CHEWV

Tag: Encouragement

  • Choosing Thankfulness

    Choosing Thankfulness

    For most newlyweds, there is a honeymoon period when our spouse is our hero and even the quirky things they do are considered cute. This was no different for me; in fact, I would say that our honeymoon phase spanned nearly a decade before a spirit of subtle grumblings began to surface in my heart.

    I would say that our honeymoon phase spanned nearly a decade before a spirit of subtle grumblings began to surface in my heart.

    I still remember where I was – in the basement transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer and complaining in my quietest voice in the darkest places of my home and head. I am tired of being the only one in this house who sees what needs to be done and does it!

    The gentle grumbling seemed justifiable to me because I wasn’t complaining to anyone and not even out loud, yet all at once the Lord brought a memory to mind.

    I was a guest in an older woman’s home. She was leading a casual women’s event on gratitude and a dozen or so college-aged women were sitting around on the couches and floor of her living room. She shared a story from her own marriage. She said she had been married for only a few years when she began having frequent “woe is me” moments about all the chores she had to do around the house, seemingly by herself. She called her mother to complain and was shocked by her reply. Her mother, a godly woman with some 50 years of married experience, told her to get in the habit of thanking God for her husband as she emptied the dishwasher each morning. With each dish she pulled out of the dishwasher, she verbally thanked God for her husband’s acts of love and service, as well as his physical characteristics, parts of his personality, giftings, and talents. With each dish stacked and utensil placed in the drawer, day after day, she began to see bitterness dispel, anger recede, and love for her husband flood back into her heart.

    I’m so thankful the Lord brought the story to mind to help me see the great value of a heart that daily chooses gratitude, and the potential damage of a heart that chooses the opposite.

    At the time, as I tossed shirts, jeans and flannels into the dryer and named the things I loved about my husband and the things I appreciated, I, too, could feel the hardness of my heart soften. But I’ll be honest – I simply saw it as a good habit. You know, having an attitude of gratitude, a happy heart or seeing the world from a cup half full point of view.

    It was much later in life that I discovered that pursuing gratitude, not just in marriage, but in all circumstances was a way to discover more about the presence of God in my own life.

    …give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

    As I give thanks to God for the big and small blessings, I am recognizing him as Creator of all and Giver of every good gift.

    As I give thanks in all circumstances, I am reminded by great women like Elisabeth Elliot that the Scripture doesn’t command me to give thanks for all circumstances. I may not be thankful for tough times, suffering, or struggles, but I can be thankful to the God who promises to walk with me and provide wisdom, comfort and eternal hope in all circumstances!

    As I give thanks in hardships and trials, I am turning over my inability to control my life to a God who promises to work all things for my good.

    As I give thanks in my anxieties about the unknowns of the future, I am willingly choosing to trust in a God who both knows and sees the plans he has for me and my loved ones.

    As I give thanks in inconveniences, blocked roads, delays and seasons of waiting, I am believing in his perfect timing and reasons unbeknownst to me.

    As I give thanks in needy times, I am allowing space for the Lord to provide as he promises.

    As I give thanks in questioning and doubtful times, I am allowing room for God’s sovereignty and mystery in my life.

    Choosing gratitude helps me turn my eyes away from me, my life, my relationships, my annoyances, my inconveniences, my setbacks, my trials, and my disappointments, and instead sets my eyes on Him.

    Being grateful is choosing to place God’s cloak of love, trust, protection, faithfulness, goodness, sovereignty and eternal promises over top of my quivering, weak, scared, anxious, fearful, doubting, and hurting humanity. A grateful heart doesn’t have to understand everything, but simply chooses to obey and trust in the One who does understand all things.

    Here are a few ways I nurture my connection with God through gratitude:

    1. Each night before I nod off to sleep, I grab the gratitude journal beside my bed and jot down something big or small I am grateful for from the day.
    2. When doing mundane tasks (folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher or watering flowers), I use the many towels, dishes, or flowers to list things I am grateful for as I complete the tasks.
    3. While I admit it’s easier to thank God for the blessings in my life, I choose to use the word BUT when I am tempted to complain. For instance, “I am so annoyed that the traffic is jammed up on the interstate and I am going to miss my lunch with Susan. BUT you never know. Maybe God is protecting me from an accident or possibly a conversation that wouldn’t be good for me or Susan right now.” By acknowledging my habit of complaining, I am then giving myself an opportunity with my BUT statement to point myself and others to God’s power and presence in my life.
    4. Reading and reflecting on gratitude verses from the Bible renews my mind and focuses my eyes back on Christ.
    5. Using helpful and fun activities like these helps to spur my children on in these daily habits of gratitude!

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  (Philippians 4:6)

    I will give thanks to you Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1)

    Reflection Questions to discuss with your kids:

    • Have you ever experienced a season in your life where it was easier to complain than to be grateful? If so, recount that season.
    • How does choosing gratitude bring you closer with God?
    • What are your current gratitude practices? If gratitude isn’t a current practice, how can you take a small step to incorporate it into your life this month?
    • How does knowing that God isn’t asking you to thank him for the tough circumstances, but rather in the tough circumstances change how you look at scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 5:8?
    • What is one new habit you can pick up to incorporate a more thankful heart this month?

    ____________________________________
    Lorrie Young, who enjoys writing in her spare moments, actively serves as the director of THESIS, a homeschool co-op in Marion County. She graduated her first homeschooler last spring and continues the homeschool journey with her two busy teens and faithful furry friend, Charlie, who promises to never leave home! She is grateful for each moment with them, past and present. 

  • Do We Stop Homeschooling?

    Do We Stop Homeschooling?

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    Many parents might be tempted to answer that question by considering how it went this past year. Were the kids engaged? Did it go smoothly? Did Mom feel comfortable teaching? Was a good co-op available for socialization? Do the kids want to continue?

    While those are great questions, there may be other considerations which need to be brought to the table. If you’re a Christian, may I share some things I learned as a young homeschool mom?

    First, let’s take a look at what God says about the education of our children.

    You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.  (Deuteronomy 6:4-7) 

    Isn’t that a lovely passage? I don’t believe I ever paid attention to it until after we started homeschooling. Highlighted by numerous homeschool speakers during the 1990’s and early 2000’s when we were educating our three daughters, it helped cement my resolve to homeschool. Yes, I wanted to teach my children diligently at all times – when we played in the yard, when we sat at the table, and when we did math. I began to realize that I wanted them to see God in everything! That was actually pretty exciting for me.

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  (Proverbs 1:11)

    This verse was life-changing for my husband and me. Not only is it basically repeated two other times in Scripture, but this truth is pretty plain to understand. Unless we start with respect for the Lord, with serious regard for His thoughts and His ways, my children can’t even begin to be truly educated! And doesn’t that make perfect sense? If we genuinely believe that God created everything, and it’s all for His glory and ultimately for His purpose, then can we learn anything in depth without recognizing Him first and foremost?  

    And you fathers…bring [your children] up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

    Here again, this verse is pretty simple. For me, it meant that it was foolish to send my children anywhere that God could not legally be recognized for who He is – the beginning and end of everything. Much less could I send them to such a place for seven hours a day, five days a week and then hope that Godless instruction could be countered with three hours of church on Sunday. The statistics about kids leaving the church when they grow up make perfect sense when we look at the plain facts from this perspective.    

    Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child…  (Proverbs 22:15a)
    Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.  (Proverbs 13:20)

    These verses put a different twist on socialization for me. Did God intend for children to hang out with a myriad of other children, whether physically or virtually, for most of their growing-up years? Or is it healthier and more natural that they get together with a few children at a time along with some wiser Titus 2 adults? I certainly remember my own school experience, when I cared more about what my peers thought – even though I wouldn’t have admitted it. Let’s face it: God created us for relationships and acceptance, and part of us wants to fit in. We’re not dying to become like our teachers as much as we want accepted or to be “popular.” In order to fit in, kids either become popular – whatever that takes – or they react to the popular kids and seek alternative reputations in order to survive. 

    But that’s not desirable socialization, is it? No. It produces kids who party, take drugs, get date raped, bullied, change genders, and experiment with sex. Sadly, we are surrounded by the fruit of such unhealthy socialization. It’s like playing Russian roulette. Occasionally it’s fine; usually it’s not.

    But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.  (Matthew 18:6)

    Woe. Homeschool leader Brian Ray1 asks a sobering question, “If a Christian parent puts stumbling blocks in front of his child, is the parent guilty?” Ray further asks, “Why would a Christian ever seriously consider a system of education that was never ordained by God and focuses children’s minds and hearts on nearly everything but God?”

    Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  (Galatians 6:7)

    Pure and simple, I know that God impressed on us that if we failed on everything else, the thing that mattered most was what had eternal consequences. 

    All these issues aside, you may ask, what about academics? Isn’t school about academics? The impressive academic statistics that we take for granted these days – the ones where homeschoolers do much better than their public school counterparts – came primarily from homeschoolers educated in the “plain Jane” way. Prior to dual enrollment opportunities, before fully computer-based or internet-based programs, long before sophisticated coops and communities, and when only limited curriculum choices were available, those early homeschoolers flourished academically. They began winning spelling bees and gaining acceptance into Ivy League schools – and community colleges for that matter. They were the ones who paved the way for those of us who came after.  And most of those early families were homeschooling for “religious purposes.”  Do God’s ways work?

    We should have trusted the obvious answer to that question even without the impressive statistics. Even without the cool options we have now, homes discipleship still works!

    Should you stop homeschooling?  That’s a question only you can answer.  But perhaps turn the question around:

    • How does God want you to educate your child?
    • What’s the best way to prepare your child to be a God-honoring adult?
    • What is the wisest educational method for a child given in trust to Christian parents?  
    • How logical is it to expect our children to become more Christlike as the result of secular training?

    And even, 

    • If we continue to homeschool, what should that look like?

    Those were the questions God impressed on us.

     

     

    ———————————————————————————–

    1Brian Ray, “Change the Paradigm: Why Did You Ever Stop Homeschooling Your Child?” The Old Schoolhouse, Winter 2019-2020, p.20-22.

    _______________________________________________________________
    Kim and her husband Don homeschooled their three daughters full-time starting in 1996. Like all other parents, they messed up many things. But they look back now very thankful that they listened to what God asked of them – even when it made little sense. If nothing else, they learned that God’s ways do work!  He is trustworthy.

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  • Homeschooling for a Harvest

    Homeschooling for a Harvest

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    by James Summers, CHEWV dad and Board member

    As I write this, we are heading into prime harvest season.  It’s the time of year when you have to keep your windows rolled up and doors locked while you’re at church – or else you’ll come out and find your car full of zucchinis.  Every day we are reaping the rewards of both God’s graciousness and our hard work.  This year my schedule and the weather mostly cooperated, and I was able to keep the weeds from “taking over” the garden – at least for a while.  Somewhere along the line, though, I got too busy to work the garden during the peak of summer activities.  The early harvest was good, but now I find myself searching through the tall weeds for any tomatoes and beans that made it through, despite my lack of attention and work.  I drive by a well-kept garden with envy and regret.

    It can be this way with our marriages, families, and yes, homeschooling, as well. 

    We reap what we sow.  A crop of Silver Queen corn doesn’t just mysteriously appear in my garden.  I have to plant the seeds.  If I want a marriage that radiates God’s glory, or kids that are dedicated Christ followers, or a homeschool that redeems education to God’s purpose, I have to sow the seeds to reap this harvest.  I have to think about what results I desire (and God desires) and then act to bring them about. 

    A man reaps what he sows.
    Galatians 6:7

    Not only do we have to sow the right seeds, we also have to tend the garden.  Gardeners with the greatest harvest spend much time tending their garden – hoeing, weeding, fertilizing, watering, pruning, building trellises, staking tomatoes, dusting for bugs, shooting groundhogs or trapping raccoons, and maintaining the fence to keep out the deer.  Often the work is hard.  Sometimes it is just a simple task, but the work is always intentional.  Master gardeners do what they know needs to be done each day.   Though they almost never see an immediate result, they trust that the desired results will come about.  They follow the wisdom accumulated from hundreds of generations of farmers before them and talk with other gardeners, especially more experienced ones, when they have a question.  Every day they spend time in their garden.

    Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest,
    if we do not give up.
    Galatians 6:9

    So what kind of harvest do you want to reap from your years of homeschooling?  What kind of seeds are you sowing, and what kind of work are you doing each day to move toward these goals? 

    Really, seriously, stop and think about these questions for an extended time. Talk about them with your spouse.  Pray about them.  Consider how you can make your homeschool years about more than just academics.  What does the Creator – the Originator and God of all wisdom and knowledge – desire of your homeschool years?

    If you want a more bountiful harvest, cast a bigger vision.  Set higher goals.  Don’t always look for immediate results; think multi-generationally.  Determine to leave a positive spiritual impact on your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Make loving and serving Jesus a bigger priority in your family than anything else.  Do the work that you know needs to be done each day.  Spend time every day in the garden where God has placed you to work.  Determine to finish the journey you have started, but know that the most enduring fruit of your labor may not even come in your lifetime.

    Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and temporary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.…

    2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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  • Why Am I Homeschooling?

    Why Am I Homeschooling?

    The New Year holiday is often a time of reflection.  What went well last year?  What changes are needed this coming year?  What New Year’s resolutions are in order?

    Homeschooling is no different.  We start thinking about how we’re doing – and what we’re doing.

    My mind wanders back to a beautiful passage of Scripture that used to be highly quoted at homeschool conferences, in homeschool magazines, and by homeschool speakers.  Reduced down to simplicity, it says that our life’s goal in everything we do is to love our Lord.   

    You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (verse 5)

    And here’s the beautiful part for parents:

    These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

    As Christian homeschooling families, we have the privilege of showing our children what this life is really all about!  Not only are we choosing an academic alternative, but we are facing a discipleship/relationship opportunity!

    The Christian commission is to 

    …make disciples…teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you…  Matthew 28:19-20

    CHEWV shares that mission:

    …to promote homeschooling as a valuable means to strengthen families, as well as an environment that facilitates discipleship of children in the Christian faith.  (from CHEWV’s mission statement)

    Most of us began homeschooling as an alternative to “school.”

    Homeschooling.

    We were concerned with how to teach the school subjects from September to June.  And certainly that, in and of itself, is a worthy endeavor that invites academic success through individualized tutoring. Our children, indeed, thrived academically.

    Yet after our first few years being with our children full-time, we began to realize that our children don’t just learn between the “school hours” of 9 and 3.  They learn 24-7.  After we close the textbooks, they continue to learn by what they’re doing every waking hour.  We started thinking about their toys, their social situations, our family life, and even our family routines.

    And that realization was life-changing.  

    Our hearts were softened even more toward our children, and homeschooling became more exciting than ever.

    He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents…  Malachi 4:6

    The house stopped being a place to sleep and get ready for the next outing, but rather it became a place of relationship: discipleship.  A disciple is a follower of God.  We began to see it!  Science is about what God made and how it works.  History is about what God has done so far, and men’s responses to it.  English prepares us to communicate about Him and His Word.  In essence: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”  Gradually, it all became about Him.

    This was the excitement that drove the early homeschooling movement and continues to inspire Christian families today.

    In the busyness of the daily grind, we may be absorbed by the teaching of algebra or adverbs.  That daily perseverance is what causes homeschoolers to excel academically!  But over the years, our goal is to prepare our students to make a difference in the world – for God’s glory.  The new year is a good time to be reminded of our best mission – that higher goal. 

    We have a few short years to teach our children about God and to prepare them to be the best orators, teachers, pharmacists, accountants, lawyers and engineers for His service.  This is the time that parents and children can learn at His feet, together.

    May 2019 be the year when you learn to smile through the short-term hassles because you have the long-term mission in mind!

  • Sage Advice About Homeschooling

    Sage Advice About Homeschooling

    Are you a new homeschool mom who would love to get advice from experienced moms?  Want to know what they have learned along the way?  We asked some of them, and here are their answers:

    We have been homeschooling almost four years and the biggest thing I have learned is that no two children are alike. They all learn at different paces. My oldest is 12 and was reading shortly after turning 6. She was in public school so they rushed them along. My 9-year-old just started reading last year. She just couldn’t grasp reading or math, but she has a disability. I am working with my 5 and 4-year-olds now. I was told it is okay for them to take longer. It doesn’t mean I am failing them. They just all learn differently.

    – Pamela

    Relationship. When I first read this request, my first thought was, “I could write a book.” But I remembered the one thing I try to remember everyday: homeschooling affords the opportunity like no other educational system for relationship. Relationship with Our Heavenly Father, relationship with our children, and relationship extending outside of our home and family circles. This has been both the most challenging aspect of homeschooling and the greatest blessing. Being home with each other day in and day out poses challenges – and great opportunities to meet those challenges. Early on we focused on obedience (myself included) and true discipleship, continuing to come in line together, looking toward Christ. One of our biggest regrets of parenting and discipleship early on was that we assumed a hierarchy with dad at the head of the line, then mom, and then the children – like a train. As we have matured we truly see that we are all in a line with only One before us, and our role as parents is more of a “come alongside me” than a “line up behind me” process. As a mom of five, sending the first one off to college this fall, having homeschooled from the beginning, my advice is: regardless of style or choice of curriculum, keep your focus on nurturing healthy relationships (think great commandments) and enjoy the adventure. Let love and kindness rule. Remember that His mercy to you was new this morning and yours should be new for your children, husband and friends. His love never fails, nor should ours, because He provides what we need when we seek and ask for forgiveness and for wisdom and for instruction.

      –  Faith

    I would advise to just be prayerful and expect God to guide throughout the school year. Have fun, especially in the younger years. Use those fun-observed days like National Pasta Day to use pasta as math manipulatives, use cooked spaghetti as paint “brushes”, find a video or book on how pasta is made, sing “On Top of Spaghetti”… be creative!  (A website gives the observed days for the month.) Finally, read to your child – every single day!

    – Brenda

    Homeschool is not school at home! Everything does not need to be completed at a desk. With child #3, we called reading “cuddle time” and it took place on the couch. Guess which child LOVES reading!!

    – Tracy

    Pray.
    Embrace everyone’s differences; love each others’ faults.
    Laugh more. Enjoy being together; life is short.
    Time flies, so enjoy all the time with your kids as much as possible. Giggle more at mistakes so they learn it’s all good.
    Teach them to love who they are and care less about what other people think as long as you’re walking with God.
    Embrace what he has given you, but always try to be a better person. Strive to be all you can be. Treat others how you want to be treated. Think before you speak. Always speak Encouragement into others’ lives, build them up, tell them the small things you see that makes them great, be who God wants you to be.
    Always put God first.
    Enjoy life – you only have one chance make it count.
    Strive to let people see God in you – in how you live and treat others. Thank God for online programs because your kids outgrow what you know really fast..lol.
    Be polite, keep and teach manners because they go a long way, especially with the older generations.  “Yes, ma’am, no ma’am.”
    AND ABOVE ALL LOVE, LOVE YOU, LOVE OTHERS, LOVE GOD.
    Phil 4:13

    – Dolly

    I learned to not be like the other super homeschool moms. You know the moms who always make a plan and follow the plan, whose children love every subject, they never miss a day off school. The mom who plans amazing activities and really cool art projects, who plans a field trip through the woods and pretends they are Daniel Boone exploring new territory. I learned to be me, to be the homeschooling mom I wanted to be. I always strive to be a better teacher the following year, but I will always be ME. ALL homeschool parents are amazing in their own way.

    – Michelle

    Going the long route was totally worth it. So many are afraid of the high school years, yet those were invaluable to sealing my relationship with my children. Two of my four sons have graduated and are adults. I just love that they both call me often, tell me they love me, and appreciate all the years I gave them. I just know our relationship will be lifelong and nothing can beat that! Being with them for so many hours and shuffling them to so many events and hosting teen things was hard, but now I see that it made a difference. I no longer fear the high school years for my next two. God was funny in that he decided to space my kids out where I do high school for 16 years! Yep, my kids are four years apart. When I graduate one, I begin another and so on….four times! lol. I am now on number three in 10th grade. I always gear the high school years to their interests more than anything. One son was all about joining the Marines, so we focused a great deal on environmental sciences, survival information, self-sustaining environments, and physical education for his electives. My second son was college-bound and into IT, so we hit college classes early and got many basics out of the way. My third son is likely going into the science fields, so again we are prepping for early enrollment and hitting math and sciences hard. My fourth son is all about using his hand skills, will watch trade skill shows constantly, HGTV, and is always building and creating….we totally see a trade skill school in his future, and I intend to work alongside him for Habitat for Humanity when he is old enough. So when yours get to those years, hone in on their interests and explore!!!!!

    – Dona

    Don’t let first time jitters/anxiety rule you! When you see how much more you can do in the time the public school runs, it will feel freeing!

    – Missy

    I’ve learned to relax because my children are always learning and I’m not failing them (just graduated my oldest last year). I’ve learned that it’s ok to change something in the middle of the year if it isn’t working. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to go off the plan and do something fun to reset the day. I’ve learned that I get so much more out of homeschooling than I’m probably giving. ❤️

    – Lori

    I have learned that each family is on their own journey. I have learned not to compare ourselves with others. There is a real reason God calls us to homeschool. It took me several years to truly find out what God was trying to do and show me. My reasons for homeschooling have actually changed since the beginning which was ten years ago.

    – Tammy

    Homeschooling is not just a feminine or mom thing. It’s a parent thing. My husband is an equal partner on this homeschool adventure…

    – Jorene

    This will be year 7 for our family😁Hard to believe! With each year has come new lessons. I have enjoyed learning how each of my children learn and building their curriculum and learning styles around them. This is something public school just cannot physically accomplish. I have learned that, just like me, they need down days, and that is okay. We have learned that character outweighs any knowledge learned in a book and we work on that everyday❤️ We have learned to focus our attention on raising human beings that love God, love others, and can contribute and change this world❤️❤️❤️

    – Shannon

    I have learned that if you are called to be a parent, God will also equip you to do the job. Too many parents succumb to the idea that they are unable to teach their children, but that is just not true! It is not easy to homeschool, but you can do it! Line yourself up with CHEWV and HSLDA. Find other homeschool Moms that can encourage you and whom you can encourage. Most importantly: seek God’s counsel daily! He knows and loves our kids more than we do and He knows what He has created them to be!

    – Brenda

    Are you new and want to read more?  We highly recommend this outside post for some very wise veteran mom advice.
    If you want to explore the different learning styles as mentioned by several of the moms, you can read more about that here. 
    Are you starting out with kindergarteners or younger?  Then you might enjoy the articles from this page. For high school help, start here.
    God promises that if we seek first His kingdom, all other things will be added to us as well.  Enjoy the adventure!
  • Educating Your Kids –

    Educating Your Kids –

    4 Things You Can’t Afford to Miss

    By Kevin Swanson

    How do I fit everything into my schedule?

    This is one of the biggest challenges Christian homeschooling parents face. Fitting in parenting, academics, work, family, church, etc. into one person’s schedule, and doing them all well, is not easy (some would ask if it’s even possible).

    In a nutshell though, here is the answer to the question:

    You don’t fit everything into your schedule. You can’t. It ís not possible. God has only given us 24 hours in a day, so that means we have to make choices on how we spend time.

    So here’s the more important question to be asking: Am I spending time where it REALLY counts when it comes to the education and discipleship of my children?

    A tragic thought

    As a parent, what if one day you woke up to realize that all the time and effort you had put into the education of your children was focused on the wrong things? And now your kids are grown up, aren’t ready to engage in real life, and aren’t heading towards an eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven? It gets worse…this is actually happening for many Christian parents. The Barna Group reports that 95% of teens from American, Christian homes abandon a biblical worldview.1 Considering that America is labeled as a Christian nation, this is quite an alarming statistic. Are your kids going to be ready to persevere in the faith? What can you do as a parent to help them?

    If you’re getting disturbed…good! Now is when we get to the good part.

    Preparing our kids for life and eternity is more than we can accomplish as parents. It ís a miracle. It ís an act of God. The first step to seeing your kids become a counter-statistic is to cry out to God to do what He ís so good at…working miracles. But God has also called you as a parent to be purposeful in the education of your children. That means we need to ask, “How can I get on board with what He is doing and make sure that I’m focusing on what’s truly the most important every day?” Below I’ve outlined four “pillars” of a Christian education, based on the Word of God, that I believe are keys to successful kids. If these pillars aren’t in place, the whole thing comes down. (If you’d like a way to get a fast refresher of these four pillars every day and stay on track with what ís most important, download this 1-page, PDF summary,. perfect for posting on your fridge.)

    Pillar #1 – Family Discipleship

    “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Fathers and mothers are responsible for raising their children in the atmosphere of the Lord’s nurture (Deuteronomy 6:7, Ephesians 6:4). Fathers and mothers should teach God’s words in the context of daily life. God calls fathers as leaders of their homes, to be involved in this discipleship at key, strategic points. Family discipleship must involve the consistent and diligent teaching of God’s recommended curriculum: the Bible. Teaching your children the Psalms, Proverbs, and Gospels is essential and basic to a Christian education. Fathers and mothers must keep a careful eye on their children’s spiritual condition, faith, and character.

    Pillar #2 – Biblical Worldview

    “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) What will it look like to teach your children with a biblical worldview? First, Jesus Christ must be preeminent in history, literature, and science (Colossians 1:18). Christ’s kingdom and His church must become more important in the student’s mind than the work of men’s hands in building their own kingdoms. Secondly, the most essential building block of knowledge (above and beyond every other component) is the fear of God (Proverbs 1:7). The materialism and anti-supernaturalism assumed in modern evolutionary science cannot be tolerated by any Christian family. Thirdly, our children must be prepared with strong biblical foundations and a robust apologetics methodology (2 Corinthians 10:4-6).

    Pillar #3 – Best Teachers, Best Books

    “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40) Our students will become like their teachers (Luke 6:40). Therefore, we should always prefer faithful Christian teachers and their writings over non-Christian teachers and their writings. The great Christian writings are the compendium of the pastors and teachers God has given the church over 2000 years (Ephesians 4:11). These are the teachers that God has given us. Abiding and enduring books are a thousand times worth reading over the books that come and go through the centuries. The pagan teachers and writers have become one of the most influential tools of the devil to cause Christian students to stumble. It is wise to set your children at the feet of the best teachers by reading the greatest Christian books.

    Pillar #4 – Worship and Life Application

    “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” (James 1:22-24) Without life application, knowledge is fleeting and becomes an exercise in pride and self-deception. Discipleship and mentorship must include life application. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and real reverence will result in worship. Our children must be trained to praise and worship God in the chemistry laboratory. Worship is the great purpose and end of all of life for the Christian.

    Post these pillars on your refrigerator

    Here is a downloadable summary version of these 4 pillars that you can print off and post on your fridge so you can review these on a daily basis. Click here to download.

    The bottom line.

    At then end of the day, the key to godly family discipleship and education is heeding Jesus instructions and promise in Matthew 7: Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. e the Bible in every area of your family life.   1. http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2009/march/barna-how-many-have-biblical-worldview.html,https://www.barna.com/research/barna-survey-examines-changes-in-worldview-among-christians-over-the-past-13-years/

    Kevin Swanson speaks across the nation about homeschooling.  Homeschooled himself in the 1960’s-70’s, he and his wife Brenda now homeschool their five children. Kevin has 43 years of experience in the homeschooling movement and serves as the Director of Generations– a ministry he founded to strengthen homeschool families. He also serves as Executive Director of Christian Home Educators of Colorado.

  • Thankful to be with my kids – at home

    Thankful to be with my kids – at home

    As a whole, we homeschool moms are blessed!  To bear children.  To raise children.  To be married!  In the midst of rampant divorce, drug addictions, affairs, and chasing after money, we are investing in something else entirely! 

    It’s easy to lose sight of the privilege of being “the hand that rocks the cradle,” raising and investing in the next generation.  When Satan puts a House Beautiful magazine before us, we’re tempted to think that a wonderful home is merely a beautifully decorated house. 

    But it isn’t.  A home is a place of love and belonging – that fits inside any type of house.  A home is a messy, smoochy, smiley place where everyone is safe because they are cherished.  No matter the circumstances that surround us – whether sickness or poverty or hurt – we are safe and treasured by our family.  Houses are everywhere; homes are rare.  Rarer still are those who understand their value.

    “She watches over the affairs of her household.”  King Lemuel’s mother knew the power of a homemaker, and it’s a beautiful old-fashioned word: homemaker – making a home. 

    “A joyful mother of children…” reads Psalm 113.  Yes!  That women are privileged to mother the next generation is a gift from God beyond compare; that we’re at home, rather than working to pay the electricity, is a costly jewel!  Bless the homeschool mamas who are doing both!  But we who are husbanded with provision should be beyond grateful.  The woman who is given the time and opportunity to turn her house, no matter how modest, into a home is a blessed woman indeed.  Home is the warmth of family and belonging, stable and present through the years, come what may.

    Edgar Albert Guest expressed it well:

    It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home,
    A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roam
    Afore ye really ’preciate the things ye lef’ behind,
    An’ hunger fer ’em somehow, with ’em allus on yer mind.
    It don’t make any differunce how rich ye get t’ be,
    How much yer chairs an’ tables cost, how great yer luxury;
    It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king,
    Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything. 

    Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
    Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;
    Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then
    Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ‘em up t’ women good, an’ men;
    And gradjerly, as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn’t part
    With anything they ever used—they’ve grown into yer heart:
    The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore
    Ye hoard; an’ if ye could ye’d keep the thumbmarks on the door.

    Ye’ve got t’ weep t’ make it home, ye’ve got t’ sit an’ sigh
    An’ watch beside a loved one’s bed, an’ know that Death is nigh;
    An’ in the stillness o’ the night t’ see Death’s angel come,
    An’ close the eyes o’ her that smiled, an’ leave her sweet voice dumb.
    Fer these are scenes that grip the heart, an’ when yer tears are dried,
    Ye find the home is dearer than it was, an’ sanctified;
    An’ tuggin’ at ye always are the pleasant memories
    O’ her that was an’ is no more—ye can’t escape from these. 

    Ye’ve got t’ sing an’ dance fer years, ye’ve got t’ romp an’ play,
    An’ learn t’ love the things ye have by usin’ ’em each day;
    Even the roses ’round the porch must blossom year by year
    Afore they ’come a part o’ ye, suggestin’ someone dear
    Who used t’ love ’em long ago, an’ trained ’em jes’ t’ run
    The way they do, so’s they would get the early mornin’ sun;
    Ye’ve got t’ love each brick an’ stone from cellar up t’ dome:
    It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home.

    This month, we’re thankful for the privilege to do “a heap of livin’” in all its messiness with our husbands and children!

  • Mom to Mom: A Tribute…

    Mom to Mom: A Tribute…

    …to Homeschool Moms

    by Melody Sheppard

    Homeschool moms remind me of soldiers in a war zone: they never know where the next attack will come from.  Sometimes they can’t even see the enemy.  Their mission?  Shield and protect their precious charges while preparing them for whatever lies ahead.  They must be continually ready to act, ready to defend, ready to listen and ready to care.  Sacrifices are made every day.  The conditions are sometimes tense and sometimes chaotic, but they have become battle-hardened enough to know that a heartfelt prayer and a cool head will see them through.  So this Mom to Mom is a tribute to the bravest women I know.

    This is for all the moms who get up each morning and see the same faces and hear the same endless chatter.

    This is for the moms who spend countless unpaid hours assuring that the right curriculum, the right books and the right truths are presented in a way that will at least gain some attention from their pupils.

    This is for the moms who have figured out that it is more important to look beyond grades and recognize the attitudes, gifts and abilities of their children.

    This is for the moms who are told they are not qualified to teach the children they have nurtured since birth; yet tenaciously believe that a mother’s love, instincts, and desire to see their children succeed will far outweigh any deficiencies.

    This is for the moms who worry that their child isn’t reading or doesn’t know his states or can’t eat at the table with manners, yet understand that each thing will come at the right time.

    This is for the moms who see all too well the flaws in their own character, yet acknowledge their accountability before God to be doers of His Word and firmly but tenderly train and instruct the “disciples” He has put in their care.

    This is for the moms who recognize that God is the ultimate source of wisdom, peace, and patience during days spent in a house with no adult conversation or understanding.  They have come to grips with the truth that only by abiding in Him can true joy be a reality, day after homeschool day.

    We are shaping lives that will shape the future.  Praise God, we have already taken the first step.  We have decided to do what most would run from – be responsible for all areas of our children’s teaching. The next step is to simply take the next step.  Each one of us will have a different step, so don’t get discouraged when your step seems hard.  God always enables us to do what He has called us to do. 

    And my God will supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!

    Philippians 4:19 

    ~~~~
    Melody Sheppard is a busy homeschool mom and grandma who finds time to minister through CHEWV as Facebook Director.  She her husband Dennis retired from the CHEWV Board after serving for over 20 years, but she’s busier than ever teaching the last remaining child, cooking, traveling, and remodeling.  How can she find time for ministry?  Because she continues to have a heart for younger homeschool moms whom she prays will reap the rewards she now enjoys – when she’s not too busy to notice!