Dark Glass Ponderings

OK, I hope I'm not stealing anyone's slogan here.  I wanted to feature homeschooling on Tuesdays because it is a passion of mine.  I've decided to change the slogan to teach and  learn Tuesdays for a few reasons.  First of all, I know there are many passionate Christian parents who decide not to homeschool for a variety of reasons.  Whether or not we homeschool, I strongly believe as Christians we are called to teach our children.  


Deuteronomy 6:7:You shall teach them (the law) diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.


This is a daunting task.  Teaching is an incredibly humbling process.  Everyday I find myself learning something through the process of homeschooling.  Patience, self-discipline, perseverance...sometimes I truly feel as though my kids are teaching me more than I am teaching them.  


Everyday I approach my computer with a list of topics my daughter wants to learn more about.  My 5-year-old daughter's new favorite phrase is "let's google it."  

 I want to be filled with her endless sense of curiosity.  I want a thirst for God's word that can't be satiated.  I want to take in gulp after gulp of the Bible, downing cup after cup until I nearly have heartburn,  the way I drank water during the end of my pregnancies.


It's convicting to be taught about gratitude from a 2-year-old.  Noah's prayers each night are an endless stream of "thank yous."  He notices and thanks God for the little things that happen throughout the day...simple things that often go unnoticed by my husband and I.  He thanks God that he didn't have to wash his hair in the bath and that Wegmans had apples (I've still yet to figure out why my junk food loving kids always choose the apple at the grocery store kid's club...but I'm sure not complaining).  How often is gratitude the central attitude in my heart?  


Yet my kids aren't perfect.  Far from it.  When my daughter refuses to pray for a few nights in a row...I sense the dryness in my own heart.  When my son lays on the floor writhing and screaming his new favorite phrase ("No way") I am forced to contemplate my own heart's reluctance to walk in complete obedience to God at times.  I see my own rawness and brokenness.  I pray God uses this to build compassion in me towards my children.  I pray that my words and actions towards my children would always be filled with grace and love.  


I'm convinced this is the ultimate myth of the homeschooling mom, that she's merely a teacher.  Ultimately maybe God has called us to be homeschooling moms because we have so much to learn...that can only be taught through the mirror of our children.  Because I want so much more than academic success for my children.  I want to be truly able to say "follow me as I follow Christ" to my children.


Have your kids been teaching you anything lately?