Aug. 10, 2006 - Just when you think "This isn't working"...

     With all the preparation for a new school year I've been re-evaluating how we do school. (Otherwise known as looking at other families' plans.) One thing that's been weighing me down a bit  is how many workbooks everyone else does, and here we are workbookless. Now ordinarily I don't like workbooks. I may, in fact, HATE them. But some years, at the begining of a new season, I start to look around and think "Family B is doing so well on their ACE Paces." it looks "so easy" (for me).  I wonder if  I should change from the eclectic Charlotte Mason-y approach to something "a little more structured." Not that we are unstructured, it's just that I don't have a lot of workbooks and paperwork to "show for it"

     As usual God is gentle with me, He reminds me that I am not teaching Family B. I'm teaching the Nehemiah's and what is good and healthy for one part of the body, is silly and useless on another. For instance if family B were the "mouth" (apropriate since they are a pastor's family) and the Nehemiah's are a hand (with a sword and a hammer) then the Ace Paces would be akin to toothpaste, a wonderful necessary thing for the mouth, not so good (& kinda silly) for the hand.  Now this example starts to break down a bit since the intent is for individual Christians to make up the body of Christ. and there are different "parts" inside each family.  I'm aware of the flaws in my metaphore.

     The point, however, is that I need to stop compareing my family and our school to other families and their schools. because in comparison someone always comes out looking "better" and then we think we have room to criticize the "worse". and anyway "who am I to judge another's servant?" If  these families know God, and they choose to homeschool their kids (or send them to public or private school) then I'm to assume that they are hearing from God and being obedient to Him. If they are not, He is a VERY BIG God who can take care of it without interferance from wee misguided ME! The corralary to that is, I should not look to other families to see "what we should do this year." I need to look to God and trust, that as He has supplied all things, all relationships and has not yet left me (and promises to Never leave me) He whom I already trust as Jehovah Jireh will also provide an  education for my children. (this has never ment that I don't have to do my part)

   Then just to show me that we're on the right path (from where we are to where He want's us)  He showed me this.

  Ds9 just finished reading The Sign of the Beaver , he asked me about "that other book, Robinson...something,"   Robinson Crusoe? yes I have that. Did you want to read it?  It's about a man who gets shipwrecked... "I know"  we found it and he's starting.

      He is so hungry for books and now the classics. he's starting to take charge of his own education (shh don't tell him it's school) I can't wait till he asks if we can grow  "corn". and what is breadfruit anyway?  maybe we'll go from here to Treasure Island. Hmm we'll see what the "Superintendant of schools" has for us next time we visit the used book store.

 Mrs. Nehemiah

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