How to Have a H.E.A.R.T.

It's time to talk about Chapter one in Rachael Carmen's book called, "How to Have a Heart for Your Kids."  I really liked her comment, "By seeking God first, we are going before our families, paving the way for our kids.  We are clearing a path through the undergrowth that is everyday life and showing our children how to put Him first in all things."  This is so critically important because it involves the very reason we were created by God. 

We were created specifically to know, love, and serve God.  Everyday life in the public school and/or many entities in our society now are void of Christ and his love.  Therefore, as parents we are given the opportunity to clear this critical path through the muck in our world for our children to have eternal life.  This includes a life here on earth aware of the provisions, love, and blessings we've received from the Almighty that helps us desire to grow closer to Him every day through study, prayer, and service to others. 

Every day life is empty without Christ.  There is evidence all around us, even in scripture, of those who live on earth without believing in the One and Only Lord.  We can not depend on others, like the state, to fulfill this most important component to our lives.  In fact, we can throw everything this world has to offer us away and only have the love of the Lord and we would be well off.  It is better to be poor and know the Lord than to be rich with all the material items in this world. 

We are called as parents to present our children with the richness of our faith.  A loving and gentle presentation is most effective when it comes from parents and is initiated at a young age in the child.  This will result in the higher probability of our children devoting their entire lives to virtuous pursuits.  It is much harder to loose our way and then have to break bad habits or sinful ways to return to the Lord.  Of course, we are all sinners and must repent.  Nevertheless, homeschooling enhances the lives of children by permitting parents with the time and bonding needed to bring our young ones to the Lord so they are armed with the truth as they confront the world.

Rachael also says that, "having a heart for the things of God began with me calling out to Him in desperation."  This also happened to me but not regarding homeschooling.  I needed to call out to God in desperation before we even had children, early in our marriage, because I was assaulted in a woman's restroom.  Afterwards, it was difficult to keep a job.  We lasted four years before we had children and in this time I was able to come before the Lord in my lonliness and desperation.  This time prepared me to be equipped with a very good first year for homeschooling even though the high chair was my desk!  I still needed to learn that I didn't have to work to be important though.  This was part of my 'muck' I had to cut through because it was taught to me this way and I believed it.  Homeschooling removes this type of thinking from the minds of our children.

I really am enjoying Rachael's book and can relate to much of it.  Homeschooling isn't always easy as she points out.  It also involves working on our own relationship with the Lord.  It is definately worth all the hard work though!