Still Receiving an Education at Home

I wish my home was this organized!

We still educate our children at home, in case some of you were wondering.  I don't usually blog about this endeavor.  This photo above was taken while we were at Tok.  This is in the basement of the home we stayed in. 

In our cabin in Fairbanks, it's a whole other matter.  We have one desk and a couple of comfortable couches and lots of carpeted floor space in which we are becoming more knowledgeable about the world around us.  Not only are we learning at home, but abroad as we take our children, aged almost 13, 11, 9, 4 and 2 to all our outings about town and through foreign countries, O.K., Canada.  It is another country, but so much like our own. 

The point is, that time spent studying in books only goes so far.  Life has to be lived and experienced and the gospel of Jesus Christ has to sink in so deep that the children understand how real it is and how real are the lives of people without Christ.  They need to understand the wiles and traps and deceptions that exist in life.  How will we teach them if we are not daily reading in our Bibles and following the Lord by faith, and that faith producing works?  The children are watching and learning so much more then what we are saying, or what they are reading.  They take in everything around them like sponges.  They absorb knowledge and piece together what life means and what their purpose is.  Adults do the same.  We are not much different.  We all learn by choice.  No one can be forced to learn.  It does not take lots of money to provide an education.  It takes time and discipline and faithfulness and a whole lot of patience and love.

I have failed in so many areas of my life including being consistent at my responsibilities as a parent to educate my children.  Every one has, whether they can admit it or not.  What is amazing is that no matter how many times I or anyone else fails, the mercy and grace that God has toward us never runs dry.  Thank God that he has given us such a thirst to learn new things.  My children have such a desire to read and learn and study.  They are respectful of those in authority.  They know how to forgive, fail, and keep trying.  They are disciplined to fulfill their duties as children in this home and complete their chores without complaining, including practicing their skills as home schooled students.  They have self motivation at such early ages. 

They are not perfect, just in case you are reading this and think they are.  They have personal relationships with Jesus Christ.  His strength in them produces real, tangible, glorious fruit.  All honor is due their Creator, God himself.  Let's place due praise and honor where it should be.  Curriculum's and schools will come and go.  Fads in the current educational fields will come and go.  Attitudes will wane.  Time will go to fast and perhaps not fast enough during tough times.  The one thing that will never change is Jesus Christ.  The Bible says He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Just call out to him now to save you and your life will be transformed in that moment forever and into eternity.  Truly amazing! 

Yet still more amazing is that some will never even try to call on the name of Jesus. Some will never admit that they need anyone else that desperately.  Well, I do.  I couldn't make it one day without Jesus as my Saviour.  Not all my days are a struggle to get through, but many are.  The days that are easier I still want my Saviour by my side to glory in all His victories. 

So how did I start a blog on homeschooling and get to this?  That's the whole point of homeschooling:  building relationships with Jesus Christ and one another for all of eternity.  Life is so short.  We embrace every day we spend with one another in this blessed family unit that God has so lovingly bestowed on us.  What a blessing that I live in a country with the freedom to educate my children at home!  I love my kids!  What a joy they are to me.  What a gift from God!  I love my husband!  What a rock he is to me.  What a gift from God! 

Can you tell I write when I can't contain my joy any longer?  It has to spill over somewhere... it's still spilling, even after having been up since 4:00 this morning, changing a baby's outfit, a few minutes later trying to get another child back to sleep, yet another few minutes trying to get the baby back to sleep, and after a while, giving up and heading downstairs to make coffee and feed a hungry baby while the other sleeps on the couch. 

Then a few minutes later, cleaning dog vomit off the floor in a few places.  Then wiping sticky berry juice off of little chubby fingers and heading back to the living room to watch this little bundle of energy where himself out.  I sip my coffee, read the book of James and most of Romans, smile at my little one.  Then I feel my eyes wanting to shut, I can barely stay awake, I am getting grumpy, my husband awakes to dash off to work,  I put my little one back to bed and dose off until 8:00!  Wow, I feel great to have gotten that extra bit of sleep. 

knit, today we are receiving a Holter Monitor to put on my oldest girl for 30 days to measure her heart beats.  I feel at peace, because I know who holds my future and the future of my children.  Oh, did I mention I have a nasty cold?  I almost forgot about it for a few minutes, so nice.