Are we parenting in the End of Days?
I haven't written much here lately... and mainly because I don't know what to say. I can keep trying to post the "typical blog" type things talking about keeping a pretty home, having perfect kids or whatever over filtered topic "bloggers" are pumping out these days. But, for me, it feels fake. I write about what's really happening in our home, with our homeschool and how we try to lighten our load and draw closer to Christ. That's what I've tried to do so far, and it's all I feel I should be doing. Apologies now if this lets you down and doesn't put me in the 'popular blogger' category. Aww shucks. [[[snaps finger]]]
What's real? What's important? What do I actually want to talk about with anyone and everyone?
Salvation. For me, for you, for them. Yhwh, our Father in Heaven. His son Yeshua, Jesus the Christ. The story of the world, what's come and is to come. When we boil it all down-- isn't this what matters? At the end of it all- does how your organize your home, clean your floors, teach your children biology or multiplication facts really make THE difference for the life you had on this earth? I don't think so. All those things are fine, you need to do those things, but do they REALLY, TRULY matter?
So, are we living in the End of Days? Is the end of the world as we know it and the second coming of Jesus right around the corner? I have no idea, but if I am in my scripture each day (I am), I'm in prayer constantly (yep) and I am looking for the signs and messages G-d is saying he will give to us (check check) then I am seeing things.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 gives us a few of the signs, can you check off any of these items?
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
having a form of godliness but denying its power.
It doesn't take much convincing/facts to get most everyone to agree that these are some crazy times. Nuclear war with North Korea? Getting closer and closer. Weather becoming more and more violent? Science expanding in ways we used to only think could happen in the movies? Horrible things being done everywhere we look. And I'm sorry- but no pastor, no president, no PERSON is going to be able to make it great again. Only One can do that.
If you haven't looked at the world much (I avoid main stream "news" like the plague) but are interested to see what happenings are going on around us-- YouTube search 'Jason A' or 'end times 2017/2016/etc'. I take everything with a grain of salt, but there's some great compilations of news clippings of just stuff that's going on, and has been going on, all around the globe. Be in your Bible- take the items you see going on and go to scripture with them. Pray on it- what do you see then? We're told starting in Genesis and throughout the word that G-d set the heavens and the stars to use as messages and signs for events, seasons, etc... What do we see when we look up onto the heavens?
(NOTE: the WORSHIP of stars, the horoscope, the zodiac, etc... -- those are evil and purely of Satan. But the observance of the stars, the constellations, etc... -- that is specifically told to us as believers to be something for us to pay attention to. ie: the wise men following and charting the Star of Bethlehem for 2 years leading to the birth of Jesus. They did not worship the star as the bringer of the Christ or something crazy- they simply observed and charted G-d's perfect sign. There is a big and very serious difference)
Look into the Revelation 12 prophecy/signs. I am not in any way saying that THAT date is the end of the world, the rapture, or anything like that-- but that is a very interesting, 'once in a lifetime' celestial happening, that just so happens to line up perfectly with scripture (so it seems) and is worth being educated on.
So, what am I trying to say here? Why is this in anyway related to something a HOMESCHOOL site should be discussing?
I'm saying that even if the End of Days isn't for another 10,000 years -- we, as believers, should live EVERY day like it is our last. Like Jesus could come back at any moment, and would you be ready?
Would it make sense that you've taught your kids to memorize every state and capital but not scripture? Would it make sense that we stressed over lap books and perfect penmanship if we haven't worked to perfect our hearts? What REALLY matters?
I think our eternal life with G-d the Father matters. It matters for me, my husband, my kids, my family and friends, for you, for every. single. human being. Even the bad ones, even the sinners. (Note: we're ALL the dirty, nasty sinners. ;) Thankful to be saved by grace through faith.)
I pray that we can all wake up and be aware to the prophecy playing out all around us. I pray that we can all extend love as love can cover a multitude of sin. I pray that we can see when to let go and walk away from this sinful world and let it burn. Love people, let everything else go. G-d is sending his son back for the people, not the stuff.
We will continue to educate our children-- I will teach them how to read and write, to learn their arithmetic and more. We will share all of those homeschool tools and things with you here as I am REALLY enjoying getting to connect with so many families through this. You all are wonderful and we are wishing the best for all of your beautiful families!
BUT-- we will even more and more push to create a STRONG center in the Lord, a base of preparation for not the things of this world, but for the New Earth that is to come and will be for all eternity. This life is but the blink of an eye, a wisp of time. I want the knowledge I seek here to be something of worth and meaning for all the time to come. Amen.
Some resources I strongly recommend:
What's in the Bible -- a GREAT watch for your kids (and the adults too) -- especially the New Testament episodes!
Heaven by Randy Alcorn - the adult's book is amazing, but a BIG read! The kid's version is so wonderful (and it's just a simplified/condensed version so adults learn a lot too!) See him talk HERE to learn more too!
Be in your Bible! Every day! Spend time in prayer, ask G-d to fill you with the Holy Spirit and lead the way in understanding and wisdom. This is SO incredibly important!
