They Just Didn't Know Any Better

I have often said that I am thankful for the fact that I attended Chrsitian schools, and that's true. I attended various christian schools from grade 1 to grade 12. My only experience with public school was in Kindergarten. And I AM thankful for that.

I am thankful for it because it gave me knowledge of the Bible that I would not have gotten from a public school. I was also taught subjects like science, history, and even math from a perspective that included God. That would not have happened in a public school. I also had less exposure to drugs, alcohol, and the like than I would likely have had in a public school. The christian school from wich I graduated was not free of those things, but they were less common there than in ps.

Still, my husband and I chose NOT to send our children to christian school. Furthermore, my own parents tell me now that if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen to homeschool me and my sisters. But, as my Mom says, they "just didn't know any better." My parents never heard of homeschooling and did not realize that there was such a thing until after I had graduated from high school.

In all honesty, I could not financially afford to put my kids in a christian school even if I wanted to. But the fact is that even if money were no object, I still wouldn't do it.

WHY?

Because the label "Christian" doesn't mean that every student, or even every teacher in that school is necessarily going to behave like a christian.

Don't get me wrong. I know that no one is perfect, and that everyone makes mistakes, including christians. But, my dh and I chose to keep our kids out of the school environment because .....

I was repeatedly made fun of by another student for being overweight. . .in a CHRISTIAN school.

I witnessed one girl being teased, hurt, and made fun of ALL through Junior High and High School. . .in a CHRISTIAN school.

I was repeatedly belittled, insulted, and once flat out accused of lying by a TEACHER. . .in a CHRISTIAN school.

I went to the principal about this teacher, and was told that *I* should change my behavior so that the teacher would no longer have cause to speak to me as she did . . .by the PRINCIPAL, in a CHRITIAN school.

My parents wrote a letter to the principal regarding the situation with the teacher, and it was completely ignored. . . in a CHRISTIAN school.

Sadly, it wasn't just me. I saw it happen to friends too. I had friends who violated school policies (sometimes unintentionally) but even after sincere apologies, were not extended any grace or mercy, and others who were disciplined IN school for behavior that took place OUTSIDE school. . . in a CHRISTIAN school.

I'm afraid those reading this blog post are going to assume that I"m bitter. I can assure you, I"m not. I truly AM thankful for the education I received, for the good teachers I had ( and I did have SOME good ones!) and for the friends I made in school. But I thank God every day for introducing me and my husband to a homeschooling family, and for leading us to make the choice to homeschool our own children.

To any one considering educational choices for thier own children, I urge you to learn all you can, consider carefully, and pray about your decision. Don't just assume that because a school has the word CHRISTIAN in it's name that it's the best place for your children to spend the majority of their waking hours.

I know beyond any shadow of doubt that my parents made the best choice available to them at the time for my education. But now, my Dad is a pastor and a homeschooling advocate, and my Mom is homeschooling my nephew. They both will tell you now that they wish they had done the same for me. They just didn't know any better.

Blessings,
Vicki

Sometimes, That Still, Small Voice Is Really Loud!!

I am having a tough week. This weekend, my husband in being sent out of town to work on a special project for his full time job. That means he's going to miss a day on his part time job. So, he's working EXTRA hours at his pt job this week, to cover the housrs that he'll miss there on Friday. On top of that, we found out that we will have to pay the travel expenses up front, and be re-imbursed by the company later. It's nice that we'll be re-imbursed, but that meant we had to do some "budget juggling" to come up with the cash dh will need for the trip. UGH!

And, the cherry on top of all of this is that dh has a new supervisor on his full time job. Dh currently works 6am to 2pm. The new manager is considering the possibility of changing their hours to 3am to 11am, or 5am to 1pm!! Ugh, Ugh, and UGH!!! But, that isn't definite yet, so we're praying the new guy will leave the 6am to 2pm thing alone.

I am not able to drive, so dh being gone more than usual this week, and the fact that he will be gone all weekend means I've been doing a lot of schedule juggling, and jumping through hoops to arrange transportation to places we needed to go. So, I've been a little tense. Not TERRIBLY so, but a little more tense than I would normally be. Yesterday morning, I was absolutely ready to hang my 6yo son from the ceiling fan by his toes!!!

He not only balked at EVERYTHING I asked him to do, but he was CONSTANTLY underfoot in the kitchen asking if he could help with the cooking that I was trying to get done. I let him pour and stir a couple of things, then tried to "shoo him off" again. It didn't work. Finally, in frustration, I said to my son "How come you're so eager to "help" me in the kitchen, but you won't do the things that I actually ASK you to do?!" He gave me his silly grin and mumbled something about helping in the kitchen being more fun, but I barely heard him, because as soon as my question left my mouth, I could hear the still, small voice of the Lord in my ear. But this time, it was more like a shout, saying, Yes, that's a GOOD question!! Why DO you want to help in the ways YOU want to help, but you balk at doing what I ASK you to do?"

Whoa. How right on is that? How often do I find myself thinking"Oh, sure, I don't mind going to church to worship the Lord, and I don't mind tithing, and I'll even sing in church, but Lord, I am so tired, and I sure wish it wasn't my trun to teach in Children's Church today!" Or, "Lord, I don't mind tithing, but I sure wish you'd give me liberty to work outside my home so we could have more money. Other people do it, Lord, why can't I?"

I am, put simply, a spiritual whiner. I WANT to serve the Lord, and I WANT to be faithful, and I WANT to bring glory to God, but the truth is, I want to do it the way *I* want to do it, not neccesarily the way God ASKS me to serve Him.

I expect my children to help me by doing ALL that I ask of them, not just the things they WANT to do. God expects NOTHING LESS of me. Wow. That still, small voice really shouted this time. I need to take stock and be sure that I'm doing all that He asks of me, and not just picking and choosing how I serve Him. I want to OBEY, not just pick and choose how I will serve the Lord.
In Him,
Vicki

Goats, Horses, and Donkeys, Oh My!!

I was going through old post on my blog, from before the time I started importing them to Facebook, and I thought I'd repost a few of my favorites. I'm reposting this one for my friend John, who loves my goat stories, but wanted some new material~so, here ya go, John, I"ll throw in some donkeys and horses for you :)

When I was 17 or 18 years old and moved with my parents from the city to the small town in wich we now live, I used to say that it felt like living in Mayberry, like the Andy Griffith Show. Lately, it feels more like Green Acres! Or the Beverly Hillbillies!!

Yesterday morning, around 11 or so, I am talking to a friend on the phone. I actually had to interrupt the conversation to say to my friend "I'm sorry, I"ll have to call you back. I need to call our neighbor around the corner and let him know that HIS DONKEYS ARE IN MY YARD!!

Now, you must understand that growing up a "sophisticated city kid" as I did, I NEVER thought I would EVER be saying to ANYONE "I'll have to call you back, there are donkeys in my yard!!"

This was around 11am. Around noon, the 2 donkeys wandered up our neighbor's driveway and disappeared behind thier house. I don't know WHAT was back there, but we didn't see those donkeys again until about 3:30 or so. Then, there they were again, across the road in our neighbor's driveway.

At this point, Fred, our pet goat, is having an absolute FIT, either because of the donkeys wandering around, or maybe because my kids were out in the yard keeping watch to see what would happen, and proceeded to yell and carry on every time the donkey's wandered to a new spot.

These donkeys belong to a man who lives behind us, but he keeps them on his grandfather's property, wich is right behind my parents house. When my kids are at my parents, or at my sister's hosue (sis lives next door to Mom and Dad) they would often go the fence and pet the donkeys, feed them, etc,. so they feel rather attatched to these donkeys, and my 8yo was scared that one of them was going to get in the road and get hit. So, I spend my afternoon dealing with excitable, hyped up children, and an agitated goat. Then, around 4 or so, the REAL entertainment began when several guys showed up to try to wrangle these donkeys and get them back where they belong.

I swear, it was just like an episode of the old Gree Acres tv show! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time!! There were 2 men, a woman, and at one point, a teen aged boy all out there with ropes, trying to corral these donkeys. I think they also had a bag of carrots, with wich to entice the donkey's to come to them.

I was trying to make dinner, so I couldn't just stand there and watch the whole thing. But, I watched when I could, through the picture window in my living room. At one point, I look out the window and I see a man leading one of the donkeys by a rope, so I'm thinking, "Good, they finally caught one of them!" The next time I look out the window, that same man is once again chasing that SAME donkey up the road!! ROFLOL!! The next time I look out, there are NO people in my sight, but in the neighbors driveway stand the 2 donkey's AND A HORSE!! LOL!! I STILL have no clue where that horse came from!!LOL!

When I left my house at 6:25 or so to go to a Bible study that meets at my sister's house, I think one donkey was still loose. When the Bible study ended about 8:30 or so, my nephew reported that both donkeys were FINALLY back inside the fence where they belong.

I tell you, I"m still not sure if I live in Mayberrry or Hooterville ( or whatever the name of the town on Green Acres is) but whatever you call this place, it's certainly never dull!!!

Btw, if you find yourself entertained by this story, take a look through my blog archives for "Our First Goat Adventure" and I"m sure you'll laugh yourself silly!
Vicki

Good Grief, Christians, GROW UP!!

2 Peter 20, 21 ( KJV)~Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.


Why, oh, WHY dont' more christians read, and GET these verses?

About 2 years ago, I discovered an online forum composed largely of christian homeschooling Moms. Since I am a christian homeschooling Mom, I was thrilled to find this forum, and to be able to go there with and get advice on various questions and concerns. I visited the foum quite a bit and read a lot of the messages, though I didn't post very often.

Then, I messed up. I had the NERVE ( please note the sarcasm here :)) to say that while God has called me to be a full time home maker and homeschooling Mom and I am thrilled with that calling, perhaps He has not called EVERY Mom to that same thing. This statement caused a bit of a firestorm on the board, and I see this morning that the entire thread has been removed. Whatever!

Let me be clear here. I think EVERY mother's priorities should be God, Family, Church Family, then Job or Activities, or whatever God has called her to~in that order. I just happen to believe that it IS posible for a woman to have her priorites in that order and STILL work outside her home. I"m sure it's hard, but it IS possible! I , personally, don't think that *I* could do it, but I know that if God calls a woman to a job outside her home, HE is much more than capable of equipping her to do that job along with all the other things He has called her to do.

Sadly, the "tone" on the board I used to visit was one of "Mom's who work outside their home can't possibly be the Moms they should be" and "Mom's with outside jobs can't possibly be in the center of God's will". There were only a couple of instances in which things like this were actually said, but the whole tone of the board supports this view.

I'm sorry, but these people need cut some spiritual teeth, and do some growing up!!

Yes, Titus 2 tells women to be "keepers of the home"~but why insist that one can't work ouside the home and still keep her home as a haven for her family? Why sell God short and say that He can't enable a Mom to do this? Yes, it's HARD, but who are we to say that God can't give a Mom the strength to do it?

Since this discussion began online 2 or 3 days ago, I have read and re-read Proverbs 31 many times. I believe the Proverbs 31 woman worked outside her home. The King James says that she "considereth a field and buyeth it"~ well, she can't very well consider a field if she doesn't go see it!! It also says that she "bringeth her food from afar" and that she "sells girdles in the marketplace" so she must be going somewhere to get her food, and she must be going to the marketplace, and spending time there selling her wares.

The comment was made on the discussion board that buying and selling fields, making and selling girdles and gathering food were all things that this woman could do at home. I just don't see that. How can she "consider a field" at home? How can she sell in the marketplace if she's at home? That just doesn't make sense.

I"m just going to be blunt, since I'm here on my own blog, and say that what happened is this~a few ladies who feel that the call God has placed on THEIR lives MUST be the same call that He has placed on EVERY mother's life have fallen into condemning working mothers.

I am not a working mother, at least in the sense that I don't work outside my home. A good many of my friends are NOT working mothers. But some of them are, and you know what? They have handled their need to work skillfully, and with much prayer, and God IS enabling them to work and still be great Moms! Some of them are even working Moms who homeschool! Both my sisters are working mothers~one because she is a single Mom and has no choice, and the other because her dh insists that she work, so she also has no choice. They are NOT out of the will of God, and they ARE great Moms.

I choose to be a stay at home Mom. I WISH that all Moms could be stay at home Moms. But atht is NOT God's calling for EVERY woman, and I hope and pray that I never fall into the lifestyle of condemning other christians because they make choices that are different from my own. I wish that every christian could see that God doesn't lead every one of His children down the same path.

Believing that everyone is supposed to do everything YOUR way is a sign of spiritual toddler-hood. It's time for a lot of Christians to put down their bottle of milk, take a few bites of some meat, and start growing up!

Vicki