Christina G.
Graduated: 2004
Their Heritage… My Destiny
by Christina G.
I have never attended a public school in the whole course of my life, never learned its ways of thinking, never associated with any kind of public school outside my home.
It all started when my daddy was working nights. My older brother, five years my senior and attending the 1st grade at that time, would leave for school when Daddy got home from work. So they practically never saw one another. My parents, having been married for only two years at the time, wanted the best for their little family so they pulled him out of school. They’d seen how his attitude had been molding into something they didn’t like at all, and how it seemed as though he was leading a different life from their own.
Following their decision to home-school, my mother contacted some of her church friends, whom she knew had been “veterans” at homeschooling. Like many beginners, she was scared at the whole prospect, and questions like “Will I succeed in providing all I need to, for my children?” began to haunt her.
Our homeschool was scheduled like clockwork. Each hour was set apart for something; we were practically doing a day-to-day routine of an Army sergeant! Although I loved my schooling, I detested having to do such subjects as Biology or Science when they held no interest on my part at all. But my mother required these, as she knew nothing about “branching out” on her own way of homeschooling.
Over the years, however, as she learned more and more about the principle of teaching her children at home, God convicted both my daddy and mother that some subjects were not extensively required. Their “school” could be organized however God Himself directed them!
Books such as The Lifestyle of Learning by Marilyn Howshall helped both my parents learn God’s will for us, their children. Slowly, our schooling became more of a joy as we leaned toward our individual interests, those which the Lord had placed in our hearts to take root and flourish for His glory only. Life, in general, was our basic learning tool. Wherever we went, Mother pointed out any educational surmise she could find. If we went to the zoo, she’d rediscover the beauty of God’s Majesty for us in an animal’s coat design; we learned how to debate by watching political discussions on television, sitting up late to see the outcome of the George W. Bush vs. Al Gore campaign, or by going to a Convention; we even had the first-hand experience of four home-births, from beginning to end. I have become very proud of the fact that whenever we went to a restaurant, my Daddy directed us to pray over our food – that in itself was a learning experience for us as we learned how to cope with people who did not agree with it at all. These are only a few things that our parents taught us, through homeschool. I cannot imagine what it would have been like if I had been in public school all of my life.
We also learned the genuine beauty of music in general, harmonic and melody vocals, guitar, mandolin, and all sorts of acoustic instruments from both our parents. This was a passing on of all that Daddy’s parents had passed on to him, something we could be exceptionally proud of and give all the more glory to our Lord.
I grew up listening to bluegrass/country music all my life. My grandfather learned a lot of the tunes he still plays today, from his buddies when he was in the World War II. Daddy grew up with the folk singers such as James Taylor and a few others from whom he learned songs and eventually wrote his own. Mother had a naturally trained ear for harmonies and taught us girls the art of it. We would listen to Alison Krauss while we did our housework, but at the same time, take note of all the harmonies and learn from it as well as from Mother.
My sisters and I first began singing in public about five years ago, with our parents. They had been in the habit of playing once in a while at coffee shops or restaurants, and decided to bring us up on stage with them. Since then, we’ve been blessed to perform at coffee shops, weddings, events, and monthly for our local Nursing Home residents. It has been a true blessing getting to know each of them personally and learning what we may do to serve them.
Most importantly, our schooling was centered directly around the Word of God. Every subject school and even life had to offer, my parents would summarize it with God’s Word. Every morning, we’d pull out our Bibles and read Psalms and Proverbs while the little ones took out their Bible notebooks and copied a verse of their choosing.
I was also exceedingly blessed to make my first overseas trip to India, after waiting for six years to go. It was a very, very special period in my life, one that I am still amazed at how God worked each and every detail out for me. He is so Grand!!
I completed my homeschool in June of 2004, about a year earlier than the normality. Like many areas in my life, graduation proved another test for waiting on my Lord. My goal was to graduate early, first of all. Then I set my goal for May ’04. I was doing double my regular work, just so that I might graduate earlier. This was not God’s plan for me; He asked me to wait upon Him for His timing, not mine. I decided to give up and do my work at regular pace. God, in His grace and mercy, allowed me to graduate only a month later than planned. I was blessed to share in the celebration with my family, aunt, uncle, grandmother, friends and neighbors. It was a blessed day in my life that I will never forget, God willing.
Many people have asked me if I will go to college. The answer is no; not unless the Lord speaks to my parents in that direction. But my personal conviction is that I do not want to surround myself with the ways of this world, more or less in a “Christian” environment. Albeit, the Lord has shown my parents and I that I and my siblings can complete any college education through distance education. I believe the Lord is leading me to fulfill the calling of becoming a missionary to India by earning Bible education through a distance learning college.
I wouldn’t trade my home education for the world! I sincerely thank my God for allowing me to grow up in a homeschooling family, and for giving me the parents I don’t deserve. They are prime examples of obeying God’s Will for their lives as well as the lives of their children.
I hope and pray that my testimony has been a blessing to you. May we give all the glory and praise to our Lord and Master, as we strive to please Him and do His Will for our individual lives. God’s blessings!
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