Homeschooling the High Schooler

I want to step away from academics for a moment and take a look at what makes a successful young man or young woman. The academics are nothing more than a tool. The successful person is much more than his or her academic background. I take God's Word as the final authority concerning all of life. In Psalm 11-3 it is written: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. So the number one, firstmost important issue to have resolved in life is this: Is your student well studied in the Word? More than just having a list of verses memorized to help him through lifes many situations (like … "Be anxious for nothing" and so on), does he have the bigger picture? Does he see Christ from Genesis to Revelation? There are some great books out there that are walks through the bible. I like "Stranger on the Road to Emmaus."

Knowing the bible from cover to cover will not help if your student has become a skeptic. Many young people are falling away from the faith today. Our children must learn why they believe what they believe. They need to be able to defend their faith. They also need to understand the differing worldviews that result from our core beliefs.

I just attended our homeschool convention. It was so good! My all time favorite homeschool convention speaker is Mark Hamby. He always make me cry! But in a good way … See, I think we can relate so well to the issues he is talking about. He is willing to really lay it all on the line concerning the mistakes he made demanding perfection and having it backfire. Did you ever wish you could just grab up your children -- all of them -- and hightail it to the furthest away location so you could raise them outside of any worldly influence? Mark Hamby had that opportunity, as he was hired to oversee an estate with much, much acreage, animals -- even houses for other families. He was able to invite other Christian families and really choose his children's friends. One thing he mentioned that he had forgotten about was that this was the situation with Cain and Able, and yet Cain murdered his brother. The heart. Oh yeah … forgot about that small issue. You can think you've got it all tied up in a neat bow, and have all the bases covered. Then that sinful heart creeps in.

So Mark Hamby shares from his personal experience how God dealt with HIM. He didn't talk so much about how God straightened up his son, although as God got ahold of Mark's heart, much was done in the son's heart as well. He explained that a shepherd is not supposed to push from behind, but lead. He found that he was pushing, pushing, pushing. Not lovingly leading. His illustrations from his own "shepherding" 70 sheep who "hated him" (plan to laugh a lot if you listen to these!) underline quite adequately all he is trying to convey. The emphasis was on where the **angry, perfectionist parent who was desperately trying to control his family** was going wrong. His business, Lamplighter Publications, where you can buy heirloom literature, is the least of his ministry, though it is a great ministry. The incredible part of his ministry is in his homeschooling seminars - the many issues he deals with.

If our teens come to graduation 1) Not knowing God and the bigger picture of His Word, 2) Not being able to defend their faith - on very unsteady ground, 3) In turmoil with their family, namely their parents; then these are some very basic non-academic issues that would be very good to rectify in the short time left before they leave the nest for good. From this foundation they can launch into life, and the other stuff - the academic tools they've been given - can truly be used in right priority.

Jesus said: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt. 6:33)

I'll end with a few quotes:

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. C.S. Lewis

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. C.S. Lewis

"There is only one kind of a life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere. Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters." - John Wooden

John Wooden was a successful man.  For a very good read that will grab you, keep you, and give vision for what success really looks like go HERE.