Do What’s Right Because It’s Right

I once heard a Christian pastor explain how he tries to persuade young people who prefer the pleasures of the world over Christ. “When they tell me that they don’t want to become Christians because they would have to give up their fun sinful lifestyle, I tell them that my fellowship with Christ is sweeter and more fulfilling than anything else in life I’ve experienced,” he said. Good argument, right?

I also recently saw a discussion on Facebook between some homeschoolers and some government school proponents. The homeschoolers cited a recent study that indicates that homeschooled young people remain in the church as adults in a far higher percentage than their government-schooled counterparts. They believed this was an excellent reason to homeschool. Another good argument, right?

What do these two anecdotes and arguments have in common? In both cases, a key element was missing. Yes, it is valuable to compare the joy of fellowshipping with Christ to the pleasures of the world and to realize that Christianity does in fact provide satisfaction and delight. Yes, it is helpful to point out that homeschooled youth remain in the faith in higher numbers than public schooled youth. 

However, when trying to decide what to do, the key question to ask is, “What is RIGHT?”

Christianity is not a matter of comparing the joy of the world and the joy of Christ, weighing the pros and cons, and eventually opting for Christianity because it seems like the most satisfying choice to you personally. Becoming a Christian is about recognizing truth. If Christianity is true, then whether it is the most satisfying or not, we must believe it. If Christianity is true, then whether we feel like it or not, we must obey God’s command to turn to Him. Scripture says that God, “commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30, emphasis added). Following Christ is not optional. God commands us to follow Him and to do otherwise is simply disobedience. Becoming a Christian is the right thing to do, based on the truth revealed in Scripture.

Likewise, educating a child is not a matter of weighing pros and cons and deciding which option is most affordable, convenient, academically successful, fun, or likely to keep the child in church. It is a matter of doing what is right, whether it is easy or not, enjoyable or not, most likely to keep the child in church or not, or most likely to land the child a scholarship to an Ivy League university. It is the duty of all Christian parents to diligently search the Scriptures and see what Biblical principles apply to the education of children and then to act on those principles.

For instance, Scripture says to raise one’s children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). That is a command, not a suggestion. Parents must weigh which schooling method allows this nurture and training in the Lord. Is it the one where a child is with his Christian parents during the day? Or the one where a child is sent to a secular, blatantly anti-God, government-run institution 7 hours a day, 180 days a year, for thirteen years of his life?

Scripture also warns us to not be deceived, that “bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Do we honestly believe that? We should—it is an unarguable Scriptural truth. That being the case, which schooling method puts a child with good company? Homeschooling, which places the child alongside mature Christian adults? Or institutional schooling, where children are placed with young, foolish, and often ungodly peers all day?

“But wait!” someone will say. “Scripture also commands us to be salt and light!” Actually, it does not. Scripture says we already ARE salt and light and then immediately warns us not to lose our saltiness. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (Matthew 5:13) 

 Christian families are already salt. It is every parent’s duty to make sure that they do not cause their children to lose their saltiness. When it comes to education, we must also remember there is no Scriptural command or precedent anywhere for impressionable and vulnerable children to be sent out alone as missionaries every day. None. Not only that, Christian families have more than ample opportunity to be godly witnesses to their friends, family, neighbors and community without having to send their children to a government school. “Being a missionary” is not limited to “being inside a school building.”

I could go on, but my point is simply this: We should not choose a path based on how we feel, or because it seems to best suit our goals, or because someone else says we should do it, or even because we like the outcome. Rather, we must seek the truth and then obey it because it is true and because obedience is required. Obeying truth is not optional. Interpreting truth to suit our preferences is not acceptable. Truth is truth and we are obligated to seek it out and follow it, period, stop. May God give each of us the grace to do so!

Written by Raquelle Sheen 

Answering the Questions

My family has been in the homeschooling arena for about 30 years and we have seen the changes in society as it has responded to homeschooling during this time. One way of measuring these changes is the questions we hear when people discover that we homeschooled.

Is It Legal?
Originally the question was, “Is that legal?” The first reaction of our society was to question our right to homeschool. Back then the legality wasn’t clear in every state so as fathers we had some tough decisions to make. But God granted us victories wherever homeschooling was challenged. Laws were changed and only a few families ever lost their children (temporarily) or went to jail for homeschooling. This was an important time for homeschooling.  The movement grew because parents decided to do what was right, even if it wasn’t easy.

How Will You Teach...?
Once it became well established that homeschooling was legal, the next set of questions focused on academics. “Who will teach them calculus? What about biology lab? How will they get into college?” Homeschoolers’ creativity found ways to deal with each of those questions. In fact, homeschoolers are doing so well academically that colleges are recruiting homeschoolers and many are offering homeschoolers generous scholarships. As we fathers and mothers have set our families up to follow the model that God established – parents directing all aspects of their children’s upbringing - we have been blessed with good fruit for our labors.

What About Socialization?
Since homeschoolers began demonstrating that they could meet the academic tests, the questions shifted to, “What about socialization?” This was a very easy question to respond to since one of the most anti-social beings in the world is the typical American child. By teaching our children their social habits in the family, rather than in their peer group, they have developed excellent social habits and are turning out to be leaders. God shows us the power of an upright and godly life on our part when we see mature parental behavior reflected back in the lives of their children. As Christ has given us the freedom and wisdom to be servant-leaders, we find our children stepping into the same roles.

Not For Me!
The next question was really a statement, “Well homeschooling isn’t for everyone.” My response was usually, “Why not? It may not be the favorite choice of all parents, but it certainly will deliver the best results for any child.” I would then get excuses like, “What about single moms, or two income families?” We homeschooled long enough that I have met at least one family in virtually every family structure and economic situation who is homeschooling quite successfully.

It is interesting to see that when confronted with truth, people will grasp at anything rather than apply it in their lives. Our experience has been that God honors His Word. When you order your life according to God’s directives or patterns, He will meet your needs. (Incidentally, He also promises persecution, hence all these questions.)

The "Real" World
Homeschooling has answered these questions and the comment I often hear now is a belligerent, “Well, I want my kids to grow up in the real world!” Dads, be ready to face this one head-on.  We don’t want our children to grow up confined to the “real world” of the present day American pop culture.  We want them to be able to discern what in this “real world” is good, just, and holy, and what is evil and immoral.  To do that they need training in righteousness.  Our society is unprepared, possibly even unable, to provide that training. We, as parents, have the ability and the mandate from God to ensure that our children are brought up to be straight and true arrows in the quiver. As such, when it is time for battle and they are released, they will strike a decisive blow.

The questions keep changing, but the underlying issue is the same. Generally speaking, our society is unwilling to accept the responsibility for raising its children. We would rather give them to the state (or village) and go off to play. However, God called us to something higher when he granted us the privilege of becoming parents.

Written by Ray Sheen

Curriculum: Tool or Tyrant?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. The end of another perfect homeschool day. This morning—like all mornings—all of the children jumped joyfully out of bed at the crack of dawn to meet the day. The hour of family worship set the tone for all—and it was so satisfying to hear the children reciting the Pentateuch. All of the chores were cheerfully accomplished, making the house a spotless and inviting center of learning. Each child applied himself to his assignments with alacrity and intensity of purpose. Now, dinner is simmering aromatically, awaiting the arrival of a happy Daddy from work.

What do you mean this doesn’t describe your homeschool?

Oh. I see. Instead, you are thinking: The end of another long homeschooling day has arrived. You are brain-dead. Your children are cranky. The house is a wreck. What in the world will you fix for dinner? Your long-suffering husband is getting tired of coming home to leftovers. In fact, you haven’t spent much time with your husband for weeks—you have been too busy homeschooling the children!

Wasn’t homeschooling supposed to be fun…or at least satisfying?

Didn’t people tell you that your children would enjoy learning? What could be wrong?

You stack up all of the school books. Look at all of those books! Why, you have diligently made sure that your children have read all of the chapters in the book, and have answered all of the questions at the end of those chapters.  They have completed a good stack of worksheets every day. You have given them every quiz in the test booklet. You had them write book reports for all of the books they have been reading. According to your record book, you are right on schedule—your almighty schedule!!

Still, nothing else is going right. Maybe you are giving them too much school work…but…on the other hand, those books were written by education experts. If they didn’t expect you to teach everything in the book, they would not have put those lessons in there. Right?

If you could only get your children to understand that! They keep complaining that they are bored and already know the material, but lots of repetition is a good thing, after all....isn’t it? If the children weren’t so grouchy and uncooperative, you could finish all of those books!

Maybe...maybe you just were not cut out to homeschool. (sniffle)

The Tyrant Attacks!
Guess what has happened to you?! (Sinister music builds in the background.)

You have been ensnared by.......The Curriculum Tyrant! (Dum da dump dum daaaa!)

Yes. The Curriculum Tyrant! The Curriculum Tyrant sneaks into your home under the guise of  “Good Books.” He begins to whisper to you that these books are the answer to all of your children’s needs. He then quietly, but persistently, begins to insist that you must not waste any of these Good Books, but must do all contained therein.

He virtuously points out, just for good measure, that you spent a fortune on these Good Books too. Certainly, you would not want to waste hard-earned money by not getting the most out of these Good Books. Before long you are feeling guilty and anxious for not having your children spend more and more of their time slaving away in the Good Books. It’s for their own good, after all!

You might be in the grip of The Curriculum Tyrant, but, hark! There is hope! To rescue you from the domain of The Curriculum Tyrant, we must step back to the beginning. First you must take the following pop quiz:

1. Who owns your children?
2. Who has God deputized to raise His children?
3. Does anyone on this earth know your children better than you?

Answers:
1. God does. Of course He does. The magnificent Creator of the universe owns all things, including your precious children. You knew that, remember?
2. You. Yes, God has graciously allowed you, as a parent, to be a steward over the dear blessings He has given you. Imagine the influence God is allowing you to wield—influence with eternal consequences. Wow!
3. No! God has placed you in the unique position of having special knowledge about your children that no one else can ever completely have. No one will ever know them the way you do.

Now, an essay question. What is an “expert”? 

Dictionary definition: “a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field.” So, in the “particular field” of your children, the “expert” is you! Not The Curriculum Tyrant. You! Do the authors of Good Books really know more about your children than you do? Does Scripture exhort authors of Good Books concerning how to raise children, or does it exhort parents? God has given the job of “resident expert” to you, and not to a stack of Good Books.

More Dangers From the Tyrant
Now that we have established who the real experts are, let’s take another look at the ways of The Curriculum Tyrant. The Curriculum Tyrant is unbalanced and relentless. He wants to take over your entire family life. Should your children slog through school work just because it’s in the book? If your daughter readily knows her multiplication tables, why are you wasting time with endless drills? If your son excitedly rushes into give you a blow-by-blow description of the book he is reading, why are you saddling him with a laborious book report? If Mary is bored with a textbook-dictated writing assignment, why not let her write about something she likes? If the chemistry text is covering the same math as the math textbook, does Johnny really need to do the same material again?

Anxiety and chaos are the price you pay for obeying The Curriculum Tyrant. By contrast, God is always balanced, and He is the God of order. Obeying Him brings peace and orderliness as we allow Him to tame The Curriculum Tyrant.

Fighting the Tyrant
So, you have reviewed all of the symptoms and have decided that, indeed, you have been seduced by The Curriculum Tyrant. Now what?

Stop what you are doing. Put the Good Books back on the shelf. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (NIV)

Take some time and look at the skills each of your children has been demonstrating. Pay attention to what they are truly able to do, not just what the Good Books have been dictating. After you have taken an in-depth look at your children’s abilities, and have prayed for God’s leading, then you can pull the Good Books back off the shelf.

You are now ready for.....(happy music builds in the background) Curriculum Tools! (Tee de TEEEEEEEE!) That’s right. Curriculum Tools. Curriculum Tools are gifts God has given us to help raise our children properly. Good Books are wonderful Tools to be used, at your discretion, in teaching your children, but they need to be used wisely. Tools are used by the expert to create, build, and fix. The expert masters his tools and is not intimidated by them.

You do not necessarily need to throw out your curriculum and begin something new. I like the statement, “Any curriculum will work if the teacher does.” In other words, if you—and remember, you are the real expert!—take charge of what you have on hand, and regularly assess your children’s schoolwork and attitudes, you might not need to spend more money on new material. After evaluating what you have on the bookshelf, decide where your children should “plug in” to a book or a plan of study. What can they skip—yes, skip!—either because it is twaddle, or because they have already mastered it? What areas need more practice? Your answer will vary from subject to subject. New curriculum might be necessary, but be certain you make an informed decision and not a snap decision based on frustration.

Freedom!!
You have made the transition! You are now using Curriculum Tools to meet the needs of your children, rather than following the demands of the despotic Curriculum Tyrant. Such freedom! Life returns to normal as you fit curriculum into its proper place along with housekeeping, family time, devotions, and other important responsibilities. The frazzled, brain-dead mother disappears, replaced by a calm, smiling mother. The neglected daddy and perpetually cranky children disappear too. Is life perfect? Well, no, but home should now be a more pleasant place and the daily routine should flow more smoothly. Learning can now be interesting instead of the draining drudgery it once was. Hurrah for homeschooling!

Just a word of caution, though. The Curriculum Tyrant is never defeated. He will try to return, and he is very sneaky. But you will know when he returns if you pay attention. Recall the anxiety? The chaos? You will know. Trust me. I’m an expert!

Written by Holly Sheen

His Story - Why Teach History?

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come."  
(I Corinthians 10:11)

"Ideas have consequences."
"No man is an island."
"If we do not know where we have come from, we don’t know who we are or where we are going."

These famous remarks all point out the fact that history — the story of God’s work in creation from the dawn of time until now — is a vitally important topic to study.

Think of how much influence one man, or one idea, or one invention has had on the course of human events! History is the study of these men, ideas and inventions, and opens the door to every other topic of study. No one is too young to enjoy the stories of history!

Reasons to Learn History
Consider the fact that a large portion of the Bible is history.  Think of all the verses admonishing us to tell others of the works God has done — more history.  In fact, our entire salvation depends on events that God performed in literal history!

History teaches us to learn from mistakes.  We look at the fate of the Israelites who grumbled against God and are warned by their punishment not to grumble ourselves.  Perhaps you have used more recent history to teach your children a lesson.  “Julie, when I was your age I lied to my mother about stealing cookies.  This destroyed her trust in me (not to mention earning a spanking!).  So you see lying and stealing have bad consequences.”

History inspires us to work for our dreams.  Through the ages, people have scoffed at ideas like telephones, trains, airplanes and space travel.  But the men and women who had these dreams persevered in pursuing them and many were granted success.  When I become discouraged or tired of doing right, I like to read a good biography.  The example of a great person’s life is an enduring inspiration to those who come after them.

And finally, history shows us that failure is not final.  Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly child but through hard work he built a body so tough that he could stand before an audience and give a speech while bleeding from a gunshot wound in the chest.  Thomas Edison failed 8,000 times until he succeeded in finding the right filament material for the light bulb.  When called on by the British to surrender in the War for Independence, John Paul Jones of the brand new American navy stood on the deck of his sinking ship and called out, “I have just begun to fight!”

Hands-On History
A great way to bring history alive with your children is to visit historic places, reenactments, and museums. Watching a battle reenacted illustrates how noisy and confusing it can be and we can better understand why soldiers didn’t always follow orders properly.  Visiting the recreation of a 1700s home makes clear why servants were so necessary — it was hard work just to cook a meal or clean the house without modern conveniences like electricity and running water!  Seeing a real Egyptian mummy or a bed that George Washington slept in brings the people of the past into the reality of the present.  One of my fun museum discoveries was a genuine blunderbuss (that’s a gun, for my fellow unenlightened females) — I had no idea how ridiculous and yet threatening such a gun looked in real life!  I can see why wild west stagecoach guards favored them in scaring off would-be attackers.

Another fun way to study history is to check out your own genealogy.  I have relatives who fought in both World Wars and the Korean War.  I have ancestor soldiers who fought on both sides of the War Between the States.  We are also proud of our ancestors who fought for independence in the War for Independence. I have to admit my interest in Russian history was sparked by finding out our family line traces through the royal czars of Russia.  Growing cotton became a more interesting subject when I discovered that my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather Roberts grew the first bale of cotton in Navarro County, Texas.  History is the story of ordinary people and it becomes even more exciting to find some of those people were your ancestors!

We Must Know History
God requires us to tell others of His marvelous acts.  How can we do so if we don’t know what His acts have been?  As we study history, let’s remember we are following the mandate in Psalm 78: “I will utter hidden things, things from of old—what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done….so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”

Written by Heather Sheen

Two Plus Two Equals Peace - Why Teach Math?

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace."  (I Corinthians 14:33)

Language is the foundation for all learning; history is the lens through which we understand all learning.  But math is often the language through which we learn.

God makes it clear throughout His Word that He desires order, not chaos.  The most orderly school subject a child can study is mathematics.  God also makes it clear that truth and absolutes exist and are defined by Him, not us.  What better way to teach this to your child than to let him discover the hard fact that 2+2=4, regardless of his opinion!  Math is supremely dependable, which teaches us about God’s faithfulness and dependability.  To function well and bring glory to God in today’s culture, a basic knowledge of math is a requirement.

Of course, some people aren’t “wired” for math.  And other people just don’t like math, even though they may do well with it (that describes me).  If your child is like me, he might be saying, “Aw Mom, I’m not gonna NEED math when I grow up!  I’m gonna be an artist!”  Or a musician, or a writer, or an athlete, or whatever.  But if you’re like my parents, you can explain how a good understanding of mathematical principles will help him to bring greater glory to God, no matter what his vocation.

The Use of Math in Other Vocations
You can explain, for instance, that in the world of art, perspective, angles, depth and shading all require a basic knowledge of math.  A musician must know some math to understand timing, note values and rhythms. A professional writer gains logic and clarity of thought through the discipline of using math.  Any athletic sport requires at least some sort of measuring and/or time-keeping, if not more complex things like computing of averages.  Of course, any vocation that deals with computers, science, and money (like banking) will require math study.

The Use of Math in Daily Life
Help your children keep in mind that every person, regardless of his career, is required by God to be a good steward of his finances.  This requires keeping a balanced budget — more math!  Since computers and cash registers often break down, it is necessary to know some math so you can help the cashier at the store when the machine fails.  Math is necessary to paint a house (how much paint per square foot?), plant a garden (how many seed packets will fill your garden space?), cook and bake (how many tablespoons per cup?), gas your car (do you have enough money to fill the tank?), and perform many other daily tasks.

Practical Application
Perhaps if your child feels frustrated with math, some practical application would help him or her to understand its importance.  Tell Annie she can make new curtains for her bedroom, but first help her compute how many yards of fabric and trim are required to do so.  Let Sammy build a tree house in the back yard, but help him figure out square footage for boards and estimate the amount of nails and other materials he’ll need.  Let your children help you bake cookies and try doubling or halving the recipe — that takes some math!

Studying mathematics develops logical thinking skills, something that is terribly lacking in our culture today (maybe because true math is no longer taught in the government schools!).  Studying math reminds us that there are absolutes and we cannot ignore them without suffering consequences. Studying math helps us to keep our lives orderly and peaceful.  Studying math teaches us that we can depend on God, the Author of mathematics.

Frankly, when my day goes wrong, my project bombs or something bad unexpectedly happens, I find math to be comforting—because, doggone it, 2+2 will always equal 4!  I can count on it!

Written by Heather Sheen

What’s the Point? - Why Teach Language Arts

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11)

When I was about 12, I hated studying English.  “What’s the point?” I whined to Mom.  “I’m not gonna be a writer or anything!  Why do I have to diagram sentences ‘n stuff?”

I hope the fact that I can write a coherent blog entry convinces you that Mom was right after all! Okay, you say, it’s great for a parent to be able to say “I told you so!” to a whiney kid.  But what do you say before the kid’s studying pays off?  How do you encourage a child to pursue language arts if he dislikes or struggles with the subject?

Why Language Arts?
God thought language was so important that He personified His Son as the "WORD." “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (John 1:1)  The Scriptures are filled with references to God’s language — “the word of the Lord,” “the mouth of the Lord,” “the word of His power,” etc.  In fact, God chose to reveal Himself through words — the Bible — which He declares will “stand forever.”   When God created the universe, He did it not with “his hands” or “his strength,” but rather with his Word.  “And God said, ‘Let there be...’”

Language is important because it is communication.  Have you ever had laryngitis or some other mouth ailment, and tried to communicate without words?  Gestures and grunts don’t convey much and you usually wind up exasperated!  Words make our meaning precise and clear.  They can be written down so more than one person can read them.  Words can be translated so people of other tongues can understand.  Words can be etched in stone so that hundreds of generations can be moved by the same message.  But words only convey meaning if they are used in a way everyone recognizes.  And that’s why we study subjects like English, grammar, spelling and writing.

If I wrote this sentence: “Binx scarfed yer grub,” there is only one person in the world who would know what I meant.  My sister.  That is because she knows “Binx” refers to her cat Binxus, “scarf” and “yer” are our slang words for “ate” and “your” and “grub” is another slang word for “food.”  She would therefore deduce that her rascally cat had snitched her tuna sandwich again.  But no one else would understand this.  Why?  Because I did not use generally recognized words and spellings.

A Christian should always desire to communicate as clearly as possible because the Great Commission requires us to tell the gospel to others.  How can we share the gospel if others are confused by what we say?  Worse than a confused person is the one who is turned off of the gospel because the communication was sloppy, poorly worded, badly spelled or incoherent.  The Bible tells us to “always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within you,” and that preparation should include good language skills.

The more language we know, the more precise our meaning.  “She shouted at the animal,” conveys meaning, but “She hollered in exasperation at the tuna-snitching cat,” is more precise and you probably get a better mental image of what happened.  You received more accurate communication.

Language skills are learned by doing three things: studying the mechanics of language, reading what good writers and speakers have said, and practicing writing and speaking yourself.  You’re never too old to stop improving your language skills... and you’re never too young either.  The Bible tells us that words existed in the beginning and they will be there in the end.  Language is eternal.  Let that encourage you the next time you encounter those tiresome nouns and verbs!

Written by Heather Sheen

The Heavens and the Ants - Why Teach Science?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  (Genesis 1:1)

Why should every Christian should know something about science?

According to the dictionary, science is the systematic study and knowledge of the physical and material world.

Two Views of Science
There are two views of science in our culture.  The evolutionary view says that man is evolving upward and science is the answer to life’s problems.  Crime? Just a problem with the criminal’s genetic make-up, or maybe a result of bad experiences in his past.  Disease?  Don’t worry, with enough research, we will find the cure for every disease.  Pollution and species extinction?  We’ll re-engineer our factories and set aside more national parks to take care of those difficulties.  And the list goes on.  If you can think of a problem, an evolutionist will probably come up with a scientific answer to it.  Unfortunately, evolutionists tend to rely heavily on theories, rather than proven fact.

The biblical creationist’s view is different.  He has the written Word of God concerning our world and he believes that all life and matter are created by God for God’s glory.  Because man sinned, God cursed creation so now we are dealing with an imperfect world.  However, God has still preserved natural laws and it is man’s duty to study those laws in order to better glorify God with the creation He has given us.  A Christian studies science because God gave us dominion over the earth (Genesis 9) and we should be good stewards of it.  A good Christian scientist makes sure his theories are backed up by biblical truth and factual evidence.

Because a Christian starts with God’s Word, he views problems differently.  Crime?  The Bible declares that each person is responsible to God and society for his own actions.  Scientifically “fixing” a criminal will not ultimately work because the real problem — sin — is spiritual.  Disease?  Yes, Christians can and should seek cures for illness.  But they realize that until Christ returns and our imperfect bodies are glorified for eternity, we will always deal with some form of sickness.  A Christian can work to cut down pollution and to save species from extinction, but he understands that there are priorities.  Growing food to feed the hungry must come before saving Rare Hiccupping Toads.  Producing necessary items in factories must come before eliminating every shred of haze in the atmosphere.

Why Teach It
So let’s bring this down to Johnny Homeschooler’s level.  He doesn’t want to study biology this year, or maybe he’s tired of chemistry or else physics has him stumped.  Does it really matter to God whether he studies this stuff?

Yes!  Passages like Psalm 19 tell us to consider the heavens to learn more about God.  Proverbs 6 says to go to the ant for an example of industriousness.  God cared so much about scientific issues that He gave laws concerning farming, health and cooking in the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, Jesus constantly used examples from vineyards, orchards and farms.  For example, He used grafting as an example of our relationship to the body of Christ.

Doing everything for the glory of God requires us to know at least the basics of science because understanding science is key to many essential life skills.  Have you ever combined vinegar and baking soda to create a big fizz?  Did you know that the same principle of acids and bases is what makes biscuits rise? Try leaving baking soda out of a muffin or bread or cookie recipe.  The result is pretty bad — and it’s all due to God’s scientific laws!

Growing a garden requires some knowledge of biology (just try planting tomatoes in complete shade and see what happens!).  Driving a car demands at least a fundamental knowledge of physics (think words like “momentum,” “velocity,” and “mass”).  Keeping ourselves healthy every day calls for an understanding of the human body (what grows on your teeth when you don’t brush?).

Everyday Science
Relating science to every day life can help your child enjoy and see the benefit of studying it.  Here are some fun questions to ponder: Why does water flow uphill out of the pipe below the sink when you turn on the faucet? Talk about water pressure and water towers.

Why are incandescent light bulbs warm when they’re on?  Talk about electricity creating light and heat. Why do pools have chlorine in the water?  Discuss what makes algae grow and how chlorine prevents it.

How does a thermometer work?  Or a barometer?  Pluck guitar strings, watch them vibrate and talk about sound frequencies. The list is endless - just look around where you are right now and I'll bet there are three or four good science topics to explore!

I still remember the first day I understood the physical explanation of a rainbow. I had a great sense of awe to know for sure that Noah was facing the receding clouds, his back warmed by the sun, as God made light frequencies bend through the subsiding rain.  Science is the observation and discovery of God’s world and it can be pretty exciting!

The more knowledge we have of God’s creation, the more effective we can be in doing good deeds for Him. Particularly in our culture, science is viewed as the answer to nearly everything.  A Christian who knows the basics of true science can help others understand what science can do — and more importantly, what it can’t do.

Only God, not science, can provide answers to life’s ultimate questions.  But in providing the answers, He often sends us to study the lofty heavens — or the lowly ant!

Written by Heather Sheen

The Universal Language - Why Teach Music?

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  (Ephesians 5:19-20)

The list of subjects a well-rounded homeschool student should cover is not complete without music.  God calls every Christian to use music to glorify Him and edify others.  Music is a language that every person in the world can understand, regardless of nationality or dialect.

Even a casual reading of the Bible makes it pretty clear that God values music highly.  The longest book in the Bible, Psalms, is composed entirely of musical songs written by King David and others.  In the New Testament singing is mentioned often and we are told in the book of Revelation that there will be awesome music in heaven.  The Apostle Paul commands Christians — all of them — to "sing and make music in your heart."

Obviously, if God thinks music is that important, then we should give our children at least an exposure level of training in it.  But, heavens!  Where does one start? It seems that every music teacher, professor and author has a different opinion on how to teach children music!  I don’t pretend to have a the perfect formula, but hopefully I can at least clarify some issues in order to make your music education decisions easier.

There are three basic categories of music.  Folk/pop music, like "Yankee Doodle" or "Let It Go." Classical music, such as "Beethoven’s Fifth." And sacred/church music - think "Amazing Grace."  A well rounded person should have at least exposure to all three forms of music, although your child may want to concentrate on just one form for further study.

"Exposure" means hearing the music and maybe getting a chance to sing it as well.  This should be fairly easy for sacred music since most churches have congregational singing each week.  If your church tends to focus on one area of sacred music, like choruses, it might be helpful for you to get CDs or go to concerts that exemplify other types as well, like hymns and gospel music.  Music has been a part of church history for millennia and there is a wealth of Christian heritage and encouragement in the annals of sacred music.

Exposure
Exposing your children to good folk music and classical music might require more action on your part. Buying and playing good music in your home is the first and most important step.  Attending concerts gives your children a chance to see how music is created. It can give them a new appreciation for music and possibly an inspiration to play an instrument themselves.  And studying the lives of famous composers brings history and music together in a way that makes both more meaningful.

If your children are completely tone deaf and have little interest in music, you may simply want to stop at the exposure level.  However, a good music teacher can help even a tone-deaf child to play certain instruments, like the piano, which don’t necessarily require a good ear.  So don’t give up if your little cherub sounds like a foghorn!

Lessons
For those children who want to play an instrument, consider that you must be as committed as you want your child to be.  William will usually get tired of practicing if no one cares whether he practices or not.  In fact, William won’t feel the need to prepare for lessons if his parents are lackadaisical about taking him to lessons. As with any other school subject, your child will follow your lead.  Check his work.  Praise his successes. Talk with him and his teacher about how to fix problems.

Remember, the first reason a Christian studies music is to praise God and edify others with it.  So give your children the chance to do just that.  Beginners can be encouraged to learn a piece for Grandma or for Daddy when he comes home from work.  More advanced students can play at your church, at a party for a friend or at a nursing home.  When music is used to serve others, it makes performance more meaningful and less stressful and gives the student a reason to practice.

Learn the Language
Music is a powerful language.  It can sooth a crying child, rouse an army, or sway a crowd.  Music can influence a culture.  A wise man once said, "Give me the writing of a nation’s ballads and I care not who writes its history."  With this in mind, it would behoove us to educate our children in this universal language today in order that they can play their part of shaping our nation’s tomorrow.

Written by Heather Sheen

According to the Pattern - Why Teach Art?

"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.  Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you."  (Exodus 25:8-9)

There is probably no better subject for sparking controversy these days than "art."  Even among Christians there seems to be serious disagreement about what is true art, what are the standards for art, and whether Christians should be involved in art at all.  It may be tempting for homeschooling parents to ignore the whole problem by either avoiding art altogether or simply doing the "exposure" thing — show your kids a lot of famous art and let them figure out the rest.

Christian parents are called to something higher than that.  God Himself commanded beautiful art for the tabernacle and temple. The arts make a major impact on our culture.  At least a rudimentary knowledge of the arts is desirable in training a child to be a person of godly influence when he grows up.

First, let’s define our terms.  "The arts" refers collectively to things like pictures, movies, photography, music and sometimes architecture.  "Art" usually refers more specifically to something illustrative or decorative, usually a painting, drawing, or sculpture.  In this article I will be focusing on art, rather than all of the arts.

What Art Is Not
Art is more than simple creativity.  A work of art requires some skill and talent. It usually conveys a message, however vague, that sparks emotions.  And generally, good art is understandable and therefore enduring.  A chair spattered with paint might be creative, but it requires little skill and no talent.  It conveys no understandable message (beyond a klutzy painter) and rarely sparks deep, long-lasting emotions. Furthermore, spattered chairs (and other modern examples of so-called "art") are hardly ever enduring.

So now, we come to the sticky question — what are the biblical standards for art?  Are there any?

Some Standards For Art
Yes, indeed!  Nearly every artist you talk to will tell you that they want their art to inspire their audience to think about something.  The Bible is very clear on what we should be thinking about.  "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things."  (Philippians 4:8)  That’s pretty comprehensive!  A painting of a hideous, unreal scene is neither true nor lovely.  Statues or paintings that are obscene or immodest are neither excellent nor praiseworthy.  When we start applying these biblical adverbs to art, it quickly becomes apparent what is good and what is not.

"But wait," someone will say.  "The Bible talks about sin and suffering too — that falls in the category of 'true.'  A painting of a naked person or a dead animal is true and conveys the fallennes of our world."  That is a valid point.  But we must keep something in mind.  While any unsaved person can see and convey the consequences of sin in our world, only a Christian can see the big picture of ultimate salvation and redemption for all who will trust in Christ.  We have been given the Great Commission to share this big picture.  Therefore, it is a Christian’s responsibility to show not only the hopelessness of sin, but also the hope of salvation.  When we create or immerse ourselves in art that only focuses on sin — a naked person — or only focuses on suffering — a dead animal — we are leaving out the punch line, the end of the story. We are leaving out the gospel.

Teaching Art
So let’s make this practical.  How does a Mom or Dad who knows little about art teach this important subject in a way that is godly?

First, children should be exposed to art that is good.  This means not only good content, but technical excellence as well.  There are hundreds of books of famous paintings, sculptures and buildings.  In our city, the Bob Jones Museum and Gallery has many well-recognized, biblical and beautiful paintings.  The Greenville Art Museum sometimes has displays of great works of art (though you will have to use your judgment as to which exhibits are appropriate).  Every area of the country has at least some good art museums and exhibits.  On your vacations, check out art museums in the areas you are visiting.  Let your children see the enduring, "the greats."

Most importantly, teach your children how to discern good art based on biblical principles.  My parents never let us see obscene or disturbing art when we were young (and we still avoid it if possible), but they did let us see some of the silly and pointless modern "art."  They helped us to understand the futile thinking that prompted these so-called artists to chop up a block of wood and pompously name it "Lost."  They showed us the pointlessness of sticking up some slabs of metal to supposedly illustrate "dynamic spatial interaction." And they also helped us to analyze why, for instance, Thomas Kincaid’s paintings have so much light and Norman Rockwell’s works have so much detail.

Finally, teach your children to become skillful in their own creativity.  Not everyone has artistic talent. But everyone can attain some degree of technical excellence. If nothing else, the experience of trying to create good art will help your children appreciate the hard work and dedication of other artists.  Young children can simply be encouraged to have fun with finger paints, play dough, and paint-by-numbers.  As children grow up they can be taught to consider things like realism, perspective, and color combinations. Basic art training can then be a jumping-off point for applications in "the arts" — things like calligraphy, stenciling, sculpture, pottery and graphic design.

The world looks on art as a selfish pursuit.  "I’m just expressing myself!"  But a Christian knows better. Nothing, not even art, should be done selfishly.  Instead, we are to do everything for the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).  We should be expressing the Great Commission in all we do, including art.

A picture is worth a thousand words and parents would be wise to teach their children how to use these thousand-plus-word statements to impact others for good.  When we create art that is according to the pattern of thinking God gives in His Word, it will glorify Him and bring people to know Him.

Written by Heather Sheen