Well, in my endeavor of trying to understand and implement the Biblical Principle Approach in our homeschool I did much study and I feel as if I kind of got off-kilter a bit b/c all I could think of at night were the RED BOOKS and buying more Noah Plan resources. There was the initial investment that I believe God blessed me to get at over 50% off retail but I began to feel (after about 2 years study and 1 year writing my own BPA unit studies for History last year which went VERY WELL…) that my focus got off. I began to be discontent(again), like so many other times once I had decided on a ‘curriculum’ or course of study. I was studying the RED BOOKS and my bible more than I was reading my bible just to be with God and I began to miss HIM. I would think to myself, LORD I’M STUDYING ABOUT YOU, HOMESCHOOLING MY CHILDREN FOR YOU AND I STILL FEEL LIKE I’M SO FAR AWAY FROM YOU.

I prayed about this for a period of several months and I finally realized I had begun to put more faith, trust in what the writers of the NOAH plan suggest/recommend and what the authors of the RED BOOKS conclude about what my homeschool should be and not be than in what God would direct me to teach my children. I had stopped leaning on Him to provide me with the direction and I was seeking it from someone else.

So I took some time and stopped studying the BPA. I began to just focus on God and on my family. I wasn’t even spending time with the children, other than teaching, because I had my head stuck in a book. I was cranky, very irritable, and very fussy. I felt as if it was my job/duty was to study and get this thing done. One thing I failed to remember is that even though God may have led me to use the BPA He never intended for me to take the whole load of directing the education of my children upon myself. He never intended for me to do it alone and it took me a while to realize that.

Another thing I had to evaluate is this: Why am I teaching the subjects/topics that I am? I realized that I had felt pressure to teach what the NP recommended and I so wanted to cover much of what they suggest b/c the academics they put forth are just excellent….but what is excellent for one may not be excellent for another….as the bible puts it ALL THINGS ARE EXPEDIENT BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT LAWFUL. I finally came to understand that I had to decide if I was going to teach these wonderful academics for the sake of obtaining knowledge or teach the academics to equip my children to be able to honor God. So I’ve had to come back to my ORIGINAL purpose for homeschooling and that is that my children may develop hearts of godly wisdom that governs their lives and the lives of their children. My goal is not for my children to be able to say I had a BPA education…but for them to be able to say I have a relationship with the Creator of this universe and I know Him and can see Him in all of life.

And then my dilemma could have been in a faulty understanding of what BPA is, I don’t know. I do know this. I do not have a leading idea/principle for every lesson. I have not even taught my children the 7 principles of America’s Christian History. I don’t even understand them all yet myself. I find they relate more to a personal walk with Jesus Christ. I know this may sound kind of crazy but I just don’t find within myself that I see it as necessary that my children study like George Washington. I’m still confused about what makes us a Christian nation. I’ve gotten many definitions but I just cannot digest that something can be Christian and not acknowledge God. I guess I’m saying that while I agree that the godly training of character is paramount to producing a God-fearing citizen and that the citizens are who make up this nation and will be tomorrow’s leaders that restoring America to her colonial roots is not my goal for our homeschool. Restoring America back to God is my goal. I don’t know if I just contradicted myself or not I mean I understand the academic scholarship was excellent back in the days when George Washington went to school but I feel instilling a love for God is more pressing, at least right now. I do teach the chain of christianity…this is our 2nd year going over it again and I love the framework it provides but I just want my children to KNOW God..to love Him with everything in them and I want them to see that everything came from Him…even in their studies of handwriting, reading, lit, arithmetic, etc. and I use the BPA to accomplish this. Our lessons have become a joy again. My 3 yo, with no prompting layed down next to me in my bed one night and said MOM, I YUV YOU (my response - I love you too, baby), MOM, I YUV GOD (God loves you too)….translation: I love God. We were not even talking about the Lord but his little spirit has been touched by God’s Spirit and I know it is as a result of me not boxing God nor myself into our homeschool having to be a certain way.

I don’t want to give the impression that the BPA is not about glorifying God…it is…I’ll say that again…The BPA does glorify God..but I feel it’s emphasis to accomplish this goal is just not where I am right now. I can only do what I understand and I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to do any more than that. Implement what God gives me understanding on in BPA and move on. I’m sure I’ll understand more next year.

I kind of feel like I’m a conglomeration of Charlotte Mason, Heart of Wisdom, Christian Classical(minus study of Greeks and such) with BPA interwoven thruout…so sometimes I feel as if I’m not truly BPA…I’m not into labels as such. The only label that means anything is that I’m called a true child of God and the name of Jesus is the banner that waves over me and mine. So homeschool-wise whatever I am is whatever I am..whatever you want to call it, call it but I know where my heart and my allegiance lies and it is with God no matter if I 4R a topic or do word studies or narration and notebooking or not.

So that is why I feel this blog’s focus needed to change(if I was to continue to blog) because I feel I’m not just about BPA. I use some aspects of BPA and whatever else and seek the Lord to show me how to blend it in just the right proportions to present WHAT MY CHILDREN NEED. He knows better than me what they need…and so I will, once again, let Him lead me and guide me in this area…and prayerfullly I will find the joy again in sharing our journey on this blog.

1. You are not alone in this struggle. I tried to implement Principle Approach using the Noah Plan but stopped very quickly. I still have the big red notebook of overviews but refer to it occasionally. It is not really set up for home school.

   Principle Approach is foremost a philosophy. The curriculum and methods come from that. I am able to judge fairly quickly if any chosen curriculum will fit with my philosophy or not.

   I haven’t taught my kids the 7 principles either. It will come later. Instead I reason with them from the Bible the best I can. If we continue pointing to the source they will be able to find truth for themselves. For now, my son knows that man is created in the image of God so every individual is valuable. So many lessons of life hinge on that principle. ntinue pointing to the source they will be able to find truth for themselves.

   I hope this helps to encourage you. We are all on this path together. Keep seeking God. He wants to lead us to the still, quiet waters. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.

   Comment by Renae — August 9, 2007 @ 3:05 pm

2. Renae,

   your comment washes over me like sweet, warm honey!!!!! All I can say is AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Just know that u have encouraged me especially when u say to point them to the source and eventually they will be able to find truth for themselves…THAT IS SOOOOOOOOOOO WHAT I’M AFTER…to lead them to God so that they learn to hear from Him for themselves and learn how to discern what is of Him and what is not. I so want them to live above the evil in this world. That is what Jesus prayed for us and that is what I pray for my children.

   There is such a sweetness to your counsel that I know only comes from the One Whose Words are Sweeter Than Honey and the Honeycomb!!!!!! Thanks for stickin’ by me!!!!

   dee

   Comment by Deidra — August 9, 2007 @ 3:17 pm

3. Dee,

   we have all been where you are. Trying to do what man set forth is always uncomfortable. At least for me, I have to find my own way. That’s when I’m most at peace, just doing what I believe God wants ME to do, not a book somewhere. Hang in there and you’ll end up just where God intends you to. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

   Comment by Anna-Marie — August 13, 2007 @ 1:53 pm

4. Dee, I had similar feeling to you when I was using the Noah Plan. It seemed so achievement focused…I wanted to have time. Time to reflect, time to study, time to really walk with my children. Instead, I was pushing, and force-feeding things they couldn’t comprehend.

   I tend to call myself “PA inspired” but the more I read, the more I think that I really am using BPA. I am just basing it on MY understanding from the bible rather than conforming to someone else’s image.

   Comment by Dana — August 20, 2007 @ 2:41 am

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