Tell me again. Why do we homeschool?When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homcschooling, by R.C. Sproul Jr., published by P&R Publishing
Tell me again. Why do we homeschool?
When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homcschooling, by R.C. Sproul Jr., published by P&R Publishing
My wife and I have been homeschooling on and off since 1985. At various times we bought into the lie that government schools could provide opportunities for our children that we could not provide at home. These opportunities were the proverbial things such as culture, socialization, and academic excellence. Of course, at those times when I succumbed, I failed to ask the important questions, like, "Who's culture?" "What kind of socialization?" and "Whose definition of academic excellence?" I wish now that we had had a copy of When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling available to us back then.
One of the best-kept secrets in understanding issues is asking the right questions. Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. addresses something that I have not previously found in the homeschool community—he goes beyond the questions where most homeschoolers stand, such as "Which curriculum should I use?" and "Which approach to teaching should I employ?" to asking the fundamental question that every parent should ask themselves. That right question is, "What does the Bible say about our children's education?" The answer to that can be found in Deuteronomy 6: 1-9. The main premise of this book is that as Bible-believing Christians, we need to see everything in terms of the antithesis found in the war between the seed of the woman (believers) and the seed of the serpent (the world) and the subject of homeschooling is no exception. Dr. Sproul's book is a clarion call to all Reformed believers to re-discover the true purpose for homeschooling our children—to raise up Godly seed who will in turn raise up Godly seed who will continue raising up Godly seed to successive, kingdom-building generations.
My family was deeply influenced by Francis Schaeffer's book, How Shall We Then Live?, where Schaeffer challenged readers to go beyond the worldly and humanistic goal of pursuing personal peace and affluence. In that same vein, Sproul challenges homeschool parents to go beyond the world's goal of giving our children an education that will allow them to get the "good jobs" so that they can pursue the "good life" and gain personal peace and affluence. As Sproul maintains, the Bible teaches that when we teach our children who God is, what God has done, and what God requires of us and we teach them that they must also teach these truths to their own children and grandchildren, then we are accomplishing the true purpose of homeschooling, God's way, and that is the good life.
Lest the reader think that this review is sufficient to explain all that this book contains, there is much more. R.C. Sproul Jr. offers some very practical guidance along the way, such as addressing the differences in teaching our sons and our daughters.
When You Rise Up is written in Dr. Sproul's typical easy-to-read, conversational style. Although not a long book. it is very rich in content and conviction. I personally am considering handing it to the next person who asks for an apologetic as to why our family has chosen to homeschool.
Mendota 2050 A.D.
The Village, directed by M. Night Shyamalan
So Lawrence, being a film geek of sorts, calls up Mr. Shyamalan, writer/director of Signs, Sixth Sense, and Unbreakable, with a great idea. Do a movie about Mendota. Set it in the future, say about forty or fifty years, and add some of that Shyamalan twist. So what do you know, Shyamalan does it. He calls it The Village, a movie about a small agrarian community set in the far future—for Mendota folk—in the year 1879. The twist? No Maker's Mark. See, they can't have the color red because the monsters, "Those of whom we do not speak," like the color red, a lot, and Maker's Mark has red wax on the bottle; ergo, no Maker's Mark in the village. But that is okay, because they distill their own bourbon there anyway. They would have to distill some form of liquor, because the guy in the watchtower at night has to have something to ease his nerves while watching for any monsters. Not that they actually drank any liquor in the movie, I'm just reasoning from the extenuating circumstances.
The village is set in a clearing surrounded by miles of woods, which are inhabited by ugly humanoid creatures, whom we get to see only briefly in the movie, thankfully. This village was founded by a handful of Saint Peter folk who wanted to get at least 30 minutes away from Wal-Mart, and who serve as the council for the community. The entire village respects and honors the elders and heed their wisdom. And the council says to not venture into the woods, because the monsters will get you. This is made clear when a boy ventures into the woods to test his own fortitude, and one of the monsters (played by Laurence, R.C. tells me) comes out that night to warn the community. But what happens when a young man gets hurt badly and the only way for him to survive is if someone goes through the woods to Wal-Mart to get medicine? Well, the girl who is in love with him is the only one brave enough to try. Dum-dum-dummmm. Did I mention that she is blind?
This story is well told, relying not on the usual Hollywood cache of smoke and mirrors, blood and nudity, but good script-writing and fantastic acting. It is clean and not very scary; just a little spooky and a good mystery. This is a Shyamalan spin-your-brain-in-your-skull plot. What I can't wrap my head around is the gospel parallels. For insrance, Jesus whipping the devil to save those whom He loves. But the savior here is found in a pretty blind girl. Was Shyamalan saying something? I don't know. But it was a pleasure nonetheless to view a movie that wasn't more of the same action, violence and eye-candy. Pure delight I tell you. Now excuse me, some friends and I are going to see Alien vs. Predator—again.