On Pursuing One's Passion

On Sunday afternoon, we gathered to celebrate this beautiful woman...

now known as Doctor Ursula!

I was honored to be part of the celebration.  

Urs and our crazy pastor

I am honored to call her my friend!

Throughout the celebration, family members took the mic to speak about Urs and all she has overcome to achieve the title of Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature.

Grandpa, direct from Cameroon

Something she said when she stepped up to the podium struck me powerfully.  She was describing the initial process of deciding to pursue this degree.  She knew it was what she should do when she realized she was being given the opportunity not only to pursue an advanced degree on a scholarship, but an advanced degree in the very field she loves!  How could she not pursue this?

I woke up this morning thinking about pursuing one's passion.  It's a big part of our homeschooling philosophy and mission.  The celebration of Dr. Urs, an African immigrant who was not afforded the luxury of full-time focus on her academic goals, but who had to work hard throughout the process both at a career and at the academics, reminded me that pursuing one's passion will not always be easy.  It will not always be fun.  In the pursuit of her passion, my sweet friend wanted to quit... more than once.  At times, it even looked, to her at least, as if she should quit.  But with the love, support, counsel and exhortation of family and friends and through the grace of God, she pressed on.  She did the hard things.


Today, I am telling my children her story.  The story of how one moves from dreams to reality.  I am telling them how this journey is marked with exhilaration and exhaustion.  With sorrow and joy.  With waiting and waiting and waiting.  With family and friends who support you, pray for you and encourage you.  And always, always, filled with the grace and strength of our great God because 

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" Phil 1:6  

As we teach our children the three R's and as we give them time to discover and pursue their God given gifts, we also offer counsel on what we believe might be God's plan for their lives.  We pray with them and teach them to pray on their own for God's will in their lives.  We help them discern what He might be doing in their life circumstances, both good and what seems not so good.  Because if they set themselves on the path He has laid out for them, they can never fail.  That path might be difficult at times, marked with suffering even, but it is the only one worthy of walking.  


As my sweet friend Ursula always does, may my children give Him all the glory.  For the sweet successes.  For the painful defeats.  For everything- blessed be His name!

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."  1 Tim 1:17

Our Homeschool Mission Statement

Our reasons for homeschooling, I believe, are a little different from many. We are arriving on this path after having had a mainly positive school experience for many years now. Our decision to give homeschooling a try was made primarily with an eye to the future for our children, given our assessment of the current state of education in America.

With all this in mind, as well as the awareness that homeschooling will be a journey with highs and lows, wonderful and messy moments, I wanted to create a mission statement for our home school that reflected our values and would guide our day to day activities.

Our Homeschool Mission Statement:

• To create a learning environment that is engaging and interesting, inspiring inquisitiveness and a love of learning.
• To provide our children with a high-quality and interesting literature based, classical education that seeks to impart knowledge while also piquing curiosity, leaving room for delight directed study and developing critical thinking skills.
• To give our children time to explore their interests, develop their creativity and discover their unique giftings and callings from God.
• To give us more time with our children to sharpen them as iron sharpens iron, to encourage them and to support and guide them as they discover the path God has planned for them.

If you home school, do you have a mission statement?  I'd love to read it.  Please share if you would like!