PRAISE GOD!
I can honestly say that I am thanking the LORD every day for placing desires on my heart and then making me wait on HIS perfect timing! Oh how much sweeter it is when those desires are fulfilled!
God had begun to put the desire in my heart to Home school our children back in October 2009. I had finished studying a few books including
Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham. I began feeling very convicted about our choice for education. Then Parker was extremely sick that Fall/Winter. After numerous trips to the Pediatrician and Specialists, we had blood drawn and tested for Immune Deficiency. His results showed a very weak immune system. I was forced to be at home all the time, including refraining from church, because if I got him out at all, he would get sick and it would take him 2-3 times longer than a "healthy" child to get well. I have never been one to run the road and have always enjoyed being home, but I thought that being confined day in and day out would wear on me, but it didn't. I didn't mind it at all and I began to feel peaceful. I remember telling Jonathan that I felt as if the LORD was preparing me for something that would require me to be at home more. I had talked to Jonathan a few times throughout the winter about my desire to Home school, but at the time he did not feel the same. He was at peace with our children at Brickey-McCloud Elementary School. It was hard trying to understand why the LORD would place such a strong desire on my heart and not my husband's. I began to pray for God's will and put my trust in Him that He would either fulfill
or take away my desire in His time. In the meantime our church,
First Baptist Church Powell, had begun preaching on becoming Radical--transforming your life so that our main goal is to spread the Good News. I read the book, Radical, by David Platt, and was yet again convicted about what we were doing with our children and the time we spent with them. I knew that with the girls gone at school 7 hours a day and then afternoons/evenings filled with activities that we didn't have time to focus on what was important-studying God's Word and training them to be missionaries. Mark 16:15:
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Maddy began Kindergarten and Lily Second Grade in August 2010 at Brickey-McCloud Elementary School. This was not what I wanted at all. I could not even talk about school without breaking down in tears because I felt like I was being so disobedient to God's call. Finally at the end of August I went to Jonathan and just sobbed and sobbed about my heart's desires. We began to talk it through and pray and slowly the LORD began to change Jonathan's heart. Please understand that it wasn't Jonathan holding us back, but the LORD felt that I wasn't ready yet back in Fall 2009. He needed time to work in me and mold me into the person that He wanted me to be before I began Homeschooling. So, during our 14 hour drive to Disney World during the 2nd week in September, we had come together as a family and made our decision to Home school starting in August 2011. We thought it would be best to let the girls finish out their year so they wouldn't be pulled out of school. I set up a time to meet with the Home School Administrator at First Baptist Academy whom we would umbrella under. During our meeting she asked how we had made our decision and when we wanted to start. When I told her everything and that we would just wait until August 2011, she asked me, "Why? If this is what God has called you to do, then why wait?" She told me that I could very easily begin after Christmas Break. Wow! The "planner" in me got a little nervous. I mean, how would I be ready to Home school 2 children with such a short amount of time to set up and make lesson plans, and how would we be able to purchase everything needed right before Christmas time? I prayed that God would give me clear direction on what to do. Well, after talking to Jonathan, he said, without hesitation, "Yes. Let's start in January." So here we are! Two weeks in, and I am LOVING it! I am at such peace with our decision and can't wait to see what the LORD has planned for us through this wonderful journey. And the best part is that Jonathan is 110% on board with us Homeschooling! What an answer to prayer! How much sweeter our plans are when they are prayed over and become God's plans carried out in His time!
After much thought and prayer, we set up "Buhl Academy" in our upstairs hallway. I know that might seem crazy, but our hallway is actually called a "Study Nook" in our house plans. When we first moved in our house back in August 2007, we had no idea what we would ever need a study nook for, but God knew exactly what it would be used for...Homeschooling and teaching God's Word to our children!
Jonathan has been so very supportive and encouraging with all of my ideas. Here is the wall outside of Lily and Maddy's room. Jonathan hung a bulletin board for me that is 4ft. x 6ft.!:
Every week we are studying and memorizing a Bible Verse to hide in our hearts:
Here is the little wall on the other side of the stairs. It is perfect for a bookshelf!
The top shelf holds all of my teacher materials and the bottom holds Lily and Maddy's tubs full of workbooks, notebooks, and mini dry-erase boards.
Here is the wall outside of Katybug's room. My father-in-law gave us a dry-erase board to use for our school!
I LOVE books! I started my collection of children's books when I taught 1st Grade and it has grown tremendously. Each month I hope to fill this basket full of books that go along with what we are learning. We also use the Leapfrog Tag system which is a great reading tool:
Jonathan found poster stickers and hung letters up on the wall too!:
At the end of the hallway we have a closet full of crayons, markers, arts and crafts supplies, games, puzzles, play-doh, etc.
Jonathan moved my old filing cabinet in the closet that has all of my ABC files that I saved from when I taught 1st Grade. It fit perfectly in the closet so I can get to it easily.
We do the majority of our lessons as whole group in the Study Nook. Some of my inspiration for whole group learning comes from my sweet friend, Patti Bounds! Being upstairs in the middle of the hall, I can keep an eye on the little ones in the Bonus Room, and they are joining in more and more.
I feel so extremely blessed that I am able to stay at home and teach my children a Biblical Worldview. Many people have asked us "Why Home school?" Besides my testimony that you read above, I could give 100+ reasons why, but the only reason that matters is that we are being obedient to God's call. I know that not everyone agrees with our decision and I am okay with that. I am thankful that we only have to please an audience of ONE. Do I think that Homeschooling is for everyone? No, I don't. All I know is that this is what our family is being called to do. We have nothing negative at all to say about Brickey-McCloud Elementary School. It is a wonderful school and I know that each one of our girls' teachers were hand picked by the LORD. Thank you to all of our sweet friends who have been so faithful in praying for us and encouraging us. I am so grateful for all of you. Please continue to pray for our family and that everything we do will glorify the LORD. I can't wait to share more with you as the year goes on!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
