Titus Chapter 2

What Titus 2 says to me

By S. L. Kliever

Titus 2:3-5

“The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behaviour, not slanderes, not given to much wine, teachers of good things- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

 

The older women in the church need to be examples in their behaviour, not speaking gossip or behind others backs, not given to alcohol, and teachers of good things to the younger women; to give a warning to them, that they should love their husbands and their children, to dress modestly, to be pure in heart and faithful to their families, to be content to be homemakers, working in the home and building a good place for your family; to be an excellent wife and respectful to their husbands, that people who see the Christian family will not blaspheme God or His Word!

 

I have been blessed with a few older women in my life who have been this to me. A godly lady from my church back home… my camp mom… one of my aunts… Now I look around and see what younger women and girls I can be a mentor to.

Who has God placed in your life to be an example to?

 

                                            Typical Homeschoolers

                                                         4-H Speech by K.J. Hepburn

      My everyday life is basically the same as yours. I live on a farm like you, I have chores that have to be done like you, I'm in 4-H like you, and I do school like you. Yep, my life is just about like yours.

            Good afternoon honorable judges, ladies and gentlemen, and fellow 4-H members.

            There's one difference, though. That difference is that I do my school at home.

            Two common questions asked to the typical Homeschooling family are,''Why Homeschooling?''and, ''What's Homeschooling like?'' Well, here's the answers!

            There are many different reasons why families Homeschool, but I'll only mention a few. Parents' convictions, children's disabilities, adoption, and bullying. Some kids are traumatized by bullying and parents may want to prevent that. In some cases, there are no Public Schools near by, or parents don't care for what is being taught at the Public School near them. As you can see, there is a great variety of reasons, and I only mentioned a few!

            Now for the second question,''What's Homeschooling like?'' The shortest, summary answer almost all Homeschooling kids give is,''It's fun!'' Even though Homeschoolers do their school at home, we still have basically the same subjects as you, such as Science, Math, English, History, and Arts. BUT, our education doesn't stop there. In the eyes of a Homeschooler, everything we touch, hear, smell, see, and do is considered education.

             Also in the Homeschooling household, most parents want to focus more on their children's passions and interests while still making sure that they do their school work. Usually the reasons why the parents Homeschool their kids effect what they teach. For example, if the reason is adoption, bullying, or no Public School near by, the parents may use the Public School curriculum and teach it at home. If the reason is convictions or don't like the Public School system, parents can buy the curriculum they think fit or prefer at local Homeschooling conventions and suppliers. But if the case is disabilities, it may depend on how their child  can take in different information. If the parents want, they can buy other curriculum for some subjects and use the Public School curriculum for the other subjects! Homeschoolers have a wide variety of curriculum to choose from; therefore, leading to lots of flexibility. It all really depends on their children's learning ability or style.

             Before the school year starts in the Fall, the parents need to send in their 'Education Plans' of what they hope to learn and accomplish to their Region's School Board. Then at the end of the year in the Spring, the parents also need to send the School Board the 'Year End Reports' to show what their children had learned and accomplished throughout the year.

             Then when the time comes for graduation, Homeschooling doesn't effect the future education that the Homeschool Graduate is looking into, either. There is a variety of Colleges and Universities in Canada and in the States that allow Homeschoolers. They can look and see if there's anything the schools have that the Homeschool Grad wants to pursue as a career. But with Canadian Colleges, Homeschool grads may need to write an entrance exam or meet the school's requirements. College and University aren't the only options for future education. There is also Apprenticeship Programs and Entrepreneurial Enterprises. These options are also the same for the Public Schoolers.

              Homeschooling is really an adventure and those adventures vary with the parents' teaching style, the children's learning style, how many kids they have, where they live, and what kind of activities they're involved in. Each family's adventure is unique and different in its own way.

              Now here's a small taste of my family's Homeschool adventure! Our adventure focuses on the family as we carry out our different tasks and chores around our small, family, hobby farm. Our parents taught us four kids how to work and work hard. It's a great accomplishment to us kids that when we help weed the garden, pick veggies, feed the steers, gather eggs, and milk the cow, that we play a part in providing our family's table with food for the coming winter.

              I'm the oldest kid in my family, and we've been Homeschooling since my very first day of Preschool. At that time we lived in Asquith, SK. which is twenty miles West of Saskatoon. Then in August of 2008, we moved to a farm twelve miles South of Moosomin, SK.

              When I was 13, I started attending the SHBE Conventions with my parents. SHBE stands for Saskatchewan Home Based Educators. At SHBE, booked speakers, who are also usually Homeschooling parents themselves, will come to tell of their Homeschooling adventures and give pointers to the beginning Homeschool parents and advice or methods to the parents who have Homeschooled for a long time. Curriculum resources from all over Canada and the States will come to sell their curriculums and resources to the parents that want them. Homeschooling parents, who are SHBE members, and their teenagers, if they have any, will come from all over Saskatchewan to meet in either Saskatoon or Regina every February.

              Lots of people give our parents lots of comments, but the main one parents get is,''Oh, because you  Homeschool, your children will never be able to socialize.'' Well, at the convention and everywhere else we go, we come home talking about the new life long friends we've made.

              When I was 14, I went to McNaughton High School for Drivers' Ed during the Spring of 2010. It was then and there that I realized the great sacrifice our parents made for us.

              Some days were frustrating, but the majority were rewarding! When I was in grade 5 or 6 on one of those frustrating days, I thought,''Huh, I'm only half way done! At this rate the next six years are going to take a lifetime!'' After all that has happened since grade 6, it sure didn't take long, because now it's looking me straight in the face. This year I'm going to be a 2013 Homeschool Grad!

              I have chose not to pursue a college degree, but I'm still going to further my education. I'm going to stay home to serve my family and church while pursuing my interests. There are loads of online courses, videos, and books to look into now adays. My future education is all at my fingertips. I'm really looking forward to see what happens!

             Well, I hope you got a little insight on what Homeschooling is like. I love Homeschooling and if I get married and have kids, I plan on Homeschooling them, too. I want to give them what my parents gave me, and to continue SHBE's passion for Saskatchewan Homeschoolers!

                                                                                                           K.J. Hepburn

Growing Up Homeschooled

Growing up homeschooled

By S. L. Kliever

           

I’m the second born in my family. The oldest sister of five children.

Growing up homeschooled wasn’t always easy. I had lots of responsibilities being the oldest girl in the family. At age 16 I was running the house during the time my mom was sick. Up in the morning by 5 or 6, read my Bible, eat breakfast, went on the computer for a little bit, then out to do chores by 7:30. milked the goats, then back in to the house to start my school. When my siblings came up for breakfast I would get them going on their work as soon as they were done eating. I also made the meals, baked four batches of bread a week (my older brother ate a lot of sandwiches for work) and did launder in the old ringer washer. Then there was the garden work too, and weeding in the trees.

 

The work was good for us kids, we learned to work hard.

I remember not wanting to grow up, but found that circumstances forced me to grow up and care for my siblings. I often say that I half raised my siblings. I remember changing diapers, bathing and feeding, then when they were older I taught them their school.

 

Though some look at our family and raised eyebrows, I am so grateful for the way I was brought up. Our family grew up close. Some people think we were sheltered…. In a way we were, but just like small trees need shelter from strong wind until they are big and strong, so do children, and my parents saw that. No they were not perfect, and they made mistakes, but all parents do. They did their best, and they taught us in the ways of the Lord. The Lord was the center of our family. We were taught from the Bible as part of our school. Our parents did right in that way. My siblings and I all walk with the Lord today.

 

School for me was hard, I didn’t learn to read till I was in my teens. My siblings all did well in that area, it was just me that struggled for a long time. Growing up with it was embarrassing. If I told friends of my struggle, they would tell me it was because I was homeschooled. It was not because I was homeschooled that I struggled with reading. How many kids today struggle through the public school system?  No it was not because of the way I was schooled, and it was no fault of my parents. Some children just have different learning styles then others, and I was one of them. But again my parents did well, and today I am a published author. I also turned around and taught my siblings, and if I can say it without sounding like I’m bragging, they did well under my tutelage.

 

The way I triumphed over my reading problem was not the normal way of learning how to read. At age 12, my younger sister by five years could read better than me, and I grew very frustrated about it. It seemed to me I was stupid, and I set out to prove to myself that I wasn’t. We were reading The Riverboat Adventure series by Lois Wilfred Johnson. The stories were about the Underground Railroad in the states, and they were so exciting that they inspired me. I wanted to write my own story about the railroad, and so I did. When I filled the first page in my note book, I proudly showed it to Mom. If I remember right, she had to erase just about ever word on that page and rewrite it with the proper spelling. But as she continued to do that, I began to memorize the words I needed to know for my story and slowly my reading improved as I began to write my first story. It took me several years to finish that one story, but by the time I was done, my reading had improved immensely.

 

Did homeschooling do me good? You bet! On this blog, Miss Hepburn and I want to talk about homeschooling, and biblical homemaking. Can people raise godly children in the public school system? ….yes I’ve seen it happen, but I think the home was where children were meant to be raised. I’m a mother now, and I don’t want the public school system raising my daughter!

 

Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

 

It doesn’t mean our children will turn out perfect if we homeschool and it doesn’t mean they will walk in the ways of the Lord, but we must do our part. Every person makes his or her choice, and my children will have to make their own choice. I pray that they will walk with the Lord, and I pray that I and my husband will do our part.

Joshua 24:15
...choose you this day whom ye will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

let us build our homes in the ways of the Lord!!!

I hope you enjoy reading our blog on homeschooling and biblical homemaking.

S.L. Kliever