Under the roof of the skies that God created

There are seasons to our homeschool and no day or year is like the other.

Over the years...I've woken up to the peace and tranquilty of a spring day with birds singing, and then comes the twirling tornadoes of spring as breakfast gets on the table to get our school day started or get out the door for a field trip and everyone is feeling frazzled including mom and then the cool breeze of fall blows in when a child asks a riveting and poignant question or he recites a piece of poetry or scripture we've been memorizing around the table and you are refreshed and then a thunderstorm rolls in as the toddler spills water all over those library books that are already overdue that will cost you this weeks paycheck to pay for and then the bleek of winter sets in when everyone has lost their umpf to move on one more day. A blizzard blows through when there is resistance of teens to finish the work well and the peace of the blanket of snow comes when everyone is sound asleep all tucked in for the night.

The most sure thing about seasons is that they change! God has created seasons in our own life and we have seasons in our own unique homeschools. Our homeschool days are always changing and growing as our children change and grow and as we change and grow, too.

Charlotte Mason talks about how "Education is a discipline—that is, the discipline of the good habits in which the child is trained. Education is a life, nourished upon ideas; and education is an atmosphere—that is, the child breathes the atmosphere emanating from his parents; that of the ideas which rule their own lives”. Her statement is both encouraging and challenging to me. The Charlotte Mason philosophy can give us a guiding principle to fuel our homes and the education of our children; and can be summed up in three words: Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.

These guiding principles have been a guiding light to our own homeschool and I think they could be for most any homeschool - whether you know anything about miss mason or not I don’t think anyone can really disagree that education is an atmosphere a discipline a life.

When Miss Mason talks about atmosphere she wasn’t talking about candles, quiet rooms, clean homes, all the Nature Study books, the right water colors or colored pencils and classical music. It has nothing to do with curriculum or anything you can buy. She says that the child breathes the atmosphere that is emanating from his or her own parents! Sit there for a minute. Let that soak in. She is talking about us - we are their atmosphere. She was referring to three things when she talked about atmosphere:

1. The ideas that rule our lives, these spill over to our children

2. The thoughts that fill their days, what do they draw from consciously and subconsciously?

3. The authentic environment that surrounds them – how is the soil? Let them grow in a natural, not fake environment.

Education as an atmosphere starts in our own heart – the overflow is from us; the way we see AND view our children, how we value their learning AND living, heart and eyes that are fixed "on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith", and the seeds that are planted in fertile soil allowing God to grow them.

During a challenging season of life and homeschooling God reminded me of the joy of being in His creation. Out of that overflow the outdoors became crucial for creating an atmosphere that supports, the seedlings - the persons - the trees, that God is growing in our home as they grow closer to the Lord and we grow closer together. Bringing our classroom beyond four walls has allowed space in our homeschool for rest, recuperation, reconnection and recreation. It isn’t a formula, but it allows space for those things to grow. And it won’t grow overnight or by just doing it one time.

Over the years I also realized taking our days outside was useful for survival. Some may say survival...really? We are indeed fighting a spiritual battle every day, when the sun rises and our eyeslids open and our weary souls get out of bed and our feet hit the floor. We have a real enemy and he would love nothing more than to start our day off with discouragement and defeat, bringing fear and stress. I've been there? I will be there again, but we can have confidence that whatever our day brings us we have the one true God who is a never-leaving, always-loving, and always equipping us through His own spirit to stay strong in the battle.  He invites us to spend time in His Presence, through prayer and worship, growing to know Him more.

What a delightful way to do this together...under the roof of the skies that God created.

There is a calm and peace that comes from Jesus when we take our classroom outdoors and it is also scientifically proven to increase our understanding and knowledge of what we are studying just by being outdoors and even more so when we play outside! So this is your sign...go outdoors and play with your children! Well, and everything just better outdoors!

May we remember that we are doing important work - you were created on purpose for purpose. God who made you and takes pleasure in His creation - you! And He created you for His glory! He created your children for His glory!

If our kids remember one thing about the atmosphere of our home - let it be that they remember our hearts that followed Jesus wholeheartedly not perfectly, but imperfectly depending on Him for the health of our hearts and the atmosphere of your home.

One of my favorite verses that has sustained me through the days where I felt like I was just surviving and not thriving is - you make known to me the path of life in your presence there is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Some of those pleasures are enjoying my children in His creation - Exploring, adventuring and resting together in the midst of trees, creeks, flowers, rocks and green grass.

There is life in following His path - and the path He has for you will look different for each one of our families - we were all uniquely created and not one of our homeschools will look the same. There is joy when in His presence and there are pleasures forevermore. Never ending pleasures that we can capture while here on earth and forevermore in heaven with Him.