Hello, all. I've been busy, even if it seems from this site that things have stagnated again. I have two new posts at the Wordpress site. No offense to the keepers of this domain, but I'm just more inclined to work on my posts when my mobile application is working on my iPod, and for some reason Blogger just doesn't like mobile uploads. So here are the latest links...
Without You
Saying What He Said
I'm writing from Atlanta where I'm accompanying our Pastor on a church visit. The fellowship has been nice, but I'm feeling a little beat after dealing with the loss of our dear friend Mr. Wilkes Kemp on Monday. Mr. Kemp was Marcus' godfather and a constant presence in their early lives. He and his wife watched the kids for many a day while my wife began working. Their granddaughter and our kids grew up side by side, and Mr. Kemp helped mentor Christopher through the youth program of the fraternity Phi Beta Sigma, called the Sigma Beta Club. In all these things Mr. Kemp was the consummate gentleman, Christian and role model. His homegoing on Monday promises to be an emotional day for our church and family.
Of course, life has gone on, and I'm also taxed by the family and ministry concerns of the week. But I don't want to spend time magnifying my problems when others have much more do deal with - plus the fact that I'm definitely not prepared to maintain 2 blogs, much less three (my music site has been quiet for months!) So please click on the following link if you wish to subscribe to the RSS feed for Wordpress. I'll leave this link active as long as needed for others to find my new address...
http://homeschooldaddy.wordpress.com/feed/
Thanks again to everyone and may God bless you according to His riches in glory...
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ready or not...
OK, it's time for the perfectionist in me to move over. I've toiled and tried theme after theme in the Wordpress site and still, I don't feel like I've gotten the look I like, but it's been two weeks and even my wife is questioning my commitment to changing the site. Blogger looks better with the new header, huh?
Anyway, it's time to unveil the Wordpress site and let you be the judge. Yes, it doesn't have many of the gadgets I have in Blogger, but I like the chat feature and the overall look. If I don't get major feedback on the positive side, well, maybe I'll leave it here. Or, more likely, I'll start learning how to create my own template so I can have exactly the features I want. The site address is the same, except "Blogger" is now "Wordpress."
http://homeschooldaddy.wordpress.com/
I've placed "Back to Basics - Part 2" in the Wordpress site. All of my former posts were also imported for archival purposes. Again, please let me know if you approve of the new design. I could be swayed either way at this point.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Anyway, it's time to unveil the Wordpress site and let you be the judge. Yes, it doesn't have many of the gadgets I have in Blogger, but I like the chat feature and the overall look. If I don't get major feedback on the positive side, well, maybe I'll leave it here. Or, more likely, I'll start learning how to create my own template so I can have exactly the features I want. The site address is the same, except "Blogger" is now "Wordpress."
http://homeschooldaddy.wordpress.com/
I've placed "Back to Basics - Part 2" in the Wordpress site. All of my former posts were also imported for archival purposes. Again, please let me know if you approve of the new design. I could be swayed either way at this point.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Thursday, October 02, 2008
On the Move....
I'd like to take a moment to thank any and all of you that have been so gracious to spend time reading my ruminations. It's been incredible just looking back over my old posts and realizing how much I've changed, how my children have matured, and how our family has become stronger and closer through this wild ride of family learning. As I was inspired by the blogs I mentioned in the last post, I've also been inspired to update the look and feel of the site, and I can't figure out Blogger's advanced features enough to make any major changes. So, I'm making a major change of my own and moving the blog to Wordpress.
I'm not totally done with the transition yet, and when I'm done the blog will appear in this space but won't be updated anymore. I may do a few more posts to make sure that everything is in order, and of course I'll post links and RSS Feeds to the new address. I will probably leave my other blog (Help, I'm a Church Musician) in Blogger as well since I'll still use Picasa and other Google services.
Hope this won't throw off any long time readers (all 3 of you...) Keep living, learning and loving.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
I'm not totally done with the transition yet, and when I'm done the blog will appear in this space but won't be updated anymore. I may do a few more posts to make sure that everything is in order, and of course I'll post links and RSS Feeds to the new address. I will probably leave my other blog (Help, I'm a Church Musician) in Blogger as well since I'll still use Picasa and other Google services.
Hope this won't throw off any long time readers (all 3 of you...) Keep living, learning and loving.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Back to Basics...Part I
I've been inspired and maybe a bit chastised by reading some great homeschooling blogs as of late, including from Charlotte Mason experts and fatherhood proponents. Perhaps my last few entries have strayed from the purpose of detailing how this homeschooling dad makes it through the day.
I thought I might detail the basics of our family learning philosophy, as fragmented as it may be, to provide context to the examples of our curriculum and activity choices. There's no formula that I picked up in any one book or manuscript here; rather, it is the combination of all the learning and experience of the last three years that we have taken this journey. Here's the first and most important -
1) Knowledge and learning are gifts from God, and are to be used for His purposes.
There's no doubt in my mind that the Father is the source of all knowledge. Not only in the theological sense that He knows all, but in the practical sense that everything we think about had to have a source in someone else's mind. As babies our thoughts are formed and shaped by the environment and experiences of our parents or caretakers. We slowly come to a consciousness of our own conscious, but we never forget that it was formed and developed through contact with others. In the same way, our thoughts and ability to think was generated by the initial contact of the Creator, not by some leap of evolutionary biology. C.S. Lewis talks about this in the moral sense when he points out that without some source of the concept of "good", we would have no idea what constituted right behavior, except that which pleased us or made us feel a certain pleasurable way. But it is clear that even morally bankrupt people have some idea of a standard. No culture ever decided that being dishonest to your neighbor was a good thing, or that abandoning one's children is admirable. This standard wasn't simply developed in a vacuum, it was placed there by the Creator to remind us that we have a higher standard to reach to. As Romans states, "They are without excuse".
This impacts our family learning decisions in that I always consider how my educational choices impact my children's spiritual development. It may seem that only would affect science (creationism vs. evolution), but it has much wider impact. When choosing the language arts component, I noticed most traditional workbooks had a very liberal view of business - meaning, every time businesses were mentioned, the connotation was negative. That doesn't square with the scriptural principle that God grants us the wisdom to gain wealth. I didn't want my kids constantly reviewing a concept that was at its heart against the work ethic that Christians are to aspire to. Also, we have spent many days discussing how we should challenge ourselves to do better than the norm - even when we are ahead of our peers educationally. The question is not whether we are doing better than others, but whether we are learning and producing work "as unto the Lord" (Col 3:17). Since He is the one that gifted us with the ability to learn, isn't it His purpose and His approval that matters?
This is a very freeing concept in this day of testing and accountability. My daughter may not learn her time tables as fast as others, but in God's sight she is striving as mightly as Paul was 'toward the mark'. Marcus may be sometimes impatient with his ability to get every problem right, but in God's sight his mind is "fearfully and wonderfully made." It reminds me every day that it is not my approval either that counts. When God is the source and the standard of our learning, all of my efforts become secondary when viewed in light of the superior teaching ability of the Holy Spirit to guide them. When I remember to always trust His plans and His purposes in my children, I can rest in the fact that He that began the work will complete it. Whatever their eventual career choice, I will know that their education was designed to give God the freedom to take them anywhere He feels they will glorify Him the most.
When viewing family learning in this light, the final exam is not the test at the end of the book, nor even the SAT or the MCAT. It is the test from the parable of the talents, in which those that did the most with what the Master gave them heard the words, "Servant, well done." That is the statement that will determine whether I was successful in my homeschooling efforts, and of course, it is one that I pray and trust my children will aspire to and one day hear for themselves.
To be continued,
Looking unto the hills,
Homeschooldaddy
I thought I might detail the basics of our family learning philosophy, as fragmented as it may be, to provide context to the examples of our curriculum and activity choices. There's no formula that I picked up in any one book or manuscript here; rather, it is the combination of all the learning and experience of the last three years that we have taken this journey. Here's the first and most important -
1) Knowledge and learning are gifts from God, and are to be used for His purposes.
There's no doubt in my mind that the Father is the source of all knowledge. Not only in the theological sense that He knows all, but in the practical sense that everything we think about had to have a source in someone else's mind. As babies our thoughts are formed and shaped by the environment and experiences of our parents or caretakers. We slowly come to a consciousness of our own conscious, but we never forget that it was formed and developed through contact with others. In the same way, our thoughts and ability to think was generated by the initial contact of the Creator, not by some leap of evolutionary biology. C.S. Lewis talks about this in the moral sense when he points out that without some source of the concept of "good", we would have no idea what constituted right behavior, except that which pleased us or made us feel a certain pleasurable way. But it is clear that even morally bankrupt people have some idea of a standard. No culture ever decided that being dishonest to your neighbor was a good thing, or that abandoning one's children is admirable. This standard wasn't simply developed in a vacuum, it was placed there by the Creator to remind us that we have a higher standard to reach to. As Romans states, "They are without excuse".
This impacts our family learning decisions in that I always consider how my educational choices impact my children's spiritual development. It may seem that only would affect science (creationism vs. evolution), but it has much wider impact. When choosing the language arts component, I noticed most traditional workbooks had a very liberal view of business - meaning, every time businesses were mentioned, the connotation was negative. That doesn't square with the scriptural principle that God grants us the wisdom to gain wealth. I didn't want my kids constantly reviewing a concept that was at its heart against the work ethic that Christians are to aspire to. Also, we have spent many days discussing how we should challenge ourselves to do better than the norm - even when we are ahead of our peers educationally. The question is not whether we are doing better than others, but whether we are learning and producing work "as unto the Lord" (Col 3:17). Since He is the one that gifted us with the ability to learn, isn't it His purpose and His approval that matters?
This is a very freeing concept in this day of testing and accountability. My daughter may not learn her time tables as fast as others, but in God's sight she is striving as mightly as Paul was 'toward the mark'. Marcus may be sometimes impatient with his ability to get every problem right, but in God's sight his mind is "fearfully and wonderfully made." It reminds me every day that it is not my approval either that counts. When God is the source and the standard of our learning, all of my efforts become secondary when viewed in light of the superior teaching ability of the Holy Spirit to guide them. When I remember to always trust His plans and His purposes in my children, I can rest in the fact that He that began the work will complete it. Whatever their eventual career choice, I will know that their education was designed to give God the freedom to take them anywhere He feels they will glorify Him the most.
When viewing family learning in this light, the final exam is not the test at the end of the book, nor even the SAT or the MCAT. It is the test from the parable of the talents, in which those that did the most with what the Master gave them heard the words, "Servant, well done." That is the statement that will determine whether I was successful in my homeschooling efforts, and of course, it is one that I pray and trust my children will aspire to and one day hear for themselves.
To be continued,
Looking unto the hills,
Homeschooldaddy
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A couple of rhetorical questions...
Nothing deep today. I just need to ask rhetorically for a couple of questions. There are several things in the proverbial frying pan right now, and I suppose airing it may bring suggestions from others or clarity from myself.
1) The economic mess. My rhetorical question is... what WERE we all thinking?
It's easy to blame Bush, blame Wall Street, blame anyone that has more than a 100K in the bank. But let's face it. Everyone in the world was ga-ga over the real estate market when it was booming. Interest rates were at 40 year lows. Home equity was as plentiful as air. And I can't remember anyone who was really riding through the streets like Paul Revere warning of an economic collaspe based on the greediness of both loaners and debtors.
The fact remains that the Bible warns us about credit in all its forms. There's not ONE instance that credit is mentioned in a positive light. We as a country are simply reaping the consequences God warned Israel about in Isaiah 24.
BEHOLD, THE LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for THE LORD hath spoken this word. (KJV)
Sorry, no one is exempt. If you can't pay, you shouldn't buy.
This has provided a great opportunity for me to teach the kids that even banks and governments are subject to the same financial realities that our family faces every day. In a sense, the only salvation of our economy will be the individual family's ability to survive without relying on the institutions that we have allowed to have too much influence over us. Why should I worry about whether Lehman Brothers or AIG has enough assets to cover their own debts, if I have saved enough to cover my own needs? Yes, I know we rely on investments and the like in this system, but in principle, if we simply live on less than we make and save the rest, no one will find themselves in the turmoil of not being able to have the "mattress" fund available for emergencies. I'm preaching to myself as well - we had a emergency fund but it's been eaten up several times this year. My loathing of credit was broken down by the lure of quick fixes, of taking my wife with me on trips that I knew I couldn't afford but didn't want to be alone on.
But never has the result of my use of credit been positive. If anything can be learned from this mess, it should be that we can't ignore the pains of the future for the pleasures of today's purchases. That goes for McCain, Obama, Pelosi, and especially for the Pauls.
2) Fitting in...how do you do it? and should you?
My wife and I have decided we will refer to our social / racial status in cookie terms. Specifically, we are now considering ourselves "ginger snaps." You remember Ginger Snaps - the orange and white box with the hard cookies that had that 'bite' to it. You don't eat a Ginger Snap when you have a sweet tooth craving. It's not the coolness of an Oreo, or the comfort of a Nilla wafer. It shakes you up a bit, and doesn't easily fit into a cookie category.
In the same sense, Miki and I are not your common cookie cutter couple. We are equally at home with John Cage, John Mayer and John Legend. Our radio in the morning is set to "Steve Harvey", in the evening to "Glenn Beck". (I would mention Rush Limbaugh but I'm afraid of being castigated by my kids and wife, who don't like him) We're Kirk Franklin on Sunday morning and Chris Tomlin on Sunday night. We homeschool from 9 to 3 and then go to open houses at the high school from 7 to 9. We veer from noticing racist tendencies in 'white' society to decrying the subtle racism we see in our own African -American culture. At times we have felt the ire of those who noticed we did not automatically take up the "cause" of equal rights - that is, in the way that blacks have traditionally seen that fight since the 1960's. We choose to see equality as the right to be equally independent, rather to be unequivocally linked to a mass groupthink cultural monolith. Miki, with her racially mixed background of Hispanic and Carribean ancestry, is especially sensitive to the lack of connection with others that 'get her'. At the same time, we understand that much of what we have become is owed to the strong traditional African American culture that we interface with most often. We just feel like we don't quite match the smoothness and ease that others may have in our social landscape. So the 'snappiness' comes out. We are in the same aisle as the vanilla and the chocolate, but when you dig in, you get much more than a simple flavor. You get the edginess of someone who's looking for a way in, and a way out. Of those that acknowledge the obvious, but won't always accept it. Of people that are slowly realizing that to simply blend in is to deny the uniqueness that our experience and our emotion adds to our relationships. Ginger may have a bitter taste at the beginning, but at the end it has a soothing effect. We certainly have needed that balance in dealing with our various challenges, and I suppose we should be grateful we can be ourselves with each other, even while we decide whether our taste is compatible with a very chocolate or vanilla only world.
More later on our homeschool progress - suffice it to say I'm already feeling like I need to put the pedal to the metal, 'cause Marcus and Naomi are braking a little too much.
Looking unto the hills ,
homeschooldaddy
1) The economic mess. My rhetorical question is... what WERE we all thinking?
It's easy to blame Bush, blame Wall Street, blame anyone that has more than a 100K in the bank. But let's face it. Everyone in the world was ga-ga over the real estate market when it was booming. Interest rates were at 40 year lows. Home equity was as plentiful as air. And I can't remember anyone who was really riding through the streets like Paul Revere warning of an economic collaspe based on the greediness of both loaners and debtors.
The fact remains that the Bible warns us about credit in all its forms. There's not ONE instance that credit is mentioned in a positive light. We as a country are simply reaping the consequences God warned Israel about in Isaiah 24.
BEHOLD, THE LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for THE LORD hath spoken this word. (KJV)
Sorry, no one is exempt. If you can't pay, you shouldn't buy.
This has provided a great opportunity for me to teach the kids that even banks and governments are subject to the same financial realities that our family faces every day. In a sense, the only salvation of our economy will be the individual family's ability to survive without relying on the institutions that we have allowed to have too much influence over us. Why should I worry about whether Lehman Brothers or AIG has enough assets to cover their own debts, if I have saved enough to cover my own needs? Yes, I know we rely on investments and the like in this system, but in principle, if we simply live on less than we make and save the rest, no one will find themselves in the turmoil of not being able to have the "mattress" fund available for emergencies. I'm preaching to myself as well - we had a emergency fund but it's been eaten up several times this year. My loathing of credit was broken down by the lure of quick fixes, of taking my wife with me on trips that I knew I couldn't afford but didn't want to be alone on.
But never has the result of my use of credit been positive. If anything can be learned from this mess, it should be that we can't ignore the pains of the future for the pleasures of today's purchases. That goes for McCain, Obama, Pelosi, and especially for the Pauls.
2) Fitting in...how do you do it? and should you?
My wife and I have decided we will refer to our social / racial status in cookie terms. Specifically, we are now considering ourselves "ginger snaps." You remember Ginger Snaps - the orange and white box with the hard cookies that had that 'bite' to it. You don't eat a Ginger Snap when you have a sweet tooth craving. It's not the coolness of an Oreo, or the comfort of a Nilla wafer. It shakes you up a bit, and doesn't easily fit into a cookie category.
In the same sense, Miki and I are not your common cookie cutter couple. We are equally at home with John Cage, John Mayer and John Legend. Our radio in the morning is set to "Steve Harvey", in the evening to "Glenn Beck". (I would mention Rush Limbaugh but I'm afraid of being castigated by my kids and wife, who don't like him) We're Kirk Franklin on Sunday morning and Chris Tomlin on Sunday night. We homeschool from 9 to 3 and then go to open houses at the high school from 7 to 9. We veer from noticing racist tendencies in 'white' society to decrying the subtle racism we see in our own African -American culture. At times we have felt the ire of those who noticed we did not automatically take up the "cause" of equal rights - that is, in the way that blacks have traditionally seen that fight since the 1960's. We choose to see equality as the right to be equally independent, rather to be unequivocally linked to a mass groupthink cultural monolith. Miki, with her racially mixed background of Hispanic and Carribean ancestry, is especially sensitive to the lack of connection with others that 'get her'. At the same time, we understand that much of what we have become is owed to the strong traditional African American culture that we interface with most often. We just feel like we don't quite match the smoothness and ease that others may have in our social landscape. So the 'snappiness' comes out. We are in the same aisle as the vanilla and the chocolate, but when you dig in, you get much more than a simple flavor. You get the edginess of someone who's looking for a way in, and a way out. Of those that acknowledge the obvious, but won't always accept it. Of people that are slowly realizing that to simply blend in is to deny the uniqueness that our experience and our emotion adds to our relationships. Ginger may have a bitter taste at the beginning, but at the end it has a soothing effect. We certainly have needed that balance in dealing with our various challenges, and I suppose we should be grateful we can be ourselves with each other, even while we decide whether our taste is compatible with a very chocolate or vanilla only world.
More later on our homeschool progress - suffice it to say I'm already feeling like I need to put the pedal to the metal, 'cause Marcus and Naomi are braking a little too much.
Looking unto the hills ,
homeschooldaddy
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Digital Connection
I think it was today, when I received an audio chat invitation from my 11 year old, Marcus, from inside my house, that I realized it had happened. We have officially become totally wired.
Each member of the family now has their own laptop. Miki and I have become Twitter, Facebook and My Space addicts (with My Space now a distant third for me - just too much stuff to keep up with.) I've been going through PDA withdrawal now for three days since my iPod touch went missing. Marcus does Virtual School through the web. Naomi turns in assignments to me through Home-school-inc.com, and messages me even when she's only 10 steps away. Christopher rarely detaches his Blackjack from his fingers for fear losing contact with the phone will signal an early social demise.
Not that I will start pining for the days of tin cans and string being the most advanced communication system available. It would be hypocritical in the least for me to blame my kids for being enthralled by their gadgets when their father practically lives on them. It is simply striking how naturally the digital lifestyle fits them, when some of this technology - Google Maps, audio and video chatting, GPS, etc. - barely existed when they were born.
One topic I am sincerely interested in studying with the kids is how all this technology works. I mean, really - how does my voice show up in a little device a thousand miles away, instantaneously? What kind of electromagnetic energy allows for transmissions from a satellite to my TV dish? And, probably most important, how many people still understand the underpinnings of our digital infrastructure? Is there a self-sustaining brain trust of the finest scientists teaching the next generation of collegiate technocrats? Or, like our economic meltdown, is it simply a house of cards constructed by behemoth companies that no longer understand the depth or complexity of the systems they constructed to support all these technologies? And can we, as consumers of the digital world, continue to be ignorant of how much these systems run our daily lives?
All this puzzles me as I twitter, blog, Skype, and text my way into that same technology driven connection between my closest friends and my most interesting strangers. The connections that this digital lifestyle creates also gives me pause. When did our lives become so fragmented that the only way we feel connected is by placing our thoughts, one moment at a time, on this tapestry of consciousnesses known as Twitter? I've quickly become very interested in seeing people's entries ("Tweets" for the uninitiated), as they give me a glimpse into how other people get through the day. Perhaps it's because each of us feel like no one else really sees us, anymore. The effort to say, "my thoughts, my feelings matter" has been the single driving force behind the advance of the social media tech boom. When people feel disenfranchised from government, or family, or country in a tangible sense, who else is there to turn to but the blogger across the country that is willing to read your complaints and compliments, that seems to have more in common with you than the neighbor that's been across the street for years, but still doesn't know your name?
By no means do I mean to imply that bloggers or Twitterers have no physical or social connections outside of the web. Far from it. I do think it is indicative of our current state that we now feel more connected with who are with us ideologically than who are around us physically. Both my wife and I have been struck by the feeling that many times those around us are simply acquaintances, but not really friends. The hardest part is determining whether it is the fear of rejection by our peers that drives us to connect to our web connections - because they choose to come to us, and it's instant validation. There's no pain of getting to know you, of sharing my intimate feelings before acceptance. There's a click, and a reading of a 120 character bio, some common tag words, and we're linked. Linked in a way that is both entrancing and, perhaps, unrealistic. But only time will tell if our new Internet personalities end up enhancing or diminishing our ability to connect eye to eye, face to face, voice to voice, instead of Voice to Voice Over Internet Protocol.
I must go now though. My cell phone needs charging, my online planner is in need of updating, and online bills must be paid. Maybe I'll unplug one of these weekends and show I'm able to give up all the wiredness, quit cold turkey. Surely I'm not addicted to the point that I can't do a non-digital day. You'll see.
Well, after I buy a new iPod Touch, that is.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Each member of the family now has their own laptop. Miki and I have become Twitter, Facebook and My Space addicts (with My Space now a distant third for me - just too much stuff to keep up with.) I've been going through PDA withdrawal now for three days since my iPod touch went missing. Marcus does Virtual School through the web. Naomi turns in assignments to me through Home-school-inc.com, and messages me even when she's only 10 steps away. Christopher rarely detaches his Blackjack from his fingers for fear losing contact with the phone will signal an early social demise.
Not that I will start pining for the days of tin cans and string being the most advanced communication system available. It would be hypocritical in the least for me to blame my kids for being enthralled by their gadgets when their father practically lives on them. It is simply striking how naturally the digital lifestyle fits them, when some of this technology - Google Maps, audio and video chatting, GPS, etc. - barely existed when they were born.
One topic I am sincerely interested in studying with the kids is how all this technology works. I mean, really - how does my voice show up in a little device a thousand miles away, instantaneously? What kind of electromagnetic energy allows for transmissions from a satellite to my TV dish? And, probably most important, how many people still understand the underpinnings of our digital infrastructure? Is there a self-sustaining brain trust of the finest scientists teaching the next generation of collegiate technocrats? Or, like our economic meltdown, is it simply a house of cards constructed by behemoth companies that no longer understand the depth or complexity of the systems they constructed to support all these technologies? And can we, as consumers of the digital world, continue to be ignorant of how much these systems run our daily lives?
All this puzzles me as I twitter, blog, Skype, and text my way into that same technology driven connection between my closest friends and my most interesting strangers. The connections that this digital lifestyle creates also gives me pause. When did our lives become so fragmented that the only way we feel connected is by placing our thoughts, one moment at a time, on this tapestry of consciousnesses known as Twitter? I've quickly become very interested in seeing people's entries ("Tweets" for the uninitiated), as they give me a glimpse into how other people get through the day. Perhaps it's because each of us feel like no one else really sees us, anymore. The effort to say, "my thoughts, my feelings matter" has been the single driving force behind the advance of the social media tech boom. When people feel disenfranchised from government, or family, or country in a tangible sense, who else is there to turn to but the blogger across the country that is willing to read your complaints and compliments, that seems to have more in common with you than the neighbor that's been across the street for years, but still doesn't know your name?
By no means do I mean to imply that bloggers or Twitterers have no physical or social connections outside of the web. Far from it. I do think it is indicative of our current state that we now feel more connected with who are with us ideologically than who are around us physically. Both my wife and I have been struck by the feeling that many times those around us are simply acquaintances, but not really friends. The hardest part is determining whether it is the fear of rejection by our peers that drives us to connect to our web connections - because they choose to come to us, and it's instant validation. There's no pain of getting to know you, of sharing my intimate feelings before acceptance. There's a click, and a reading of a 120 character bio, some common tag words, and we're linked. Linked in a way that is both entrancing and, perhaps, unrealistic. But only time will tell if our new Internet personalities end up enhancing or diminishing our ability to connect eye to eye, face to face, voice to voice, instead of Voice to Voice Over Internet Protocol.
I must go now though. My cell phone needs charging, my online planner is in need of updating, and online bills must be paid. Maybe I'll unplug one of these weekends and show I'm able to give up all the wiredness, quit cold turkey. Surely I'm not addicted to the point that I can't do a non-digital day. You'll see.
Well, after I buy a new iPod Touch, that is.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A Perfectionist Perspective
How easy life would be if we could truthfully believe what we want to believe about ourselves.
I would love to believe that I'm never motivated by selfish concerns. Would be enthralled by a sense of purpose and clarity in all my actions, coming from a heart of gold and a spiritual mindset.
If only.
Truth is, it's dreadfully easy to fool yourself. P.T. Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute", but he could have been referring to each of us as suckers for self-deception. When you think you're free of pride, or of making decisions to boost your own self worth rather than others, that's when reality steps in and shows you that you're prone to the same issues that the preening pop star or the pompous politician wrestle with. Not only that, it's tiring sometimes to keep evaluating yourself. Paul implied in Corinthians that he did not even judge himself, and perhaps that's why he had so much energy and focus on God - because judging yourself is a time and emotion consuming enterprise.
So to put practical meat on this metaphysical bone of an introduction, I'm again dealing with a situation where I felt my desires weren't met. (Yes, it's a church thing, as usual) Our services today were at a high school auditorium. Now, as I should, I'll list the successes of the morning: 1300 in attendance, numerous re-dedications and conversions to Christ, a beautiful display of dance, mime, and musical worship, and a dynamic Word from our Pastor. And what did I come away with?
Yep, perfectionist that I am, the negatives overshadowed it. As someone who does programs every week, I should expect the unexpected. But still, when the sound wasn't working, when the offering was shifted without my knowledge, when the song didn't last long enough for offering and we had to pull out an unrehearsed number, and especially when my family ended up walking (Walking!) from the auditorium because I had to break down the equipment and take it back at the church (no room for family in the SUV when it's full of drums and keyboards), well, I didn't feel very spiritual afterward.
So am I selfish?
Where does the line between disappointment and ungratefulness fall? The book I'm currently reading, "The Heart of the Artist", says perfectionist thinking leads to an all good or all bad type of analysis. Either we're on the mountaintop or in the valley. Emotionally, I think Jeremiah and Elijah, maybe even Jonah were like that in God's service. When things went well, they were high on God's truth and His victories. When things went south, they pleaded for release. I, too, have looked for release from trials that to others may seem trivial, but in the heart of the artist they get magnified a hundred times. We wear our hearts on our sleeves through our performance, and all too often they get knocked to the ground, and we can't distinguish whether we were in the right place or time to be offering up service for the pain of unrealized hopes or expectations.
If I had an answer for that type of feeling, a way of acknowledging desire for excellence without missing the point of selfless service, I'd probably have no need to write this entry, because I would have dealt with the problem and gone on about my business. But the struggle is part of the filtering process which allows me to see just where I am in this business of being authentic with myself and with others. Whether things go right is not as important as whether I go right - that is, move in the right direction.
As for family (the real priority), peaks and valleys also dominate the landscape. Peaks include the success of our first few lessons with Learning Language Arts through Literature. Both Marcus and Naomi like their books, and I feel better knowing we'll have a systematic schedule of dealing with grammar and handwriting (Marcus still sees no value in cursive, but I'm about to start requiring it. No other motivation seems to stick.) Our enrichment classes continue to be the highlight of their week. Marcus is developing delivery strategies for his already prodigious public speaking talents, and Naomi has become the stalwart practice queen of baton twirling.
Valleys, well, that would rest on my dear oldest son, who has not started off so well in his all-important junior year. At least he admitted his struggles in Pre-Calc, but transparency doesn't make the grades come up. Considering that he also has issues remembering homework and delivering assignments on time, I'm once again evaluating whether to continue this 'sink or swim' attitude toward his schooling. Knowing he'll be on his own in college and that he'll have to be self motivated and self correcting is one thing - having him fail to make the grades that will get him into the college in the first place is another. Again, not that I didn't expect the valleys, but they just don't seem to get any easier. So I'll sit down with him and really look at what's going on, make the tutor appointments, try to get him to take ownership while not letting him slip through the crack of the "everything's OK" cop-out defense. We'll have to see whether intervention brings results as well as a change in his approach - which I guess is still ultimately up to him. The perfectionist 'keep everything under control' method loses again, which means the 'walk by faith' method will have to kick in. And the journey continues.
After all that, just a little trip to Applebees can seem like an oasis of rest in a desert of bills, grades, and ministry hangups. And we did laugh there at Marcus' charming of the waitress, Naomi's deadpan delivery, and Christopher's quirky perceptions. Miki and I smile at each other more and more when we see them in action, because we simply can't figure out how either of us could have anything to do with how unique our childrens' perspectives are. It's no longer, "She gets that from you," or, "You're just like your..." They are individuals, and now we have to simply love and guide them into being who God wants them to be, not what we expected them to be. I can't say I know what's in store for them, but I know He'll be there with us as the ultimate Parent, and that's enough comfort for us to continue.
Looking unto the hills,
Homeschooldaddy
I would love to believe that I'm never motivated by selfish concerns. Would be enthralled by a sense of purpose and clarity in all my actions, coming from a heart of gold and a spiritual mindset.
If only.
Truth is, it's dreadfully easy to fool yourself. P.T. Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute", but he could have been referring to each of us as suckers for self-deception. When you think you're free of pride, or of making decisions to boost your own self worth rather than others, that's when reality steps in and shows you that you're prone to the same issues that the preening pop star or the pompous politician wrestle with. Not only that, it's tiring sometimes to keep evaluating yourself. Paul implied in Corinthians that he did not even judge himself, and perhaps that's why he had so much energy and focus on God - because judging yourself is a time and emotion consuming enterprise.
So to put practical meat on this metaphysical bone of an introduction, I'm again dealing with a situation where I felt my desires weren't met. (Yes, it's a church thing, as usual) Our services today were at a high school auditorium. Now, as I should, I'll list the successes of the morning: 1300 in attendance, numerous re-dedications and conversions to Christ, a beautiful display of dance, mime, and musical worship, and a dynamic Word from our Pastor. And what did I come away with?
Yep, perfectionist that I am, the negatives overshadowed it. As someone who does programs every week, I should expect the unexpected. But still, when the sound wasn't working, when the offering was shifted without my knowledge, when the song didn't last long enough for offering and we had to pull out an unrehearsed number, and especially when my family ended up walking (Walking!) from the auditorium because I had to break down the equipment and take it back at the church (no room for family in the SUV when it's full of drums and keyboards), well, I didn't feel very spiritual afterward.
So am I selfish?
Where does the line between disappointment and ungratefulness fall? The book I'm currently reading, "The Heart of the Artist", says perfectionist thinking leads to an all good or all bad type of analysis. Either we're on the mountaintop or in the valley. Emotionally, I think Jeremiah and Elijah, maybe even Jonah were like that in God's service. When things went well, they were high on God's truth and His victories. When things went south, they pleaded for release. I, too, have looked for release from trials that to others may seem trivial, but in the heart of the artist they get magnified a hundred times. We wear our hearts on our sleeves through our performance, and all too often they get knocked to the ground, and we can't distinguish whether we were in the right place or time to be offering up service for the pain of unrealized hopes or expectations.
If I had an answer for that type of feeling, a way of acknowledging desire for excellence without missing the point of selfless service, I'd probably have no need to write this entry, because I would have dealt with the problem and gone on about my business. But the struggle is part of the filtering process which allows me to see just where I am in this business of being authentic with myself and with others. Whether things go right is not as important as whether I go right - that is, move in the right direction.
As for family (the real priority), peaks and valleys also dominate the landscape. Peaks include the success of our first few lessons with Learning Language Arts through Literature. Both Marcus and Naomi like their books, and I feel better knowing we'll have a systematic schedule of dealing with grammar and handwriting (Marcus still sees no value in cursive, but I'm about to start requiring it. No other motivation seems to stick.) Our enrichment classes continue to be the highlight of their week. Marcus is developing delivery strategies for his already prodigious public speaking talents, and Naomi has become the stalwart practice queen of baton twirling.
Valleys, well, that would rest on my dear oldest son, who has not started off so well in his all-important junior year. At least he admitted his struggles in Pre-Calc, but transparency doesn't make the grades come up. Considering that he also has issues remembering homework and delivering assignments on time, I'm once again evaluating whether to continue this 'sink or swim' attitude toward his schooling. Knowing he'll be on his own in college and that he'll have to be self motivated and self correcting is one thing - having him fail to make the grades that will get him into the college in the first place is another. Again, not that I didn't expect the valleys, but they just don't seem to get any easier. So I'll sit down with him and really look at what's going on, make the tutor appointments, try to get him to take ownership while not letting him slip through the crack of the "everything's OK" cop-out defense. We'll have to see whether intervention brings results as well as a change in his approach - which I guess is still ultimately up to him. The perfectionist 'keep everything under control' method loses again, which means the 'walk by faith' method will have to kick in. And the journey continues.
After all that, just a little trip to Applebees can seem like an oasis of rest in a desert of bills, grades, and ministry hangups. And we did laugh there at Marcus' charming of the waitress, Naomi's deadpan delivery, and Christopher's quirky perceptions. Miki and I smile at each other more and more when we see them in action, because we simply can't figure out how either of us could have anything to do with how unique our childrens' perspectives are. It's no longer, "She gets that from you," or, "You're just like your..." They are individuals, and now we have to simply love and guide them into being who God wants them to be, not what we expected them to be. I can't say I know what's in store for them, but I know He'll be there with us as the ultimate Parent, and that's enough comfort for us to continue.
Looking unto the hills,
Homeschooldaddy
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Perils of Caring
In one of the Star Trek movies (the Next Generation, not the classic Kirk ones), Lt. Commander Data, the super smart android, gets an emotion chip that allows him to feel. He is almost overwhelmed by the flood of emotional content, from sadness to extreme giddiness, and laments how emotions can be so fulfilling and yet so destructive and debilitating. I have to concur. I sometimes wish I could take the emotional content of my brain, place it in a bottle, and label it as "contents under pressure", where I would shake it up and release it only when there was a safe perimeter where no one, including myself, would be hurt. Unfortunately, they remain within the fragile and all too easily breached container of my own being.
In short, I wish I didn't get hurt so easily, by rejection, failure, or the misery and rejection of others. It makes for a poor leader that can't handle watching his followers take a necessary hit of humble pie, even when they need it. It also makes a less than appealing husband, when it's necessary for one of us, namely me, to maintain a sense of optimism when my better half is feeling the worse. And as a father, I'm probably guilty of not showing my kids how to handle adversity without looking like adversity is handling me. There is a thin line between true grit and determination and false hope, but I know I've been too visibly down around the kids, and they know when things aren't right. Shutting off the dissapointments of life isn't healthy, but neither is the wallowing, and I've lost the balance lately.
Not that I can complain - the roof hasn't caved in yet (although these storms keep us on our toes - we can't call a roofer because the next storm is always two days away), the kids finally have their curriculum for the year, and the car has held up for three months longer than I thought it would. But relationship wise, I'm coming to realize that my desire for real friends and strong interdependant relationships has been unmet, because I have no safe area to vent. When I hear things like the craziness surrounding the elections, instead of thinking "Tsk, tsk", and going about my business, I instead feel like throwing the TV through the wall. I nearly cried when I heard our school superindentent was bought out over dumb personality conflicts and not over his actual job performance. Injustice and conflict seem to be daggers pointed directly at my heart, and I just wonder if there is a place where I could hole up and let someone else care.
I suppose there are things I could do. I could throw myself more into helping others, as I taught at Bible Study on Tuesday - find others lower than myself and help them up. I could spend more time with the kids and really get into their loves and desires, and keep myself from spending too much time worrying about my molehills masquerading as mountains. I could simply be more tough skinned, give myself a 1 Timothy pep talk about power, love and sound mind replacing the spirit of fear.
Or, I can admit that God made me tenderhearted. Admit that I may be wired to be sensitive to the cares of others, and accept the joys and pains of empathy. And when the darts of life pierce through the membrane of my emotional bubble, I can shuffle to my Father, holding it up like a child shows a mother his skinned knee, asking for a kiss of healing. The Father asks, "Show me where it hurts." I point to my heart, and wait for the feeling of being care for to wash over the pain and soothe the hurt over with a salve of security. No cream, Band-Aid, or antiseptic can do what that one kiss of comfort does - remind me that Someone cares more than I ever could.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
In short, I wish I didn't get hurt so easily, by rejection, failure, or the misery and rejection of others. It makes for a poor leader that can't handle watching his followers take a necessary hit of humble pie, even when they need it. It also makes a less than appealing husband, when it's necessary for one of us, namely me, to maintain a sense of optimism when my better half is feeling the worse. And as a father, I'm probably guilty of not showing my kids how to handle adversity without looking like adversity is handling me. There is a thin line between true grit and determination and false hope, but I know I've been too visibly down around the kids, and they know when things aren't right. Shutting off the dissapointments of life isn't healthy, but neither is the wallowing, and I've lost the balance lately.
Not that I can complain - the roof hasn't caved in yet (although these storms keep us on our toes - we can't call a roofer because the next storm is always two days away), the kids finally have their curriculum for the year, and the car has held up for three months longer than I thought it would. But relationship wise, I'm coming to realize that my desire for real friends and strong interdependant relationships has been unmet, because I have no safe area to vent. When I hear things like the craziness surrounding the elections, instead of thinking "Tsk, tsk", and going about my business, I instead feel like throwing the TV through the wall. I nearly cried when I heard our school superindentent was bought out over dumb personality conflicts and not over his actual job performance. Injustice and conflict seem to be daggers pointed directly at my heart, and I just wonder if there is a place where I could hole up and let someone else care.
I suppose there are things I could do. I could throw myself more into helping others, as I taught at Bible Study on Tuesday - find others lower than myself and help them up. I could spend more time with the kids and really get into their loves and desires, and keep myself from spending too much time worrying about my molehills masquerading as mountains. I could simply be more tough skinned, give myself a 1 Timothy pep talk about power, love and sound mind replacing the spirit of fear.
Or, I can admit that God made me tenderhearted. Admit that I may be wired to be sensitive to the cares of others, and accept the joys and pains of empathy. And when the darts of life pierce through the membrane of my emotional bubble, I can shuffle to my Father, holding it up like a child shows a mother his skinned knee, asking for a kiss of healing. The Father asks, "Show me where it hurts." I point to my heart, and wait for the feeling of being care for to wash over the pain and soothe the hurt over with a salve of security. No cream, Band-Aid, or antiseptic can do what that one kiss of comfort does - remind me that Someone cares more than I ever could.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thanks Familyman...
No better way for me to say this, so here's the entire Familyman e-newsletter for this week.
Thanks Todd for making me feel a little better as I fight the urge to avoid the kids this weekend...(I'm being honest...)
Thanks Todd for making me feel a little better as I fight the urge to avoid the kids this weekend...(I'm being honest...)
Hey Dad,
Sorry for getting this to you so late this week. I’ve been behind the ball, and the fruit flies are back. I’m telling you, these little goomers appear out of nowhere. You leave half a banana on the counter, and the next thing you know, boom! You have an infestation. Well, I didn’t mean to burden you with my hardships, but I do want to wish you a happy Labor Day and to tell you to make it a good’un.
Labor Day is a bittersweet weekend, signaling the end of summer and the beginning of school and routine. Not that that’s all bad, but it still feels kind of sad to me. But thankfully we have a holiday to ease our pain.
In fact, today we’re heading over to my in-law’s lake cottage for a couple of days of last summer fun. We’ll swim in the noticeably colder water, eat watermelon, and sit on the porch talking while the kids play in the notably colder water. All the while, I’ll be thinking about how the summer is over, fall is right around the corner, and that I’ve got an infestation of fruit flies in my home.
I’ve also been thinking about the somewhat-annual backyard camping trip that needs to happen in the next couple of weekends before the nights turn really cold. I’m not sure we’ve pitched the tent in our yard in the last two years, but I know it’s time to get it out. The kids love it. They love the smell of the tent, the warmth of the fire, and the frigid cold in the morning.
I don’t love it---but I love them and what happens when we camp in the backyard. If you want the painfully honest truth, I don’t really love most of what my kids love doing. I don’t love playing kickball, going on bike rides, hosting the Wilson Olympics, or having pillow fights in the familyroom.
BUT---I do love my children and they LOVE doing all that stuff---with ME.
So, Dad, make this Labor Day a good’un. Play hard, camp in the backyard, take a canoe trip down a creek, go for a long-promised bike ride, go to the mall to do some serious back-to-school clothes shopping, or whatever else it is that your children would love to do with you.
Yeah, I know you don’t love doing those things---but I know you do love them.
You ‘da dad,
Todd
Sorry for getting this to you so late this week. I’ve been behind the ball, and the fruit flies are back. I’m telling you, these little goomers appear out of nowhere. You leave half a banana on the counter, and the next thing you know, boom! You have an infestation. Well, I didn’t mean to burden you with my hardships, but I do want to wish you a happy Labor Day and to tell you to make it a good’un.
Labor Day is a bittersweet weekend, signaling the end of summer and the beginning of school and routine. Not that that’s all bad, but it still feels kind of sad to me. But thankfully we have a holiday to ease our pain.
In fact, today we’re heading over to my in-law’s lake cottage for a couple of days of last summer fun. We’ll swim in the noticeably colder water, eat watermelon, and sit on the porch talking while the kids play in the notably colder water. All the while, I’ll be thinking about how the summer is over, fall is right around the corner, and that I’ve got an infestation of fruit flies in my home.
I’ve also been thinking about the somewhat-annual backyard camping trip that needs to happen in the next couple of weekends before the nights turn really cold. I’m not sure we’ve pitched the tent in our yard in the last two years, but I know it’s time to get it out. The kids love it. They love the smell of the tent, the warmth of the fire, and the frigid cold in the morning.
I don’t love it---but I love them and what happens when we camp in the backyard. If you want the painfully honest truth, I don’t really love most of what my kids love doing. I don’t love playing kickball, going on bike rides, hosting the Wilson Olympics, or having pillow fights in the familyroom.
BUT---I do love my children and they LOVE doing all that stuff---with ME.
So, Dad, make this Labor Day a good’un. Play hard, camp in the backyard, take a canoe trip down a creek, go for a long-promised bike ride, go to the mall to do some serious back-to-school clothes shopping, or whatever else it is that your children would love to do with you.
Yeah, I know you don’t love doing those things---but I know you do love them.
You ‘da dad,
Todd
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
homeschooldaddy
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Time's Up
A rare morning post.
I know I just wrote that 5 AM was too early to be getting up to work out, but I immediately realized after writing that most of the time I'd be up by 6 anyway, so it was a bit disingenuous. This morning I awoke, tried to go to the family room where I have my devotional time, and found it buried in papers and things to file. So in order to put God first, I had to clean up the area where I meet Him. I think there's a lesson in that somewhere.
As for homeschooling, I've come to the conclusion that I have to get on the ball concerning the kids' academic choices this year. We've kind of done it backwards in that they've already chosen extra curricular activities - Marcus is taking Public Speaking, Guitar, Ceramics, and Sports at our Friday classes at Riverside, while Naomi opted for 'Miami CSI' (forensics), Baton Twirling and Cake Decorating - but I'm still undecided on our core curricula. Language Arts still seems to be Naomi's Achilles' heel. I've taken a close look at Sonlight and Four in a Row, but I'm not convinced there's enough of the intergration between literature and critical thinking that I'd like to see. My approach has always been to avoid the mundane workbook style questions you see in so many texts. In the last workbook I bought for her, I found sentences that seemed to come right out of a UN manifesto, like"The four countries agreed to make a treaty to reduce pollution" (reference to Kyoto). Meanwhile, not one sentence referred to a business or to someone working in the private sector.
Since public school is now in session, the pressure begins to keep up, even as I try to maintain our own pace and direction. I'm glad to say that my wife fills in the gap while I rummage through the decision making process. She finds review work through ABCTeach.com and other sites that keeps them busy for the first two weeks. The tricky thing about unit studies is not running into points where you cover subjects but not skills, so my effort will be to combine the two as well as possible. I'll be sure to post after I finish my research and make a decision - I'd love some comments or suggestions from anyone who's in the same boat I am.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
I know I just wrote that 5 AM was too early to be getting up to work out, but I immediately realized after writing that most of the time I'd be up by 6 anyway, so it was a bit disingenuous. This morning I awoke, tried to go to the family room where I have my devotional time, and found it buried in papers and things to file. So in order to put God first, I had to clean up the area where I meet Him. I think there's a lesson in that somewhere.
As for homeschooling, I've come to the conclusion that I have to get on the ball concerning the kids' academic choices this year. We've kind of done it backwards in that they've already chosen extra curricular activities - Marcus is taking Public Speaking, Guitar, Ceramics, and Sports at our Friday classes at Riverside, while Naomi opted for 'Miami CSI' (forensics), Baton Twirling and Cake Decorating - but I'm still undecided on our core curricula. Language Arts still seems to be Naomi's Achilles' heel. I've taken a close look at Sonlight and Four in a Row, but I'm not convinced there's enough of the intergration between literature and critical thinking that I'd like to see. My approach has always been to avoid the mundane workbook style questions you see in so many texts. In the last workbook I bought for her, I found sentences that seemed to come right out of a UN manifesto, like"The four countries agreed to make a treaty to reduce pollution" (reference to Kyoto). Meanwhile, not one sentence referred to a business or to someone working in the private sector.
Since public school is now in session, the pressure begins to keep up, even as I try to maintain our own pace and direction. I'm glad to say that my wife fills in the gap while I rummage through the decision making process. She finds review work through ABCTeach.com and other sites that keeps them busy for the first two weeks. The tricky thing about unit studies is not running into points where you cover subjects but not skills, so my effort will be to combine the two as well as possible. I'll be sure to post after I finish my research and make a decision - I'd love some comments or suggestions from anyone who's in the same boat I am.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Scattershot Thoughts...
Just feel like letting off some steam...
homeschooldaddy
- Let me say it so that I can take the criticism now. I don't care how engaging Obama is. Charisma doesn't make you a leader. It makes you easier to follow. There's a difference.
- It's no longer 15 minutes of fame that is the claim of every person, as Andy Warhol said. It's the 15 seconds every person will devote to perfect strangers that have a web page, Twitter account or Facebook. Add those 15 seconds together, and everyone is famous for about 3 days.
- Yes, I want to work out and be fit. No, I don't want to get up at 5 AM to do it.
- Did you know the inventor of 'Pringles' Vacuum Can was cremated and buried in one?
- I'm at a weird place in my life. I watch 'Family Guy' and 'American Masters' with equal fervor.
- Why be sad about the end of the Olympics? I can watch "Ninja Warrior" for weeks and see more of the "Thrill of Victory, and the Agony of Defeat".
- Besides, does anybody know what happened to that skier that flew off the ski jump in the opening sequence of Wide World of Sports? Did he ever get any royalties? How did it feel to have millions of people equate your worst moment as the visual definition of defeat?
- It is the hardest thing to have a conversation with someone and not accidentally talk over each other, so one has to say, "No, you go ahead." It's like we need conversational traffic signals. Red light, you talk. Green light, I talk. Or maybe a conversation referee.
- Great idea Washington, that whole making corn into gas ethanol thing. Never thought instead of holding back on gas, I should hold back on Corn Flakes to decrease demand.
- I heard how Madonna compared John McCain to Hitler. How is it that stars can make a living insulting the pants off of people, and then sue someone for libel because someone reported something they didn't like in US Weekly?
- It's amazing that after 10 years, I still haven't determined the fastest way to drive to work. It's like the never ending experiment. In ten years Einstein had e=mc2, but I can't tell if the Turnpike or US1 or Marlin is the fastest way to 152nd.
- Don't forget to vote today here in Miami. The issues on the ballot (Children's Trust, State Rep., etc.) are way more pertinent to our daily lives than the guy in the house on Pennsylvania Ave.
homeschooldaddy
Saturday, August 23, 2008
More Atlanta Pics....Courtesy of Naomi's Photography, Inc.
Welcome Here Park... a fitting name for a family reunion picnic.
Partners in crime - Naomi, Brianna (cousin), Marcus at downtown diner
Georgia Dome - or is it geodeisic?
World of Coca - Cola - we waited 1 hour and paid $100 to be advertised to. America is amazing.
The Paul Men - Justin, Me, Dad
Marcus, Aunt Lillie, Chris (trying to dodge being photographed)
Marcus and Miki (rock that orange, girl!)
My mom, "Dear", always smiling...right?
Abigail, my niece (doesn't she look like there should be a patch over on eye and a parrot on her shoulder?)
Aunt Lillie, beauty and sound mind
The photographer's self portrait at the family picnic. Good job, Naomi.Looking unto the Hills,
homeschoooldaddy
Friday, August 22, 2008
Days of our School Lives...
Thank God for Public School. Yes, I said it.
As much as I denigrate public schooling at times for the burgeoning, bloated bueracracy that it is, I must admit no one was happier than me to see the first day of school come for my oldest, now a junior in high school. Tropical Storm Fay came along and gave all of Miami what we want most out of a storm - days off with no rain, wind, or roofs caving in. Well, maybe just a little wind and rain, and only the kids got the days off. So while Mom and Dad covered computers at work with trash bags, the kids watched more TV and stuffed themselves with more microwave pizza.
Needless to say, I was extremely conflicted. I was content to let Marcus and Naomi rest Monday and Tuesday and celebrate the fact that they weren't bound by the tyrannical school schedule. But when there was no school schedule to base our celebration around, and no standard times for me to measure our work against - I usually try to have the kids assignments done in time for after school tutoring, which was cancelled - I was hit with the realization that the school schedule does provide a basis in which I as a homeschooler have a structure set up for me. Even our summer vacations are simply an extension of the normal public school vacations, and most of the time I simply use the school calendar holidays as holidays for my kids as well. It just makes it easier to track when I don't have two calendars to keep up with.
So am I a hypocrite? No, probably just lazy. I know if I had more administrative skill I could have my own highly personalized schedule for our family learning. But it makes more sense for our blended educational family to use the standard timelines of the school, so we always have continuity in our day to day planning. I don't know if this works for others, but it works for us.
As for this year, I'm not yet settled on Naomi's language arts program. I'm somewhere between adopting a total curriculum and simply buying a subject area concentration from Alpha Omega or Sonlight. The beginning of school yesterday seemed to underscore the need for me to hurry up and choose, but the sight of Naomi doing her own practice through internet games was enough to comfort me that that tyrannical schedule doesn't have to take away our ability to move at our own pace.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
As much as I denigrate public schooling at times for the burgeoning, bloated bueracracy that it is, I must admit no one was happier than me to see the first day of school come for my oldest, now a junior in high school. Tropical Storm Fay came along and gave all of Miami what we want most out of a storm - days off with no rain, wind, or roofs caving in. Well, maybe just a little wind and rain, and only the kids got the days off. So while Mom and Dad covered computers at work with trash bags, the kids watched more TV and stuffed themselves with more microwave pizza.
Needless to say, I was extremely conflicted. I was content to let Marcus and Naomi rest Monday and Tuesday and celebrate the fact that they weren't bound by the tyrannical school schedule. But when there was no school schedule to base our celebration around, and no standard times for me to measure our work against - I usually try to have the kids assignments done in time for after school tutoring, which was cancelled - I was hit with the realization that the school schedule does provide a basis in which I as a homeschooler have a structure set up for me. Even our summer vacations are simply an extension of the normal public school vacations, and most of the time I simply use the school calendar holidays as holidays for my kids as well. It just makes it easier to track when I don't have two calendars to keep up with.
So am I a hypocrite? No, probably just lazy. I know if I had more administrative skill I could have my own highly personalized schedule for our family learning. But it makes more sense for our blended educational family to use the standard timelines of the school, so we always have continuity in our day to day planning. I don't know if this works for others, but it works for us.
As for this year, I'm not yet settled on Naomi's language arts program. I'm somewhere between adopting a total curriculum and simply buying a subject area concentration from Alpha Omega or Sonlight. The beginning of school yesterday seemed to underscore the need for me to hurry up and choose, but the sight of Naomi doing her own practice through internet games was enough to comfort me that that tyrannical schedule doesn't have to take away our ability to move at our own pace.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Friday, August 08, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
The Joy of Reconnection
It's hard to return, but harder to stay away.
So much has transpired in the last few weeks, so it's best that I start with what's fresh, which is our family reunion experience in Atlanta. Just a weekend with 300 of my closest friends. I must admit I was a bit apprehensive as the trip neared at the beginning of August. After all, I remember very few of my relatives, and my last family reunion trip was more a blur than a memorable event. So, Miki, Christopher and I packed up and headed to Atlanta (which was a feat in itself considering our car's radiator died hours before leaving, forcing us into a rental van), and rehearsed the phrases we felt would protect us...
"I'm Laverna Johnson's first grandson..."
"I'm Reita's daughter in law...
"We're on the Williams side"...
Anything to remind our relatives that we really belonged.
Upon arrival, our first sight was the giddy faces of Marcus and Naomi, freshly spoiled by my parents - the new video game hasn't arrived yet, but I'm sure the kids will remind them to ship it - and hugs all around for my parents, my sister and niece, and my aunts that had arrived. We then found ourselves in the hotel ballroom with about 100 of the first arrivals, where we met up with the family choir and my cousin Marilyn, who was directing traffic for me music wise. Of course I had to play - it was my ticket into good graces with the family for missing so many reunions. (Just kidding.)
I could talk more about the goings on - the picnic, the dance where my parents and (gasp) my wife and I danced while grandkids and kids gawked and gagged at the sight of romantic adults (how do they think they got here?), the bickering of the family business meeting, or other memories. But most of all I was filled with a sense of belonging, of once again knowing I have roots in something larger, bigger, and more expansive than my little life here in Miami.
Confession.
These posts became scarce as I began considering big changes in our family life and lifestyle, and I began to fear writing. Mostly because this became a safe place to air my feelings and frustrations, I was terrified that when thinking of change and opening myself to the possibilities publicly on paper, I would lose that sense of honesty in trying to protect my readers (and myself) from the sense of uncertainty that such a reflection would bring. But with a few sermons and a reflection period, I realize that without such a opening to new horizons, there could be no real benefit in being reconnected. How could I have such a strong foundation, a family stretching 6 generations, and not at least give the next generation an example of fortitude in the face of change and challenge? My ancestors do not loom large as intimidators, but as
examples of how far life can take you even when you don't realize it at the time.
Knowing I'm at one of those points - where my present is as tenuous and tender as my future - gives me even more reason to hang on to the foundations of my past. To know that my city of residence, my career, or my current calling don't change what made me what I am now, and changing any of those first conditions will not change the root of who I will be. It is all based on the connections already made in my faith and my family that ensure that my success will be permanent even if my circumstances change.
I'll have much more info on the reunion, not that I got the heavy stuff out. I'll attach pictures soon.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschoooldaddy
So much has transpired in the last few weeks, so it's best that I start with what's fresh, which is our family reunion experience in Atlanta. Just a weekend with 300 of my closest friends. I must admit I was a bit apprehensive as the trip neared at the beginning of August. After all, I remember very few of my relatives, and my last family reunion trip was more a blur than a memorable event. So, Miki, Christopher and I packed up and headed to Atlanta (which was a feat in itself considering our car's radiator died hours before leaving, forcing us into a rental van), and rehearsed the phrases we felt would protect us...
"I'm Laverna Johnson's first grandson..."
"I'm Reita's daughter in law...
"We're on the Williams side"...
Anything to remind our relatives that we really belonged.
Upon arrival, our first sight was the giddy faces of Marcus and Naomi, freshly spoiled by my parents - the new video game hasn't arrived yet, but I'm sure the kids will remind them to ship it - and hugs all around for my parents, my sister and niece, and my aunts that had arrived. We then found ourselves in the hotel ballroom with about 100 of the first arrivals, where we met up with the family choir and my cousin Marilyn, who was directing traffic for me music wise. Of course I had to play - it was my ticket into good graces with the family for missing so many reunions. (Just kidding.)
I could talk more about the goings on - the picnic, the dance where my parents and (gasp) my wife and I danced while grandkids and kids gawked and gagged at the sight of romantic adults (how do they think they got here?), the bickering of the family business meeting, or other memories. But most of all I was filled with a sense of belonging, of once again knowing I have roots in something larger, bigger, and more expansive than my little life here in Miami.
Confession.
These posts became scarce as I began considering big changes in our family life and lifestyle, and I began to fear writing. Mostly because this became a safe place to air my feelings and frustrations, I was terrified that when thinking of change and opening myself to the possibilities publicly on paper, I would lose that sense of honesty in trying to protect my readers (and myself) from the sense of uncertainty that such a reflection would bring. But with a few sermons and a reflection period, I realize that without such a opening to new horizons, there could be no real benefit in being reconnected. How could I have such a strong foundation, a family stretching 6 generations, and not at least give the next generation an example of fortitude in the face of change and challenge? My ancestors do not loom large as intimidators, but as
examples of how far life can take you even when you don't realize it at the time.
Knowing I'm at one of those points - where my present is as tenuous and tender as my future - gives me even more reason to hang on to the foundations of my past. To know that my city of residence, my career, or my current calling don't change what made me what I am now, and changing any of those first conditions will not change the root of who I will be. It is all based on the connections already made in my faith and my family that ensure that my success will be permanent even if my circumstances change.
I'll have much more info on the reunion, not that I got the heavy stuff out. I'll attach pictures soon.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschoooldaddy
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Thoughts on the 4th.....
Well, it's been a while since I've checked in, and summer has rolled on in some expected ways, and transformed in some unexpected ways.
Since I've written, the younger 2 kids went off to Pensacola to spend summer with the grandparents (my parents), which turned our normally boisterous household of 3 children into a one-teenager family overnight. Raising a 16 year old is tricky enough, but without his brother and sister to drive him crazy (as he sees it), my wife and I have found new ways to interact with him. He's more engaging, perhaps because there's no pressure to stay within the confines of the older brother role. Of course, it may also be the fact that he's now 16 and realizing it. I'm sure that if he was confident in his driving and had found a job, he would try renting out an apartment, 'cause that's basically what his room has become. We see him every few hours, coming out from the screen heaven of TV and laptop. In fairness, he's been as helpful as ever, assisting us as Miki and I have pretended to move out ourselves in repainting all our furniture. We've reverted to college life, living out of Rubbermaid rolling dressers and camping out with mattresses on the floor.
For the 4th of July, we took a trip up to West Palm to visit Miki's mom. For a mover and shaker such as myself, the free time is both blessing and burden. Blessing in that we had time away from the bustle of ministry, but burden in learning to enjoy that time. It seems my biggest struggle is learning to relax, which of course means my wife can't relax either. She is always trying to make me comfortable, and I feel guilty for that as well. It's tough to let go of the super - plan mode that our daily life requires.
As for the night of franks and fireworks, it did seem a little disappointing. Without a big family gathering, we improvised our way to the display in downtown West Palm Beach. We didn't count on traffic though, so we ended up watching from the top of a parking garage behind another building that kind of blocked our view. The bangs and booms did bring the requisite oohs and aahs, and I couldn't help thinking of how Americans are continuously defined by what is bigger, louder, or showier. Even in this time of readjusting attitudes on our economy (how many Hummers have been sold lately?), we still want the newest and best auto, the biggest flat screen, and we find great joy in firing thousands of pounds of colored gunpowder into the air in order to say, "Look at us, we're the greatest country on earth!" How ironic is it that our national celebration is capped off with a Chinese invention?
Forgive the sarcasm, but it is my feeling that more of our self - image must be based on our internal meaning, not on our external traditions or fall-back illusions of grandeur. A new President does not define us; neither a political party, nor a cause or a case for some law or judgment. What defines this country is the definition of an individual -
"having a striking or unusual character; original".
Our country is based on the dichotomy of individuals that affirm each other's individuality, while declaring their united understanding of the same as the essential right and responsibility of each to uphold and maintain. And whether you equate the ideals that spawned such a sentiment with the Magna Carta, the deistic leanings of Founding Fathers, or the direct influence of God, no one can replace them with any slogan or flag pin. The true celebration of our independence is in the everyday exercise of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Love is what love does, and patriotism is what patriotism does. It sacrifices self for others, family, faith, and country. It realizes the country is better when I am better, not when others make it better. It refuses to place its future in other hands, but takes up the mantle and works until its future is squarely in his. Mostly, it realizes that one's citizenship is a gift, a blessing, and that in another reality we all could have been born into a worse situation, or not been able to escape one by emigrating to this country. Therefore, it constantly lives to repay the gift by being a blessing back to the land that gives it sanctuary and substance.
Happy birthday, USA.
Looking unto the hills,
HomeSchoolDaddy
Since I've written, the younger 2 kids went off to Pensacola to spend summer with the grandparents (my parents), which turned our normally boisterous household of 3 children into a one-teenager family overnight. Raising a 16 year old is tricky enough, but without his brother and sister to drive him crazy (as he sees it), my wife and I have found new ways to interact with him. He's more engaging, perhaps because there's no pressure to stay within the confines of the older brother role. Of course, it may also be the fact that he's now 16 and realizing it. I'm sure that if he was confident in his driving and had found a job, he would try renting out an apartment, 'cause that's basically what his room has become. We see him every few hours, coming out from the screen heaven of TV and laptop. In fairness, he's been as helpful as ever, assisting us as Miki and I have pretended to move out ourselves in repainting all our furniture. We've reverted to college life, living out of Rubbermaid rolling dressers and camping out with mattresses on the floor.
For the 4th of July, we took a trip up to West Palm to visit Miki's mom. For a mover and shaker such as myself, the free time is both blessing and burden. Blessing in that we had time away from the bustle of ministry, but burden in learning to enjoy that time. It seems my biggest struggle is learning to relax, which of course means my wife can't relax either. She is always trying to make me comfortable, and I feel guilty for that as well. It's tough to let go of the super - plan mode that our daily life requires.
As for the night of franks and fireworks, it did seem a little disappointing. Without a big family gathering, we improvised our way to the display in downtown West Palm Beach. We didn't count on traffic though, so we ended up watching from the top of a parking garage behind another building that kind of blocked our view. The bangs and booms did bring the requisite oohs and aahs, and I couldn't help thinking of how Americans are continuously defined by what is bigger, louder, or showier. Even in this time of readjusting attitudes on our economy (how many Hummers have been sold lately?), we still want the newest and best auto, the biggest flat screen, and we find great joy in firing thousands of pounds of colored gunpowder into the air in order to say, "Look at us, we're the greatest country on earth!" How ironic is it that our national celebration is capped off with a Chinese invention?
Forgive the sarcasm, but it is my feeling that more of our self - image must be based on our internal meaning, not on our external traditions or fall-back illusions of grandeur. A new President does not define us; neither a political party, nor a cause or a case for some law or judgment. What defines this country is the definition of an individual -
"having a striking or unusual character; original".
Our country is based on the dichotomy of individuals that affirm each other's individuality, while declaring their united understanding of the same as the essential right and responsibility of each to uphold and maintain. And whether you equate the ideals that spawned such a sentiment with the Magna Carta, the deistic leanings of Founding Fathers, or the direct influence of God, no one can replace them with any slogan or flag pin. The true celebration of our independence is in the everyday exercise of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Love is what love does, and patriotism is what patriotism does. It sacrifices self for others, family, faith, and country. It realizes the country is better when I am better, not when others make it better. It refuses to place its future in other hands, but takes up the mantle and works until its future is squarely in his. Mostly, it realizes that one's citizenship is a gift, a blessing, and that in another reality we all could have been born into a worse situation, or not been able to escape one by emigrating to this country. Therefore, it constantly lives to repay the gift by being a blessing back to the land that gives it sanctuary and substance.
Happy birthday, USA.
Looking unto the hills,
HomeSchoolDaddy
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Summer has struck....
My great run of posts, like a blogging Ty Cobb or non-gambling Pete Rose, was broken by the onslaught of summer. It has taken a out-of-town doctor visit with Grandma to slow me down enough to take stock of the first two weeks of summer.
A few items to update -
Paul vs. Anti-Homeschool at Church, Inc. - I'm afraid this case has turned against my best hopes, although I've moderated my outrage a bit. After talking with our new HR director, it has become apparent that it was not Marcus and Naomi alone that were causing the fervor over children on campus. Several other employees of the church have had children on campus, and let's just say not all of them are teacher's pets. It seems that my kids are victims of the 'if not all, then none' rule of fairness. In other words, even though my kids are well behaved and welcome on campus, I have to abide by the rules set for all employees.
Now for my real, unreasoned feelings.
Now I, the well-intentioned, hard working, doing the best for his kids father, am forced to find child care so that my kids won't have to stay in church.
Let that sink in.
Imagine Samuel, instead of being raised in the temple, being sent to Happy Hebrews Kinder -Kare.
David, instead of playing harp for the king, playing a beat up french horn in the middle school orchestra.
Jesus, at 12 years old, turning to his parents after teaching the elders in the temple, and saying, "You found Me! Thank G0d, (I mean thank me), now I can get back to the
Boys Club?"
My point remains that my productivity did not decrease while my kids were on campus, and their lives were richer and more connected to people of faith. I can't see the negatives anywhere. But as a team player, I know it's more important at this point to maintain our fragile workplace community than to raise sand over the ignorant comments made about homeschooling. Yes, it will cost more to have someone watch them during Mondays and Tuesdays, but my goal will continue to be to reach a point where I will not have to choose between work and family, but that the two become synonymous and synchronous.
- Curriculum vs. unschooling - not exactly a true summary, but we are closer to putting Naomi in either a virtual academy or another type of structured curriculum. We aren't worried about her development, but it's clear of the two, Marcus is the self starter. We've convinced him to keep up the Virtual class in science, and we did his first lab while at Grandma's in West Palm. Not fun having red food coloring all over us (and not on the onion that was supposed to reveal plant cells), but he was willing to keep working, so it's worth the effort. Both of them are also excited about Power - glide, the language program that Miki was raving about. The next two months gives us time to review the options while Marcus and Naomi gallivant about Pensacola.
- Chris vs. Brokeness - Ah, the teenage years, where the biggest crisis is whether my girlfriend calls and whether I can avoid looking like a dufus in front of my friends. Well, my oldest is with us farther into the summer than usual, which means Miki and I have uttered the time honored words that will stay with my son for years to come....
Get. A. Job.
Mind you, Christopher likes the concept of money, but he has not yet connected to the fact that ours is not his. Neither does he understand that once his is gone, there is no more unless you have a ..... what is that thing called?..... an income. In-come - money comes in! Wow! Not out - go, as in out of our pockets. So we sent him on the trail for applications in a dress shirt, slacks, and the fresh faced haircut that says, "I'm an industrious, willing individual! Of course you'd hire me!" To which fresh faced young man each manager smiled and gave Chris a website address where he could apply.
What?
No face to face interview? Not even a paper application for sweat and tears to drip upon as you try to remember your first grade teacher's phone number for that for - sure recommendation? (Ms. Ward always said I was her favorite...) Has the internet stolen every opportunity for face-to-face humiliation? 'Fraid so. It seems that even in the world of teen employment, lawn jobs and paper routes have been replaced by questionnaires asking my son if he sometimes disobeys for fun. I mean, really. What self respecting applicant is going to click the "I'm always a pain in the you know what" box?
Anyway, there will surely be more interesting info to come out of this summer - hope I survive the first month.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
A few items to update -
Paul vs. Anti-Homeschool at Church, Inc. - I'm afraid this case has turned against my best hopes, although I've moderated my outrage a bit. After talking with our new HR director, it has become apparent that it was not Marcus and Naomi alone that were causing the fervor over children on campus. Several other employees of the church have had children on campus, and let's just say not all of them are teacher's pets. It seems that my kids are victims of the 'if not all, then none' rule of fairness. In other words, even though my kids are well behaved and welcome on campus, I have to abide by the rules set for all employees.
Now for my real, unreasoned feelings.
Now I, the well-intentioned, hard working, doing the best for his kids father, am forced to find child care so that my kids won't have to stay in church.
Let that sink in.
Imagine Samuel, instead of being raised in the temple, being sent to Happy Hebrews Kinder -Kare.
David, instead of playing harp for the king, playing a beat up french horn in the middle school orchestra.
Jesus, at 12 years old, turning to his parents after teaching the elders in the temple, and saying, "You found Me! Thank G0d, (I mean thank me), now I can get back to the
Boys Club?"
My point remains that my productivity did not decrease while my kids were on campus, and their lives were richer and more connected to people of faith. I can't see the negatives anywhere. But as a team player, I know it's more important at this point to maintain our fragile workplace community than to raise sand over the ignorant comments made about homeschooling. Yes, it will cost more to have someone watch them during Mondays and Tuesdays, but my goal will continue to be to reach a point where I will not have to choose between work and family, but that the two become synonymous and synchronous.
- Curriculum vs. unschooling - not exactly a true summary, but we are closer to putting Naomi in either a virtual academy or another type of structured curriculum. We aren't worried about her development, but it's clear of the two, Marcus is the self starter. We've convinced him to keep up the Virtual class in science, and we did his first lab while at Grandma's in West Palm. Not fun having red food coloring all over us (and not on the onion that was supposed to reveal plant cells), but he was willing to keep working, so it's worth the effort. Both of them are also excited about Power - glide, the language program that Miki was raving about. The next two months gives us time to review the options while Marcus and Naomi gallivant about Pensacola.
- Chris vs. Brokeness - Ah, the teenage years, where the biggest crisis is whether my girlfriend calls and whether I can avoid looking like a dufus in front of my friends. Well, my oldest is with us farther into the summer than usual, which means Miki and I have uttered the time honored words that will stay with my son for years to come....
Get. A. Job.
Mind you, Christopher likes the concept of money, but he has not yet connected to the fact that ours is not his. Neither does he understand that once his is gone, there is no more unless you have a ..... what is that thing called?..... an income. In-come - money comes in! Wow! Not out - go, as in out of our pockets. So we sent him on the trail for applications in a dress shirt, slacks, and the fresh faced haircut that says, "I'm an industrious, willing individual! Of course you'd hire me!" To which fresh faced young man each manager smiled and gave Chris a website address where he could apply.
What?
No face to face interview? Not even a paper application for sweat and tears to drip upon as you try to remember your first grade teacher's phone number for that for - sure recommendation? (Ms. Ward always said I was her favorite...) Has the internet stolen every opportunity for face-to-face humiliation? 'Fraid so. It seems that even in the world of teen employment, lawn jobs and paper routes have been replaced by questionnaires asking my son if he sometimes disobeys for fun. I mean, really. What self respecting applicant is going to click the "I'm always a pain in the you know what" box?
Anyway, there will surely be more interesting info to come out of this summer - hope I survive the first month.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Monday, June 02, 2008
Some More Resources
The day after my birthday reminds me quickly why there are no special names for the 30's. Everything as usual, back to work, hit the road running. I did feel pretty productive, and Marcus and Naomi made me feel good by continuing on their math and science lessons without being asked. Marcus is still reticent about continuing his Virtual School lessons throughout the summer, but he's realizing it makes no sense to start over just to maintain his image of a work-free summer. Naomi is pushing to finish her Math-u-See Delta (Division) for much of the same reason I pushed through Calculus in high school - because she wants nothing to do with it next year.
Some thoughts on other resources I'd discovered recently - these are not reviews because I haven't used the product, but if you're interested you might drop a line and tell me if you like the concept.
Dadlabs.com:
Not exactly the style I would use for my site - these guys like their beer - but I really like the content, varied information, and the overall relaxed attitude these guys take toward fathering. Includes video and audio podcasts, reviews, a dads forum, and several links for additional resources. Very cool.
Familyman.com -
A site I found at FPEA. This dad is an author, presenter, and another fighter of the good fight of fathers. I really like his e-mail newsletter - gives me encouragement on tough days. Check him out in my resources section.
Sorry it took longer to get this one out, you'll see why later...
Unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Some thoughts on other resources I'd discovered recently - these are not reviews because I haven't used the product, but if you're interested you might drop a line and tell me if you like the concept.
Dadlabs.com:
Not exactly the style I would use for my site - these guys like their beer - but I really like the content, varied information, and the overall relaxed attitude these guys take toward fathering. Includes video and audio podcasts, reviews, a dads forum, and several links for additional resources. Very cool.
Familyman.com -
A site I found at FPEA. This dad is an author, presenter, and another fighter of the good fight of fathers. I really like his e-mail newsletter - gives me encouragement on tough days. Check him out in my resources section.
Sorry it took longer to get this one out, you'll see why later...
Unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Sunday, June 01, 2008
34% done...Birthdays, Black Men and Boxing....
Yes, it's my birthday, and yes, I'm celebrating the way any fun-loving, still actively social middle age man would - by eating Kettle Cooked potato chips, drinking Kool-Aid and watching "The Fugitive" at 2:30 in the morning.
Life is good.
34% implies that I plan to live to 100 - which I think is a pretty good goal, and not a morbid one, since most don't make it to that milestone in health. I know I'm supposed to be nearing 40, which is the new 30, or something like that, and having some trepidation. I feel none of that. Just glad to have made it one year longer than Jesus did in His earthly time. Some may have wanted to crucify me before now and failed....and being a survivor is reward and gift enough.
Moving on, I just watched the debut of the mixed martial arts genre of fighting on CBS. For those not aware, Kimbo Slice is a homeless street fighter - turned - internet sensation, who now is considered the second coming of Mike Tyson. He is a hulk of a man, with a long bushy Middle Eastern type beard, a surprisingly soft spoken manner, but eyes and countenance of a caged animal when fighting. He barely beat the fellow he fought, a British man with more true fighting experience who used wrestling moves to tire out the older, brawling mauler from the streets of Miami. I was entranced and disgusted all at once. Yes, my son and I admired the fighting moves, the quick knockouts where the eyes of the opponent roll back and the knees turn to wet noodle. Of course, men of all times have been fighters - this is not a paean to non-violence or an attempt to de-cry the efforts of a man to use his one skill to escape poverty or to gain fame and notoriety. I've always admired Joe Louis, Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones, Jr., and other great pugilists.
What I found disturbing was the image of a black man as beast, the way the camera almost "king konged" his chest and face, the screaming of fans praying for the big black man to beat down the big white man for their entertainment. I know we surely have progressed from the days of the Great White Hope and the image of a Joe Johnson as a threat to decent society back in the early days of boxing. But something is still ingrained in our culture when it comes to African Americans and our violent outbursts. Would Kimbo Slice be celebrated if he hadn't had the poverty stricken streets of Overtown to fall into fighting for money? I mean, take this fight from the TV and lights of Vegas to the school yard, and you have the Jena 6 or the LA riots on your hands. And isn't the world that tolerates the conditions of gang violence and glorification of "thug life" simply patting itself on the back when a Kimbo emerges as a "great story"? I mean, why does the commentator of the fight need to remind us that Mr. Slice had to find anywhere he could to relieve himself while he was homeless? Is that really necessary, or does it reinforce the point that we can't fathom that millions of people both in the US and else where live that transient life everyday?
Perhaps again, one example does not a movement make. But I hope Mr. Slice one day goes back to Overtown with his six figure boxing prizes, take off his gloves, and teaches a young black man to beat up the system that nearly claimed his own life - to become a champion over more than physical opponents, but over the mentality of "biggest boss", "flossing", and "stacks of cheddar". To be able to overcome the stereotype that makes you successful is true independent success.
Time to sleep my three hours before my official birthday - and I must take a minute to thank my parents for not giving up either three hours before my birth, or the 34 years hence. Hopefully I've not been a disappointment. :-) Thanks to all that have made my life so rich through their interaction with me. If I named you all, I would have to change the blog's name to "Long List Daddy". Much love to all of you nonetheless.
Looking unto the Hills,
homeschooldaddy
Life is good.
34% implies that I plan to live to 100 - which I think is a pretty good goal, and not a morbid one, since most don't make it to that milestone in health. I know I'm supposed to be nearing 40, which is the new 30, or something like that, and having some trepidation. I feel none of that. Just glad to have made it one year longer than Jesus did in His earthly time. Some may have wanted to crucify me before now and failed....and being a survivor is reward and gift enough.
Moving on, I just watched the debut of the mixed martial arts genre of fighting on CBS. For those not aware, Kimbo Slice is a homeless street fighter - turned - internet sensation, who now is considered the second coming of Mike Tyson. He is a hulk of a man, with a long bushy Middle Eastern type beard, a surprisingly soft spoken manner, but eyes and countenance of a caged animal when fighting. He barely beat the fellow he fought, a British man with more true fighting experience who used wrestling moves to tire out the older, brawling mauler from the streets of Miami. I was entranced and disgusted all at once. Yes, my son and I admired the fighting moves, the quick knockouts where the eyes of the opponent roll back and the knees turn to wet noodle. Of course, men of all times have been fighters - this is not a paean to non-violence or an attempt to de-cry the efforts of a man to use his one skill to escape poverty or to gain fame and notoriety. I've always admired Joe Louis, Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones, Jr., and other great pugilists.
What I found disturbing was the image of a black man as beast, the way the camera almost "king konged" his chest and face, the screaming of fans praying for the big black man to beat down the big white man for their entertainment. I know we surely have progressed from the days of the Great White Hope and the image of a Joe Johnson as a threat to decent society back in the early days of boxing. But something is still ingrained in our culture when it comes to African Americans and our violent outbursts. Would Kimbo Slice be celebrated if he hadn't had the poverty stricken streets of Overtown to fall into fighting for money? I mean, take this fight from the TV and lights of Vegas to the school yard, and you have the Jena 6 or the LA riots on your hands. And isn't the world that tolerates the conditions of gang violence and glorification of "thug life" simply patting itself on the back when a Kimbo emerges as a "great story"? I mean, why does the commentator of the fight need to remind us that Mr. Slice had to find anywhere he could to relieve himself while he was homeless? Is that really necessary, or does it reinforce the point that we can't fathom that millions of people both in the US and else where live that transient life everyday?
Perhaps again, one example does not a movement make. But I hope Mr. Slice one day goes back to Overtown with his six figure boxing prizes, take off his gloves, and teaches a young black man to beat up the system that nearly claimed his own life - to become a champion over more than physical opponents, but over the mentality of "biggest boss", "flossing", and "stacks of cheddar". To be able to overcome the stereotype that makes you successful is true independent success.
Time to sleep my three hours before my official birthday - and I must take a minute to thank my parents for not giving up either three hours before my birth, or the 34 years hence. Hopefully I've not been a disappointment. :-) Thanks to all that have made my life so rich through their interaction with me. If I named you all, I would have to change the blog's name to "Long List Daddy". Much love to all of you nonetheless.
Looking unto the Hills,
homeschooldaddy
Thursday, May 29, 2008
50 Posts!
Wow... Never thought I'd make that kind of milestone. I know for some of you in the blogosphere, 50 posts is a pretty boring month of writing, but it took me two years. You also might notice that about 20% of those posts happened in the last two months. So it only took me 22 months to get the hang of this blogging thing. If I was a NFL quarterback, I would be hitting my stride in my second season, so watch out, to whomever the Brett Farve of blogging is.
Some random thoughts...
1) Father says to child: Can't we get this house to look somewhat decent?
2) Child goes to work on kitchen.
3) Five minutes later, child looks around at half done dishes, a couple of dust piles on the floor and a couple of leftover tupperware containers put away, smiles, and says proudly - "There! Somewhat Decent!"
This would be funny if it didn't actually happen today with Marcus. All I can say is that kids will absolutely perform to expectations - whatever they may be.
- More on the church / homeschooling controversy - I've learned that one of the members concerned thought that my homeschooling on campus was illegal. ILLEGAL. As in, go to jail, you're abusing those kids! You, with your witchcraft virtual classes and your unholy decision to keep your child from wooden desks! Where's the stocks from Salem when you need them? Off with their heads!
Sorry, got carried away - but doesn't that fit the image of someone who is deathly afraid of individual control? I mean, if they tolerate the wholesale indoctrination of a generation into accepting faithless governance, homosexuality as normal, and life as a victim to be admired, wouldn't those same people be intimidated and afraid of those that refuse to be part of the madness? I think so. But I now realize how little they must know of both the legal and practical aspects of homeschooling - and I see a teachable moment on the horizon.
- One such teachable moment - At CVS this morning buying vitamins and epsom salt (Marcus' joint pain seems to be getting worse - Either he's about to sprout 2 inches or he's aging by decades rather than years) we ran into two other kids from our support group. So four homeschool kids are standing at the counter, and the clerk asks the question you know is coming every time -
"You guys out of school?"
Their unanimous answer, in chorus - "We homeschool."
The next 10 minutes, I gave the gentleman a rundown through all the common myths and realities of homeschooling - including socialization ("Do YOU work with adults all the same age?"), testing, subject matter and public school comparisons. I don't know whether he has a better sense of what we do now, but my daughter does. Upon getting in the car after checking out, she said that she agreed with my summary of why socialization in schools is not based in real life experiences. "Because we get to talk to people no matter what their age is," she said. Then she went home and worked on her math lesson - without being asked. Miracles never cease, and motivation is sometimes not direct, but in moments where one realizes what you already have, and that you can make the best of it.
Blessings, and peace to all through Him. Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Convention - post mortem
OK, it's Tuesday morning, and I should be planning out my day, and completing my devotion - got some great message ideas this morning - but this blog has quickly become my internal sounding board and I want to finish ruminating over this weekend.
A couple of things I didn't quite get to...
1) It's clear that homeschooling dads are present and active in this movement. I saw fathers everywhere - at least a 30 to 70 dad to mom ratio, which if you consider the fact that probably all of them (the dads) were full - time workers, is pretty darn good. I know the stereotype is still of the stay at home mom teaching the kids, while Dad swoops in to "rescue" the kids from the boredom of day to day curricula, but obviously dads like Charles and I see this as more than 'mom's world.' We are intensely concerned about our kids, which brings me to my next point....
2) Dads as primary home school teachers is a secret, small, but growing need that may hold the key to the true growth of family learning becoming an unstoppable force in society. Why do I make such a bold statement?
Because if it is true, even in 2008, that men continue to hold the majority of powerful and influential decision positions in government, church and institutions, then I can think of no greater testament to the power of home schooling than the sight of full time working men LEAVING their professions to be full time teachers at home. 
Chris and Naomi at Joe's Crab Shack
Think about it. The 60's and 70's were the so-called liberation years for women to escape the home. We were (and are still) bombarded with the message that women should put their careers first. 20 years later, now the movement is in the 'you can have it all' phase where pre-K is government run and women's groups are promoting any thing and everything that DOESN'T involve the equal partnership of marriage and family. Moms are debating their choices to give up careers to have children late in life, only to find the society either punishes them for leaving work, or chastises them for staying at home. It's literally a no - man's land.
So where does that leave the men? Are we simply enablers, designed to bring home enough bacon so Mom can concentrate on the schooling? Or is it something more, like the fact that men are now entering their liberation movement? Haven't we also been shackled to the corporate chair? Haven't there been enough movies where the main character realizes, almost too late, that sacrificing family for career is a no-win situation?("Family Man" and others like that) So when, I ask, will the men of this country make the radical step that Moms make every day and come home?
Charles related a group at the convention called "Bringing Dads Home". I checked out their site at bobandtinafarewell.com and found they are using home-business opportunities to help dads have an income and still be at home. We discussed ways we can market ourselves and use what we are good at to make money. (I mean, how much corporate experience is used to make money for others, guys? Let's get selfish for our families and use that commercial sense for our own wealth building and not for distant and unconcerned CEO's!)
I know the majority of dads will never have the wherewithal to stay home full time. But the method does not matter, only the goal of having the family unit essentially unified in learning, growing, and sharing life. If that was the primary goal of every dad, I believe the social ills in our country would virtually cease. There is no substitute for the relationships
built when Mom and Dad make God their source and home their sole responsibility.
- Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father.
Proverbs 17:6
Proverbs 17:6
Thanks again, FPEA, for a wonderful convention and I and my family will be back many a year.
And to anyone reading, look for opportunities to be around people like the ones I met this weekend. They will help you be more in tune than ever with the strength and dedication you need to be a real family man or woman. Look to the links for more resources I found during our time in Orlando.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
And to anyone reading, look for opportunities to be around people like the ones I met this weekend. They will help you be more in tune than ever with the strength and dedication you need to be a real family man or woman. Look to the links for more resources I found during our time in Orlando.
Looking unto the hills,homeschooldaddy
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Convention, Day 2
"Carpe diem" doesn't cut it. What is Latin for "throttle the day"'? That's the phrase I need for Saturday. We crammed conventioning and vacationing into 16 hours, but it was all fun.
We started the day with the kids' mad dash to the pool at around 9:30. Christopher has become a very consistent and trustworthy guide, so we let them go by themselves. Miki's desire to swim was overcome by the desire to rest, so we didn't join them til two hours later. By this time I was regretting not going to class in the morning, but as I stated earlier, we needed to let the kids breathe and enjoy the little time they had in the resort area. Lunch in the cabana area was nice, then we dressed and headed to the Rosen Shingle Creek. I made it in time for the last class, a writing improvement course - let's see if it worked on this entry - and the kids and Miki took off for the exhibit hall.
Christopher, I think, was surprised by the massiveness of the thing. I try not to push homeschooling on him, but I want him to know the options we have that he may want to consider. By the end, he was just as enthralled at the info he found. He visited the Marines booth, web site design, Savannah College of Art and Design, and found the Drivers Handbook he was supposed to be studying. It really proved the whole idea of 'family learning' that I support - in other words, the location of your education is unimportant. The destination of your education is paramount.(By the way, here's an example of the writing workshop strategies I learned)
Clearly, the destination of your education is the most important factor, not where it occurs. ( Starting with "ly")
Ignoring your location, you must be more aware of the destination of your education. (Starting with "ing")
Destination is priority one. (VSS - Very short sentence)
That example was part of the method our presenter used to show new ways of creating variety in writing. Taking this into consideration, I made sure to take notes to help Marcus to summarize better using key words (or as our presenter called it - "Some" -a- rize) and to help Naomi to write more extemporaneously.
Despite making it to the conference, I was still bummed out because we hadn't seen any of our friends. Watch how God works.... as I walked into the writing class, someone reached out for my hand and I reached out absent mindedly to greet the owner - and it belonged to Charles Seifert, the dad of my piano student / homeschool group members Rachel and Amber. Then I saw the whole clan - Jackie, their sons, and of course Amber and Rachel. Naomi had been asking over and over about meeting up with them.... and I run right into them. How perfect was this?So we sauntered over to the hall to meet up with my kids. Friday afternoon we had taken in one half of the hall - Miki and the kids had worked the other half of the hall. When Jackie and I met them in the front of the hall, she was buzzing about something called "power-glide" for languages. Did I hear correctly? My wife, involved in..... dare I say it.... curriculum choices? (As you read, Miki, please understand this thought only lasted two seconds, then I remembered how supportive you always are. And how much I love and adore you...) We arranged for the kids to swim together back at the resort (they were staying at the same resort as us) and headed to finish up our purchases.
Marcus building at the Block Table (no, he didn't do the tall one)Yes, we spent money - a lot - but how do you hold back when you see your children's future right in front of you? Each choice means one more step forward for their understanding, hopefully a little easier time for me (we bought journal portfolios that will help them keep up with their assignments), and a little more family time. Hard to pass that up. We'll add up the damage later.
The evening was filled with swimming (Rachel and Amber, like our kids, are fish in training) and watching "The Water Horse" in the hotel theater. They passed out around midnite, as we did.... after having a nice long talk with Charles over dinner as the kids swam, which was the perfect night cap.
Such a long entry, such a long day - I'll have to finish up later.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschooldaddy
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Convention...Day 1 (well, Belated Day 1)
Good morning, world.
My last attempt to post was foiled, but that's fine, because everything I was writing was really just a log of stuff that happened yesterday. I wanted to keep a direct log of our activities leading into the homeschool convention, but I can do that anytime. Right now, the sun is reflecting off the windows opposite my screened patio outside our hotel / condo. The temp is about 74 and breezy in Orlando, and I've had two hours to study sermon notes, read, look at the kids sleeping, fix cinnamon raisin bread toast and coffee, listen to John Mayer, and overall, get a wonderful start to my day.
No matter what else I learn, or spend this weekend, the last two hours makes it worth it.
Now, as for the convention, all I can say is.....whoa. Thousands of people like me, crazy enough to think their main priority is their kids? People of every culture, hundreds of vendors, myriad approaches to learning, enough free stuff to fill two more suitcases? That's what we're experiencing. And that was only two hours.
We spend the first hours Friday enduring a timeshare sales presentation that came with our great rate on the resort we're staying at (ok, so maybe we were more interested then I'm letting on, but I'm a Dave Ramsey listener and if he knew we considered a vacation home, he might send dogs after us.) Then it was off to the convention. We had to park about a mile away, but the resort hired shuttles which arrived immediately and dropped us off right at the entrance. We were famished from the sales presentation - perhaps they've learned hungry people make more impulse decisions - but food was provided right at the front, so we joined several other families camped out on the lobby floor, munching on pizza and chicken nuggets.
The flood of people coming through the lobby at 1:30 seemed to indicate classes were starting, but my wife and I weren't quite ready for classes. This was her first introduction to how big homeschooling has gotten, and I didn't want to overwhelm her with educationalese. So we went straight to the exhibit hall. Within minutes, we had Naomi fitted for a violin, Marcus playing in a chess tournament, Miki and I speaking with a speech therapist, and the kids looking through microscopes. Now THAT is what I call limitless learning.
Perhaps this first time, I shouldn't feel guilty if we don't make it to any classes. The experience of the first day was enough to re-energize me that we are among friends and that the kids are truly benefiting from our choice to homeschool. Even though I haven't met any other homeschool dads, I'm among people that feel the way I feel about their kids, and that is infectious and invigorating. At the end of today, I'm sure I'll feel even more that way. And yes, I will put specifics about curricula and strategies eventually in this blog, but right now I'm just absorbing the moment. And a great moment it is, a blessed moment that I give God praise for.
Looking unto the hills,
homeschoooldaddy (acp)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
On the eve of the convention...
OK, it's not a total vacation, but it's the closest we've ever got.
Tomorrow we attend the Florida Homeschool Convention in Orlando, FL. After much wrangling and soul searching, we've decided to take the kids along. Not because we didn't want them, but because we really didn't know when our next opportunity to be on a trip alone would be. I'm glad now, because we can share the discoveries with our kids immediately, instead of coming home with a load of stuff and throwing it at them willy nilly. I'll try to keep a log of our activities to help someone see into what caught our attention and why.
Today's homeschool stuff involved Marcus calling up his Virtual School teacher on his own - I've never seen him so focused. It almost makes me wonder if I should set up a website and teach him virtually from the other room... maybe he'd pay more attention to me (just kidding).
Naomi struggled through upside down multiplication, which reminded me that she has to keep reviewing old material. She just does better when she's taking a slower pace, but I have to keep her moving to avoid her getting frustrated.
Our life lessons came from our high gas prices. I've been monitoring our gas usage closely, as my 1999 Mazda practically bleeds oil. The tank was on half, and I had the tripometer on, which showed 147 miles traveled since last fill-up. I took a quick look at the manual to see the fuel tank capacity, then asked Marcus and Naomi to figure out the miles per gallon. Both at first missed the operation needed - division- and I had to walk Marcus through dividing decimals, but he got the estimate pretty close. Naomi of course bemoaned the whole exercise. She did better on my other family learning project - changing the thermostat to a digital programmable one instead of the classic twist knob version that was originally in the house.
I took off the original casing so they could see the vacuum tube with the bead of mercury inside, then promised 5 bucks to the one that could identify the liquid. Marcus and Chris went ballistic into Wikipedia, but Naomi calmly looked into the tube and did some observation of the whole. She prefers the systematic approach rather than the home-run hits that the boys relate to educationally. She'll make a great researcher or chemist one day because of her keen sense of putting pieces together to make a whole. (Marcus got the five dollars though.)
Time to rest up for the trip... see you in Von Trapp Disney....
Looking unto the hills,
acp
The prize of quietude...
Been a while since my serene and seemingly clear-headed friend insomnia has visited me. But my old familiar friend is back, leading me around the house, starting tasks that I should have done weeks ago and leaving them to be finished months later. It's amazing how much I have to do to achieve this quiet time. After a day of work, learning, running back and forth, it seems I have to earn the right to ignore the tyrannical call of sleep. Why should I give up the hours that rightfully belong to me? I've conquered the kids - their shifting and snores in their beds proves I won the fight over bedtime and successfully filled their day with enough activity to knock them out.
These chores that surround me? I'm thankful I have them to do, 'cause it means I was able to earn the money to have things to clean up and organize. Plus, it has become the one time I'm enveloped in my own activity. I mean, who's judging the color coordination of my hangers but me? No one, that's who. I am the master of my closet.
My musical choice, which is on repeat, is Jonathan Nelson's "My Name is Victory". It's a sleeper hit in Black gospel circles. I've gotten pretty good at predicting which songs will become hot in radio play long before they become popular. Perhaps that's because I listen for themes that encourage me when I'm not thinking about choirs or playing for church. If this song tells me at 3 AM that I'm a champion, can tell me that my identity is sown up in Christ even at my most mundane moments, I'm sure someone else can identify with the same sentiment.
As you can probably tell, this post is rambling such as my mind and my body is right now. The only 'deep' thought I am entertaining as a subject is the fact that as I near this 34th year of my life, I am treasuring even more the understanding that I've come through enough to realize I have one major purpose - to be everything God wants me to be and nothing He doesn't. I'm shifting into a more settled, but determined phase - where I expect the struggle to be more with being me than doing what people expect of me. Perhaps that's why these early morning moments have been mileposts in my daily life. Even though I know I'll pay for the sleepless night with groggy eyes and loss of focus tomorrow, I can remember each time I did so like it was yesterday. The night I was at Boy Scout camp, overlooking the lake at night with the moon as my nightlight in Northwestern Florida. The night in Dunkin Donuts, playing "Trusting God" over and over and writing what became my mission statement - Love of God, Love of Family, Love for Others.
Call it my Jacob moment, wrestling with the angels of desire, purpose, and destiny, shielding me from the silent but giant doubts and fears of success, failure, and the unknown. What makes this a prize? The fact that God, who is up anyway, has a bit of time with me to just watch me being me. He's nice like that - talking loud enough for me to hear, but not enough to wake up the kids. When I catch that 12 Pm nap and the kids wake me up, perhaps I'll be a little more ready to do something with the hours I've left myself - to be physically what I've become mentally and spiritually the night before.
Looking unto the hills,
acp
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Misunderstanding + mis-vision = opposition
(Continuation of last post)
If there were so much understanding of the father's role in their children's lives, I would have lots of fathers in my fatherhood focus group on Saturday mornings at the church. When it was announced, the classes offered cash incentives and breakfast served, all for no cost to the participants. The program has been offered in Hispanic areas to great success. So, considering the considerable and consistent statistical knowledge of how needed African American fathers are, we should have had overflowing attendance in the class we offered, right?
Lucky guess. Actually, there were only two at last class. The others were Middle Eastern and Hispanic dads.
This is why I find opposition must be a result of misunderstanding and mis-vision. Misunderstanding in that the people against my homeschooling must not understand the main reasoning for my scheduling decision is to maximize my work efficiency, not to lower it. And mis-vision because they cannot see the priority of my choice in the context of what God has led me to understand about the role of the father.
In the Old Testament, there are very clear indications that the father is responsible for the worldview and training of the child in a very direct sense. There was no public school system, nor were mothers given the primary role of teacher. This of course is a generalization of thousands of verses, but it's obvious that Proverbs, for example, concentrates on the father - son relationship. When I realized that I was biblically responsible for my children's entire spiritual and mental formation, I realized that I could not, without further instructions from the Holy Spirit, release my children back to the public system. This led to my leaving teaching in elementary and homeschooling full time for one year.
Still, I understood upon taking the full time position at the church would strain both our family learning and my ability to work, I made sure to get permission from my pastor, and I discussed the implications for months before starting to take the kids to work.
Now, perhaps I am overreacting to outside comments that may amount to nothing. But this opposition has only strengthened my resolve. As long as anyone thinks that parenting is not the primary method for raising disciples to Christ, and stands in opposition to the most effective means of achieving that goal, I have work to do. I may not be able to correct all misunderstanding about why I do what I do; neither should I try to. But I can continue to show through my example and my expression that nothing should come before the satisfaction and education of my children. And I intend to do so.
Looking unto the hills,
acp
http://www.enfamiliamiami.org
If there were so much understanding of the father's role in their children's lives, I would have lots of fathers in my fatherhood focus group on Saturday mornings at the church. When it was announced, the classes offered cash incentives and breakfast served, all for no cost to the participants. The program has been offered in Hispanic areas to great success. So, considering the considerable and consistent statistical knowledge of how needed African American fathers are, we should have had overflowing attendance in the class we offered, right?
Lucky guess. Actually, there were only two at last class. The others were Middle Eastern and Hispanic dads.
This is why I find opposition must be a result of misunderstanding and mis-vision. Misunderstanding in that the people against my homeschooling must not understand the main reasoning for my scheduling decision is to maximize my work efficiency, not to lower it. And mis-vision because they cannot see the priority of my choice in the context of what God has led me to understand about the role of the father.
In the Old Testament, there are very clear indications that the father is responsible for the worldview and training of the child in a very direct sense. There was no public school system, nor were mothers given the primary role of teacher. This of course is a generalization of thousands of verses, but it's obvious that Proverbs, for example, concentrates on the father - son relationship. When I realized that I was biblically responsible for my children's entire spiritual and mental formation, I realized that I could not, without further instructions from the Holy Spirit, release my children back to the public system. This led to my leaving teaching in elementary and homeschooling full time for one year.
Still, I understood upon taking the full time position at the church would strain both our family learning and my ability to work, I made sure to get permission from my pastor, and I discussed the implications for months before starting to take the kids to work.
Now, perhaps I am overreacting to outside comments that may amount to nothing. But this opposition has only strengthened my resolve. As long as anyone thinks that parenting is not the primary method for raising disciples to Christ, and stands in opposition to the most effective means of achieving that goal, I have work to do. I may not be able to correct all misunderstanding about why I do what I do; neither should I try to. But I can continue to show through my example and my expression that nothing should come before the satisfaction and education of my children. And I intend to do so.
Looking unto the hills,
acp
http://www.enfamiliamiami.org
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