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critical thinking, critics, and the holy spirit

Posted by [email protected] on March 28, 2012 at 11:40 PM




Last year when my first born was thoroughly enjoying a highly academic Classical education, my middle-born five year old was still struggling with simple shape and number identification.  When he was finally able to write his name, every letter ended with a curly-Q and every B, O, and D was turned into a silly monster face.  


He was also a Mama's boy through and through who would opt to crawl back in my womb if given the chance.  


So my husband and I used our critical thinking skills and reasoned that a more "developmental" education model with a loving Christian staff would be a better choice for our creative 2nd born.  Looking at his name, scrawled into a masterpiece of swirls and smiles was the main decision maker to go a less rigorous academic route.  We didn't want intense academics and seat work in Kindergarten to squelch the uniquely expressive personality God had crafted in Brody.  And as for his desire to keep the umbilical cord securely attached, we reasoned that a nurturing school environment was just the thing to help him move toward independence.  


We thought long and hard about our options and, as I said, our critical thinking skills led us smack dab to this conclusion.  Plus, the school we were considering offered a three day Kindergarten option that would allow me to homeschool him on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I loved the idea of teaching him, and knew he was happiest at home.  


Cut to present day, seven months into the school year, and he is asking me on a daily basis to home school him full time.  And so I put my critical thinking hat back on my head and started analyzing the situation and the options.  I began by scheduling more "learning time" on our days at home.  He stepped up to the plate (desk) surprisingly well.  And, most profound, his countenance began to lift each time we talked about me being his teacher.  


Cue the Critics.  


While many people balk at the input of others, I understand that my loving friends and family members sincerely care about my children's education - not to mention my physical (and mental) health.  And thankfully I don't have dumb friends and family.  O no!  My Critics are critical thinkers as well.  In fact I just got a call from my Dad, the critical thinker who taught me to think thoroughly and critically and reasonably.  He shared his concerns about me home schooling my boys.  He spoke tenderly and cautiously.  And suddenly I knew that he was wanting the right choice for his child, just as I desire the right choice for mine. Before we hung up he affirmed me as a mom and a decision maker.  I appreciate his insights and told him I would take them into consideration as we walk this home school vs. private school road leading up to next Fall.


But in the interim,  since my talk with my first loving Critic, another voice has spoken softly in my ear. The voice of another loving Father, concerned about HIs children.  Me.  And mine.  


I didn't know exactly who or what it was at first, but when I picked up Clay and Sally Clarkson's "Educating the WholeHearted Child", these words struck deeply.


"No matter what multitude of reasons may have initially influenced your decision to bring your children home, in the end... God moved you toward the decision, confirming through a variety of sources that you were doing the right thing. And, in your heart, you made the step of faith to do what you knew was right -- to bring your children home to discipline and educate them as a family."

 

(Clay and Sally Clarkson - Educating the WholeHearted Child - 1st edition - emphasis mine)


Some decisions we make in this life are black and white, others are a matter of preference, some take a lengthy pros and cons list and require the most critical of thinking, while others are simply made by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  I have said before that I desire to have a "yes-heart," toward anything God might call me to.  Adoption.  Mission work.  Hostile people who need a tender touch of grace.  Home schooling my children...  


Today I feel that my yes-heart is actually giving voice to an audible YES!  


I sat down and filled out all of our paperwork to enroll both of our big boys in a home school program for next Fall.   Sending it in was my YES.  Writing this post is my YES.  Yes, not in response to my critical thinking, as I carefully weighed the pros and cons, and not in response to the critical thinking skills of my loving critics, but YES to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit who I step out in faith to follow in the education of my children.


YES.


“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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3 Comments

Reply angie
12:49 AM on March 29, 2012 
Beautiful post Wendy. Learning to daily surrender ourselves and say "yes" to God is what life is all about.
Reply Lindsay
10:26 PM on March 29, 2012 
I found your blog through Heavenly Homemakers Gratituesday Linkup this week and I love it! I also have 3 boys and there are many days I think God has me confused with somebody else. I never comment on blogs, but I wanted to encourage you in your homeschooling decision. God has been preparing my heart for several years for homeschooling, but I haven't had the courage to take the first step...until this year. Our oldest son began Kindergarten and was in a very rough class and was being exposed to things we didn't know until we were much older. We made the decision in early fall to pull our kids out of public school after Christmas break. The timing was perfect because I was on maternity leave from work and could devote my full time to the transition. What a blessing it has been! I only wish I had done it sooner. One huge source of encouragement for when others doubt me and I doubt myself is the Clarkson's book. Anyway, this comment is entirely too long, I just wanted to encourage you in your decision.
Reply Wendy
10:34 AM on March 31, 2012 
Lindsay, thanks for your nice long and thoughtful message. How encouraging. I will continue on reading Educating the Wholehearted Child as as well as praying for the wisdom and strength to follow the HS and not the culture. What a job, eh? Blessings on you and yours!

Lindsay says...
I found your blog through Heavenly Homemakers Gratituesday Linkup this week and I love it! I also have 3 boys and there are many days I think God has me confused with somebody else. I never comment on blogs, but I wanted to encourage you in your homeschooling decision. God has been preparing my heart for several years for homeschooling, but I haven't had the courage to take the first step...until this year. Our oldest son began Kindergarten and was in a very rough class and was being exposed to things we didn't know until we were much older. We made the decision in early fall to pull our kids out of public school after Christmas break. The timing was perfect because I was on maternity leave from work and could devote my full time to the transition. What a blessing it has been! I only wish I had done it sooner. One huge source of encouragement for when others doubt me and I doubt myself is the Clarkson's book. Anyway, this comment is entirely too long, I just wanted to encourage you in your decision.