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Back in 1986, my elder daughter was in the second grade at a local Christian school, and her little brother was in a church-operated preschool. It was about that time that my wife and I began to hear about homeschooling and to seriously consider it. We were both products of the state university system and certified special education teachers. We were Christians, though, and—fortunately for our children—we had recognized early on that the public schools, while they might be a legitimate mission field for mature Christian teachers, were no place for Christian children. That’s why we had our children in Christian environments. To be honest, our experience with the Christian school our daughter attended wasn’t bad, but neither was it ideal. There were some influences that we could have done without. We knew and liked the staff at the school—we went to church with some of them—but it was becoming clear that we could only protect our children spiritually and be directly involved in their academic development by homeschooling them. My wife was the director of a preschool for children with developmental delays. That was something more than a full-time job, and a second income for us. And we really thought we needed that extra income! We did a little calculating, though, and figured out that it was costing us fully two-thirds of her income for her to be working. She resigned her position and came home to be with our children. One income down. A few months later, my contract at a local private school for the learning disabled was not renewed. That means I was fired. As a masters level teacher with ten years of experience, I had become too expensive. Our single income soon became no income. You can imagine what an encouragement this was to us! The Lord was merciful, however, and I eventually found another job, though it represented less income. I wonder how many of you noticed, when you first considered homeschooling, and particularly when you first began to teach your children at home, that the road ahead did not lie down flat, widen out, and make itself straight just for you. You noticed it too? When you make a commitment to train up your children (at home) in the way they should go, the world, the flesh, and the devil—and even your church, in some cases—apparently receive emails warning them of your intentions. They seem to drop everything else in order to formulate a plan to disabuse you of this new notion. Grandparents and in-laws wonder if you’ve lost your mind. Friends are convinced that they were right to consider you too religious. The devil can’t wait to tell you that you are not up to it and to threaten your economic well-being. The principal of your church-sponsored Christian school mourns the loss of your support. And what about socialization? (I just threw that in for fun. For you beginners, that is a standing joke among veteran homeschoolers. Our children, for example, are at ease around people of all ages and conditions, not just around their grade-level peers.) Don’t forget that God is sovereign over all that has to do with you. If any of these things have come against you, it is within His will. The servant is not greater than the Master. He suffered and sowed in tears that He might reap in joy. If you belong to Him, you will also often sow in tears—and you, too, will reap in joy! My children are older now, the last one just having graduated from the CLASS program. We certainly sowed in tears many times, but now is our time to reap in joy. We are blessed that our children follow the Lord, and we are blessed by what they have accomplished. Do not despise the day of small and difficult beginnings. Do not be deterred by the forces that may come against you. God has begun a good work in you, and He will complete it—including your homeschooling. Faint not! Sincerely, Mark L. Beuligmann, M.S. Ed. Administrative Director Christian Liberty Academy School System |
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