As several of our homeschooling friends are sending their children back to school (even PUBLIC school!) this year, Satan sure is trying to plant seeds of doubt in my mind about the education of my own children. My friend lost her eighteen-year-old daughter to an auto accident this year also. She was just beginning college, having not been homeschooled like her little sister. Her mother shared with me how Jordan never wanted to be homeschooled because she wanted to be a witness in the public school. Her parents agreed that she was bold enough. And she was! She even participated in ministries at more than one church. She lead many children to the Lord. Public school was obviously where she needed to be to fulfill her short ministry for Christ. I think this family has a beautiful testimony!
Well, those seeds of doubt aren’t taking root in my mind this year, because God is speaking so LOUDLY to my heart. The latest evidence of his leading: Last year the little book More Than a Carpenter, by Josh McDowell was on my son’s reading list (I often follow what Sonlight suggests) so I purchased it. He didn’t get around to reading it so he just began this year. He is about 1/3 of the way through it. Guess who we got to hear speak yesterday not thirty minutes from me house? Josh McDowell himself! I’d not been very familiar with him nor his ministry until now. What a wonderful man! That little book now holds the author’s signature in the front!
It was a small church setting and not many kids were present since his seminar was geared toward parents. My son and his friends stood out so he came over and talked to them. How nice! I was so impressed with his message for us. Here’s a little of what I gleaned as scribbled in my little notebook:
A recent study of over 18,000 “Christian kids” shows that there is 0% difference in their behavior and that of “non-believing” kids. (I could’ve told him that from watching the kids at our church!) He said that the most important thing our kids must have to make in our society with their beliefs intact is convictions, “knowing WHAT they believe, WHY they believe it, and having EXPERIENCED it in their lives. To help them form these convictions relationships are of utmost importance. (I could’ve told him that from watching MY kids at our church!) I still have much to learn in this area and his “7 A’s” toward achieving these ideal relationships with our kids really spoke to me:
(I hope the scriptures are right!)
1. Affirmation- Romans 12:15 This will give kids a sense of authenticity. We are REAL feeling people to them. We shouldn’t just quote scripture to them all the time, but TAKE the TIME to laugh and to cry WITH them.
2. Acceptance- Giving them a sense of security will allow them to be more vulnerable and transparent with us. Show them we love them even if they aren’t perfect. Take them out for ice cream when they LOSE, not when they WIN.
3. Appreciation- Matthew 3:17 Catching them doing right and thanking them will give them a sense of significance.
4. Availability- Matthew 19:14 Gives them a sense of importance. Spending time with them now will make them want to spend time with us later (remember that song about cats & spoons?)
5. Affection- Kids will feel lovable and not seek affection elsewhere in wrong relationships. Could I really set a goal of saying ‘I love you’ to my children 10X per day like Josh did for his kids? I plan to try!
6. Approach- 1 Cor. 13:5 Step into their world to really get to know your child! Play with them! Enjoy what they enjoy!
7. Accountability- Giving them responsibilities now will prepare them for being held accountable by God. This gives them a sense of self-control and responsibility.
All of these are outlined in Josh’s book “The Father Connection.” He said that he wrote the book so moms could read it and tell those non-reading dads what it said in a nutshell. Hey, that’s a great reason to give your daughter when she complains about book reports and wonders where in life she’ll ever use those particular writing skills!
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