I have been stewing over this post. For a great long time, I have been wanting to find the words. In fact, I started this idea of a post nearly a year ago.
I'm just going to come clean.
We chose to send our son to public school. Yes, we chose it. We prayed and cried and contemplated. We sought advice. And we came to the conclusion that in this time in our lives, our children will attend public school. This may be temporary, this may be permanent, but we did not take this choosing lightly.
Sometimes I let Facebook get the best of me. I listen to moms brag and rave about home schooling, how it's a wonderful choice- the only choice really. I read the rants on the public school system, and "why is God being taken out of everything?" and good parents make a way to home school their children. It's the best choice, the only choice, the Godly choice.
For a moment, I feel the guilt. But then God does something awesome in my heart and reassures me that this is the right choice for us, right now.
I know there are people do not think God could call anyone away from home schooling their children. But He has. And we firmly believe it. Just as God has not called every single person to be married or single, to have children or not, to be doctors or nurses, to be stay at home moms or teachers, I believe God did not call everyone to home school. ( "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Romans 12:4-5)
Oh sure, there are days when I long to have my son at home, to teach him what I know, to relearn things that have long been forgotten. I want to see his accomplishments first hand and celebrate with him on the spot when the words and sounds that he's been having trouble with come naturally. But just because I send my child to school, that doesn't mean I don't teach him at home. We certainly talk about what he learns, what he talks about, who he sits with and play with, and even the little girl that passes him notes in class (be still my heart, I'm not ready for this. But at least we're talking it through). No, there is an argument among home schooling parents that if you are sending them to school, you are not teaching, and that couldn't be further from the truth.
But I believe there is a higher purpose for our children in going to public school.
Contrary to popular belief, however, I did not choose this as a mission field for my child. He chose it for himself.
Back when we were "debating" this matter (and I use this term loosely- we've long been decided that when we were no longer provided with private school, our children would go to public school), I was fretting. I'm good at that, really. I would pray and cry, as 'worst case scenarios' would fill my mind. Then a week or so before school started, my son said something (on the topic of going to school) that floored me, that made my heart do flips of joy and conviction at the same time:
"Not everyone knows about Jesus. We need to tell them."
I tell you, there would be no greater sign that God was telling us what to do. I had laid the proverbial fleece, and God made it rain. (Judges 6:36- 40)
When I first tried blogging about this, it was the weekend before the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. Boy, if there was every a test of trusting God, it was sending my child back to school on Monday. But back then, we stood by God's choice for our children, and still do.
By my son being in public school, I have a far greater reach in our community then I would have without. By volunteering, I see and work with kids I'd never get to meet. Kids who are starving for attention from some kind of parental figure. Kids who need love, not only from people, but a trustworthy, caring and loving God.
This choice for our family, it's a choice for our family. It's not necessarily a choice for yours. What really matters is that parents are having this dialogue with God, and trusting Him with the choice. I still fret and worry. I watch the clock. But I have a reassurance in my heart that this is where God wants us.
*A future blog about public schooling our children is still in the works. I'd like to share our reasons and misconceptions. But for now, I just wanted to encourage those parents who are in the same realm as I am.
** Please know that I am aware that not every parent who home schools thinks this way. I know many parents who home school who accept our choice and reasoning. Parents who share the same the same belief and convictions that we do.
