Teach Them Diligently

Over the weekend I attended the Teach Them Diligently homeschool convention. I've been to more than a dozen homeschool conventions over the years. Probably more than two dozen. I've been to workshops and conventions for ministry. If you go to things like that you know it is like drinking from a fire hydrant.

So. Much. Information! So much to process. So much growth potential.

What I love about Teach Them Diligently is that it is geared toward Christian homeschoolers. Every class is steeped in prayer. The curriculum choices are biblical. Speakers talk about homeschooling as a ministry.

This convention has offered fantastic practical courses teaching practical nuts and bolts of homeschooling at classes like "The 5 Flavors of Homeschooling" and "How to Use an LMS and Reap the Benefits" (taught by ME!) and one I went to on dual enrollment. I love that it teaches the whole person.

I'm on information overload.

It is easy to try to start everything you've learned right away. It is like the New Year's Eve of homeschooling.

We go, we buy new curriculum, we learn about new ideas, new habits, new perspectives. It is hard to know where to start implementing. I'm still praying over all of that, recuperating from Spring Break lag, which is like jet-lag, but longer and coming down from the high of teaching a class.

Right before we left, my mentor and friend, Lou Peeks passed away. Talk about teaching diligently! She was not a homeschool mom. She was a Christian mom. She was faithful to God her entire life. She and her husband Jack raised three strong, smart and beautiful daughters and took in something like 5 other girls over the years. Raising them as their own for whatever time they had with them.

And Lou was a genius. Like, really. She worked for NASA right out of college. She was on the team that made a computer screen output the very first letter for the very first time. Totally awe-inspiring for my kids. She is this real person who rocked them to sleep as babies. She taught Bible classes. She taught at VBS. She went on mission trips with us. She shared her heart for Jesus and her wisdom. She taught math classes and was awesome, and was REAL. She was "Nanna" Lou to all my kids.

My heart breaks for her family, though, I know they know she is waiting for them. She will see them in Heaven. This separation is not forever. But it is for now. It is for real.

And it brings me back to my time this past weekend. What will I do with the knowledge I have? How will I raise up my children? What will they say of me when I am gone? What will people remember? Will I remain faithful? Will I be one described as diligent? Will I be described as a passionate follower of Christ? Will my children know they are loved?