school choices

Byron and I have decided that this year the kids will be in public school. Now I know that freaks out an awful lot of our homeschool friends, but we decided that we would seek the Lord each year and do as he leads. He may lead us to private school in the future, to homeschool again, or to Africa for all we know. But, we will seek His leading each day, and prayerfully encounter each situation with His guidance. I always hesitate to classify myself as anything but a Christ-follower - are we a homeschool family? Am I stay at home mom? Am I a teacher? Am I a Texan? Maybe, unless God calls me tomorrow to be an Ohioan, or something different. Each day I am a Christ follower and that exciting path means that I am what He says I am in that day. Tomorrow He may ask me to go to a neighbor's house and be a plumber for all I know. Hopefully he'll grant me that ability and realize my weaknesses in that area. :) But, if led, I'll go. I'll still be blogging about homeschooling and sharing our journey with our schooling choice, and I'll be helping out my sister down the road in her homeschooling as well.

One of our major convictions has been that as student pastors we have really targeted the school system here- the only school system here -and set about to reach it for Christ. With this fresh, specific conviction laid on us by God, it seems at this point and time for us almost hypocritical not to have our kids in there too. Not only that, but this is THE one school system I feel almost comfortable with. A sweet, small school where so many teachers - 2 principals, the superintendent, members of the school board, and a large number of the students are related to my kids - and believe as we do.

I know I will desperately miss homeschooling this year. I will miss having the kids around me all day, teaching art, and reading the classics aloud. (Not that we won't do plenty of those things after school.) My favorite year of all is 3rd grade - we really get into some Biblical truths through history and science - and I will miss that, Daniel will miss it. My oldest is going to be terribly bored. Last year we kind of moved ahead academically to the next grade levels with her. For her at least, junior high was kind of redundant. Gracie, the middle child, is most reluctant, and after this year I will glad to teach her at home again if the Lord leads.
Here is an excellent article about homeschooling that really contains a lot of truths. Homeschooling is something I really believe in, and I plan to try to support and build homeschooling in this area. For now, there are just a handful of families in this area who homeschool. We've been so spoiled by the incredible homeschool community we had in Waco, with so many options and opportunities, and a constant stream of friends and programs to interact with.
So, I'll send them off next Monday, just like my parents sent me off - with a blessing pronounced over them, and some major prayers said on their behalf.

And what, pray tell, am I going to be doing? Wow. I am asking myself that question too. My eyes are wide with crafting and writing possibilities. I'm pretty sure I'll end up teaching some art classes somehow or another. First up - some major painting projects for our student ministry I can't wait to get my hands on. I'll be spending a couple days a week preparing for youth events and programs. I've always been Byron's creative muse, writing his scripts for dramas, and the creative things we do in our ministry. I love writing Bible studies for teens, so I'm going to tackle some of those -thinking about releasing some of that as an e-book or two. Quality devos; revelant, but Biblical are hard to find for teens. I have a book I am going to re-explore, and another one that has written itself in my head. Except for a year or 2 when I was teaching; I have NEVER been without kids at home in the last 13 years, so this is going to be an interesting time for me. I'll keep you updated... and I'll spend some extra time praying-uninterrupted prayer time mind you - for those of you I know homeschooling. It's an amazing and difficult life that I love and I know your challenges! Please send me requests, prayer or academic, and I would love to help you! I love creating curriculum and creative things! If you know me at all, you know that education is dear to me and I won't be away from it long - one way or another! I might get inspired and write up some homeschool curriculum! Only God knows!