Why In The World Would We Home School Our Children?

     I've been getting lots of different responses lately about us being a home school family. Some positive, others negative, and sometimes a mutual response. So why in the crazy world would a family home school? Better yet, why in the crazy world would the Thrasher family home school? This question is so easy to answer. It may be a short answer, but my explanation is long and sincerely true.
   
     When Calvin (our oldest who is now 18) was about two years old, I had a strong desire to homeschool. My desire was shared with Gabe (my husband) who was not a believer. I had just quit my Job as a shuttle driver at Ontario Dodge. Fervently, Day after Day, I prayed to be a stay at home mommy. Often times in my car at lunch, I journal my thoughts, crying out to Jesus to be with Calvin my baby.

     Dropping Calvin off before work was hectic. At about 6:45A.M. I would wake up rushing to get Calvin and myself ready and in the car by 7:05 (That's only 20 minutes) then raced to Gabe’s parents fifteen minuets across town. Sadly, I remember looking at Calvin in the rear view mirror all bundled up in his (what we used to call South Park) warm snow outfit. His hands extended outward like a plane. His big, fat cheeks, little button nose, and a HUGE smile made my heart melt. As I said goodbye to my baby boy, I felt one of the biggest voids a mother can feel.

     Quickly jumping back into the car I would speed on the freeway at 85 to 90 mph, sometimes doing my make-up while driving to get to work. Every day, no matter if I was 2 or five minutes late, standing at the time card clock with his arms folded, tapping his foot and watch, would be my Jewish boss that didn't like me because I was a young Christian. Phyllis, my counter co-worker who received the same wages as I, and old enough to be my mother, along with Irene, who was old enough to be my grandmother, (reluctantly referred to as mom by everyone, only by her initiation) would sit in the back round snickering at the fact that I was rushing in five min late again. The two biggest gossips in the department had a field day with a 20-year-old newbie. A new believer in Jesus, torn in all different directions.

     One day I had to pick up a man named Mr. Fisher. I recall the day so clearly. I arrive at his mobile home, he gets into the van and is quiet for a min or two, then asks, “So what do you plan on doing in the future”? I thought it was a rather odd question, yet politely responding with no hesitation, I said, "I’m going to home school my son". BING!! Something sets Mr. Fisher off. "What!? You mean home school?, What a cop out! You can't make anything of your life, home schooling! You'll ruin your child”! “What about social skills!? And why don't you go to college and get some credentials and make something out of your life!?” “It's all you Christian's that come up with ridiculous ideas like home school.” If there's gonna be Christians in heaven, I would rather be in hell.!” They’re the worst hypocrites, and drivers too! Look... a fish on the car, the worst drivers, hypocrites, home school, Ha.!” I said absolutely nothing until I got back to work. Running straight into my Jewish bosses dinky office, I stated, “I refuse to shuttle Mr. Fisher”! And without any explanation my boss takes out a write up sheet to let me know how inappropriate it is to refuse to do your job, then shuts me in his office while both the accountant office manager and my boss chew me out for being a bad example of a Christian for refusing to shuttle Mr. Fish. She (the accountant manager) would never allow her daughter to come crying or complaining about a customer and refuse to sign a write up. God delivered me from that snare. I ran straight to the General Manager in defense. He told those two that they were immature, and to leave me alone because I was a good worker who minded my own business.

     It was hard working out in the field. Men constantly trying to pick up on me. The pressure of not crashing diesel duallies or Doge Vipers. The pressure of receiving a truck load of PDI's five min before I should get off work. Racing to get my baby after work, then back home dead tired to take care of him by myself all night with teething and rocking, suffering with insomnia, endometriosis, and paranoia, to do it all over again. Don't get me wrong, it was one of my favorite jobs out of the thirteen I already had. I had just gotten saved and had the neatest privilege of sharing the gospel with hundreds of people of all different back rounds and nationalities as I shuttled them all over the Inland Empire. First thing in the morning at 7:thirtyish, I would have a car load of people listening to Pastor Chuck Smith. They would inevitably ask if I was a Christian. I would respond with a polite, “no, I am not any religion, I just love Jesus”. I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with my co-workers as well. My counter co-worker came to me with questions about life’s problems. Of course, being young and a new believer, I had no clue what to say or how to answer these tough questions. But I was there to comfort and reinforce the reality of who God was in my own life. So to make a long story short, I quit my job because of the stress that was building up within my own life, including medical problems, miscarriages, and trying to be a strong witness for my husband who was not a Christian at the time. In fact, he was hostile toward my new faith in Christ and thought it was weird that I was reading my Bible all the time (mainly because I was neither a reader nor did I ever go to church). Nevertheless, God who answers prayer in his good timing softened Gabes heart and guided his decision to allow me to stay home, in spite of the fact that we had no financial means to do so at all! Within that same year Gabe came to know Jesus as his savior and radically changed in many areas. Of course he has grown into a more Godly man than I had ever dreamed or prayed, and of course we have had our fair share of problems and will continue, as Christians are always in a sanctification process until heaven. However, the life of the Thrasher family was changing in drastic ways. I had a lot of changing to do myself.

     On the morning of September 11th 2001, I woke up to my favorite radio station KWVE, announcing that our country had been attacked by radical Islamic extremists, and that one of the twin towers had a plane driven into it. I could not believe my eyes. The dreadful replay of those towers falling seemed so surreal. This to me was confirmation about home school. Immediately I had the desire to begin teaching my little two year old about the devastation of the matter. We painted an American flag with his tiny hands as the stars, and hung it up in our window for all to see. God was already preparing me to teach my son about what it meant to respect our country and its heritage, and how our country needs God so badly.

     My husband soon left all his party buddies and joined a men’s bible study group. Surprisingly, there were two other seasoned homeschool fathers in attendance. One was a man named Sal, along with his wife who were the administrators of a homeschool group at our church. Another was Lupe who was also a college professor. They and their wives were a great example of faith and the knowledge of homeschool adventures, and set us off on the journey of home schooling our one child.

      Gabe and I began to officially homeschool Calvin at the age of four. He has always been a unique child with a love for God's word. As his mother, I have always believed that he has been set apart and anointed for the work of the Lord. Giving his heart to the Lord at the age of three was cute, but serious in his heart. We pray fervently that he keeps his heart with all diligence. Gabe and I desire to continue training him up in the ways of the Lord well beyond age 18. One of the most important scriptures that lead my husband and I to homeschool is Deuteronomy Chapter 6.

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today.

Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.

Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead.

Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

"The LORD your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land filled with large, prosperous cities that you did not build.

     What better way to put this scripture into practice than to homeschool. We constantly have to keep reminding ourselves that we “GET” to homeschool. It's a privilege, a season, an honor, our ministry, and our calling. We get to walk into this by the grace of God. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has ordained, that we should walk in them. Another scripture that I am constantly reminded of and is our home school philosophy and theme, is John 15:5

     I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

     I have experienced this truth over and over on the journey of homeschooling for Jesus. Unfortunately, more than not, I’v had to learn this lesson over and over to my shame. But through the lesson I've been refined and built up to the point where I'm constantly being reminded that it’s not me, nor my husband, or anyone else. Often times I remind myself that my children will no doubt, have a greater degree of persecution than my husband and I did. Therefore, I'm not simply raising "homeschooled Children”, or even "Christian Children with a Christian education." My husband and I together with God's guidance, are raising children in the name of Jesus, for the Glory of God, in a hostile, Christ rejecting world that is getting darker and more evil every day. WE want to preserve them, giving them an opportunity to have a foundation and faith in Jesus and to stand firm in the evil day. Our prayer for our children is that they would shine bright, and use whatever God has given to them to bring people into the kingdom and turn sinners away from the fires of hell. This is what sets a homeschool family apart from just simply "home schooling", or any type of schooling for that matter. If our children attended public school, we'd have the same convictions. Yes, academics are important, and evident in our home atmosphere. We love to learn, read, bake, plays games, art, drama, sing, etc. The richness of learning in a Christ centered home leaves an everlasting imprint on everyone’s hearts and minds. So much so that most people that were against us (not personally, but rather the idea of) home schooling, have become our #1 cheerleaders. Most strangers that I have run across have told me they agree with what we're doing. Sadly, I get a more positive feedback from non-believers than I do some Christians for whatever strange reason. Maybe it's a conviction upon their own heart if they are called by God themselves. One income with a family of six is certainly difficult, challenging, and even stressful at times. Yet, it's eternally rewarding as we store up treasures in heaven. The memories we've made will leave a lasting impression on their lives. If God allows us to continue, I will have no regrets.

     Graduating with straight D’s, having been in special Ed classes all my life, and never really had the opportunity to learn about our world, provoked me to want to learn along side of my kids. When God ordained this ministry, I began to learn about LIFE LEARNING.

Paul the apostle said:

1Cr 1:26

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.

1Cr 1:27Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

1Cr 1:28God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important,

1Cr 1:29so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.I knew that I was incapable, unqualified, immature, and whatever else. But weren’t the apostles.

Paul himself said in Eph 3:8 

Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

     Our children are the next generation. We get to pass the baton of faith to them. They get to carry God's message out to this dying, dark, and devastated world. They are salt and light, and we as their parents get to reap the joy of seeing the fruit of God's plan worked out in their lives.

     Seven years after Calvin was dedicated in the womb, surprisingly, we had another child. I had two miscarriages in a row from medical circumstances that statistically speaking causes infertility, and we seriously thought Calvin was going to be our only one. So here we are, home schooling in a little two bedroom apartment that was infested with cockroaches, water damage, mold, and apartment drug addicts; I'm pregnant with my third, no car, no family or friends to visit, day in and day out for almost seven years. Then God blesses us with a car. And importantly, God puts it on Gabe's mom's heart to ask Gabe about the plan of salvation. My husband and his mother talk about Jesus for three and a half hours. She decides to fully commit her life into her saviors hands on Ezekiel’s second birthday party. Her and Gabe go into a room to pray the sinners prayer and cry together. What a precious moment that must have been. So she handed down her “LIL RED” Wagon to us, and it's been a useful tool and blessing ever since. We cannot wait to see her again as she passed into the loving arms of Jesus ten years ago.

     About two and a half years before we moved out of the dreadful apartment, my little Ahava was born. Now I'm home schooling with very little space. I had to become a perfectionist at organizing and cleaning. Mainly because I HATE, again I say HATE bugs! One time while Calvin was getting out some home school supplies, a creepy crawly two inch roach came to tickle his ankle. I also had to be on the alert because Trinity was learning to crawl, and would often find dead ones in a corner of a room. I passed out roach glue to the neighbors as we exchanged traumatic stories. The manager was simply one of the most cheapest and laziest. The gardeners were gockers, and the maintenance men were pot heads and peeping toms. Almost everyday, on some of the most beautiful mornings while we home schooled, next to the window, (which let little indirect sunlight) we would get a huge drift of smelly pot flowing through our window. My babies needed a better atmosphere. Apartment rules forbade kids to ride bikes, skates, or play with any toys outside the gate.

     Outside of the apartment complex was drug and sex trafficking, and lots of city traffic in general. So it was nice to finally have a car and simply get away when times would get unbearable or desperate. Then our unexpected last child Elias was born on one tube and ovary just like Trinity. I ‘m utterly squeezed, cramped and exhausted. Everything in our two bedroom apartment is falling apart . The neighbors blast their ear piercing music all day with their friends tagging all over our fence and stare into my apartment at me. I was desperate!!!! I begged God to move us out of there so many times, and every time we would go to look for a house to rent or buy, the door would close.

     After eight and a half long years, God sends a flood. Both toilets flood our apartment, and on the same day two other apartments flooded. During this time there was an open door to leave, and we did.So the question one might ask is? "What does this have to do with home schooling? A whole lot. Our family trials are life learning situations for our children to learn from. Our family grew closer together than ever. Don't get me wrong. It’s been a challenge every step of the way. There have been times where I wanted to give up, where I have threatened to 'Throw my son into the public school because I was tired of him". There have been more valleys than mountain tops. My mother was hospitalized and had almost died. I had to take a few weeks off to be with my mom through that difficult time. But I was thankful I I could Homeschool while taking care of her. So many beautiful Christians helped us out during that time and it was a huge witness to our kids about giving and helping others in times of crisis. I simply took three weeks off and allowed the Lord to direct my path. When my Mom stayed with us after her accident, My oldest was the sweetest servant. He served his Grandmother a cup of coffee every morning, and would be ready to do whatever she needed.

     My husband has been let go from jobs in the past for not wanting to lie for the boss. This is another wave, test, and learning lesson. Can we or will we trust in the Lord just as we always have from the beginning. Can we dedicate our lives, our children, our dreams, and ministry into the hands of God? Nothing is impossible with God. Yes the economy is bad, it's like an economical famine, and yes, homeschooling is still a challenge. I ‘m in a season with little ones. The house is always noisy, and my mind is always racing. I'm drained mentally, physically, and sometimes to my shame and sadness spiritually. But I am more in love with my husband than I ever dreamed. My children (all four of them) are more precious to me than ever that I can't help but continually pray that they be used for the Glory of God and dedicate their lives to Jesus and his plan. I'm on cloud nine when it comes to the love that Gabe my husband has for me because it hasn't always been that way. We have bad stories. A bad past that we regret. I believe as home school parents, through the tough times, we need to teach our children that the world doesn’t revolve around us and that we need to show each other love and respect even when we don't feel like it. We need to teach our children about the danger of materialism, and the fantasy of the American present day worldly lifestyle of sex and addiction. This is done by simply denying self, and being an example to them in action.

Romans 12:1&2 Say:

     And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.



Through our home school journey, we have had to learn what it’s like to have little. But it has taught our children to be creative and excited over the simplest things. We haven't had the privilege and honor of traveling or exploring our world, instead we’ve had the privilege of sharing the good news of the gospel with the broken hearted who are in search of meaning to a pitiful life. And I guess what? We can identify. When the kids go to the park, they easily make friends with the kids, and end up giving them history lessons in the sand. We pray for accidents on the freeway, homeless people, and drug addicts. They have shared their talents at home, with family, and at church. God has truly shown us the fruit. I can't wait to see what's in store for the Thrasher family. We are in a season. It’s difficult but exciting. One day it will all pass and We will look back and never regret the decision.

     Personally I have to say. Home school is not for everyone. I certainly do not believe that Home school is The Way, The Truth And The Life. I’ve seen homeschooler’s go wayward, and I’ve seen public schooled kids walk strong in their faith. I am not bi-est, nor do I push my opinions on others, and hopefully I don’t put others down for what God has called them to do. Yet I do believe that if a person has a strong desire to home school, that they should pray and consider what God may be calling them to walk into. My prayer and hope is that God continues to bless us with the privilege to do so in spite of any hardship or curveball that life may bring.



So once again, Why would the Thrasher’s homeschool? Because we are called.