Cravings

I've mocked the children of Israel, oh, yes, I have!  They get delivered from Egypt, have the Red Sea parted for them no less.  Food falls from the sky.  Water comes from a rock.  And they complain!  They craved the "leeks and garlic of Egypt."  Seriously, people.  You'd rather have a buffet than freedom?

You should never mock others.  Unless you like eating crow...which would probably taste better if cooked with a few leeks and a little garlic.

Things have gotten a little better in the homeschooling department since my last post, but it's still been uphill.

A friend was going to come visit, but she fell asleep and had a lovely, long, well-deserved nap.  Another has been getting amazing, creative things done while her kids are at school.   I spend my days trying to explain fractions and percentages to less-than-thrilled munchkins.

I find myself craving...if not leeks and garlics, quiet.  Craving easier.

Every wild obedience is bound to encounter some long, wearying, faith-demanding stretches.

The pitfalls in those stretches are much like they were 3,500 years ago.  The biggest danger is in falling prey to a lie...

~  That somewhere along the line we've been abandoned.  He promises that He will never fail or abandon us.

~  That He won't provide all we need to sustain us.  He promises to create rivers in the dry wasteland.

~  That we should never have started on this journey in the first place.  He who has called us promises to take us by the hand and guard us.  He promises to provide wisdom along the way.

~  That the Promised Land He's called us to is unattainable, that the giants along the way are unbeatable.    He promises strength and courage for those who place their confidence in Him.  He promises that they and their children will possess their full share of that land. 

When I remember the truth of who He is and what He's promised I'm not afraid any more.  I'm inspired to press on.  I don't want any other path.

There's strength in remembering what He has done--the seas He's parted and the manna He's provided.  He will do all that He's promised.

Craving an awareness of His glorious presence along the way.

Numbers 11:4-6
Deuteronomy 31:8
Isaiah 43:20b
Isaiah 42:6
Proverbs 4:11
Joshua 1; Numbers 14:24

The Beginning

We're going to homeschool two-thirds of our children.

For some of you that's explanation enough for the title of this blog. Me too.

You see, I love my kids AND my solitude. I love teaching my kids AND teaching the adults I work with. I love the school my kids have attended.

For me this is a step of wild obedience. To some that may sound like a wild overstatement. It's not.

Sometimes the obedience required of us is huge but happens quietly and goes unnoticed except by the angels. Some obedience is public and risks censure.

The reaction to this news has been quite varied: incredulous, angry, curious, skeptical, respectful, laughing, defensive, wondering...all from people I care about and whom I truly believe care about me.

Those who have walked closest to my heart through my parenting journey have responded very quietly, often with tears, but always along the lines of, "Wow." To know us well is to know that we wouldn't make this decision lightly. It is to know that we recognize the cost, but trust the One who is calling.

My nutshell philosophy on choosing a method of education is this: Our children are all unique. The plan for their lives is unique. Only God knows their future and specifically what is required to prepare them for that future. As parents, our job is to seek His leading (He wants to lead us!) and obey. Whatever choice we make, it feels like a risk and requires trust. I'm so thankful to live in a country where that freedom is recognized and supported by our government.

We do not believe that God says everyone should be homeschooled. We are not homeschooling because we want to keep our children "safe from the world". We're simply being wildly obedient.

If you choose to follow this blog, I hope you'll be encouraged--whether in your own homeschooling journey or in some other wild obedience. Hopefully, we'll laugh and cry together. And pray for each other. As one very dear elderly man said, "I'll pray for you. As you teach the children, God will be teaching you." I couldn't ask for a better blessing.