A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Faith

Spiritual Education In Homeschooling

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For families that are faith based homeschoolers a question that often arises is how does one fit in a spiritual component to their homeschooling.  The question arises What is Spiritual Education?  How does one approach it?

Is it part of the homeschool day, as in, is it subject that is completed once a day just like math, science, art etc.  OR is a more generic part of the day NOT considered a subject in the curriculum.   The question then begged is, how do you as the parent teacher help your children understand the difference?

Spiritual Education in Homeschooling, two main methods

I admittedly am not sure of the answer but want to take the time to explore it.  Personally I’ve done it both ways, where it’s one or the other.   Currently I’m doing a mix of both. 

Faith in every Subject

Spiritual education can be woven into every single subject that is taught.  That’s a given in a faith-based homeschool due to the fact that as believers we understand that God is in all and through all and manifests himself throughout the entirety of the world.   He does.   So when we teach art we understand that God is the first artist and shows himself through the things he has created.  The more we understand how God put things together, the more we understand how much he cares for this world. All the details he holds in place show us his omnipotence.   But does weaving faith facts into lessons teach our children how to have a daily devotional time?  Does it teach them facts about the bible which they should understand?

I don’t think so.  It does teach them the relevancy of God to every subject and area of life, but it doesn’t actually teach them to dive deep into God’s word and to think meditatively about spiritual things.

Meditative Study

The way to really understand a subject is to take the time to read and think about what you are learning.  So as you do math you learn that 1 + 1 = 2 and then can bear that out with practical application.  To understand Shakespeare you read his works, consider the time period that he lived in, figure out what the words he used actually mean, and therefore are able to understand his works. The same goes for understanding God.  You actually need to stop, read his word, consider the history and time period, consider what you already know about him, and really think about the verses that you are reading.  What do they tell you about God, what do they tell you about people (including yourself).  It’s important to learn these skills early so they translate into continuing these skills as adult. 

Curriculum or Outside of Curriculum

The challenge I find is this.  Having a devotional time as part of your homeschooling day, means it won’t be forgotten.  Do your math, your science, have your devotions, do your English.  It’s just part of your learning time.  You know it will get done. But here’s a risk involved: your children will see this only as a subject to be completed, not a life skill to develop.

BUT if you separate out your devotional time what do you do on those really busy days when it’s hard to fit everything in?  Then you risk your devotional time being forgotten, or laid aside, in the busyness of life.  The risk you run is teaching your children that sometimes all the running around we do is more important than learning more about God and his will for our lives.   How does one counter that?  

Combination?

This is why I see combining the two methods as win-win.   Your child (as a subject) learns the books of the bible, or learns memory verses, or works through a Sunday School lesson. A regular study time that teaches without necessarily the meditative aspect of a personal devotional time. 

And then at a separate time (like at a meal or first thing in the morning) you can have a family devotional time, or take 30 minutes after (or before) you start your homeschooling day to have a personal time of reading God’s word and talking about it.  To that end, in our day, we do a couple of things.  First as I go through the book of John I talk with my lad about what I’m learning and get his insights as well. I’ll read verses to him and say “Hey, this is what I’m thinking and learning.  What are your thoughts?”  

At supper (almost every night) we are working through the book Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds.   We are doing this with our international student which gives us a lots of reasons to stop and just talk as we want him to understand what we are learning too.  We take turns reading scripture and then applying that to what we have learned.  Sometimes we are so amazed.

What Others Do:

I know from talking with other moms that they  have their own routine.  Perhaps they will start their day with 20 minutes of quiet bible reading, or a morning circle time, and as part of their bedtime routine. We each, through trial and error, find our own way.  It’s important to do so though.  God gives us life and care.  His son died for us.  It’s the very least we can do to take time to know him, our heavenly Father, just a wee bit more eh?  

Deep

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It’s five minute Friday again.   Today’s word is deep.   As I’m thinking on this word I’m watching How to Train Your Dragon.   The one I am watching is not the movie, but the Netflix series. It’s technically not a deep show, just a cartoon but it’s one I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.

It’s probably not a good thing to be pondering the word deep while watching this show.  🙂  But you know, life is what is eh?  🙂

Hiccup the leader, a young man with the weight of the whole dragon kingdom  on his shoulders.

Astrid his lady love, fierce defender of all that is dear to her.

Fishlegs the scientist, a big guy with a soft heart.

Snotlout the self-centred fellow, strong warrior who often makes grave missteps.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut… the oddest twins I have ever met.  Devoted to one another beyond a doubt.

Then of course, we have their counterparts – the deceptive one (Johan), the evil (Krogan), the intelligent (Vego).   Doesn’t good always need a counterpart?  It’s the story of the world.   You have the defender….and the deceiver.  One doesn’t have to look TOO deep to find that truth.  🙂

So often though, we hide from that truth, failing to see what is right in front of us. God is the true defender of this world. It’s the world he made, and houses the people dear to his heart. This truth is pivotal to our understanding of how things work.  

God is always, always, displaying who he is the world.  Calling to the seeking…even if they don’t know they are seeking yet. And then there’s the deceiver, tricking those who are seeking.  

But here’s the interesting thing.  Sometimes, one who seems to be a player on the deceivers side, sometimes they see past the deception and they turn to the good side.  I saw this truth displayed in the episode I watched tonight where Vego actually saw the value in dragons and HELPED the dragon riders instead of hindering them.

Don’t you find it interesting how these truths are written into shows where you don’t expect to find them?  Don’t you think it shows how God’s truths are written into the fabric of humanity.  They are a deep and true part of this world.

Deep, God's truths are written into the fabric of humanity

Faith’s Submissiveness

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As I have been going through the book of John, a recurring theme is Jesus saying he does the will of the one who sent him.   He doesn’t talk or do anything outside of the will of God the Father.  He trusts God completely. You might argue that he is indeed God, so why shouldn’t he trust God the Father completely, but the fact remains is Jesus was human. 

He is God the SON not God the Father, and it was hard for him sometimes.  He agonized over his upcoming death, he struggled with the disciples, and he suffered in his temptation in the desert.  It’s not sinful to do so.  Yet he always stayed true to what God wanted of him.  Not in a proud “I am God way” but in a faithful, I am his son way. He taught and lived out what God would have him teach and live out.

Faith's Submissiveness, a matter of relationship

Then tonight I was browsing facebook and there was a fellow on there talking about how we often believe lies about ourselves. Lies that we tell ourselves.  If we would actually just stop and treat ourselves like we are someone we love, we would be happier people. 

I got to thinking about that.  Then he mentioned that he wears a bracelet that says WWJD… I stopped the video the lad and I were watching and we talked for a bit.  I said “Imagine what it would be like if we all just knew ourselves the way Jesus knew himself and his mission.   He knew himself so well that it helped him give grace to others, it allowed him to stay true to himself when he was angry, it allowed him to be sad over what was to come and yet reach out to those important to him.   Imagine what the world would be like if we truly lived like Jesus.”

Thoughts Prepared

I have all this in my thoughts as I opened this chapter in the Faith Shaped Life, and read about Faith’s Submissiveness. Jesus submitted himself to the will of his heavenly Father.   It’s how he lived out his life. So what would happen if we, knowing ourselves, which if we follow Jesus’ example means knowing God to the fullest extent possible, what would that do to your trust in God?  If you trusted him full well would it matter what happened to you in your life?

If you were Samuel Rutherford, who lost two of his children, trusting God you would write something like this “I was in your condition; I had but two children, and both are dead…The good husbandman may pluck His roses, and gather in His lilies at mid-summer, and for aught I dare say, in the beginning…“. (p.106, Faith Shaped Life, Ian Hamilton).   Do you see the trust Mr. Rutherford had, calling God the good husbandman?  It’s a horrible thing to lose a child, much less lose two!   And here he is, trusting God even in this terribly hard time. His heart breaks and yet, he submits himself humbly to God.  

Do you see it?

There’s relationship there, do you see it?

That’s what does it you know.  That having relationship.   If you don’t have a good relationship, you can’t humbly submit. Submission can happen but is it humble?

Being humble in your submission shows your trust and belief in the one you are submitting to. Jesus going about his daily business of showing God the Father to the world around him.  It’s Jesus not complaining when people treated him poorly.   Jesus calling out to God “not my will, but yours be done”.    It’s Jesus showing us the way all the time.   

Jesus Brings us Along

And through Jesus we are brought into relationship with God. The humbleness we have in our submission is a reflection of our of faith and trust in God the Father shown us in the Son. The Son’s obedience in all things to his Father, shows us that God didn’t even spare his own son when it came to us.  That is the depth of concern that God has for us. 

That’s worth something isn’t it?  It’s worth us getting to know him all the more and having a relationship with him. That relationship, oh…that relationship helps us to put all things into perspective. I find him helping me to catch my breath once in a while and grabbing for a different perspective on life.  The more I learn of him, the more surprised and hopeful I become.  It amazes me all the time.  And how all these different pieces fit together…. like it is totally all God’s planning.  He builds my faith in him and the more that happens, the more I willingly accept all that he gives me. It’s weird in many ways, but it all comes down to this … Relationship.

 

Sorrow Will Be Turned to Joy

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Last time we met we learned about the work of the Holy Spirit. Today we learn how sorrow can be turned into joy in John 16:16-24.

16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:16-24 Sorrow will be turned to joy

Jesus continues talking with the disciples, offering them information that will be of comfort to them when he is gone. Today he tells them bluntly that : “A little while, and you will see me no longer”  Makes sense this right? Very straight-forward, soon I won’t here any longer.  BUT then he adds this be “and again a little while, and you will see me.” Do you blame the disciples for their response? 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” I would be completely surprised if they HAD understood what he meant.  Jesus was introducing them the thought that he would come back.  He’d go away, and then he’d come back.   The little while stuff wouldn’t be easy to figure out either.  The disciples were so confused.

An Explanation

This didn’t surprise Jesus of course, he knew they were wanting to ask him questions so he asked if for them. “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? He then went on to answer it. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus makes sure they know he speaks the truth when he started off with “truly truly.” Sorrow is coming. The world will be happy, but they will be sad.   

That sadness though, it will turn to joy. Just like a woman is sad to go through labour pains, but when it’s over her heart is full of joy.  So it will be for the disciples.   They will be so sad when he goes away, BUT Jesus will return.  His return will shepherd in their joy. That joy will be such that no one can take it away from them.

He then tells them to ask things of God.  Ask, he says.  When you ask you will receive and their joy will be full.

Truly, Truly

I’m sitting here thinking… Jesus uses two “truly, truly” expressions in this passage.  One to reinforce the saying that he’ll go away and come back again after a bit. The second to reinforce that if we ask God for anything in Jesus’ name, it’s ours. Two statements he wants very much for us to know are true. 

First off we KNOW he went away.  That’s historical fact.  Then there’s the second part… Jesus is coming back!  He’ll be gone a spell, but then he’s coming back.  Sorrow will turn to joy.  Won’t it be great?  We are told several times in the New Testament about how Jesus will return.  In Acts we are told he will return just the way he left. 

Second…anything we ask God for, in Jesus’ name, we will get.  That implies that we know the will of Jesus doesn’t it?  You can’t ask for something in a person’s name and it be outside of what you’d know they would want.  It’d be like my son going to his father and saying “Mom said I could have a new TV”.  His Dad would look at him funny and basically say “I DON”T THINK SO”!   But if my lad went to his dad and said “Mom said I could go to Dollarama and buy new containers for my ants” Dad would happily take him or let him go”.   Why?   Because it fits.  God’s not going to give us something that doesn’t fit within what Jesus would have for us. Even if we beg for it, it’s just not going to happen.  What a great incentive for us to know Jesus, to know the Lord all the more eh?   Not in a give me, give me understanding, but more in a let me know God more so that when I have need of something, I know what to ask for manner.   Make sense?

Our comfort is this.   Christ will return.  Our sorrow at his leaving will become joy at his return.  AND we can ask God for anything in Jesus’ name and it will be given.  It’s a good thing, is it not?  Jesus gave the disciples good comfort. 

O Come Little Children

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I was talking with the family today and mentioned to them it’s getting harder to find Christmas songs that I haven’t done on the blog.   As we talked I said “oh, maybe I could do Christmas songs from the countries of the war.”

With that in mind, I looked up German Christmas songs.  This one “Ihr Kinderlein kommet” (Oh Come, Little Children) popped up on a couple of lists so I figured I’d share it!  🙂

Oh come, little children - German christmas song

First the English version.

 

And in the original German.  OH MY>>> That was WEIRD!   I started listening and it brought back memories of my mom singing a song that has a very similar tune to this in Dutch.   This flashback happening.. with visions of my dutch relations singing with her.  Anyways, enjoy!

 

Tenderness of Faith

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Do you remember what happened when Jesus came to the tomb where Lazarus was buried?  Jesus, who had delayed coming because the faith of his disciples was very important.   You remember what he did when he came to the tomb.   He wept.  Jesus wasn’t stoic or unfeeling.  He didn’t immediately set about strengthening the faith of the disciples.  Jesus stood and he wept.

Tenderness of Faith, Jesus shows us how to be tender

First off:

Lazarus was a friend, and now his friend was dead.  It’s not small wonder that Jesus wept is it?  Not only was his friend dead, but his friend’s sisters were heartbroken as well.   Jesus was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.   You know what this means for us right?   It’s not a sign of lack of faith when we are heart broken, or if we are moved to tears, or if we troubled in our spirits.  Jesus went through this, why should we be surprised if we also have moments like this as well.  No one can question Jesus’ faith eh?  So if Jesus can take a moment (or three) for sadness, heart break and tears… SO CAN WE.

Next:

Not only that, do you see that part of Jesus’ sorrow was the heart break he felt at his friends’ sorrow.  Mary and Martha were sad and full of tears.  They wept.  Jesus wept.  This tells us that when we weep, Jesus weeps with us.  Oh, isn’t that a lovely thing?  That tenderness that he shows us in our vulnerable moments?   

This is our Jesus, the one who shows us the tenderness of faith.  Showing us how to care for the sad and tearful among us.  That ability to weep with those who weep.  The ability to sit with those who mourn. To talk memories and hope.  To shake together through fear and remember promises.  This example Christ gave us, we do well to emulate it yes? .

Holy Spirit is Promised

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Yesterday we talked about the why of Jesus telling the disciples all that he did, today we delve in John 16:5-15. Today we see the Holy Spirit is promised to us.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

John 16:5-15 The Holy Spirit is Promised

Jesus needed to tell the disciples all that he did because he won’t be with them any longer.  He’s going away, back to him who sent me, back to God the Father. He wants them to remember all that he has told them.    But he notes something: none of the disciples asks him where he is going.  None the less, sorrow fills their hearts. 

I can’t really blame them eh?   They’ve spent most of the past three years with Jesus, and now they know he’s leaving.  It’s not surprising that they are sad about that. There sorrow doesn’t stop Jesus though.  In fact, he tells the disciples this truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Helper Promised

Oh… if Jesus goes away, the Helper will come.  Do you know who the helper is?  I just had a sermon on this!   The helper is the Holy Spirit!  So the deal is this.  Jesus stays here, the helper doesn’t come.  Jesus goes back to God the Father and he will send the Holy Spirit to us.  The Holy Spirit is first off… a helper.   That’s what Jesus calls him.   But not only that he will convict the world in regards to sin, righteousness and judgement. 

  • Sin – they don’t believe in Jesus
  • Righteousness – he goes to the Father and they won’t see him any more
  • Judgement – The ruler of the world is judged. 

Jesus has a lot of things yet he wants to tell the disciples, but overload happens eh?   So when the Spirit comes HE will guide them into  all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Oh, I read those words and it sounds just like what Jesus did.  Jesus didn’t speak on his own authority either.  He speaks only what he hears…what he KNOWS he should speak.   Just like Jesus who only spoke what God told him to. Oh.. just another way of showing the interconnectedness of everything eh?  Anyways, the Holy Spirit.. the helper, the Spirit of truth will declare to the disciples the things that are to come.

The Job:

The job of the Holy Spirit?  Glorify the Son.  Because he takes what is Jesus’ and declares it to the disciples.  Just like Jesus took what was God’s and made known what he could to them.  Triangles in triangles eh?  God – Jesus – Holy Spirit. One leads to another which leads to the next.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Oh.. I am so glad I am taking my time with these sections.  It’s helping it all come together better for me. Is it doing the same for you?   See how one flows to the next and everything.  

God loves the Son, the Son loves us, he gifts us the Holy Spirit who helps and guides and teaches what he’s given from Jesus, who gives what he’s been given from God.  We show our love to God through our obedience, just as the Son does to the Father God and love circles back in God’s care for his people. It’s neat!  🙂