Him to stop working on earth through His people. Nothing will ever be perfect and religion is NOT the answer. Yet He will be just as faithful to enter into relationship with my children as He does with me. They will make as many mistakes as I do and I will make as many mistakes as my parents did. Still they already call Him their Saviour and that is more than enough to carry them through their life. My goal each week is to discipline and train their character and skills so their journey will not be unnecessarily difficult, while allowing them freedom, stillness and time to explore His creation and hear from Him.  I fail miserably.  Yet He wraps forgiveness around us all, drenching us in mercy and grace and speaking soft into our hearts of love beating stronger than the oceans, burning fierce as the sun.

I sang last night and rested in the words, “If our God is for us, then who can stand against.” He is higher and deeper than any other. He who crafted balls of fire overwhelmingly larger than our humble earth and keeps everything spinning in perfect cadence. His perfect love directing an epic dance of stars and sea and allowing us to live a story of work and failure, conflict and loss, romance and friendship that will be told for ages beyond time. Though I can not prepare my children for all they will encounter on their path. I am thankful for a coming together of diverse community to equip them, and for the promise that He will ever walk alongside and hold their hand.

“We should allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and spiritual life of children; but should teach them that the divine Spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their continual helper in all the interests, duties and joys of life.” – Charlotte Mason

“Education is a life. That life is sustained on ideas. Ideas are of spiritual origin, and God has made us so that we get them chiefly as we convey them to one another, wether by word of mouth, written page, Scripture word, musical, symphony; but we must sustain a child’s inner life with ideas as we sustain his body with food” – Charlotte Mason

9-29-12 . 28mm . morning light inside and out