Letter to the World

Recently my husband and I made the decision to send our little ones back into public school. This was after 3 years of homeschooling. It was not an easy decision.

When our little girl went off to Kindergarten, it was exciting and melancholy. She was (and is) the sweetest thing. We watched her as she came home excited to be reading her little books and telling me all about counting pumpkin seeds. She also brought home something else...an attitude! She was picking up mannerisms and phrases from her friends that went against the things we had taught her. We also noticed how she suddenly shied away from praying in public and later found out that a teacher had scolded her for praying aloud at the lunch table.

A year later our little boy was off to Kindergarden. He was also bringing home this attitude. Although he wasn't shying away from prayer, we found that he wasn't standing up to what he knew to be right. He was following what ever child he thought was most exciting.

The hubby and I prayed and prayed and worked and worked and prayed some more. We just couldn't seem to alter what they were picking up at school.

We discussed this with several family members and close friends. Most of them just said, "Well, that's just what happens. Nothin' you can do about it." One or two suggested homeschooling. Homeschooling? Seriously?!

After more prayer, that is exactly what we decided to do. There were other reasons also but this was by far the biggest. I wasn't raising my children! I can't even say their teachers were. It was their peers. Ummm, that doesn't work for me.

Not long after we made the decision, I went to a homeschool conference. So much information cramped into one tiny weekend. One thing stood out to me. There was a father who gave a talk about "Sending you letter to the Word." Your letter(s) being your child(ren). I don't remember all of what he said but I remember what the Lord said. It went something like this:

Kristi, your letters are not finished. You are allowing someone else to write on them. They are confused and jumbled and contradictory. You need to earse. Rewrite and revise. Be honest. They can understand more than you think. I will let you know when the letters are ready to be sent.

It went something like that.

I learned long ago that when the Lord speaks, follow! No questions, just go.

So for the last 3 years that is what we have done. It has been quite a trip. Within a couple of months of homeschooling and lots of prayer my children were being transformed. People were commenting on it. I'm not trying to paint a picture that my children were awful, because they were not. It was more like a return of their innocence.

Let me tell you, I (and hubby) have poured everything we have into those letters. I don't want to look back and see that I held anything back or that there was an area that I didn't give myself completely. Sure, we have made mistakes, but I always ask my Father to let them learn of Him inspite of my wretchedness. He does. He is faithful when I am not!

Then, in the middle of this school year (December) He told me it was time to put on the postage. This was much harder of a task than any other. "No way Lord!" I said. He gently reminded my that He loved them far greater than I or hubby could ever hope to and that He had great things planned for them. So we, however relectantly, sent our letters.

Let me just tell you, for anyone afraid of letting go of the letter, it is wonderful. God is doing amazing things. This is nothing like when we sent them off before. That was when the world told me it was time. This is God's timing.

Our son, in 3rd grade, now has half of his class coming to church every Wednesday and Sunday night. He is known throughout the school as the "little evangilist." Our daughter, now in 5th grade, has the sweetest tempermant and makes sure to include everyone. She also is bringing friends to church. They tell me about praying with friends. They tell me about how they have stood up to peer pressure. They tell me how they have messed up but then asked for forgiveness.

I thought of this this morning as I sent them off to school. These letters are not yet finished even though they have been sent. Our God is so mighty that He allows me to continue to write. So this is my prayer, "God, breathe the words you want written onto us. We can't write this letter, but you can. Give us the words, guide our quill, just as you did those who wrote the love letter that you sent to me."