Tempus Fugit.
Whatever horologist put that on the clock face knew very well that of which he spoke.
I still remember worrying about preschool curriculum. Whether I could really teach my children to read - especially when we got the official dyslexia diagnosis.
I remember the doubt from friends and family when we shared that we were homeschooling. The crazy looks from strangers when we were out and about during “school” hours.
I remember tearful episodes, frantic prayers, and days when I just knew that we had somehow misunderstood the Lord’s direction -
And yet, here we are. I’m staring at pages that indicate the end of our homeschooling time, and it’s so incredibly bittersweet. I have been watching several friends graduate their homeschooled teens over the last few years and it’s phenomenal.
The family gatherings, the church family support, the light in the eyes of these young people. It’s, for the most part, very different than what I see in other circles. These teens enjoy being with their family, and their family enjoys being with them.
And once I got past the insecurity of everyone else’s opinions and committed to following the path the Lord laid out for us, I began to realize that homeschooling is all about relationship.
It’s about our (the parents) relationship with the Lord- the obedience to home educate, sacrifice, sanctification, and learning to rely fully on the Holy Spirit to make up for our shortcomings bring us closer to Him and further away from the World and what it deems “normal”.
It’s about our relationship with our children- reclaiming the over 16,000 hours they would spend being indoctrinated into a humanist worldview and being exposed to things, people, and ideas that pollute and degrade their minds and thoughts before they have a chance to develop a strong foundation in a Biblical worldview. There is no such thing as “quality time over quantity time”. If you give up your time with your children, you also give up your influence. “We cannot continue to send our children to Caesar for their education and be surprised when they come home as Romans.” - Voddie Baucham
It’s about fostering a faith relationship in our children- the seeds of Truth are planted at home, over time. We tend the soil of their hearts, we guard the gates of their minds and our homes, we guide them the best we can, and then let the Holy Spirit do the growing.
It’s about the relationships of knowledge and wisdom and reason- we spread a wide feast for our children sharing Truth, goodness and beauty in heaping helpings. We walk them through the steps of logic and reasoning. We teach them to recognize fallacies. We pour into them with Scripture because we know there is only one Way, Truth, and Life.
I am so grateful to have had this time, and for the incredible years of adventure we have ahead of us! It is truly an honor to walk alongside my children as we transition from teacher/students to guide/adventurers.
You, too, have an incredible adventure in your own homeschool and I know, with God’s help, you will succeed!
Soli Deo Gloria, sweet friend.