Love for Learning...

I dislike the word "school." I believe that true education is not found in a fake set up like a classroom. I think that school teaches its students to follow the rules set down by whomever is in charge and education teaches its student to love learning and to spend time and energy on a subject that is of interest. I think education sparks curiosity and creativity and causes its students to think.

Thinking is hard. It means you have to be still. It means you have to block out the chatter of the world around you and dig deep within yourself for answers to life's hard questions. Most people do not want to pursue the work of thinking.

This year I decided to pursue some higher education. I love reading, writing, and research. If I have any passion outside of Jesus and my family it is the written word. I love words. I will read any and everything in sight - books, newspapers, magazines, shampoo bottles....whatever is close at hand.

My two oldest children are almost sixteen. Their curriculum this year is titled The History of God's Kingdoms. The title has intrigued me for years as we have approached this level. We use a curriculum called Sonlight (www.sonlight.com) - I can not recommend it enough. Thanks to Sonlight creators John and Sarita Holzmann, I have read books that I never would have found on my own. My children and I have experienced places and historical events in ways that I never could have imagined. It has been a phenomenal approach to learning.

The motto of Sonlight is "The way you wish you had been taught, guaranteed!" This statement could not ring more true for me. If I could design the absolute perfect method of learning for myself, this would be it! I have loved every single year. We have studied World History, American History, Eastern Hemispheres, and Ancients. We have read books on every subject, from missions to mythology.

This year, the topic is Church History. I decided for the first time to complete the work alongside my children. So far it is amazing!! It is hard and it takes me a long time. I work late into the night, poring over books and jotting research notes in my "Sonlight Notebook." I love it!

I truly could have been a full time college student, and if I had gone to a school with a solid Biblical worldview I probably would have been tempted to set up camp there. This year, the writers promise that if you get out of these texts all you can, you will finish with a better education in church history than most seminaries give. I am determined to give it a shot.

So, most nights after my kids are sleeping you can find me writing down my proofs to the questions posed in the Westminster Confession of Faith or studying the history of Christianity in the book, 2000 Years of Christianity.

So far, the book I love the most that I had never heard of is called From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. It is a biographical approach to the history of missions. I can not tell you how fabulous it is! The historical fiction I am currently reading is The Flames of Rome.

I have so much to say about what I am learning. I will be sure to do some book reviews soon.

I love home schooling!!