Vaughnshire Farm

The competitions of the State and the Church for the educating power have been so engrossing that we have almost forgotten the parent, as the third and the rightful competitor.  And now many look at his claim almost contemptuously.  Because the civic and the ecclesiastical spheres are so much wider and more populous than his, they are prone to regard it as every way inferior.  Have we not seen that the smaller circle is, in fact, the most original and best authorized of the three? …

…It is a maxim in political philosophy, as in mechanics, that when an organism is applied to a function for which it was not designed, it is injured and the function is ill done.  Here is a farmer who has a mill designed and well fitted to grind his meal.  He resolves that it shall also thresh his sheaves.  The consequence is that he has wretched threshing and a crippled mill.  I repeat, God designed the State to be the organ for securing secular justice.  When it turns to teaching or preaching it repeats the farmers’ experience.   The Chinese Government and people are an example in point.  The Government has been for a thousand years educating the people for it’s own ends.  The result is what we see.

Government powerfully affects national character by the mode in which it performs its proper functions, and if the administration is equitable, pure and free, it exalts the people.  But it is by the indirect influence.  This is all it can do well.  As for the other part of the national elevation (an object which every good man must desire), it must come from other agencies; from the dispensation of Almighty Providence; from fruitful ideas and heroic acts with which he inspires the great men whom he sovereignly gives to the nations he designs to bless; chiefly from the energy of divine Truth and the Christian virtues, first in individuals, next in families, and last in visible churches.

Let us suppose, then, that both State and Church recognize the parent as the educating power; that they assume towards him an ancillary instead of a dominating attitude; that the State shall encourage individual and voluntary efforts by holding the impartial shield of legal protection over all property which may be devoted to education; that it shall encourage all private efforts; and that in its eleemosynary [almsgiving] character it shall aid those whose poverty and misfortunes disable them from properly rearing their own children.  Thus the insoluble problems touching religion in State schools would be solved, because the State was not the responsible creator of the schools, but the parents.  Our educational system might present less mechanical symmetry, but it would be more flexible, more practical, and more useful.

Secularized Education, by Robert Lewis Dabney found in Discussions Volume IV

There are a lot of issues in our culture today for Christians to wrestle with; but, who should be responsible for protecting and training our children should no longer be on the table for discussion.

If you don’t believe it is your job to educate your children, then perhaps you might consider the following stories in regards to your duty to protect your children.

This is not a biblical apologetic for home schooling.  That has been done many times and perhaps we will discuss it in more detail here one day, but this is simply a look at the culture we live in.  If we cannot be like the Bereans to search the Scriptures to see if these things be true, then perhaps we can at least be like the men of Issachar, “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” 1 Chr 12:32

I will state that due to the nature of these links, discretion is advised.  I hesitate to even post these on our site due to the subject matter.  But here is the bottom line.  We live in a corrupt world, where there is sin and wickedness.  We are called to shine a light on the darkness, and at the same time protect our children.  My recommendation is don’t read these links if you are already convinced of those two things.  But if your children are being educated outside of your home or are spending a good deal of time outside of your direct supervision, then I recommend you read these articles and consider the world into which you send your children every time they are out of your sight.

Of course the bigger picture is not just the darkness, but what we as Christians should be doing to shine the light of Christ so the darkness no longer exists.  That is another topic for another day.  But for this piece, let us state clearly, it is not the job of children to solve this problem.  It is most certainly a job for the church, in at least two immediate areas.  First by evangelization and turning people to Christ that they would repent of their sins and secondly by training Godly men to serve in the halls of justice who would deal biblically with people who commit these crimes.

Lastly, for those who think their children are safe in “Christian” school, you should check out this list first:

http://badbadteacher.com/category/church-schools/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24879046/

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3530&Itemid=48

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49389

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/21/AR2007102100144.html

http://www.karisable.com/crsssstr.htm

So now that we have both sheep and goats we have the proverbial discussions among the “owners” of said animals as to which one is better to have.

Thanks to some friends of ours who led us to a little book store in Alabama, we came home with some very inspiring, great books. 

One of the things we as a family feel is very important is building a library of great books including old books.  We found a lot of old books that Solid Ground had republished as well as some other older books from other publishers. 

We will be posting some book reviews very soon…. 

If you are in the area, you should check them out…or visit them at their website. 

We have written in the past about home schooling persecution here in the U.S. as well as abroad.  You may check out the homeschooling section for more articles on the subject but the recent news coming out of California is chilling.  Much has already been said about the recent California fiasco where homeschooling was deemed illegal by the court for families in California to home educate without appropriate state teaching credentials, but I wanted to add the link to the recent James Dobson radio broadcast.   (Keep your ears open for more information to be coming out about the appeal.)

Dr. James Dobson had this to say about the ruling:

“The court is guilty of an imperious assault on the rights of parents. How dare these judges have the audacity to label tens of thousands of parents criminals — the equivalent to drug dealers or pickpockets — because they want to raise and educate their children according to their deeply held values?”

You can listen to Dr. Dobson’s recent radio broadcast:  In Defense of Home Schooling

There are several questions every homeschooling family is asked at one time or another?  A common one is, “But what about socialization?” 

Several weeks ago,  we visited a local restaurant and received the stares and looks we always get when we walk into a public place.  However, seated not to far from us, was another family that we at first assumed was another large family.  We quickly found out they were just a family eating out on Friday night with their children and several sleep over public school friends.  The conversations were loud, rowdy and x-rated, coming not from teens, but young boys that looked to be the size of our 7 year old.  Loud, boisterous, out-of-control boys whose minds were already in the ditch at such a young age.  Young boys that watched way too much TV and were exposed to movies they should not have been.  Children who had parents that did nothing to correct their ill behavior.  Young boys that will one day be turned loose in society and from the sound of them, that is a very scary thought!  It shocked me back into reality and only furthered and encouraged my resolve and beliefs on why we home educate with Christ being at the center of our education and why we discipline ill behavior. 

It is exactly that type of pagan socialization and rottenness that most view as normal, needed socialization for children.  It is exactly that type of socialization that the Bible warns us of becoming entangled with and it is exactly that type of dumbing socialization that we guard against.  Proverbs 13:20 says, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:  but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” 

The whole idea of socialization is one big psycho-babble piece of social junk that our culture would like us to believe is vitally important to the health and well-being of a child’s inner self.  The fools, who professed themselves to be wise, who came up with the darwinian ideas that putting 25, 35 or even 5 foolish children, all the same age, together in one room and giving them free reign to “socialize” was vitally important to their growth and development are the same people that scoff at the Biblical way of multi-generational family life.  Sadly, even the church has swallowed this huge lie of age segregated social approach to life.  From age segregated Sunday School classes, college classes, youth groups, young married groups, the seniors group — even Christians follow the psychology concepts purported by the world.  When a family makes a stand to go back to the Bible and see what it has to say about this type of social construct, oft times they are ridiculed at being old-fashion, out-of-the-loop, legalistic or just plain weird.  

The fact is, the Bible is the only standard by which one should live by.  In it we find all the attributes, instructions and examples of how one is to conduct his life.  In it alone, we find absolute truth and wisdom.  It is the perfect, infallible truth on parenting.  It is the one and only completely true word on who our children are, why they act the way they do, what they should conform to and how to correct their ill behavior!

Our goal should not be to have a “culturally acceptable socialized child”.  Our children should be taught the commands, precepts and patterns found in Scripture.  We are commanded to discipline disobedience and not accept it as normal childhood social development or harmless expression.  We are commanded to train our children in the Lord, not rear them in the state’s acceptable and promoted social agendas.  When we follow the patterns laid out in Scripture, it should not shock us to find our children growing, by the grace of God,  into mature young men and women who can not only “socialize” with children of their own age, but learn to live in the real world relating to all sorts of people….properly, according to Biblical standards, with manners and respect. 

After supper the boys get in a little light reading by the fire on a very blistery cold winter’s night….

These Salatin books win hands down in the minds of these farm boys:  Salad Bar Beef and Pastured Poultry Profits. Tonight, we heard Salatin wisdom in the form of  two boys excited about the books they were reading……The constant “Did you know..” followed by some piece of sustainable farming insight or some funny story or some great idea they are going to pursue became very entertaining. 

Technically, these books aren’t written for 10 year old boys, however, these boys have used the Salatin books as well as the knowledge they have gained through growing practical experience here on the farm, listening to sustainable farming cd’s, reading farming magazines and other books and attending conferences to grow their knowledge and maturity well beyond their age—Well, they are ready to make a go at it!

They both are in the process of starting up business here on the farm.  One with raising beef, one with poultry. 

Tonight, I paid my debt on 5 dozen chicken eggs to the 12 year old after he asked the question over supper, “Do I get to charge a late fee to someone that doesn’t pay their bills?”  I got the hint.  Remember he submitted me a bill for his chicken eggs 2 days ago! 

When my 12 year old submitted me an invoice yesterday, I smiled cautiously and read his bill.  It was a bill for chicken eggs that he had worked up on the computer billing me for the eggs his chickens had laid over the last week.  I think I mentioned before that these boys were business minded.  I mean really business minded! 

5 dozen brown eggs are $2 a dozen for a total of $10.  Not a bad deal for organic farm raised chicken eggs I think.  The funny part is that at the bottom of the invoice it states:

Total due:  $10.00

TERMS:  2 days

Thank You

I have until tomorrow.  Good thing tomorrow is grocery shopping day where I focus on settling my debts and gathering the groceries for this next month. 

One of the many things I love about home schooling my children is that I am able to spend the majority of my time pouring my life into them.   Like all mothers, of course, there are times when I feel spent and in need of refueling.  My husband is so great to remind me of the important aspects of life and not to get bogged down in the mire of frivolous trifles such as toy trails left all over the house by the 2 year old.  Stepping back a few steps and evaluating reality is helpful in regrouping. 

Pouring your life into your children is something the Lord commands of Christian parents.  Deuteronomy 6 is pretty clear on how and why we pour our lives into our children and what we are to pour into them. 

For our daughters, I love the freedom that home education provides me to completely train and educate them in all the aspects of Godly womanhood and femininity.  Like I mentioned before, my daughter and I have household notebooks in which we regulary use to do lots of planning for our home.  Since I am a believer in the live and learn approach to schooling, this household notebook has provided not only an outlet for creative writing, artistic expression, planning and other viable real-life skills, but has more importantly been very useful in handing over little pieces of responsibility that in turn produce a young lady that gains maturity through the process of being handed such responsibilities.  

Shelley Noonan hit the nail right on the head when she states in her article Queen in a Home of Her Own: 

For most of us, the years of 12-18 are the years we begin to purposefully train our daughters in the domestic arts.  But, if we would look at women of the past, a case could easily be made for our daughters to learn much before this time and be capable of running our home by the age 12…..This very idea runs counter to the popular thinking of today that tends to prolong childhood and delay adulthood responsibilities. 

I agree.  Teaching our daughters the how to’s of homemaking starting around the age of 12 is way too late.  We should use the formative years of a young girl’s life, under the age of 12, to take advantage of all the opportunities of home making training.  So practically, what are some of those age appropriate tasks we can expect from our young girls?  And what exactly do you mean when you say young? 

First of all, by young, I mean very young.  I, too, once thought of my children as too little and incapable of most things that now I regularly require of them.  The problem is that many mothers do not readily accept that learning curve phase as one they are willing to deal with;  the mess, the time involved, the imperfection, the repetition and well…”it is just easier to do it myself!” 

Instead of introducing daughters into the arts of cooking at the age of 12, I advocate introducing them into these arts at 3, 4  and 5 years old and by the ages of 6, 7, 8 and 9 they should be actually cooking and producing in the kitchen.  Not perfectly, but well on their way to expanding their knowledge and skills well beyond packaged cookie mix.  By the ages of 8 and 9, it is not unreasonable to regularly taste and smell the wonderful creations coming out of the kitchen and realizing that you didn’t lift a finger to help the cook at her work this time.  And by the age of 12…well, she should be well versed in the kitchen not only in ability but a growing knowledge that only improves with age.  That comes with years of pouring into her starting when she is 3 years old and continuing a consistent training during those most formative years!

I am continually reminding myself that it isn’t just about training in skill, but capturing her heart and attitude during these formative years are the most important! 

To answer the above question on practical tasks we can expect to teach our young girls and at what age?  Stay tuned for some ideas…

On New Year’s day, we created this years 2008 cover page for each of our notebooks using old country home type magazines we found at the paper recycling place.  We cut out pictures and words and had a grand time crafting, arranging, and gluing our book covers with meaningful home inspiring pictures and words.  

I have had a household notebook for a while.  Several months back, we created an assistant’s notebook for my 8 1/2 year old daughter.  She helps me with meal planning and, in fact, has completely taken over doing all the meal planning for our breakfast meal.  We created a worksheet in Word and printed out several copies, hole punched them and put them in her “Kitchen” section of her notebook so she can plan breakfast meals. 

Inside her notebook, she is putting things like:

• Most used recipes for quick reference
• Meal plan calendar with grocery lists for breakfast needs
• Schedule of the week
• “To Do”  and “How To” lists
• Her home schooling to do check off list
• Her home business ideas that she writes down as she gets new ideas
• A list of educational homemaking milestones that I would like to have her master by the year end. (For example:  Teach her how to cook a roast using the pressure cooker)

Encouraging and helping our daughters create a household notebook is just one of many ways to start actively training them in the practical “how to’s” of home management.  She is actively engaged in furthering the vision of the home even in small tasks like planning breakfast.  As she grows, her tasks will become greater as she handles more responsibility around the home.

I recently read an article entitled Queen in a Home of Her Own by Shelley Noonan (which I found off a link from Noblewomanhood) which I thought was a great overview of how we mother’s can lead and inspire our daughters in fruitful aspirations of home life.  I especially enjoyed her simple formula for encouraging maturity in our daughters in which she states:

I have discovered a simple formula that will give your daughters godly maturity.  It is very simple.  Responsibility = Maturity.  Early responsibility = increased maturity.  Minimizing responsibility = irresponsibility. 

How true!  Especially in a me-centered culture such as the one in which we live where children are indulged, left to their own vices and regularly ill attended by weak parental authority or oversight, it is vitally important for me as a mother to constantly lift up that standard before my daughters of what exactly a Godly woman looks like.  Early training and early responsibility with purposeful instruction is necessary to raising a daughter that understands the importance of the role God gave her.  I often fall short and am so thankful that God keeps giving me additional opportunities on a daily basis, throughout the day, to be that Godly womanly representative to my little girls.