Intentional Spiritual Education

I found this article “Homeschooling Is Not Optional” from OrganizingYourWay.net from AmyLovesIt.com (is that enough linkage?)  I love this quote:

No school can address your child’s every need.  I often talk about the “whole child” a common term used in educational and developmental literature.  It refers to the education of not just the cognitive aspects of a child, but also the creative, and physical, and so on.  And yet, you will not likely find much spiritual education in a public school.  Spirituality is a part of the whole child, and shouldn’t be neglected.  In public schools, you will find character development, perhaps, but not real morals.  References to religion, on occasion, but little on faith.  This is your job.  Tend to it intentionally.

It’s always the parents’ job to be the spiritual teacher of your children but after our decision to go with public school versus private, I felt even more of a burden to fill that role.  Lately I’ve been reading a story, or THREE, out of Lexi’s picture Bible (ImpressYourKids.org recommends The Jesus Storybook Bible).  It has been astounding the questions they have come up with.  We’ve discussed sin and creation and Heaven and Hell and Satan and Jesus’ scars and Noah’s ark and the plagues and God’s miracles.  I love how we can all agree “no one in the whole world” understands how God has no beginning and end.  I love that they’re discussing it with me and not (or as well as) a school teacher or Sunday School teacher.  I love that I have a pulse on their fears and struggles.

But it is very intentional.  Even when we’re all exhausted and cranky at the end of the day, I have to make that time intentional to read and answer another 100 questions before sleep.  But it’s so entirely worth it.