Diary of a Homeschool Mom #2 This is Why
As I sit here, trying to muddle through the things that have come to light or unfolded in real time in this past week, I’m in shock. A stabbing, two shootings. Murders and violence, hate. Celebrating the death of a man. The world is a horrible place sometimes, and it breaks my heart. Families who will never see their loved ones again in this lifetime. In a time where hope seems silly, and despair is rampant, it can be hard to continue with life as if nothing has changed.
24 years ago, I witnessed one of the most life-changing things I had ever seen on TV. I was 7. Yesterday, I witnessed the shooting of one of the most prominent political figures in our world today. I’m 31. Minutes after tragedy struck, people began posting, news spread fast, and I doubt his family even had time to be notified before people decided this was something that needed to be put on the internet. Video after video, updates furiously flying in. The entire world watched in horror as a man died. Then people celebrated, joyous that someone they disagreed with was dead and gone. I wish I could say that this was the first time I had witnessed this depravity online, but it’s not. Because months prior, someone shot the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and people also celebrated that. Just days before, someone stabbed a Ukrainian refugee, and people scooted away as if annoyed someone dared die in their presence. The world has become so chronically online that we can’t even muster enough energy to care when people die. They ignore it, push it under, act as though it’s not something to be talked about.
And this is why. This is why I homeschool, why I put so much effort into raising my children in my faith. In Jesus. Not only to protect them, but also because I know that going into a school building after events like this have happened, they could have been subjected to the horrific videos and the depravity of the opinions that people deserve this violence. But also to instill values that teach them to respect and love life. To respect other people and not let differences get in the way of things that really matter. To not be ashamed to share the truth and the light and to never back down from sharing their own faith and values. I feel as though my time in the public school system blurred many lines for me and made it difficult to stick to my faith and to stick with my morals and values. I would be a failure if I sent my children into the world unequipped to deal with the things that happen.
As I reflect on everything I have seen online, I am sad. I wish this post could be something happier or less intense. Compared to current events and news, though, my homeschool days are dull. Dull is a word my daughter has for vocabulary this week. Dull; boring. Though I would hardly describe homeschool as dull, it is very dull compared to the news. We have found a flow, however, and things are going smoothly. I have never been more blessed to live an uneventful life. I am glad for my kids, glad they don’t have to hear second hand the horrible things that happen. Glad I do not let them online to be constantly bombarded by negativity and hate. Glad they get to spend their days going slow and learning at their own pace.
I can only think that with everything that has happened this year alone. It is time. Christians need to stop being so passive. We need to stop watering down our gospel. We need to pray, and we need to pile all of our efforts into our families. Because THIS is why. My family is why I do what I do, why I homeschool. Why I work so hard to protect my girls. Why I work so hard to raise them in my Christian faith. This is a turning point; we need to wake up. We need to be bold in our faith. We need to live our lives for Jesus and raise our families in Jesus.
