I have been asking myself the past few weeks, "Why am I bothering to homeschool this year?" I have a house FULL of kiddos, including a newborn. There are plenty of really great public schools around here, that would provide my kids with a fine academic education. I myself went to a public school most of my growing-up years. My kids could be a light for Christ in the public school.
But in my heart and in my mind these early years in my kids lives feel like the formative years... the years when my children are exceedingly moldable... the years when my children have this subconscious passion for knowledge in all areas of their little lives.
But the main reason that I have any desire what-so-ever to homeschool this year is that...
"I am persuaded that I am most happy when I recognize and savor the magnificence of God in every sphere of life, and I mean EVERY sphere of life; and when I am finding my happiness in God, then I am glorifying Him. This is why I breathe -- and this is why I have chosen to teach my children in the way that I do. If my children grow up to know the glory and wisdom of God, but take no delight in Him, then I will have failed in my mission, for if they have not learned to glorify Him; they have not learned the meaning of their existence.
This is why NATURE STUDY is so important to us. My children learn to enjoy His handiwork and say with joyful hearts, " God, you do all things well!" We do not spend much time analyzing it until we have first learned to enjoy his glory in creation.
This is why we study great works of ART and listen to glorious MUSIC. In our observation and in our dancing and in our creating, we can say, "Lord, Maker of color and music, you are so beautiful!"
This is why we read LITERATURE filled with tales of the heroic. Those men and women who are shadows of Christ, in small ways mirror the greatest Hero of all time. They inspire us to be like Him, the One who embodies all skill, talent, brilliance and goodness!
This is why we focus on HISTORY. We reject the modern day myth that the old is inferior for we know that truth is timeless and we choose to learn from the wisdom of the ages.
This is why we read and write POETRY. Truth and imagination wedded together stirs the soul to greatness, and to praise the Creator. So, we think hard and we frame it with rhyme and metaphor.
This is why we WRITE only what is worthy. We find pleasure in pointing out the supremacy of God. We hope that our words awaken others to the joys to be had by reveling in His glory in every sphere of life."
(http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com ... side note: I love this woman's blog and I am quickly falling in love with Charlotte Mason's philosophy on children and on education. :)
My Siah starts kindergarden next Tuesday. This year, along with homeschool, we have found an amazing Charter School that he will be attending two half days a week. The school has a similar philosophy to what we will be fostering at home and I am so grateful that Siah will be able to learn and grow with the other students in his class. We met his teacher last night. Not only is she a sweet, tender, soft-spoken woman, but she LOVES the Lord. She has a passion for her students hearts as much as she does their minds. The Lord has gone over the top in His gift to me in working with Mrs. Kozyra this year.
My one and only goal for this year is to give my kiddos an opportunity to fall more and more in love with their Savior in every avenue of their lives. I hope that they discover His glory through all the things we read, through all the things we discover as we explore His world, and through the way that we learn to bless and encourage and love on each other in our home.
I can't wait to post a picture of Siah on his first day of school!!! :)
