Feeling better about school

I got a note from a friend yesterday that just left me in tears. She's always had such a way with words, but what she said just organized a few of the thoughts I have had over the past week since making the decision for the kids to enter the public school system; she also encouraged me regarding God's will for our life. I asked her if it was okay for me to share it here, in case there might be another person reading my blog that might be going through the same thing. It also gives a very different perspective regarding how a Christian "should" educate their children.

I am so blessed to be able to call this woman my friend, and thank God so much for having her in my life! She is going through insurmountable trials right now, yet was sensitive enough to the needs of her sister to send encouragement. God knew what I needed, and he sent it. PTL!! Along the same note, I'm waiting for the admissions director to call me back about Hannah's enrollment. Please continue to pray things move quickly and we'll know SOON that she's indeed "in" and they don't have to go to different schools.

Hey! Loved the blog from your bday and I wanted to be the first to say
"Welcome to the Mission Field!!!" I'm sorry, I'm one of the weird ones
that just wants to do the happy dance everytime I hear of a Christian family
infiltrating public education. It's a mission field, I'm telling you,
right in your back yard! (or up the street).

You are going
to be such a blessing to that school. J.D. is going to a charter middle
school this year. They sell Dr. Dobson books in the school office.
I'm not a fan of Dobson, but he is my brother and I couldn't help think, "that's
cool!"

Also, I just want to throw this out there and you can
totally reject it, but you said that you couldn't help think that your children
having to attend public school was a consequence for the financial folly at
home. You also said that you always said you would never send your kids to
public school. I don't know if this is true in your life, but sometimes I
find that whatever I say I'll never do is precisely what God calls me to
do. And when I read that part about financial folly, I couldn't help think
that maybe it's the other way around. Maybe the financial issues are a
result of refusing to send the kids to public school. Maybe they're part
of the wooing, God bringing you to this place of desperation to get you where he
wants you to go. Now I'm not saying that's a for sure truth at all, just
something to think about. Our Dad owns that cattle on a thousand hills and
we're in the will, chick. I can't explain it, but I am just convinced that
there is a family at that !
school
that your family is going to bless
beyond measure. I know that he won't waste his workers.

I
also know that, when called to go places we're not sure about, it's easier to
say, "here I am, Lord, send me" than "here they are, Lord, send my kids".
But I want to tell you what you already know: he loves them more than you
do. He will go with them. God is in the public school.
"Whether (they) turn to the right of to the left, (they) will hear a voice
behind (them) saying, 'This is the way, walk in it'." He will guide
them. And I don't know your kids, but when you speak of Jackson it just
sounds like he has such passion for the Lord. I am so excited to see the
impact for the Lord he will have. Yes, our kids can be missionaries
too!

If you were sent to Africa as a missionary I'm sure you would
encourage your kids to befriend the children of the families you were sent to
minister to. I'm sure you'd expect them to carry the word of God to them
as their friend. Missionaries do this all the time. You are a
missionary and so are your kids. You've not been sent to Africa, you've
been sent to the charter school. God loves the kids that go there just as
much as the kids in Africa. Your calling is no less real than that of a
missionary to Africa.

I encourage you, as a family, to start each school
day by saying in your hearts, "here we are, Lord, send us". And I
encourage you, my fellow worker, to look for the opportunities that he is
preparing in advance for you to do in that school. I will pray that doors
fly open. I will pray that God direct you to families to minister
to. He's preparing them in advance. He will show you, just listen
for the voice that says, "This is the way, walk in it".

I don't
believe every Christian is called to Africa. I don't believe every
Christian is called to public school. But for those of us who are called,
He provides the grace, strength and guidance to do the work he's prepared for
us. Welcome to the P.S. I Love You Mission Field, (Public Schools, I love
you). Your family will be in my prayers.