The Lord's Prayer!

The biggest lesson I have learned this past week since starting homeschooling, is that my children yearn to know the Lord and they yearn to learn how to pray and how to be closer to God.  By far, without even talking about schooling and subjects and renewing their love for learning, I've been absolutely amazed at their love for the Lord.

We've talked and we've talked and we've stayed up late talking some more because they're inquisitive and because they're curious and because they feel like they were being held back and not allowed to be themselves in school.

It saddens me when I think back on my school days in South Africa, especially in the early primary and elementary years.  Loving God was nothing to be ashamed of and as a matter of fact it was something that was instilled in every single pupil and something that was nurtured and embraced.

Two nights ago we lay in my bed surrounded by the pugs and warm blankets and the darkness of the night.

Curt is working midshift so he wasn't home and therefore I grabbed my kiddos and brought them into bed with me, for me it's a just a need to have them close, for them it's an adventure, something out of the norm, something fun.

We lay and we talked and they asked me question after question about what school was like for me and I as I sat and reminisced with them.  It hit me how much I miss those days.  It rocked me to my core just how much joy I had in my life as a child, the best of schools, the best of teachers and the best memories that I will forever have.

Every single morning we would have assembly, the usual school announcements and ending with the Lord's prayer.  Every day, without fail, the whole school assembled in the Hall and we prayed and then every other day we sat and sang hymns.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Glory, hallelujah
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Glory, hallelujah
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Glory, hallelujah
King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Jesus, Prince of Peace)
Glory hallelujah

I still remember every single song and I'm talking about YEARS ago, I was 10 years old.

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning 'til the break of day

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings

We also had to memorize the books of the Bible and recite them back to one of the Teachers. 

Nowadays, the kids can't even take in anything that mentions Jesus in any way.  Why?

I mean I know the reason they give for it but I just don't agree and having been raised in a school system where we prayed as a group every day and were constantly surrounded by Bible study and learning, I can tell you that I'm thankful for it and it works.

I'm not here to judge anyone, I'm merely here to state that it saddens me that something which is second nature to me, like the Lord's Prayer, is something that I have to teach my children to say.

They know how to pray, they do it every night but they don't know the Lord's Prayer very well.

So if anything ever makes me doubt the decision to homeschool, I can tell you that the opportunity of being able to nurture my children in a Christian loving home and being able to freely teach them about God without being judged, is big enough of a reward for me to say that I would do it ALL again.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. for ever and ever. Amen