(warning: venting post ahead)......

The Lord has been stirring up my heart in regards to homeschooling and PRIDE.

Ugh.  Have you seen it amongst some of "us" homeschoolers?  It's sickening.

The education of a child is not anything to get all crazy-proud about.  We just need do it, quietly, naturally, gently, without fanfare, without tooting our self-glorifying horns, without standing on our soapboxes and clearing our throats.

My aunt Colleen and I have had great conversations about homeschooling.  Now, she is one down to earth homeschooling mother. When I talk to her, I feel encouraged.  I don't feel like she's trying to "fix" me or my "methods"...(methods, what methods?  LOL)

In all my days, these past few years as a homeschooling mom have lit a fire in me, to learn for the sake of the LOVE OF LEARNING.  And never, never, never to be proud of "my knowledge" or my children's "knowledge".  Yuck.  I think the goal of a teacher is to foster a love of learning in her students and then watch them bloom.

The Lord is teaching me to let go of my own desires, and my own control, and to BE AWARE that HE is growing my children and only using me as an instrument.  There's a reason why Jacob, Ethan, Grace, David, Caleb, (and eventually Seth) have the interests that they do.  How exciting to cheer them on, encourage them, help them discover their passion and watch God lead them all?

But, back to PRIDE, ugly, ugly, evil pride.

We all have healthy pride.  There's nothing wrong with a healthy pride in one's own family, country, blessings, etc.  But, when that ugly flesh rears up and wants to BE NOTICED, wants to BROADCAST itself, it's wrong, it's a sin which needs to be repented of, and we ourselves can even be blind to our own pride!  But God notices, our thoughtful loved ones notice it, and there will come a day when it is exposed.

So, out of fear of GOD, I pray today that He will keep me from it.  And if any of you notice it in my life, in my walk and talk, in my writing here, than come on over and slap me silly, okay?

Rich's mother homeschools her kids and she never says a word about it!  She doesn't care!  She just does it her way, in a simple child-like faith, which just LIVES and doesn't try to evaluate EVERY little thing.  What a waste of time. 

Really, why do we even talk about it?  "Hi, I'm Shanda.  And I HOMESCHOOL".  WHO CARES?  The question is, do I love Jesus Christ?  Do my children love Jesus?  Do they love each other?  I'm talking about pride here, as the motivation.  I mean, I have a homeschooling BLOG so obviously I'm talking about it...but, for the purpose of encouragement, not to toot my own horn because I have pride issues.  LOL  ( I do have other issues, but that's another story).   

I read this last night in an old devotional book....

"I am determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."  1 Cor. 2:2

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do His commandments; His praise endureth forever.  Psalms.

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  James 3:17

Knowledge PUFFETH up, but LOVE edifieth.  1 Cor.

Christ crucified, and He alone, is the power and wisdom of God.  Him all Christians should make their particular practice to study well.  Were our faith built on human wisdom then surely carnal philosophers would be the greatest believers; whereas they are sometimes the worst infidels, or, at best, the most silly and faithless people in times of distress.  And besides, their being puffed up is another evidence that they have not the true wisdom; for the wisdom from above is only with the lowly and babes, who pray for it earnestly. (Proverbs, Matthew).  What would all knowledge avail us, then, without the knowledge of Christ!  One spark of pure love yields more power than all the stores of empty human learning.  May the Lord Jesus shed His love abroad in my heart, as, whatever others may do, Him have I determined only to know, and Him have I determined only to serve:  his love to the cross I account for my greatest wisdom and glory.  Carl Bogatzky, Golden Treasury for the Children of God

What we need to do here on earth is live the life God in His mercy gave each of us, and to enjoy it, and to glorify HIM as we do.  Education helps us do that. 

I think a lot of us are in for a big surprise when our homeschooling children grow up and we finally see what kind of influence we really were on our precious gifts from God.  Yep, lots of surprises are ahead.  We will reap what we sow.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!  Thanks for letting me vent.  I feel better now.  Pray for me and I will pray for you.  I would love your thoughts on this topic. 

~Shan

We do the best we can! 

This (click here) made me laugh......