How Can I Best Share My Faith With Family?

Christmas brings many together with family. What can we do to make our time together not only enjoyable but an opportunity to share our faith? How can we share our faith with friends? To be heard, you must have the respect of the listener. A good way to get going down that road is to treat your friends like family and treat your family like friends. When you love your friends like family and give your family the respect you afford your friends, you forge a path of love that touches lives.

Respect. Patience. Honesty. Using these three tools gives the power to be heard.

Respect your family. Whether you think a person worthy or not, show respect anyway. As a Christian, I can show respect by waiting for an opportunity to speak about my faith. For years I endeavored to start meaningful conversations. Then one day I realized -- the person with whom I spoke really didn't want to hear what I had to say. They were not going to magically fall into faith by my words. Now I talk less, pray more, and wait for questions. Not that the questions have to be direct, mind you; sometimes I give an answer to a question that takes a different turn than intended by the questioner. My audience then falls into an answer they aren't wanting to hear, but then it's their fault. They got themselves into this pickle by asking the question, and they know it. So they politely listen as I answer the question that now they wish they had NEVER asked. Of course, they are getting the answer maybe not just to the question they asked but to a question they SHOULD have asked. I respect my family enough to take every opportunity to speak truth to them in love, even if I have to go around a mountain or two to get there.

Those who are not Christians can show respect to their Christian family members by concealing their disregard of, or contempt for, the Christian faith. Your Christian family members want to win you to the faith because they have found such joy and fulfillment in knowing Jesus. They are guilty of wanting the same joy for you. When I see my own family struggling under the load of life, I want to give them the answers I have found. If my message isn't welcome, don't even give me a chance, because I love you and will take any opportunity available to share my hope. If you are interested, ask questions. If not, keep the contempt to yourself. No one wants an argument. A good debate is always welcome, but a debate is only a debate if both parties agree to the process. Anger is not part of debate. Passion is. Neither the Christian nor the agnostic, the atheist nor the follower of some other faith should be disrespected, but always expect the truth to be spoken in love.

Patience. Like love, it suffers long and is kind. (I Corinthians 13:4) During the holidays, most of us expect to enjoy the company of family but the flow of life doesn't always support those expectations. We get behind. We get tired. We get irritated. And we still have to go to the party. Not all arrive full of holiday cheer. Be observant and take every opportunity to help others. Make a special effort to help those who irritate you. A few years ago, little bracelets began appearing everywhere with the letters WWJD on them. That's a good question to ask ourselves everyday: "What Would Jesus Do?" I'll tell you a bit of it: He would suffer long and be kind. He would be patient with those who deserve it the least. I have missed many of those opportunities in my life. And I am sorry for it.

Being respectful and patient, however, does not mean being dishonest. Flattery and a false presentation of how you really feel is just a wrong as disrespect and impatience. How then do we strike the coveted goal of the middle ground? A good friend of mine once called it the "radical middle." I always liked that. I think Jesus gave us the answer in Ephesians 4:15 where we are told to speak the truth but to speak it in love. There is no shame in remaining true to God; in refusing ungodly behavior; leaving the room when things get too uncomfortable for a Christian to remain in attendance. There is nothing wrong with the Christian of the family letting everyone know in a kind way that he cannot remain while (whatever-that-thing-that-is-going-on-that-is-not-Godly-behavior) is going on. Naturally, the Christian may be accused of being holier-than-thou, but in a case like this, I think that is all right. If you don't drink, simply say, "No, thank you." If everyone is drunk and the party is turning wild, excuse yourself by speaking the truth in love. "I need to leave. I don't feel comfortable here anymore." If you are asked questions, answer truthfully with love. If you hear, "Do you think we are all just sinners, here?!", answer with, "Yes, we are all sinners by nature, but I don't want to sin anymore. Jesus has changed me." Then offer to drive them home.

Really great opportunities to share your faith do not arrive very often for me. So, I want to be ready when I get them. I want to be respectful, patient, and honest. Walking with Jesus, carrying His burden for your family and friends, and praying for them diligently goes farther than any fine presentation you might make. Be ready with your answers, though. There are still some who are searching for truth, and if you are surrendered to Jesus, you have it. Be bold; be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. And may the Lord be with you.

Love and Reverence

Ephesians 5:33
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband.

The Biblical usage of the word "reverence" means:
to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience

As they say, every story has two sides. The first reference we read is directed toward husbands. A husband is to love his wife even as he loves himself. The second reference is directed to the wife who is to see that she reverence her husband.

I hear many comments about a marriage being a team, about both people giving "100%," and how husbands can no longer boss their wives around like so many slaves.

But I don't hear too much about how men show that they love their wives even as themselves. I hear even less about how a wife shows reverence to her husband.

Make no mistake about it, they play off each other.
Where there is a Jezebel, there is an Ahab.
And when both the husband and wife obey the word of God, you will find a man who loves without limit and a woman who lays down her life for him.

Are You Afraid To Homeschool?

Are you afraid to homeschool? It is time to allay those fears. This from Deborah Weuhler, Senior Editor at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine:

I meet many moms who are nervous about homeschooling based on one thing: higher math. Or others believe that because they are not good at math, they can only homeschool through elementary or junior high, but never through high school. I have living proof that children can learn math even without our help. I have two boys who learned algebra on their own at home, without me teaching them. They both had computer CDs that walked them through every math step because I couldn't. They then went on to take college algebra and both received an A. If you are one of those moms who thinks you can't teach your children, believe me, you will do just fine. There are tons of resources available to help you with math and every other subject out there. We have had math products reviewed by moms just like you and have found hundreds of wonderful helps. I believe that as you obey God and teach your children at home, He provides the wisdom, direction, and help you need. And I believe He rewards obedience with results. He truly is a rewarder of those who obey him, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. May we be both, as we trust God with algebra and everything else that makes us anxious. Is algebra too hard? Make it simple, by trusting God to lead you to the right tools, and then dig in. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7 ~ Deborah TOS Senior Editor

I speak with many parents who are beginning the thought process toward the decision to home educate. (I prefer the term "home educate" because we do not bring a "school" environment home. Home education is an entirely different approach. More on that in another blog.) The comment I most often hear is that the parent doesn't feel qualified to do the job. They fear not only higher math but the very idea of spending all day, everyday, with their children. Fears about some very personal and complex issues surface.


Do I really have enough control over my children to not only spend all day with them but to be able to hold their attention and teach them? Many people exit the thought process right here. They don't want to face the fact that they really doubt whether they are able to keep their own children under control all day. That's usually when I hear something like, "Well, that's great what you do, but I'd never have the patience to do that. I'm just too impatient." Or, we hear this fear: "I just don't have the self-discipline to make school happen everyday." I often wonder at how a parent who finds the self-discipline to get up early and take their child to school can't find enough self-discipline to get up early and do it themselves, or better yet -- sleep in a little like we do and then get it done on a less strenuous schedule.


The weeks in which we have outside obligations and are up and out of the house early on a daily, or almost daily, basis make us exhausted! That's when I realize that the home-educating family really does lead a blessed, slower-paced lifestyle free from the many stresses of the way our culture lives life.


The actual question really lies within the framework of how we view God and life. Is the Lord pleased for us to yield the education of our children to others, particularly others who hold a God-less worldview? Who really does the best job of training the next generation? I agree with Dr. Ruth Beechick, who believes that home is the best place to learn and that parents don't give themselves enough credit for being the best teachers!


Education from parents to children enables learning to take place within context of need and experience, and that is real learning which isn't forgotten. Home education also enables the real purpose of education to be realized, and that is to know God and make Him known, and for parents to mentor their children and reproduce in their children who they, the parents are, themselves. God passes intact the Lordship and worship of Him from one generation to the next. This is perhaps the overarching reason for overcoming all fears and following the Biblical directive to train (teach) our children found in Deuteronomy, chapters four and eleven.


"Homeschooling naturally is natural. Don't work too hard on making it artificially schoolish." -Dr. Ruth Beechick, Author, Educator, Curriculum Developer & Advocate of Natural Learning


Would you like to know a little more about Dr. Beechick, one of the grandmothers of home centered education? Read about her here.

The High Places Are Meant For You

Oh, tell me five months haven't passed since my last blog. Since life finds me in the season of child rearing, I find myself with little time to spare, and when I can write, my thoughts often run along the lines of this most important area of family theory. So...I've been thinking lately...

God's word equivocates us to hinds (a deer-like animal) which are able to "skip upon the hills" and nimbly negociate the sharp peaks of the highest ascents. The high road is surely the place to be. With great views and the fresh air of the highlands, who wouldn't want to travel there? The high road, however, requires sacrifice of those who would seek it. As Hannah Hurnard points out in her book, Hinds Feet on High Places, one must be first equipped with the feet to travel there. No worries, though, Jesus will do that for you. But you must walk with him and follow His directives exactly, for you are going places you have never been. The high road is never the easy path.


There is much to hinder you from choosing the high road, of course, but for those who dare, the rewards are incalculable.


Think on that for awhile, and then read on. You might even want to check out the aforementioned book.


Application of the truth of hinds feet and the high road can be made across the board, but there is no concern more significant than its application in the area of family and children. With that in mind, I offer the following thoughts concerning home education from one of my favorite education resource groups. Why, you ask, does she so often share thoughts on this subject? Surely it's not the only subject of import. Surely not the only subject, but I have found that the way in which a family regards education is the way in which they regard the formation of their child's worldview. And, I'm in the middle of this, so the philosophy of education is often on my mind. God gives us the absolute right to shape our children's character through education.


Whether you already enjoy what I consider the the educational high places or you are thinking over the course of action you need to take concerning your children's education, below you will find some most interesting ideas that will help clear the thinking process. Remember, education is so much more than getting information into a child's brain. Education literally shapes who you are. Teachers are really mentors and gain precious paths of influence over the mentored. The information imparted is colored by the worldview of the writer and what you learn shapes how you view the world. Education is character training; to call it less is to devalue its power.


Homeschooling is not a new idea. Indeed it is ancient, as evidenced by this description of education in the Old Testament: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6: 5-7)

Public schooling is the new idea, and was not common in America until the passage of the first compulsory education law in Massachusetts in 1852.

Homeschooling remains the absolute right and choice of parents. The numbers of children being homeschooled grows each year. Why? Because it works.

1. Homeschooling allows parents to keep their faith active and alive. You can’t live a God-centered life if God is not allowed in your door, as is the case in the public school. Teaching at home allows you to have all learning infused with the Word and Spirit of God.

2. Family values are preserved in the homeschool. We can instill our values, which are God’s values, with regard to life and death issues, heaven and hell, evolution and Creation. Everything else in our culture, it seems, tried to detract from family values. Homeschooling is one way to preserve them.

3. Homeschooling allows for both academic acceleration as well as learning at your child’s own pace. If your child is achievement oriented, he can and will excel in homeschooling. Conversely, if your child learns in a different way or has cognitive development issues, you can tailor-make your studies to suit them.

4. You can practice sane socialization in your homeschool. Rather than being randomly assigned to a group that most likely does not share your values, you can introduce and encourage God-honoring friendships. Instead of the peer dependence seen in the school setting, your child can relate to and learn from people of all ages.

5. Finally, you can ensure the physical safety of your children. Hardly a week goes by without news of another act of school violence. Homeschooling allows you to raise your children in the safety of your home.

If homeschooling sounds like a good fit for you and your family, know that you have an absolute right to do so. Some states are higher in regulation, while others have few if any requirements. We suggest that you focus first on some key principles to succeed:

1. Know the law in your state.

2. Follow the law.

3. Do your work as homeschoolers excellently.

4. Keep good records.

These will be the keys that will be able to protect your right to homeschool in the future. Doing an outstanding job and being able to demonstrate that your children are being well-educated will help protect the freedom to home-educate.

If you are thinking of homeschooling your children or have already chosen this right, the Christian Law Association, through the Homeschool Legal Advantage, stands behind you with information, encouragement and representation for you and your family.


When you home school, you are not alone! There are many support organizations and thousands who are choosing to home school every year. In the Austin area, I direct a support group and service organization. See information about that at www.classicalconversations.com or see our home pages at www.ccgeorgetown.com.

Health Nut Confessions

I am the health nut of my family. I could feel lonely, but around Austin, I've met more than a few, shall we say, health food "aficionados." Please notice use of the preferable term in place of the commonly used "nuts." Although far from complete devotee, there are several things I do about which I am often asked. And here they are.

Mornings, I take a barleygreen product before eating anything. I learned several years ago in a three-day health minister training I took at www.hallelujahacres.com that having freshly extracted vegetable juices or a barleygreen product does the most good on an empty stomach. Since there is no fiber to digest, the nutrients are free to absorb right through into your bloodstream. There's no better way to get the nutrition in there. If you've ever taken anything "sublingually," or "under your tongue," you'll know what I mean. You feel better right away. I suppose that's why doctors give heart patients the little pill to put under their tongue in case of heart attack symptoms. If I am not feeling well, I juice carrots and drink eight ounces of the freshly extracted, strained juice. No fiber in that either. I would love to say that I juice everyday, but that just doesn't happen. I make it happen, however, if I think my body is needing some help healing or remaining healthy. I can feel when I need it. I think it is a great advantage to listen to the body and follow the lead. Making carrot juice is a bit time consuming and messy to clean up, but it's one of those things that is heavy on work but heavier on reward. And there's no pre-prepared, powder, bottled, or any other kind of carrot juice that is the same as freshly extracted and immediately consumed. I've looked for years and tried them all, but for powerful results, only the best will do. My father calls it a lobster complex. Unfortunately, I have that tendency in other areas of my life as well. That can be expensive. I have to watch myself. Having said all that, the barley green product I use comes from a company that also makes a carrot and a beet juice powder. I do take that daily, and I think it helps, but I use it for maintenance of a healthy system. If things aren't kicking well, I start on the real thing.

After fifteen minutes, I have my cup of hot tea! This is for pleasure, not health, although I have read that tea does have those beneficial anti-oxidants in it. After tea, I have a "Super Food" product and/or a "fiber" product. These go in a drink; a kind of yucky drink, but I believe it helps me so much it is worth it.

I wait at least half an hour and then sometimes I have double-fiber bread toast with lots of REAL BUTTER on it, toasted in the oven like my grandma did it. But sometimes I am too full from all the drinking and so just enjoy cup of tea #2 until lunch. My children almost always want breakfast, but they prefer white toast, like their Daddy. I trick them whenever I can with "white wheat." I'm not sure how much better that really is, but at least the label says it has more fiber than white! What do you think of the REAL BUTTER? Health or pleasure? Pleasure. I don't know of any great health benefits of real butter. If you do, I wish you would comment. I'd love to have a good reason for using four happy pats of butter on my toast. Someone once told me that margarine was only one molecule different from plastic. That threw me a loop. I never looked at margarine the same way again. Then I got to thinking that hydrogen peroxide is only one molecule different from water. I felt better about the margarine then, but I still don't eat it unless there is NO BUTTER in the vicinity.

Before bed, I take one teaspoon Bragg's Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar and one teaspoon raw honey in four to six ounces of warm water. Shaken not stirred. I love James Bond; the old ones a la Sean Connery. I'll let you look up the great benefits of the raw, unfiltered vinegar. Amazing. The drink smells like dirty socks but the flavor of my little evening toddy is very soothing and my tummy loves it. I drink it in the kitchen. My hubby isn't too fond of going to sleep smelling dirty socks.

Treasured Pearls: Homeschool Challenges

Treasured Pearls: Homeschool Challenges: "Sometimes, there are challenges to schooling at home that you just don't face in the classroom."

I love this! Every pet I've ever had or been around has adored our schoolwork papers. Even the cats want them. Funny!

My Children as a Gift Back to the Lord

Eleanor Powell's oft quoted proverb, "What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God," reflects a principle of scripture that comforts us in our earthly labors for him.  As a new school year starts, we find ourselves excited about new possibilities, our growing children's blossoming characters and intellects, fun, new projects and lessons, fresh school materials, and we look forward with hope!

We realize that “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD...” Psalm 127:3, and we determine to do our very best to train them in His ways.  As the days progress, the challenges of the real work of forming young minds and hearts begins to reveal itself.  Bad days happen. Sometimes lessons take a back seat to just plain old child rearing.  Disciplines are meted out. Tears flow. And then, smiles appear again and we remember anew why we are a part of that remnant of God's people whom the world, and even some Christians, dubiously label, "homeschoolers."

We ask God, “So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12, and we pull on the strength of His Spirit within us and see like He did as He created this earth that, "This is good."  Soon, the year is no longer new. The materials are becoming, as we, tattered from much use. Nothing looks shiny anymore, and yet, we have weeks ahead to trudge through the depths of knowledge assigned for our growth. Yes, the journey is for "our" growth, assigned not accidentally to both us and our children.

But there is a prize. And we have the distinct honor of laying it at our Savior's feet. There's a story in the Old Testament about a sacrifice which King David wanted to purchase from a man named Ornan. Upon hearing of its purpose, Ornan wanted to give the property to David.  But King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing." 1 Chronicles 21:24

Our children are God's gift to us. What we do with them is our gift to God. And so we press on, growing alongside our little charges, and purposing for that last mile of the race not to present to God that which costs us nothing.