On being a liar.

Sometimes I find myself saying things that I don't necessarily believe. I think we all do it when we are in unfamiliar company or even just unpredictable company. I hate to admit to having told lies, but when I really think about it I see no other option. My opinions are strong and often caustic in nature. They are at the cross streets of cut and dry. Of course I am always reevaluating my position. I love debate. I love new perspectives and information and quite often when confronted with something compelling I will alter my stance. So far, I have yet to encounter any information that counters or makes me rethink my most common white lie.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone.

I say it anytime the topic comes up. I hate that I say it because I no more believe it than I believe in the Ptolemaic model of the universe. And if that reference threw you then here is a link. I have been teaching astronomy lately. Study up

http://www.polaris.iastate.edu/EveningStar/Unit2/unit2_sub1.htm

People thought this guy had it down until Copernicus came on the scene and rocked their worlds, literally. I was stuck in a frame of mind that homeschool was immature, fear based and second to any education that a public school could offer. Those people own goats and make their own bread. This is what I thought. And again I told the lie.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone.

I didn't want to seem like a judgemental jerk. I needed to at least appear to be open minded about the topic. Then one day I had my own baby and my thinking changed. I did my research. I learned of the moral decline in our schools. I learned of the low standards and over crowded classrooms. I also remembered how things were when I was in public school. I shuddered. How could I send my baby into the fray? Well, aren't we supposed to be light and salt? Aren't we supposed to minister? I wonder who this "we" is and why does this "we" have to include my 5 year old? I should send my 5 year old into a school that teaches her everything I am against for 8 hours a day and then do my best to deprogram her when she comes home. Then reprogram her to be a missionary in order to face the next day? Okay. Got it.

So I guess Christian parents who send their kids to public school spend just as many hours teaching Bible lessons and having discussions about morals and such. Right? They spend their precious few hours each day huddled around the fireplace reading scriptures and debating what Jesus would have done if he were in little Jimmy's shoes that day. Of course not. They do what every other family does. They have dinner, do their best to get homework and all these after school activities done and collapse into bed at a late hour just to rise early and do it all again. Show me, please, one biblical account where Jesus says to do anything but shelter, guard and teach children. Just give me one example of where he sends children out to win the lost.

Some people try to convince me that little pep talks along the way can supplement for long lasting, consistent spiritual guidance. They address things as they come up. Okay, what about the stuff that doesn't come up? The truth is you probably wouldn't recognize little Jimmy when he gets around his peers at school. It becomes increasingly easy to live a double life when you spend the majority of it outside your family unit in an atmosphere of Godlessness.

Now there is always church. We take our kids to church and hope some Jesus will rub off on them, but that is not what the Bible tells us to do. We as parents have the duty to instruct our children in scripture. Its just easier though to take them to church a couple times a week and check that off the list.

So what's the point? The point is honesty. You don't send your kids to public school for any missions purpose. You drop them off at the bus stop every day because its easy and you don't want to add that to your to do list. You actually could, considering you are a 2 parent household, homeschool your kids. You are smart enough and you have the time. You just don't want to. You would rather spend your time and money elsewhere and ignore the negative influence that this decaying system has on your child and the solidity of your family unit.

Here is the kicker, I have known this about you all along and I have been lying to you. So let me apologize for my cowardice. Lets be real honest people here. I think every Christian family should homeschool. Now, the question remains. Are we still friends?