Most wretched men
Are cradled into poetry by wrong,
They learn in suffering what they teach in song.
— Percy Bysshe Shelley Julian and Maddalo
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photo credit: Wikipedia.
Saturday Sayings – Wrong
Category: Wisdom
All Children Home School: The Rest of the Story
My friend’s teen children were tired.
I had always thought they were shy children because they hardly said much in church. I learned though: If anyone spoke first, these children politely carried on an adequate conversation. Then they would drop back into their tired mode, like a trance.
My friend, their mother, was tired, too. I had noticed signs of it: late (or absent), hastily coiffed, testy—all out of character for her and all beginning when school began each year. I understood it more after we had the “school” conversation.
I think she was just using me for a sounding board, not realizing that I have feelings, too. Most people in a State school need to verbalize their convictions to home educators. They subconsciously need our quiet endurance of these conversations, I think, to help them go on.
Since I believe that, I usually do not listen altogether mutely. Usually I say things like, “I am so sorry,” or “I know it must be a real burden,” or “Perhaps a different teacher (grade, school, district, etc.) would make a big difference?”
I am not being sarcastic when I say these things, although the temptation is sometimes there. No, I truly am sorry to see my friends suffer so because of their State education choices. Too, because of my own mistakes in the State systems, I know it truly is a burden.
Of course, I know a different spot within the State school system does not usually make much difference, but I also desire to help them see something: To me, their situation sounds burdensome. I hope to cause them to have second thoughts, if possible, within the context of friendship.
Therefore, I tried to listen gently to my friend’s tiring tedium of tasks. I am sure my eyes widened.
She wound up with, “but I just don’t see any other way to make sure they are doing well . . .”
I said, “Sandra, I know you are tired; anyone could see it in your eyes.” She dabbed at tears. “I don’t know what to tell you. If the teachers and the coaches will not do it, I guess you must—someone must.”
I hesitated, then went on, “The reason your children excel and the reason you are tired is that you are homeschooling.
“For most home educators, it is not so tiring, though, because they homeschool from 8:00 a.m. until early afternoon. You are homeschooling a lot, during those hours, but also during the hours from 3:00 until midnight and beyond. Add to that the fact that you are worrying, and you could not HELP but be tired. You are volunteering at the State schools, and then conducting your own homeschool afterwards.”
The things I said did not help her. She was convinced hers was the only way to send her children into law school.
The entire conversation did help me, though.
It gave me several more reasons that I would never go back into the State institutionalized education program.
You can learn from it, too, perhaps. Perhaps you can see why people should stay out of that system.
Failing that, at least you will have a list of things you must do (should you decide to quit home schooling) to cause success in State-educated children.
Sunday Scriptures – Growth
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you. The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.
So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the Tent of the Testimony
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his own staff.
The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die. Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.
The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?” Numbers 17:1-13
Ooh, I see this too often!
Women rebel and are corrected. Then they say, “Poor me—I’ll DIE!”
If you can finally convince them that obedience will not kill them, they sulkily say, “The whole thing in anti-woman!” although actually, they could greatly improve things FOR women by doing right.
If you attempt convincing them of that, they next will blame all their troubles on the church, or even more, on Christians, and deliberately and happily sow seeds of persecution.
Lastly, if they have a shred of intelligence coupled with an iota of wisdom they might try asking, “Is it dangerous?”
And then a few of them will see the delight and begin to live right-side up.
And live to catch the blame from the next barrage.
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photo credit: Wikipedia/Foster Bible Pictures 0078-1
For Home Educators, Only, Please.
Note: Please do not read this if you are against home schooling. Thanks.
Should All Families Homeschool?
Our family once celebrated a quarter century of home schooling. I could hardly believe it. The time had sped by so fast – where was it?
I thought about the huge blessing the Lord had given us – He had been so gracious to us, taking us by the hand and leading us in a way that we did not know. We believe that the Lord made all the difference in how our children might have grown up.
Any child’s education is partly dependent upon his micro-culture. For instance, if our children had remained in our public schools, they would have learned things like chewing tobacco, as appropriate behavior for second-graders. I know the tobacco manufacturers would have agreed with me: Giving it to second graders is completely unacceptable. I know it was unacceptable to me, along with many similar ideas. Our home clearly was the best place for our children.
I gave my children the best possible education available to them at that time. If they’d been educated in England, how different their speech would have been! If they’d been educated in a wealthy neighborhood, how different their science courses would have been!
I happen to believe that the home is where all children belong.
Yes, I am one of those who believe that all families should homeschool. I hear you gasping but after I define terms, you might agree.
(There is still time to NOT read this.)
Please understand I have nothing against the idea of schools existing.
I just have problems with detaining helpless Americans against their will in a gun-free microcosm that cannot defend them, indeed refuses to attempt defending them, from physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual attack, and that both proscribes their religious beliefs (but only if they are Christian) and prescribes the superstitions of others upon them.
It just does not fit the American purpose and does not set well with this American.
Participating in such a micro-community should be an act that an informed adult freely chooses. He should be free to attend or to escape, as the need arises. The course content should please him and an appropriate level of autonomy should prevail.
Of course, I define a college or university. Amazing how a little free enterprise can elevate the quality of the goods offered for sale! Paying your own way or earning a scholarship can motivate you to behave and study hard, too.
Although there are degrees of excellence in the public and private colleges and universities, there also is freedom to go where we want, when we want, or to skip it altogether, if we want. That is how it should be.
If you are thinking that is fine for adults but it would be folly to burden children with such decisions, you are right.
That is why schools should be only for adults.
Saturday Sayings – Inside
At last the dragon was wounded. It roared with pain and plunged at St. George, opening its great mouth close to the brave knight’s head.
St. George looked carefully, then struck with all his strength straight down inside the dragon’s throat, and it fell at the horse’s feet—dead.
“St. George and the Dragon” retold by Esenwein and Stockard.
A classic tale with a classic lesson:
Face the enemy.
Look carefully.
You will find his weakest spot directly behind the smoke and the glare of teeth.
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photo credit: Wikipedia
Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside
I so wanted the birds to peek out from the inside while I was taking this shot. They say the camera makes a sound we cannot hear, but that bothers other creatures. I believe it. These little guys were so cute! But they decided to stay inside for us, at this time. Wise move, I’m sure.
Sunday Scriptures – Dreaming
But I tell you, in this you are not right,
For God is greater than man.
Why do you complain to him that he answers none of man’s words?
For God does speak – now one way, now another –
though man may not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
He may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
To turn man from wrongdoing
and keep him from pride,
To preserve his soul from the pit,
His life from perishing by the sword.
Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain
With constant distress in his bones,
So that his very being finds food repulsive
And his soul loathes the choicest meal.
His flesh wastes away to nothing
And his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
His soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the messengers of death.
Yet if there is an angel on his side
As a mediator, one out of a thousand,
To tell a man what is right for him,
To be gracious to him and say,
“Spare him from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for him” –
Then his flesh is renewed like a child’s;
It is restored as in the days of his youth.
He prays to God and finds favor with him,
He sees God’s face and shouts for joy;
He is restored by God to his righteous state.
Then he comes to men and says,
“I sinned, and perverted what was right,
But I did not get what I deserved.
He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit
And I will live to enjoy the light.”
God does all these things to a man –
Twice, even three times –
To turn back his soul from the pit,
That the light of life may shine on him.
Job 33:12-30
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photo credit: angel of sweetbitter 2009
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