As a Christian

I think most of the America has a very heavy heart today. I have a very heavy heart today. I saw the news about Connecticut while starting our work this afternoon with my son. 

We are, obviously, a homeschooling family. But I haven't always been open about the fact that we are a Christian Homeschooling family. We also didn't start homeschooling for many of the (very good) reasons that other people start. We didn't have money for preschool and I didn't know what the hell to do with my son all day. So... we started "homeschooling."

After two years of a really great experience, we are changing things up.  One thing I don't think many people know (because we haven't said anything) is that we open enrolled my son into kindergarten for next year. We open enrolled him into the lowest scoring school in our district. 

The lowest in the state last time I checked. 

Why? Why you ask? There is a perfectly good school down the street. There is a great charter school a few more blocks away. But we are crossing our fingers to get into the low income, low scoring, 60% of students in poverty, elementary school.

We feel very strongly that Jesus has commanded us to love our neighbors. To be their friends. To be involved in their lives and be the first to help. You see this in many of his miracles, especially the first where he turned water into wine at a friends wedding in the middle of nowhere. 

I have seen many facebook messages regarding friends taking their kids out of school. I recieved a text message from a friend jokingly asking if I could homeschool hers. 

I am so very happy that we live in a country that it is a possibility! I do not want that to be taken away. 

BUT to the Christian out there, please do not use this as a reason to hide away. We need to be involved in our neighbors lives. We are called to be. We should be the first to step in front of a shooter to protect the innocent. We cannot be if we are not anywhere to be found.  We should be the first to cry. The last to leave. The first to hold. The longest to remember. 

Our homes should be a place of safety. For our entire neighborhood, not just our own kids. Our kids and our own lives should be lights of hope in the darkest of situations. 

So even in light of what happened today and what will happen in the future, we are striving so very hard to be more and more like Jesus. To offer a glimmer of peace. And that includes enrolling our kids in- heaven forbid- a public school with horrible test scores. 

-Lauren