Welcome to My Father's World

Using MFW and ministry in real life

Just wanting to share my heart for a minute....

One of the main goals for which the Hazell's wrote this curriculum was for a busy family to be able to deal with real life... to "do school" and still be able to serve God in some area. To serve other people and show them the love of Christ. Well, my elderly mother and I have never had a "great" relationship... but it's gotten better in recent years. Soon, she'll be moving across the country to live near us. When I first learned this, I sort of panicked because of how it's going to change *our* lives.

But then I thought about the things I've heard the Hazell's say, what God says in His Word about our purpose in life, about forgiveness and patience and sharing the blessings God's given us with those around us. It dawned on me that this is what God's been preparing us for... to minister to the "unlovely", to open up our hearts and homes... and our time. To share what we've learned, and are learning. This goes right down to our curriculum! What are we homeschooling for? What goes into our decisions for curriculum purchases? Why do we do what we do? For the glory of God. To be discipled that we might disciple others... or at least share God's heart. We don't have to become overseas missionaries for this to happen (although if that's what God's calling you to do, you'd better do it!)... we can -- we ARE -- missionaries right here in our homes and communities.

Will my mother grow to be a strong believer and walk closely with the Lord? I don't know, but having time available to minister to her needs here on earth, both spiritual and physical, is necessary. Apparently God's called me to do it. MFW curriculum can help me do that! Well, it already has because of the focus on Christ and His Word and our purpose in life. MFW and homeschooling aren't just about academics. Academics are necessary, but really just a tool to be able to do the things which God has called us to do. We can even see that in our history and science studies as we see how God has dealt with people and "real life" throughout the ages, for His glory and His purpose.

Then there's the time issue. When I think of David telling about his being "done" at noon because he's got things to do, it makes me laugh. I typically think of being able to have time to get on the computer or balance the checkbook or wade through a mountain of laundry. While that's all true, there's more. Here we are, about to have our lives changed forever by my mom's becoming an integral part of our days and weeks, and in need of being able to be done at noon or thereabouts. With MFW, I can do that.... as long as I don't get bogged down. (Hear David's conference talk about not getting bogged down with unit studies.)

It also reaffirms to me their math and LA choices and the time involved with that. Certain math and LA curriculum choices take a LOT of time and can really bog us down. But with the choices recommended here at MFW, that timeframe isn't terribly long. We can get done what needs to be done and move on. Are those math and LA choices good? Well, certainly they must be "good enough".

Your reasons for using MFW might be different than mine, but whatever it is, please pray today and ask God how He wants you to serve Him. Allow Him to use you for His glory. Right now it might be a nursing infant or a sick family member or a child with special needs. It might be overseas missions or the pastorate. It might be making lap blankets for the nursing home or baby blankets for the hospital maternity ward. Whatever it is, God has placed circumstances and people in our lives for a reason. Please allow MFW to be a tool that God uses to help you serve Him, and to teach your children to do the same. *I* believe that's what it was written for, and why He gave the special talents that He's given to David and Marie.
_________________
Donna

amen

2:21 PM, Jan. 3, 2008 .. Posted by mfwfriend

Donna,

Your post speaks to the heart of homeschooling with MFW. It's about Becoming a Family of Eternal Purpose.

Thank you,

-crystal