“Jesus made it quite clear when he said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30 ESV) I am amazed at how many Christians refuse to acknowledge this fact as it relates to the government school system. Our education is either based on biblical truth, or some other truth. There is no such thing as neutrality in this regard. All education is religious in nature. Since it is illegal for students in our government schools to be taught from a Christian perspective, then it follows that they must be taught from a non (or anti) Christian perspective.”
-Voddie Baucham
The lovely month of sweet September has arrived … here, in Ontario, we can feel Autumn approaching our doorstep. While the day hours are still hot and muggy, the mornings are perfectly chilled … just that hint of fall in the air … there are signs everywhere to warn us of the approaching cold weather. Our Canadian geese are gathering in the farmers’ fields, preparing yet again for their glorious flight to the south … the goldenrods and purple asters decorate the fields, the colours of fall slowly emerging as the summer’s vibrant colours fade … but there are still beautiful days of warmth, butterflies are still flitting about, sipping sweet nectar from the last few late summer blooms. The nearly finished garden is bursting forth with readiness and keeping me busy …
{Lacey with her little brothers}
{so blessed!}
Today, thousands of children across the country lined up and filed into big yellow school buses, ready for their first day back to public school.
Again, this year, I am thanking God, humbly, for this blessing, this untold lovely joy, of schooling our children at home. There is a reason we are doing this. If you are a Christian and you have school aged children, I would pray that you consider home education. Please, if you have a minute (and we all do), watch this video. There is an incredible reason and it is one not to be ignored.
Students are not greater than their teacher.
But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
Luke 6:40
Today, for the first time, this sweet little girl would have left our home and spent the entire day under the care of the government school.
If she was to go to a public school, she would be spend 14,000 seat hours from now until graduation under the government’s training. (source)
Not only is that a frightening thought that the secular, godless government would have that much time with our impressionable youth, that does sound very opposite to our Bible’s teaching:
Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6.
Is it busier to have all the children at home? It certainly is – but I know why we are doing this. That changes everything.
I am so glad this little one was at home, with me and her siblings, learning alongside us as we schooled around the kitchen table.
I found a beautiful poem in a book I am reading … and I just had to share:
Tied Down
“They tie you down,” a woman said,
Whose cheeks should have been flaming red
With shame to speak of children so.
“When babies come you cannot go
in search of pleasure with your friends,
And all your happy wandering ends.
The things you like you cannot do,
For babies make a slave of you.”
I looked at her and said: “‘Tis true
That children make a slave of you,
And tie you down with many a knot
But have you never thought to what
It is happiness and pride
That little babies have you tied?
Do you not miss the great joys
That comes with little girls and boys?
“They tie you down to laughter rare,
To hours of smiles and hours of care,
To nights of watching and to fears;
Sometimes they tie you down to tears
And then repay you with a smile,
And make your trouble all worth while.
They tie you fast to chubby feet
And cheeks of pink and kisses sweet.
“They fasten you with cords of love
To God divine, who reigns above.
They tie you, whereso’er you roam,
Unto the little place called home;
And over sea or railroad track
They tug at you to bring you back.
The happiest people in the town
Are those the babies have tied down.
“Oh, go your selfish way and free
But hampered I would rather be,
Yes rather than a kingly crown
I would be, what you term, tied down;
Tied down to dancing eyes and charms,
Held fast by chubby, dimpled arms,
The fettered slave of girl and boy,
And win from them earth’s finest joy.”
-Edgar A. Guest
Did you notice that his poem was written by a man? He was, in fact, a father to three children and a famous poet and writer. He knew how precious and special children are to the family unit and society as a whole. Imagine if a poet would write such beautiful words now and publish them in a well-read newspaper? How fantastic that would be!
Being a full time mother, being a homeschooling parent, being at home, running the household and educating the children means I am not able to do everything else. There is much I need to say “no” to … but I believe we are saying yes to the Lord in a decision to homeschool.
These ties, they hold me tight and steady.
Yes, it is a good, a great thing, to be tied down.
by Gigi
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