The Case For Christian Education

I recently read a great article in The Banner written by James K.A. Smith that discusses what Christian education is about and more importantly, what it is not.

We have made the decision to send our children to a Christian school. It's a huge commitment and it will take dedication on our part to help ensure that the school community flourishes.

I have often been told that I am segregating my children from the rest of society. That I am trying to protect them from non-believers and keep them away from ideas that contradict what we are teaching at home. None of these reasons have any bearing on why we have chosen this education route. We made a promise when we baptized our children that we would raise them up in faith and for me, that has three main areas. The first, obviously, is the home. How we speak, the way we behave and how we respond to the situations and people we encounter are the largest influencing factors on our children. Second, church. We make it a priority to attend church and to be as involved as we can be. A church is a family - and like any family there can be issues that need to be addressed and sorted through. And as with a family, you don't check out just because someone has annoyed you or made you angry. Church is where our children see how others within their faith interact with each other and how the body of Christ comes together. Third, education. Our children will spend a large part of their weeks in the walls of their school and here is where Mr. Smith's article makes some really great points. He writes:

"First, Christian education is not meant to be merely “safe” education. The impetus for Christian schooling is not a protectionist concern, driven by fear, to sequester children from the big, bad world. Christian schools are not meant to be moral bubbles or holy huddles where children are encouraged to stick their heads in the sand. Rather, Christian schools are called to be like Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia: not safe, but good. Instead of antiseptic moral bubbles, Christian schools are moral incubators that help students not only to see the glories of God’s creation but also to discern and understand the brokenness of this fallen world.

While the Christian classroom makes room for appreciating the stunning complexity of cell biology and the rich diversity of world cultures, it’s also a place to understand the systemic injustices behind racism and the macroeconomics of poverty. Christian schools are not places for preserving a naive innocence; they are laboratories to form children who see that our broken world is full of widows, orphans, and strangers we are called to love and welcome. In short, Christian schools are not a withdrawal from the world; they are a lens and microscope through which to see the world in all its broken beauty.

Second, Christian schools are not just about Bible classes. The curriculum of a Christian school is not the curriculum of a public school plus religion courses. While Christian education does deepen students’ knowledge of God’s Word, it’s not Bible class that makes a school Christian. Rather, the Reformed vision of Christian education emphasizes that the entire curriculum is shaped and nourished by faith in Christ, “for by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17). Christian schools are not just extensions of Sunday school focused on learning religion; they are Christ-rooted educational institutions focused on religious learning.

Third, Christian education is not a merely “private” education. Christian schools are not meant to be elite enclaves for the wealthy. To the extent that Christian schools become pious renditions of “prep schools,” they fail to appreciate the radical, biblical calling of Christian education. In Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony, this is expressed in the confession that: In education we seek to acknowledge the Lord by promoting schools and teaching in which the light of his Word shines in all learning, where students, of whatever ability, are treated as persons who bear God’s image and have a place in his plan."

How to educate one's children is a personal decision and there is no right way or wrong way. This however is our choice. We are going to make the sacrifices necessary to carry out the educational vision we have for our children. I think that Mr. Smith has very articulately put into words my thoughts on the subject.

Doctor's Appointment

So I had my second doctor's appointment yesterday. Pretty basic appointment, bloodwork taken for some normal tests and an attempt to find the baby's heartbeat. At 13 and a bit weeks, this should have been an easy task but not with my child.

After what seemed like an eternity, this little one finally popped out from under the major blood vessel that supports the placenta (which was blocking any hope of hearing anything other than my own heartbeat), and did indeed confirm that someone is in there. 146 beats per minute. Good, strong and healthy. Nice way to scare your mother.

Another month before I see my OB and then we have our second ultrasound to see how this little one is growing.

Fun and Exciting

Here is the latest bit of news from our household:

Spring and Summer Fun

Am I ever behind in blogging! Life has gotten even more busy if that is even possible and we have been trying to keep our heads above water. Between graduations, weddings, camping, bootcamp, baseball, soccer and Ultimate, we can barely find enough time to sleep let alone take some time on the computer!

Here are some pictures to catch everyone up on what we have been up to for the past few months:

We spent a weekend in Minneapolis at the Water Park of America, shopping at the Mall of America and in Albertville and making a quick day trip to the Minnesota zoo.

When we returned from Minnesota, Emily graduated from pre-school. They had a little ceremony and a party afterwards. She was so proud of herself.

And of course, we can't forget the two nights a week that we spent playing soccer.

And finally, our first camping trip of the season.

Vacation looms near the end of this week which holds time to spend at Fun Mountain, Tinkertown, camping and Sesame Street Live. More pictures to come (hopefully sooner then this last batch)!

A Nice Reminder

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

be kind anyway.

If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;

succeed anyway.

If you are honest people may cheat you;

be honest anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the end, it is between you and God;

it was never between you and them anyway.

Easter and Thief River Falls

We spent last weekend in Thief River Falls with some friends who have now become our "summer" buddies (well they are our year round buddies but we have a lot of plans coming up with them this summer). We had a blast all weekend and will most definitely be going back again.

Easter egg hunt.
That bunny sure can hide these things...
All ready for church.
Fun with friends!
Hey - who's the big kid??
This kid is so stinking cute I could cuddle her all day long.
Horsing around with Uncle Peter.
Sometimes you take a picture of nothing really, and feel suddenly very blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people.
Exhausted.

Who Would've Thought?

I never thought that I would be a camper let alone spend valuable vacation time doing just that. I'm a city girl and when I vacation, I stay in hotels, I need electricity and a pool to sit beside. And then I had children - children who like my husband like to go camping. Their mission was simple - convert Mommy and in a team effort that even involved our friends they managed to do what was unthinkable only a short while ago.

Last week, we bought this:

And I'm excited about it. How about that?