There is a lot floating around these days that attempts to inspire people to live their passion, find their passion, be passionate. I've been lacking that in my life for some time. I am passionate about being a mom and a wife, a christian and a daughter, but I have left my interests on the shelf for far to long. Oh, I've got them down and dusted them off at certain times for a nostalgic looksy and then properly put them back with a lot of excuses and a little regret and dare I say.....resentment.
I've had to ask myself what are my passions, pursuits and talents. I've been guilty of talking down to myself. I've told myself, "You're a mom, you've been out of the workplace for a while, and you are not "specialized" in anything. It is surely time to stop that negative, nasty talk! My answer to the question of identifying my passions and interests has zeroed in on two things....writing and reading.
Yep, that's it. I love to read and I love to write. So why am I not filling my time with these. I have over the course of this year met and exceeded a reading goal. I have been pleased with my variety of reading material in that completed list. But...I have not written in a long time. Most writers, if I may be so bold to stereotype, suffer from a complex that makes them question if what they are writing is meaningful or will it be valuable to anyone else? Well if some of our most amazing writers had asked that question, they would have closed up shop. Austen, Dickinson, Piatt all were sadly undervalued in their writing lifetime. I have no wish to put myself up with these esteemed and talented people but my point is, the value to others may not matter as much as the value to yourself.
I love language and I love the words ability to put pictures and details in our minds of beauty that are uniquely our own. I love the feeling of writing something that makes you feel like you have expressed yourself and let the chips fall where they may. I love when someone's thoughts inspire someone to contemplate and change. Now those are all lofty ambitions, I may never achieve but I'd rather live with some passion and try.
So here's to a resurrection of my blog. Maybe it was, all along, more for me than for my message to others.
Thursday, September 7, 2017
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Reaching across the aisle.....
Have you heard politicians make that statement? They stand behind a wood podium asking for your vote and trying to make you feel like an idiot if you do not want to vote for them. They make claims.....one of them is to reach across the aisle.
I have grown up in the church. I have sat there with my coloring books and pink bibles and now I sit there with my own children and my husband. In that time, I have seen some issues divide brother against brother, sister against sister and family against family. Divides happen almost overnight and even if it does not split a congregation there are people who are not connected to other people. Before you know it, no one is reaching across the aisle to shake hands, let alone, encourage, admonish, serve or love.
From this lady's late 30's perspective, I see a brewing problem. Before I come out and state the problem let me describe two different people types that I see across the aisle.......
BROTHER AL
This brother is typically in the younger half of life. He is educated, never been in the military but working. He has been upper middle class all his life and excluding a stint as a relatively comfortable college student though poor, he has lived in a way he rarely needs to deny himself his desires or wants. He may be married or single and may have 2.5 children or be planning for them. He listens to a wide range of music from christian rock to folk songs to rap and he has many pass times that give him not only things to talk to his peers about but to occupy his time outside of work. He rarely speaks to anyone outside his immediate close friends at church. He has been in the church his entire life and his parent's "raised him right." He is often discouraged about things in his congregation. He doesn't feel uplifted about the singing, the preaching or the work that is going on. He wants people to do more but lacks talent or motivation to initiate that. He gathers with his friends and although not malicious in intent he gently "bashes" his fellow brothers and sisters and leadership because he would like to see some more progressive and "relevant" work and worship take place. He wants to see more people in the congregation doing the work with widows and orphans but may or may not participate in this work himself. He is discouraged, disgruntled and disheartened.
After worship, Brother Al turns and steps into the aisle and in an effort to leave accidentally crosses paths with another that he rarely speaks to......
BROTHER BOB
Brother Bob is typically an experienced man. He may be a grandfather at this point. He has seen many things. He does not think himself wise but wishes that more listened to him. He was likely in the military or was a man that had to make something of himself where so much was hard early on. He became a Christian a bit later in life. He has remained faithful through ugly splits in his congregations over things such as instrumental music, and divorce and remarriage. He cringes every time brothers and sisters disagree, praying that it will not end in a mess where brother will not talk to brother. He is easy to get a long with but a bit shy. He enjoys the children but is frustrated with the lack of discipline training offered by their parents. He would love to step outside himself a bit and get to know some of the families but does not know how he will be received if he did. He often speaks in bible classes and feels like he is often combating a subtle shift in what he can only call liberalism. He gains great encouragement and joy from the old hymns sung for ages and finds the new ones that many of the younger members prefer to be "dumb down" lacking in deeper meaning. He finds comfort and assurance in the familiar rhythm of worship that has been apart of this group for decades and feel it would be borderline sinful for any change to be made. He is not able to get around as easily and refrains from going to any of the "extras" that are hosted from time to time. He fears that people think he does not want to be with them, and that is not it. He does gather for morning coffee with a couple of his peers. They have no malicious intent but proceed in gently rebuking the others for bringing in the creeping liberalism. He is often discouraged, disgruntled and disheartened.
Now both brothers face each other in the aisle. Will they say a polite excuse me? Or will one extend the hand?
Brother Al and Brother Bob can be all different ages and backgrounds. In almost any organized group you typically see the person who wants change (good or bad) and the person who wants to stand with tradition (good or bad). For myself, I have been both a brother Al and a brother Bob.
Let us ask ourselves a few questions in dealing with our brothers and sisters. And I find it ironic that both brothers....though so different need to ask the same questions.
Is Christ divided? Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:13 asks his brothers this question when they were quarreling about baptism and which person's performance meant more. Is your division over hymns, work groups or organization worth dividing over?
Is this divide pleasant or pleasing to our God? Psalms 133:1
Are you seeking and pursuing peace? 1 Peter 3:8-11
Is your goal to be one body in unity and peace? Ephesians 4:1-7
Are you outdoing one another? Romans 12:10, Hebrews 13:1
At times I am brother Al.....wanting so badly to not be stuck in a "tradition" with no meaning to me and so many times I am brother Bob just longing for the comfort and peace that comes in familiar.
Back to the aisle? Brother Al choses, "good morning" instead of the polite way to remove himself. Brother Bob, surprised, offers his hand and asks Al about his work. Al answers and asks Bob what he does with his time. Bob invites Al to coffee and all of a sudden those coffee brothers politely bashing are having real productive conversations about work and worship in the Lord. They begin to appreciate each others point of view and each others zeal expressed in different unique ways. Now would that not be a more biblical end to the story? or......do we stay status quo....
"Excuse me." both men move on and leave the building after worship.
I have grown up in the church. I have sat there with my coloring books and pink bibles and now I sit there with my own children and my husband. In that time, I have seen some issues divide brother against brother, sister against sister and family against family. Divides happen almost overnight and even if it does not split a congregation there are people who are not connected to other people. Before you know it, no one is reaching across the aisle to shake hands, let alone, encourage, admonish, serve or love.
From this lady's late 30's perspective, I see a brewing problem. Before I come out and state the problem let me describe two different people types that I see across the aisle.......
BROTHER AL
This brother is typically in the younger half of life. He is educated, never been in the military but working. He has been upper middle class all his life and excluding a stint as a relatively comfortable college student though poor, he has lived in a way he rarely needs to deny himself his desires or wants. He may be married or single and may have 2.5 children or be planning for them. He listens to a wide range of music from christian rock to folk songs to rap and he has many pass times that give him not only things to talk to his peers about but to occupy his time outside of work. He rarely speaks to anyone outside his immediate close friends at church. He has been in the church his entire life and his parent's "raised him right." He is often discouraged about things in his congregation. He doesn't feel uplifted about the singing, the preaching or the work that is going on. He wants people to do more but lacks talent or motivation to initiate that. He gathers with his friends and although not malicious in intent he gently "bashes" his fellow brothers and sisters and leadership because he would like to see some more progressive and "relevant" work and worship take place. He wants to see more people in the congregation doing the work with widows and orphans but may or may not participate in this work himself. He is discouraged, disgruntled and disheartened.
After worship, Brother Al turns and steps into the aisle and in an effort to leave accidentally crosses paths with another that he rarely speaks to......
BROTHER BOB
Brother Bob is typically an experienced man. He may be a grandfather at this point. He has seen many things. He does not think himself wise but wishes that more listened to him. He was likely in the military or was a man that had to make something of himself where so much was hard early on. He became a Christian a bit later in life. He has remained faithful through ugly splits in his congregations over things such as instrumental music, and divorce and remarriage. He cringes every time brothers and sisters disagree, praying that it will not end in a mess where brother will not talk to brother. He is easy to get a long with but a bit shy. He enjoys the children but is frustrated with the lack of discipline training offered by their parents. He would love to step outside himself a bit and get to know some of the families but does not know how he will be received if he did. He often speaks in bible classes and feels like he is often combating a subtle shift in what he can only call liberalism. He gains great encouragement and joy from the old hymns sung for ages and finds the new ones that many of the younger members prefer to be "dumb down" lacking in deeper meaning. He finds comfort and assurance in the familiar rhythm of worship that has been apart of this group for decades and feel it would be borderline sinful for any change to be made. He is not able to get around as easily and refrains from going to any of the "extras" that are hosted from time to time. He fears that people think he does not want to be with them, and that is not it. He does gather for morning coffee with a couple of his peers. They have no malicious intent but proceed in gently rebuking the others for bringing in the creeping liberalism. He is often discouraged, disgruntled and disheartened.
Now both brothers face each other in the aisle. Will they say a polite excuse me? Or will one extend the hand?
Brother Al and Brother Bob can be all different ages and backgrounds. In almost any organized group you typically see the person who wants change (good or bad) and the person who wants to stand with tradition (good or bad). For myself, I have been both a brother Al and a brother Bob.
Let us ask ourselves a few questions in dealing with our brothers and sisters. And I find it ironic that both brothers....though so different need to ask the same questions.
Is Christ divided? Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:13 asks his brothers this question when they were quarreling about baptism and which person's performance meant more. Is your division over hymns, work groups or organization worth dividing over?
Is this divide pleasant or pleasing to our God? Psalms 133:1
Are you seeking and pursuing peace? 1 Peter 3:8-11
Is your goal to be one body in unity and peace? Ephesians 4:1-7
Are you outdoing one another? Romans 12:10, Hebrews 13:1
At times I am brother Al.....wanting so badly to not be stuck in a "tradition" with no meaning to me and so many times I am brother Bob just longing for the comfort and peace that comes in familiar.
Back to the aisle? Brother Al choses, "good morning" instead of the polite way to remove himself. Brother Bob, surprised, offers his hand and asks Al about his work. Al answers and asks Bob what he does with his time. Bob invites Al to coffee and all of a sudden those coffee brothers politely bashing are having real productive conversations about work and worship in the Lord. They begin to appreciate each others point of view and each others zeal expressed in different unique ways. Now would that not be a more biblical end to the story? or......do we stay status quo....
"Excuse me." both men move on and leave the building after worship.
I am old and
You are young
But sinners we be
Forever bonded in a need
for salvation full and free
I am young but
You are old
Wisdom I can see
Forever bonded in a thirst
for Knowledge is the key
I am me and
you are you
age should never be
Forever parting us against
for someone died for we
Friday, December 11, 2015
Here we are but straying pilgrims....
between trying to let go and tear away and hanging onto the roots that had taken hold for almost a decade and a half. We hopped from one "goodbye" to the next. We put up a tiny little Christmas tree with some discount ornaments because all our other items had been packed. There was a ting of excitement frosted with a lot of nervousness and sprinkled with a little reluctance.
You see, this was me four years ago, almost to the day. We were packing up our house of over a decade, the one I brought my babies home too, and moving to an illusive place called Memphis, where I was sure I was going to be shot. You know, because everyone that moves to Memphis lives out their own "48 Hours" reality TV show as soon as they enter the suburbs of the area!
Not true! But....
I did not know that yet and I was sure about two things.....
1. That no one would visit me.
And
2. I was going to hate it.
Homesickness set in and I am pretty sure my dear sweet friends in Memphis simultaneously patted my back and hugged me while rolling their eyes which inferred for me "to get a grip." I spent a good year being homesick.
But during that year we were meeting some of the greatest people on the planet! Seriously folks, you really need to make Memphis a go-to place for yourself.
I've found in reflection that I had some growing to do. The only way for that to happen was transplanting. Not many have indoor house plants but growing up my mom had a ton and when the plant was bigger and had outgrown it's current pot you would have to move it to a bigger one thereby "transplanting" it. I was a Northern, Yankee, Buckeye in a Sounthern, SEC, Blusey kind of place.....you don't get much more transplanted than that my friends.
So here I am four years from that time and transplanted again. I believe reflection is warranted and even commanded from God. Have I learned all he wanted me to during this sojourn? I hope so. I know he will teach me more as time goes on and more "transplanting"happens. So in no particular order....what I learned and am learning through two moves, a baby and chaos.....
1. Meeting people. Getting out there and meeting souls is a beautiful thing. I like my comfort zone but these geographical moves made me seek people. I have met some of the best and some I will love eternally! I never would have met them in my first planted pot. Would I go back and do it all again? Absolutely!!! Memphis, Fort Wayne....it doesn't matter, people need each other and I've had the privilege to expand my people! Thank you for being my people!!
2. I saw more than my own mindset. Even though people are people, there are cultural differences between different regions in the U.S. Moving had got me outside my own mindset, allowing me as Atticus says, in To Kill A Mockingbird, "walk around in someone else's shoes." The south really does have some great manners. They are some of the most hospitable people I know. I love the values they pass to their children. But the North also has so many attributes! Loyalty, friendship, family. My world and it's view has expanded thanks to my travels. Never would I thought I would have questioned Abraham Lincoln's moves during the Civil War but after living in that part of the country I find it interesting to discuss if he abused his power during that time. I digress, but you see how I questioned some long held assumptions about myself.
3. I've written about this before on my love for Memphis but in reflection, I am thankful for my moves because......BBQ Nachos came into my life! BBQ Nachos ....just go there and try them. You will never regret it.
4. Being away made me appreciate being home. It made me appreciate my family and my time with them. They did come visit (although probably less for me and more for reason #3) and we went home to visit.
5. Home really is where the heart is. So if that is true I have about a dozen "homes" scattered around the Eastern half of the U.S. My heart is with people I love (refer to #1!). My sister's homes, my parents', in laws and all my dear friends who I've shared with are all "home."
6. I'm pretty sure God never wanted us to get too comfy here. In not saying that everyone has to move....but I'm saying that I use the moves as my remembrance that I'm going "home" one day. Abraham was told to leave family and home. Joseph was sold away from family and home. Esther was away from home when big things were laid at her feet to deal with. I am not to like here so much that I lose my longing for heaven. So Dayton, Memphis, Fort Wayne should never be so comfortable for me that I wish to just eat, drink and be merry!
As my family and I settle into yet a new home, I hope that I can continue to reflect and learn. I was a stray and through the Shepherd, I am brought home. Thank you Lord!!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Why we have taken a CC (Classical Conversations) break.....
Some of you reading this may have come to CC through me and some may have chatted with me about it at some point or another. I don't really owe an explanation for our choice but I feel that maybe some were curious when you are the cheer section for CC for many years and then all of a sudden you quietly back away.
To follow is a couple of my famous disclaimers:
1. I still love CC. And may go back to it.
2. I have sat through 8-9 practicums and I get the classical method or CC's version of it really well so I need no "refresher" course in the trivium or Classical methodology.
That being said, I have enjoyed being away from CC for the past few months. I miss my friends and community but we were relocating anyway and that would have been a fact no matter if we had continued or not in our new location. To make this easier to break down I am just going to list a few reasons we have broken with not only the CC model but the curriculum as a whole.
1. We have done it for 7 years. My son was starting his third round of cycle 1. Repetition is good, but for us, it sounded tedious. I had also in these years seen CC grow which was good but with severe growing pains. I missed some of the things that were done well when CC was small.
2. We were not happy. The last couple of years my son and I were miserable. I can never blame that all on curriculum choice, but I do know that since we changed my son specifically, likes his work.
3. The memory master competition that works so well for so many students to motivate them, did not work well for my students when they once again failed. My children learned so much under CC but it was always shadowed as they failed because they did not obtain Memory Master. We were not going to sacrifice all on the alter of Memory master. Please do not misunderstand me. I feel that MM is a wonderful reward and there are so many families that work hard and obtain their goal with guidance and prayer. But there is also the other side to this were it is a matter of pride and stubbornness. So my average students, although learning and growing each year, often felt they had failed miserably when that reward was not obtained.
4. My priorities changed. After many years of feeling that my involvement in CC as director and tutor were for my children, I found that they were not. They took away from my children. This was my situation alone. I am not saying that every director or tutor is taking away from their children. I was taking from mine! This year, I am present with my children. It has been a refreshing break.
5. CC is one interpretation of the classical method. It is a good one, making classical realistic for me for many years. But....as I have read and studied, I am looking for a bit more of a synthetic (or our education having more synthesis) than was translated in using the CC curriculum. "To Know God and to make Him Known" often got lost in our daily parrot of memory work. I wanted to study things more as a whole. How they all interconnect and to ultimately get to truth. (I realize that the foundations phase is prep for that but my deep thinking 11 year old was ready to move on.)
6. I love memory work and the foundation that it gave my children but I want to start to move beyond the poll parrot! They knew facts and would light up if they heard anything relating to something they could recite but that is exactly where it stopped. I guess my son was getting more dialectic than the curriculum was allowing.
7. We were missing out on some other things that have made our home and school enjoyable. My kids have loved good literature and enjoying the discussion of it. We have loved walks and field trips more because we can take a day here and there. We do not lose a whole day and spend another day recouping from our CC community day.
Again, I love CC and may go back to it at some point, but after seven years some of it's weaknesses were wearing on me. I have seen a fire and light in my son that has not been there for many years. He is more confident and more talkative and inquisitive. He no longer second guesses himself or feels complete failure when he doesn't remember week 6's Latin memory work.
We are learning and having fun doing it and isn't that the goal for all homes? I want my children to remember with fondness the memories of us learning together.
Oh and by the way.....
8. I am learning so much too!
That being said, I have enjoyed being away from CC for the past few months. I miss my friends and community but we were relocating anyway and that would have been a fact no matter if we had continued or not in our new location. To make this easier to break down I am just going to list a few reasons we have broken with not only the CC model but the curriculum as a whole.
1. We have done it for 7 years. My son was starting his third round of cycle 1. Repetition is good, but for us, it sounded tedious. I had also in these years seen CC grow which was good but with severe growing pains. I missed some of the things that were done well when CC was small.
2. We were not happy. The last couple of years my son and I were miserable. I can never blame that all on curriculum choice, but I do know that since we changed my son specifically, likes his work.
3. The memory master competition that works so well for so many students to motivate them, did not work well for my students when they once again failed. My children learned so much under CC but it was always shadowed as they failed because they did not obtain Memory Master. We were not going to sacrifice all on the alter of Memory master. Please do not misunderstand me. I feel that MM is a wonderful reward and there are so many families that work hard and obtain their goal with guidance and prayer. But there is also the other side to this were it is a matter of pride and stubbornness. So my average students, although learning and growing each year, often felt they had failed miserably when that reward was not obtained.
4. My priorities changed. After many years of feeling that my involvement in CC as director and tutor were for my children, I found that they were not. They took away from my children. This was my situation alone. I am not saying that every director or tutor is taking away from their children. I was taking from mine! This year, I am present with my children. It has been a refreshing break.
5. CC is one interpretation of the classical method. It is a good one, making classical realistic for me for many years. But....as I have read and studied, I am looking for a bit more of a synthetic (or our education having more synthesis) than was translated in using the CC curriculum. "To Know God and to make Him Known" often got lost in our daily parrot of memory work. I wanted to study things more as a whole. How they all interconnect and to ultimately get to truth. (I realize that the foundations phase is prep for that but my deep thinking 11 year old was ready to move on.)
6. I love memory work and the foundation that it gave my children but I want to start to move beyond the poll parrot! They knew facts and would light up if they heard anything relating to something they could recite but that is exactly where it stopped. I guess my son was getting more dialectic than the curriculum was allowing.
7. We were missing out on some other things that have made our home and school enjoyable. My kids have loved good literature and enjoying the discussion of it. We have loved walks and field trips more because we can take a day here and there. We do not lose a whole day and spend another day recouping from our CC community day.
Again, I love CC and may go back to it at some point, but after seven years some of it's weaknesses were wearing on me. I have seen a fire and light in my son that has not been there for many years. He is more confident and more talkative and inquisitive. He no longer second guesses himself or feels complete failure when he doesn't remember week 6's Latin memory work.
We are learning and having fun doing it and isn't that the goal for all homes? I want my children to remember with fondness the memories of us learning together.
Oh and by the way.....
8. I am learning so much too!
Monday, November 16, 2015
These moments....
To the world that just won't slow down,
You will have to forgive me for a moment. Actually, I've needed your pardon for many of these moments over the past 11 months. You see this little thing with her hand on my neck like I could just evaporate away at any moment needs rocked and cuddled. She is three days shy of 11 months. It's quiet up here and we are in our favorite spot (the glider) and she smells so sweet. I have so few of these moments left. In a short year she will be so different. Sure she will want to be cuddled but it will be shorter quicker bursts not this droopy, limp, ball of sweetness I am holding right now. It's mushy I know but I have loved this part of motherhood. The snugly part. The part where mommy and daddy are their whole world and they know nothing but love and comfort. For the day is coming, when that innocence starts to change with knowledge. I have things to do, but really this is what I need to do. I've done it with no regrets. I've held all three of my babies while they slept. Some would say I have Charlotte spoiled. But can you really spoil with love? She's this little for this moment and I'm going to savor it. Tomorrow she will be bigger and she will be one day closer to the day where she would rather play and be on the run than melt into mommy in sleepy abandon. So you can find me right here in my glider world. But don't bother me unless you have too because baby is sleeping!!! Shhhhh......
Monday, November 9, 2015
Sports, a teaching tool.....
I have been in many conversations with homeschoolers and Christians in general about the worldliness of sports. Their concerns from observations are often valid. There are many negative aspects of character and content that come out during organized play of a sport. I've heard named the concerns of language, moral influence, time constraints, interference with study or more "worthy" pursuits (after my argument I hope you find that sports can be a worthy pursuit) all as reasons their child or family is not involved in sports.
Can I offer some positives of sports and a child playing an organized sport?
First, I am biased, but only partly! I am not athletic. I learned to play and appreciate the sports of volleyball, soccer and gymnastics but I was never at a passion for them. Then I married an athletic man who had positive and negative sports experiences and together we had three little rookies. The boy, from birth loved anything with a ball, wrestling with daddy and running as fast as his legs at that time would carry him. My daughter, too, would run as gracefully as a doe and quick as a sprite. I am thankful that they received those gifts from God. I have suffered for a lifetime with clumsiness and an awkward run. I have become more athletic in my later life after finding a passion for preserving my health! So I am only biased in the fact that we do participate in sports. Our level would be heavy participation to some and light to others, but between our children we are in sports nearly year round.
Why? Let me list some positives. These are not in order of importance or priority.
1. Activity is important to us. Caring for the physical body God gave us is important. Play, training and even the act of eating for sport training is a integral part of forming habits for a healthy lifestyle.
2. Sports help in character building and training. In fact, it helps in so many areas of character I could write a whole blog about that. To name a few:
- Submission to authority
- Working together with others
- Controlling one's emotions and frustration (self-control)
- Turning negatives into positives
- Sacrifice and reward
- How to win and how to lose
- Comradeship
- Discipline
- Organization
- Surviving trials
- Consequences for one's actions
3. Relationships with coaches are a blessing in life. Now this can also be a curse. Some coaches are just plain horrible and many lessons are learned through that. But, if a coach is good he wants his players lives to be in the best order possible so that they are not bringing more baggage on the field or court than necessary. A good coach is going to care about a students grades, attendance in class, treatment of teachers, parents and siblings, moral character and physical health. A good coach can be a parent's second voice, providing you with a bit of back up on what you have been telling your child all along. If your child has a good coach thank God and then thank him/her. If your child has a coach that is less than stellar, use that as a teaching tool for how we deal with someone not conducting themselves in a moral way.
4. It is an opportunity to let your child's light shine. Are you throwing rotten tomatoes at me? I know one of the homeschooler's main reasons for homeschooling is that their child is "in training" to be a light and it's not their time yet to be that to the world. I disagree with this or at least have a different take. Sports can be a place to let them practice this. They can lead the prayer (if allowed). Treatment of their teammates goes a long way in helping a child use some of the things you are trying to teach them. Finally, treatment of their opponent and training in that area, is one of my favorite things to see exercised while watching sport competition for my son or daughter. I've seen some beautiful lights for both of my sport playing children. I've seen my son reach down and help an opponent off the basketball court floor. I've seen both my children check on a hurt opponent and high five the other team win or lose. I've seen children flip jersey's inside out and join the opposing team just so they all could play a game when enough opponents couldn't show up. I'll sum up by saying that sports have provided opportunities for my children to shine. Sports make them reach out to their fellow man and shake his hand even when on opposite sides.
5. They have fun! Now if a child, does not enjoy sports, this is a reason to not participate! However, my children really enjoy playing. My conversations, with some people say that sports eat up too much valuable time that takes away from more worthy pursuits. Okay, that may be the case for you, but for my family, the fun, character building and teamwork, among other things they learn through sports programs make them a great bang for my buck.
So I say, if they want to play, let them play! I try not to compartmentalize our life too much. Our life is a journey of endless learning. Every time my son straps on equipment or walks onto a court or my daughter takes the field, they are learning. They are growing and forming. I thank God for those lessons they learn and have learned while playing competitively. They are invaluable.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Why I do not send my baby to bible class.....
So.....yeah, I'm going to talk about this. I realize that I am wading into controversial waters here. I realize that some moms come in on Sunday morning and the baby classes for young children help her to actually hear something that may encourage her to keep on keeping on in the following week. When I write this I must let you know that this is what has worked for me. This is what I am comfortable with.
A couple of disclaimers:
1. The women who teach and organize the classes I do not use are wonderful and talented people and are doing a wonderful work!
2. I believe that children do and can learn at young ages!
3. In my post I am mostly talking about why I do not use classes for my children when they are younger than two.
4. Just hear me out. You do not have to make the same decision but let's at least hear one another out and be mutually appreciative for the blessing of choice!
This has become more of an issue in the last decade. I never had to decide anything about this for my 11 year old son. However, it has had to be a discussion and decision in our family with my 7 year old and possibly at some point my 9 month old.
When I was a child, I grew up in the church. I started bible classes at about two years old and I believe my mother attended with me for a short period of time. I have fond memories of early bible classes! Yes, I still remember some of them from around 3 or 4 years old. I loved my teachers, I loved God and the whole institution was a positive one for me! My parent's were new converts and it was an aid in teaching their young child and bringing me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord when they themselves were just babes in Christ.
Somewhere within the last decade we have began to implement younger and younger classes. These start Godly instruction at a young age and also provide a break for the mother to possibly hear a portion of the bible study they are apart of. I get it. I really do. Sundays and Wednesday nights are hard. Sometimes just being able to hear a small snippet from the word is a lifeline.
But.....I do not choose to send my babies to bible class. I start my children around two and even then at their own comfort level. Why, you ask? Well, you didn't but it's my blog so I am going to share. :)
Reasons I do not participate in a baby class:
1. My baby is just that for such a short period of time. They need their mommy and they need to be held and cuddled and communicated that this time is important and a positive time for worship and the Lord. Yes, I am teaching my baby that every time I enter the church building. Because no matter how hard it is and no matter the behavior they give me, I am showing them that this is important to me.
2. My idea of a healthy child and yours may not match. I would rather keep my baby with a runny nose from teething with me rather than with other babies and then find out later that the runny nose was actually a cold. Just my preference.
3. Babies and young children are the most vulnerable. I am very concerned about our churches today and the lack of concern, education and protocol for keeping our children safe and also our members. We live in a world where our children are prey for predators. We have some of our defenses down at church and we feel like we are with family (we are and we should be able to do that). However, we must be smart and until I see a better response in our churches in regards to this, I prefer to keep my children with me until they have a voice. Just my preference.
4. This reason is just a question, Are we expecting babies to grow up too fast?
5. I hate to hear my baby or any baby cry just because they do not want their mommy to leave them with strangers. (not that they are strangers to me but to my baby, it is not ME!)
6. Hannah waited until he was weaned and possibly about three years old...".24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord.27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to theLord.” And he worshiped the Lord there." I Samuel 1:24-28
7. Most churches already have a teacher crunch. I like to not teach when my baby is young so a baby class in my opinion is usually putting a strain on needed teacher resources for other classes.
Again, these are my personal (very personal) reasons. If you find that you gain encouragement and a much needed breather from the baby class than by all means please continue. I just thought I would share these thoughts as my reasoning process. May the Lord continue to bless us as we seek to grow in the Lord and help our children to do the same.
A couple of disclaimers:
1. The women who teach and organize the classes I do not use are wonderful and talented people and are doing a wonderful work!
2. I believe that children do and can learn at young ages!
3. In my post I am mostly talking about why I do not use classes for my children when they are younger than two.
4. Just hear me out. You do not have to make the same decision but let's at least hear one another out and be mutually appreciative for the blessing of choice!
This has become more of an issue in the last decade. I never had to decide anything about this for my 11 year old son. However, it has had to be a discussion and decision in our family with my 7 year old and possibly at some point my 9 month old.
When I was a child, I grew up in the church. I started bible classes at about two years old and I believe my mother attended with me for a short period of time. I have fond memories of early bible classes! Yes, I still remember some of them from around 3 or 4 years old. I loved my teachers, I loved God and the whole institution was a positive one for me! My parent's were new converts and it was an aid in teaching their young child and bringing me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord when they themselves were just babes in Christ.
Somewhere within the last decade we have began to implement younger and younger classes. These start Godly instruction at a young age and also provide a break for the mother to possibly hear a portion of the bible study they are apart of. I get it. I really do. Sundays and Wednesday nights are hard. Sometimes just being able to hear a small snippet from the word is a lifeline.
But.....I do not choose to send my babies to bible class. I start my children around two and even then at their own comfort level. Why, you ask? Well, you didn't but it's my blog so I am going to share. :)
Reasons I do not participate in a baby class:
1. My baby is just that for such a short period of time. They need their mommy and they need to be held and cuddled and communicated that this time is important and a positive time for worship and the Lord. Yes, I am teaching my baby that every time I enter the church building. Because no matter how hard it is and no matter the behavior they give me, I am showing them that this is important to me.
2. My idea of a healthy child and yours may not match. I would rather keep my baby with a runny nose from teething with me rather than with other babies and then find out later that the runny nose was actually a cold. Just my preference.
3. Babies and young children are the most vulnerable. I am very concerned about our churches today and the lack of concern, education and protocol for keeping our children safe and also our members. We live in a world where our children are prey for predators. We have some of our defenses down at church and we feel like we are with family (we are and we should be able to do that). However, we must be smart and until I see a better response in our churches in regards to this, I prefer to keep my children with me until they have a voice. Just my preference.
4. This reason is just a question, Are we expecting babies to grow up too fast?
5. I hate to hear my baby or any baby cry just because they do not want their mommy to leave them with strangers. (not that they are strangers to me but to my baby, it is not ME!)
6. Hannah waited until he was weaned and possibly about three years old...".24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord.27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to theLord.” And he worshiped the Lord there." I Samuel 1:24-28
7. Most churches already have a teacher crunch. I like to not teach when my baby is young so a baby class in my opinion is usually putting a strain on needed teacher resources for other classes.
Again, these are my personal (very personal) reasons. If you find that you gain encouragement and a much needed breather from the baby class than by all means please continue. I just thought I would share these thoughts as my reasoning process. May the Lord continue to bless us as we seek to grow in the Lord and help our children to do the same.
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