A Dozen Reasons Why we Chose Public School...NOT

Some of you know that we decided to home school our kids last semester. If you want to know why (and why not) you can click on those links.  This year we decided to send our middle son to public school Kindergarten.  Our oldest son had the option and decided to return to public school.  Before I tell you why, here are a few reasons why not!

1) Because we don't really love our kids enough, if we did we would home school.

2) Because we didn't like the leisurely pace in the mornings, everyone getting enough rest and starting the day off nice and slow AFTER my second cup of coffee.

3)Because our home schooling was a terrible, torturous experience and we would never do it again.

4) Because we hated spending so much time reading together on the couch and all those pesky trips to the library.

5) Because we know that they really can't learn social skills they need to survive with home school.

6) Because they were starting to act so introverted, stopped speaking to anyone outside our family and started speaking in Latin.

7) Because they hated having so much free time to play legos and go on "adventures" in our house with their imaginations.

8) Because I really do believe the government should decide what my kids learn and when and how.

9) Because those taco snacks and chicken nuggets for hot lunch are so much more nutritious than my home cooked meals.

10) Because they were driving me crazy (okay, that one might have been slightly true some of the time).

11) Because all that time doing family devotions and scripture memory with them was such a drag.

12) Because I couldn't teach them as well as some total stranger could, and it isn't really school when you do it at home for just a few hours a day!

I'll post again soon with reasons why we went this route this year...and some first day of school pics.

The Most Important Day

One of the most important days of the school year for our ministry is today.  Today is the day we help move freshman into the dorms.  Our campus is so friendly and appreciative of our organized effort that they even supply lunch for our student friends. Awesome!   But the free lunch is the reason why today is so important. The real reason is that this is our first chance to meet the incoming class.  Every student leader in Navs wears our stand out (some may call them boring...ahem...) black and white t-shirts, and climbs countless flights of stairs carrying endless boxes, laptops and flat screens (umm, can I be a freshman again?) all in order to spread the Gospel.  Probably not one single verse is shared.  Many don't get beyond introductions and a maybe a brief invite to one of our many events happening in the next couple weeks. But we are jotting down names and numbers, making connections and will stop back by to talk to them more as the days pass.

This day and the few days ahead are so soo sooo important because in this short span of time the lonely wide-eyed freshman are going to decide who their friends will be for the next four or five years.  Seriously, in a matter of days!  This is a huge life changing decision depending on who they choose.  We aren't out for a popularity contest but we want them to choose us! We want to pull in as many students as we can not so we can report big numbers at our Nav Nites (though that is always fun) or pat ourselves on the back at how many new Bible studies we started. We want to catch them before they stray off onto the wrong paths that never quite satisfy. We want to build friendships that point them to the one Friend who will never fail them.

As I took a break today from harvesting the green beans and baking a peach pie for my hard working hubby (no, I wasn't among the movers today as hubby declined to take 3 energetic boys to help move things) I took a few minutes to pray for this most important day.  I couldn't help but picture casting out our nets wide and fighting against our enemy who is working his hardest to get them into his camp.  Please join me in praying for this important day.  Pray for success for all the ministries on campus that are working for His Kingdom.  Today's success dictates tomorrows and the next...and eventually what Kingdom these students will end up in.  Thanks for reading and praying! :)

Our T-shirt for those who haven't seen them.  Modeled by two of my favorite little rascals!

Who Are The Navigators?

Last night as we were driving home hubby sat next to me and every few seconds his phone would beep indicating a new text.  Why yes, ministry is picking up speed again as fall is just around the corner.  But that isn't the only reason the texts were flying in.  As I raised my eyebrows in question he explained that he was preparing a workshop for our leadership retreat later this week on "Who are The Navigators." He wanted to know what his audience thought before attempting to teach them so he asked them to text him their answers. I thought some responses were funny and others spot on.  All were encouraging.  Here are what some of the 34 sophomore, juniors and seniors who are on the leadership team this year had to say:

-Awesome

-The Navs are the coolest group of people you will ever meet on campus. They’re grounded, relatable, crazy people with a zest for God who are ready to be your friend and help you in any way they possibly can. J

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-We are a group of people seeking to know Christ and to share his love with the world, and to help others do the same.

-I would say we are a campus ministry who tries ‘To know Christ and make him known.”  Not only is Navs a place where you grow in your faith but it’s a place to challenge your faith and reach out to others to help them know the gospel of Jesus Christ.

-We are a super fun and amazing campus ministry!  Our mission is to know Christ and to make him known. We meet every Wednesday at 8pm for great messages and wonderful worship. Navigators is also a great way to surround yourself with Christian people and from friendships.

-Our t-shirts say it all.

-We are a group who seeks not to just ‘love’ Christ but to follow him.  We also seek to encourage others and show them Christ’s love in a genuine and sincere way.

-They’re a bunch of thugs who like to kick it old school.  It’s also a student led campus ministry who enjoy serving God. Evangelism, discipleship and Ultimate Frisbee!

-A nationwide ultimate Frisbee league.

-But for real I would say it is a worldwide Christian ministry that has one of its focuses on helping college students learn more about Jesus.

-We are a Christian organization with a campus ministry as one part. Our desire is to glorify God as we seek to know Him and share His love with others.

-I would say that Navs is a Christian campus organization that focuses on knowing Christ and making Him known- we live this statement out through building relationships/friendships with others modeled by how Christ lived and disciple

This years Oaks Leadership team along with a few that have graduated and left us :(  pictured above.