Prarie Dogs “You want me to do what?" I asked my son. "Home-school me," he replied. A flood of concerns ran through my mind: books and requirements, assignments and record keeping. I envisioned my son and me, sitting at the kitchen table struggling over school work – it was already a difficult task just to get my son to do his homework – and now he was asking me to home-school him? "I think that would be a huge undertaking," I told my son, but I promised him I would pray about it.

"Lord, you want me to do what?" I said out loud while I was praying. But there was no doubt in my heart. I knew God was leading me to teach my son at home. I already knew many of the benefits that home-schooling would bring my son. Not only would he be receiving personal attention with his education, but with God's help, my son would be learning about the wonderful virtues of God, such as patience and kindness, and how to apply them in his life. But I was very surprised when the Lord began to reveal that while I am teaching my son, He is also harvesting His virtues in me.

Being a stay-at-home wife and mother, and living out in the country affords me little interaction with the outside world. Oh sure, I have a few close friends, but my daily relationships are mainly with my son, when he's home from school, and with my husband, when he's home from work. For the majority of the time I am by myself – and my aloneness is something I have cherished since my son began elementary school three years ago.

I love being alone! I can clean the house without interruption. I can read or write in perfect silence. I can even watch something on television besides cartoons! Therefore, I was a little disturbed when God began leading me to home-school my son, because I realized that my precious alone-time was going to be invaded. However, as I continued to pray, God began to show me that my cherished hours alone each day were not going to produce much of a spiritual harvest, but that with God working through my relationship with my son and the time we would spend (and struggle through) together, He was going to be working His virtues – the very fruits of the Spirit – in me, and the end results would be worth far more than the time for myself.

We're only into our third week of home-school, and already I've threatened several times to send my son back to public school, though afterwards I apologized, to both my son and God. I know it's going to be an upward battle of a school year.

However, I am strangely encouraged, even excited, because I am learning in a whole new way how much I depend and need to depend upon God. I cannot home-school. I cannot be in a peaceful relationship with my son. And I cannot be kind, gentle or patient without daily remaining in God. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) I feel as though the seeds have been planted in me. With a heart full of hope, I anticipate a sweet harvest.
© 2006 Heather McCuen Dearmon

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