Home / Editorial / Family resistance

Family resistance

It began as a slow trickle earlier this year but now has turned into a full blown flood of e-mail.

Each time I open my in-box I am inundated with bad news on way too many fronts. The economy is faltering and getting worse; yet another troubling nomination for a cabinet level post; the pro-life movement may be gutted by proposed legislation; parental rights are threatened; homosexual marriage is gaining ground in more states; the national debt is out of sight. The other day, “Focus on the Family” founder James Dobson actually told his crew that the culture war is being lost in America.

What is a homeschooling mom to do? As for me, I am barely covering the basics: Getting lessons done, feeding the family and minimal housekeeping. There is no way I can read, let alone act on all the scary news I receive. I read the paper nearly every day (since my husband is on the staff!) I did attend the Chattanooga Tea Party in April.

My husband wanted me to take some of our boys so we gathered along with about 2,000 others at Ross’s landing and heard a smattering of local conservatives tell us what we all already knew. Our country is out of control.

Lately I have been deleting all e-mails that have news in their subject line.

Right now is just not my season to be an activist. Reading all of what is out there puts me into a major funk. I do not need that and it is not fair to my children to get me all worked up.

This is not to say that we should not stay informed, make phone calls or send e-mails, sign petitions or organize protests when we can. Each of us knows our limits and what we can and cannot do. If God is calling you to be active on one front or another, go to it!

I have been listening to some tapes I borrowed from a friend (thanks Linda!) made at a Christian worldview conference several years ago. The speaker is one of my favorite people, George Grant, pastor of a church in Franklin, Tenn. The series is on various revolutionary movements in American history, specifically in the 20th century. What we are facing is no new thing, really.

It is just the rebellion of man against God and His truths. Perhaps a blessing back then was that all the bad news could not be disseminated as fast or as often or commented on by so many articulate people as it can be today.

Of course that is also a good thing as we do not have to just rely on the mainstream media which used to be the only informant. But in the 20th century, the culture was also under attack by Darwinists, the elite art movements and expansionist government to name a few. Dr. Grant’s words were very consoling. Thanks to my helpful son DJ for transcribing them.

“When the enemies of the faith come roaring against us with their foolish ideas, their wicked schemes, their political power plays, if we respond in kind, we’ve missed the point. But if we respond with loving families… if we respond with good barbeque… if we respond with churches that are healthy, teaching the word of God and the fullness of life… if we respond with laughter and joy, they cannot prevail. Ultimately all their falsehoods collapse in a heap.”

In the tapes, Dr. Grant highlights four men who made a difference in these times. Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch prime minister, editor and educator; Theodore Roosevelt; C.S. Lewis; and G.K. Chesterton. Not only did they live out faithful lives but they went on to inspire many other writers, politicians and other notables.

“That’s the thing that these, a handful of stalwarts understood. Oh to be sure the Kuypers and the Roosevelts and the Chestertons and the Lewises are few and far between in the story of the 20th century. But what an impact this handful had. What a difference C.S. Lewis has made. What a subversive notion Jan Karon (novelist inspired by Lewis and Chesterton) has introduced, simply by living out the story of a town where there’s orange marmalade cake contests, a snowman building contest, where the difficulties of life are worked out in the context of the life that God intended us to live. The revolution has no answer for the covenant.”

When we live out our lives with our families and other likeminded families enjoying our children, training them up as God leads us in our homes and in our churches, it is one of the most effective answers to the confused world we live in.

“That is the advantage that the Christian worldview affords us. These four caveats, these four resistance movements provide for us a pattern. The pattern you should study and take seriously so that in days to come you can pose your own caveat or resistance. Not in a reactionary mode. But a resistance of good bread, great friends, lots of laughs, wonderful songs.”

In the midst of all the culture wars, we can gather our children near to us and read great stories, we can laugh together around the table. We can take heart in that we are rearing soldiers for future battles that we cannot even imagine. God knows what the world will look like for our children. He is preparing them to take their place in it to build His kingdom. This is what He is definitely calling us to do right now. It may not look like much but it is a mighty resistance. May God bless you all as you find your place in His restoration work.

+ + + + + +

• Many have asked me to keep them updated on the progress of my son in vision therapy. I have seen definite gains in his reading ability, less so in his writing skills. His therapist says she sees huge progress in how his eyes are working when she does exercises with him. The home vision therapy is very rigorous. Some of the exercises are impossible for my son to do. Some are impossible for me to do! But I definitely see the value of our sessions together each day. I have heard from several knowlegeable sources that the specific problems my son has are relatively easy to remediate with home vision therapy. I will keep you all posted.
• I wanted to add a word of apology about the last booklist on Rome and New Testament times which I assembled for Esprit. I found so many great booklist resources that the collection morphed into the Booklist that Ate Philadelphia — once I got started, I could not stop! I will try to be a bit more moderate the next time.
• Also as curriculum fair season approaches, please recognize the importance of supporting our local expo July 24 and 25 (see story on Page 9) We are all working hard to make this year’s expo worth your time and we cannot stress enough how much we depend on your continued support of our event by your presence and by your purchases from our exhibitors.

—JMT

Comments