Deuteronomy 4:9 “…watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.”

Something I never had given much thought to until recently is that remembering (and memories) is important to God.  It is a recurring theme for me that our lives should weave a beautiful tapestry with our children’s lives.  The Bible is full of stories where God instructed His people to do something or to carry out a ceremony to remember something, and usually, something He had done for them.

Many accounts are found in the Old Testament.  In Joshua 3 and 4 we read of the Israelites carrying the Ark of the Covenant across the flooded Jordan River.  After the waters were parted to allow passage God commanded the leaders of the twelve tribes to take one stone each from the river and place it where the priests had stood with the Ark when they arrived safely on the other shore.  Remembering the Passover is still celebrated today by our Jewish brothers and sisters.  Celebrating the ‘passing over’ of the angel of death, thereby saving the Israelite nation before the exodus from Egypt.  God reminds us to remember the Sabbath Day, to remember the days of old, His deeds and wonders, and that life is short.  So what does that have to do with homeschooling?

I believe it has everything to do with homeschooling!  Think about your reasons for homeschooling.  For every family homeschooling there are at least 3-4 reasons (or more) they have for bringing their children home with them.  Giving your children a quality education or a better education that being in school would offer them is a valid reason for many families, however even that reason should not overshadow the importance of your relationship with your children.  Making memories and giving them things to remember about their days with you should be part of your daily life. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t admit to, at times, caving to the pressure of feeling or actually being behind and needing to catch up.  I, too, struggle with only doing academic work or doing “real” schoolwork versus building that relationship with our son or teaching to his gifts.  The real beauty of homeschooling is multifold but I sincerely believe that it isn’t just keeping our children home to give them a better education or to advance them academically.  It goes much deeper to building a lifelong relationship with them, a relationship where the bonds aren’t easily broken by time, place, or age. 

God gives us the example through His emphasis on remembrance and on making memories.  Even the Bible (mainly the first five books called the Pentateuch), began by being passed down from father to son through verbal recitation.  And those recitations happened through a daily walking with their children, not just teaching, but building relationships and making memories and teaching them to remember.  So while you go through your days, surround yourself and your children with whatever will be reminders of your time together.  Start today building memories with them.  Enjoy life together.