Homeschooling – Page 4 – The Welcome Home

school phobia?

The enemy’s tactics (to undermine and destroy families) are astonishing. I’ve paid attention to an ongoing story in Germany bcz of the implications here in the States. Young Melissa Busekros was removed from her home bcz her parents were homeschooling her (and her siblings). Consider: Fifteen officers were sent to her home for her removal, and the reason? – “school phobia.” The solution? institutionalize her and evaluate her condition—and another suggestion? remove the remaining five children from the home.

This ought to give great pause to those of us in the States who treasure our responsibilities as parents and the blessing to train them up and educate them at home. For our “right” to homeschool is often threatened by government officials who seek to follow after that pattern set in Germany and the socialist foundation of our own government schools. Think this is a stretch? The German Ministry of Education was instituted by Hitler for the purpose of socialist agenda and to avoid or eradicate parallel societies. Oooooo, could this happen in the States? Consider the foundation of the American public education system and you will have your answer.

Now, today, this brave girl has fled from the “foster home” and has returned to her family… see a Worldnet Daily article.

Wolfgang Drautz, consul general for the Federal Republic of Germany, has commented on the issue on a blog, noting the government “has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole.”

Drautz said homeschool students’ test results may be as good as for those in school, but “school teaches not only knowledge but also social conduct, encourages dialogue among people of different beliefs and cultures, and helps students to become responsible citizens.”

Remember… that’s in Germany. Isn’t that a description of the NEA’s goals here in the States? The same dialectic praxis occurs in classrooms around this nation every day. Consider text books that begin (say it with me, now): Millions of years ago… Think of the dialectic praxis of daily indoctrinating children against the Truth in history, in science, in social studies etc., etc. Consider a common practice utilized in schools: group studies, community thought – read: socialism. Consider the indoctrination of “diversity” or “feminism” or “choice.” Ooooooooooo, that’s legalistic… Consider that last week around the country, students at thousands of schools participated in the national “day of silence” (and wore t-shirts to prove it).

And by the way… our family doesn’t protest to have prayer or special privileges be mandated in government schools, or have special rights for Christians or what have you. No… we see those protests as sort of self defeating. Instead, we seek to have our rights as parents secure and maintain the right to home educate.

We believe this is the surest and best way for the liberty of Americans to remain secure. We see the fighting for “rights” in the government school as the door by which all the different “anti Christian” groups have entered along with others more salacious worldly teachings. It’s really why we started homeschooling in the first place, for we knew that there was no way to work around the vain philosophies and indoctrination/teaching of the government schools.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Colossians 2.8

Will it be long before homeschooling families fall under the same law and scrutiny label “School phobia” as is the case in Germany? As a family, in our 18th year of homeschooling, we’ve seen numerous times where homeschoolers were/have been/are being persecuted in this country and we’ve often commented that it is, in part, the NEA homeschool-phobia – that, and a threat to the agenda and a socialized workforce.

Could it be that they know the truth? In part, I believe so—and they hate it. For there is a pervasive rejection (or phobia, if you will) in this country for the things of the Word, the Truths it contains, for moral absolutes, for historical accuracy and for true faith in God and, more specifically, in the Lord Jesus Christ. But Jesus said this would happen, that the world would hate (believers) us. (John 7.7, 15.18, & 1John 3.13)

Homeschoolers have read The [nea] Emperor’s New Clothes.

adding to the thousands of reasons list…

Just when I stopped adding to this weeks entries on the Thousands of Reasons list… I have to add another. In fact, I was sort of considering that maybe I’d set up a page on the site where I would compile snips of articles or links. Maybe I’ll do it… yep, some other day.

So adding to this weeks’ entries (though this one doesn’t top an earlier entry of: murders by classmate), this is yet one more reason to home educate.

This so-called transgender student wants to be Prom King – I suppose this could actually become a few entries, really (on that page of “A Thousand Reasons to Home educate your children”):
1. No proms.
2. No gender confusion.
3. We teach that diversity is what we have in our weekly menus.

Breakfast, for example is one place where we have diversity. One day we have oatmeal, another day we have oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit – for diversity. Lunch, for example, is another place we have diversity. Peanut butter and jelly on wholewheat one day doesn’t mean we’re so closed minded that we might not have peanut butter and honey on wholewheat another day.

Diversity. We have diversity. We also do not have identity problems. We know who we are, what we are, how we are and why we are. We even promote gender identity expression. Seriously. Our g-i-r-l-s wear dresses and our b-o-y-s wear pants. It’s very simple and not at all confusing.

While the principal of the school seemed to commend the g-i-r-l, the principal originally planned to not allow the g-i-r-l to have h-e-r name on the Prom K-I-N-G ballot—but caved to the resistance and hid under the “law” wanting to “do the right thing…” Riiiight.

Tiffani Sanchez, a science teacher who advises the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, complained [about the original denying of the “prom King” ballot entry].

“Cinthia is still really learning who she is,” she said. “We want her to know that there’s a safe space for her here and we support her.” [code: we need more lesbians to bolster our own agenda]
On Wednesday, school officials shifted course, saying the district’s lawyers had recommended adding Covarrubias’ name to the ballot to comply with a state law protecting students’ ability to express their gender identity on campus.

“We always want to do the right thing by our students,” Vice Principal Sheila Uriarte said. “This is why we came to this decision.”

The law, passed in 2000, requires schools to protect students from discrimination on the basis of their sexuality, gender or “gender expression.”

As for our home school… “protecting students’ ability to express their gender identity…” ~~on campus~~ anywhere, we’re all for it. They know what it is and know that God created them uniquely -on purpose- for His glory.

Here’s more… links to sites that share this same passion for homeschooling and keeping children *out* of government schools.

A site that gives 101 reasons [and counting] to homeschool your children. And another one. And then one more. I threw in that last one just in case y’all thought I was totally having a bad day. Newp.

It’s a good day here. A really good day. The children are well, secure in their identities and childhood, too! Naomi (in a dress) just baked chocolate chip cookies – learning early that chocolate probably cures whatever ails ya and fresh cookies keep big brothers (in pants) very happy.

Prom king…

It’s not too late.

I’m still mulling over and basking in the blessing of the time spent at the Christian Heritage conference this past weekend. I need to take time to review my notes to keep them fresh in my mind and to make application and incorporate the things I noted to apply in our own lives/home. As the speakers said at different times, the things they were teaching or the things we were hearing were not new and were not “original” with them. I agreed… and it’s generally that way: the things we hear at conferences or even in sermons are generally not “new things” but are old things-old truths — framed in a new way or worded in a new way—not distorting the truth or original meaning, but simply amplifying the truth.

I attempted to take copious notes and actually went through a pen full of ink to do so—not bragging, just attempting to convey the volume of note taking. I wanted to post this week some of the thoughts or quotes that were particularly noteworthy and so, here’s one:

Don’t renege on your
opportunity to disciple your children.”
—Voddie Baucham

So I think on that… and I consider our home, our children, our life. I think of the hundreds of letters I have received at A Christian Home.

Many of us promised before God at the birth of our child(ren) that we would do everything possible to train them up in the fear and admonition of the LORD. We vowed to be faithful to train them, we intended to be the best parents possible, to not make the same mistakes our parents had made or that we, ourselves, had made. And then… well, then, for many of us, life happened and little encroachments happened, little foxes came in and spoiled the vine and we got busy and time passed and days became years that we failed to train up our children in the fear of the LORD and we forgot to remember what we thought we’d never forget to remember and never fail to do.

And you know what? The enemy would have you and me to believe that that’s just too bad. That it’s just too late… too much failure, too many mistakes, too much water has flowed under the bridge of good intentions. But wait. Is that what God would say? Is that the voice of the LORD who ever lives to make intercession for us? No. No, it’s not too late and no one is too far from the LORD and the LORD’s arm is not shortened that it cannot save — not at nine, not at nineteen, not at thirty nine, not at sixty nine and not at ninety nine. The arm of the LORD is not shortened that it cannot save. HE is the redeemer. He IS the redeemer. He is the REDEEMER.

It is not too late to do what the LORD has called and planned for us to do. It’s not.

blessings

There is immeasurable value in seizing great opportunities and making significant sacrifices on behalf of our families. These sacrifices might include, time, money, missing other good things, discomfort, inconvenience, etc., etc. But, through the years we, as a couple and as a family, have seen the greatest blessings come from great sacrifice of any one or all of the sacrifices listed above.

I think we often underestimate the value of hearing great teaching and, perhaps, we overestimate the retention of things we’ve heard or think we remember from past teaching (especially when we’ve heard and agreed with great teaching but never bothered to apply it). For example, one might say: “I’ve already read that stuff.” Another might say,”I’m getting too old and that sort of teaching or that sort of conference really isn’t applicable to me at my stage or phase of life.” Still another might say, “Been there; done that.” O, may we never become so egocentric or so complacent that we’re satisfied with our experience enough to reject future opportunities with: “been there; done that” mentality. That mentality is selfish and dead-end. But our lives are so not dead-end. We mustn’t let the world creep in and destroy or distort that message and the world is creeping in—so much so, it’s creepy.

For example… what if I said and lived the “been there; done that” in mothering or motherhood? Would I be living according to the Word? Where’s the Titus2 message in the “been there; done that” mentality or way of living. It’s not. No Titus2 message there. But that’s the world’s message, it’s the world’s mentality, isn’t it? Once you’ve been there, once you’ve done that, your done. I’m seeing now, it’s only the beginning! It’s not over!I have to guard against that humanistic tendency—that self-centered view or the “been there; done that” mentality. I must guard against the “I already did all that stuff or heard all that stuff” sort of thinking—and believing.

O, more and more I see the tremendous value in sitting down and listening to men and women who open the Word of God and teach – teach the Word of God. We’re reticent to spend time in study or spend time in the Word but so readily open the Times newspaper or People mag or other tales and fables, but it is in The Bible we read from God’s perspective: man’s position, proper aim and end and God’s plan and design for all three.

So… we were at the Christian Heritage conference this past weekend… and my-o-my, what a blessing. What a blessing to spend time with believers seeking to train up children in the ways of the LORD by homeschooling instead of relinquishing children to the care and training of government schools. O, what a blessing to see all the young(!) families training up faithful sons and daughters. I smiled as I watched them soaking in all the teaching and I prayed that they would stay on the path and not dabble in the things that derail families and destroy convictions. And, what a sweet blessing to meet men and women I’ve only talked with on the phone or corresponded by email… and to see old friends. And I do mean old. ~smile~

I must say, the messages of truth and purpose of parenting/homeschooling as presented by Voddie Baucham were, undoubtedly, among the greatest I have ever heard. And I do not say this boastfully, but we have had privilege through the years to see, hear or read some incredibly gifted and powerful teachers and teaching—but the impact of his life, training, and understanding was tremendous. I’ll be sharing a few of the notes and quotes in the days ahead.Incidentally, I was also so very blessed to finally meet Stacy McDonald as I have talked to her by telephone and chatted by mail numerous times throughout the last 8 years, but, as yet, never had opportunity to meet face to face nor to hear her presentations -all of which were very encouraging. It’s easy to feel like a lone voice in the “christian world” today on matters of home, modesty, feminine dress, homeschooling, design of marriage and family… but contrary to what the enemy would like us to believe, we’re are, indeed, not alone and these truths neither fall on deaf ears nor are spoken by the lone few.

So: Homeschool!
Home’s cool. It’s where it’s at. It always has been.

More later…

I stayed up a bit too late last night corresponding with Kathryn, sending out her letters and reading through more notes.
I need to go… I am the mother.
I need to live it. And I am glad.

Kathryn’s Letters

home’s cool

I needed to write an article for the next issue of Making It Home magazine. And I thought what shall I write? It’s the May/June issue and I wanted to write something appropriate – meaningful for mothers. And then I thought on the retreat I’ve just attended and the thoughts still swirling around in my mind. I thought on some of the questions also that I’ve received lately and was amazed (but never surprised!) at God’s weaving of different messages and themes.

I’m often asked and often contemplate the question: Why home school? I’m asked, “Do you think everyone should homeschool?” I usually hear that translated: “I don’t homeschool, and you probably think I’m __________ (fill in the blank; bad, wrong, etc.) for not homeschooling.” I get that kind of question/statement regarding a myriad of other topics… motherhood, no birth control, homemaking, submission to one’s husband, church, modest clothing and on and on. People tend to feel judged by those who are “different” than they—especially when it comes to these particular topics.

I’m often asked if I think homeschooling provides the best education for children. To which I reply, homeschooling doesn’t really provide ANY education for children—parents do—I know, a little glib there. I do think that parents need to do or undo what the government schooling does or doesn’t do to and for children – but the mere fact that children are at home and out of the government school atmosphere isn’t the only reason we school at home. There are many schools, I’m told, that are excellent for the care, guidance and education of children. I imagine that’s true and, in fact, I’ve met numerous believers who were government school educated and their lives are dedicated to following the LORD. But almost across the board there’s this underlying currant of thought — it’s subtle in some cases, but it’s there. It’s something that believers the world over just gloss over and don’t even really realize it and it is the educating of men and women to be equal in all ways. It’s the conditioning that boys and girls receive year after year and like the analogy of the frog placed in a pot of cool water and over time the water is heated to boiling and the frog is slowly cooked to death, the identities and distinctions of boys and girls are slowly steeped in the pot, and over time, like the frog, the distinctions and identities die.

They go in distinct and they leave blurred. Dead. The boys aren’t trained up to be godly, responsible, obedient, hardworking providers, protectors and strong leaders; and the girls are not trained up to be godly, responsible, obedient, homeworking MOTHERS, protectors of life and home, lovers of husbands and children, nurturers of God’s gifts.

In our home (and I know this is true for *many* homeschooling families) we’re seeking to live, learn, love, serve, obey, create, pray and follow the LORD so that we will not be educated otherwise. This phrase: “educated otherwise” comes from listening to talks by Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies. And, O my, I cannot get those thoughts out of my mind… and I don’t long to lose them, either, by the way. Women are/were uniquely created for the most blessed, precious, important, noble and sacred role: motherhood. Women are to be taught to love their husbands, love their children, to be good, chaste, keepers at home. Men are to be taught to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience (in addition to many other virtues, qualities and characteristics of godly men).

So I say… hmmm… God has designed each for specific and distinct roles and the world seeks to blend, blur and blot them out. Boys could or should be men, but they’re being educated otherwise. Girls could or should be women, but they’re being educated otherwise. I take a moment to ponder and then I am gripped with unquenchable fervor to *be* what God’s designed and called — to teach the children to *be* what God’s designed and called ———and I must go from here: to that calling!
So, why would I send the children to government schools to be educated otherwise?

14 Days of Homeschooling

This, from Anne Zeise’s A to Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling:
(Yes, you’ll probably attempt to sing it. Yep, I know… I did, too.)

14 Days of Homeschooling

To the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas.”

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Can you homeschool legally?”

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E. , do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “They’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “What about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “I could never do that, what about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: “They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don’t like the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they are missing nothing, we’ll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “How can I get started, why didn’t you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE’RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, we’ll join a sports team, and we’ll homeschool legally.”

Another Homeschooling Year

The above cartoon is funny to me. Funny things always seem to contain a curious blend of truth, a stretch of that truth and a bit of fiction. Funny thing is, the fiction parallels the truth so closely that it’s hard to make a distinction sometimes. Well, so the above cartoon is funny to me. And if it weren’t so symbolic of different conversations had in our own van, I’d likely be smug and not laugh. But I am laughing bcz we have had those conversations… or similar ones. That’s another thing about “funny” things… you just can’t make that stuff up.

I think I might have said those things more frequently in the days when I was trying so desperately to do all the right stuff. Get up before the crack of dawn, dressed in my jumper, hair done (long, soft curls), family devotions (or what we used to call “wisdom searches”) and breakfast completed along with house top-to-bottom tidied before 9am. Those were the days of measuring up to some unspoken rules and high ideals (and there were too many to remember). Then came the long days of no TV, no worldly music, no movies, no… no… no… and then we had a crash of sorts.

We hit the wall of reality. And we began to ask: why are we doing what we’re doing, and is doing this accomplishing what we set out to do in the first place? No. No? Well then, let’s get down to doing what we set out to do in the first place!

To train up a child in the fear and admonition of the LORD. Not of men, the LORD. Period. Thus ended the regimented days and the longer list of no-no’s than yes-yes’s. Thus ended the days of measuring up to a standard of man’s design and the beginning of, or the return to, simply seeking the LORD and *His* ways.

Yes, get up and get going. Yes, gather at the table every morning… yes clean up top-to-bottom… yes, do your work well… yes… sing, play, have a wonderful day… yes, keep all the good stuff. But all the oppressive so-as-to-be-seen-by-men stuff? Good bye, stuff of the school-of-the-Pharisee. What are we here for? To love and serve the LORD. To know Him and testify of that love and salvation to others. To study well, to learn well, to accomplish all that we can for the sake of serving, pleasing and honouring the LORD. So, yes: read all you can, study all you can, learn all you can, excel at what you’re doing, and apply it. Have a reason for what’s studied and then study to achieve to that purpose. Know the why’s and learn the ways.

So whether a morning dictates an early rising or a later rising, whether a morning dictates top-to-bottom spic-n-span clean or just a thorough once-over after the family gathers… it’s all good. And about home education? Do it. Just keep stepping forward every day. And if a step ends in a trip, get up, dust off and keep stepping.

Special Thanks to Family Man Ministries for the laughs and the cartoon posted above.