We live in the suburbs.
Yep. Not exactly outside-of-the-box by any stretch of the imagination – but it is outside the city…
Yet, we don’t really live like those in the suburbs despite our similarities.
I stay home; we sometimes hang out clothes out to dry; we have 4 children; we don’t drive the latest and we don’t live in a home that takes two incomes to survive in.
And really, that’s all because of the grace of God — not because we’re smart or great or anything.
Recently, I have been approached by two moms from two of our children’s soccer teams. One of the moms has just begun to homeschool, the other wants information on homeschooling.
I’ve encouraged both of the moms with various resources that I have learned about over the years but I’ve also had to draw some lines as I have to guard my own family to ensure I’m serving them first and the outside, second.
This pulling back reminded me of how I used to be.
When I was twenty years younger, I bubbled with enthusiasm over what the world could offer. Travel, new experiences, new people, new cultures.
Then, in my mid-twenties, I went through a difficult time and I grew more hesitant of those around me…I didn’t want to be contaminated or influenced or affected by the negativity of the world and my own weaknesses, so to speak.
The saving grace to my narrow-mindedness, was my husband and children and of course, God’s mercy.
And now, I am seeing the gifts of this escape from narrow-mindedness through our involvement with our neighbors and soccer and community through a joy-filled family. Many of the parents we know come to me and express that they are tired and weary with education as they know it. All of the time away from home and all of the money and fundraising — on top of their taxes — and the commitment required from the schools in this modern-day way of educating is draining these family’s energies. One of the most frequent complaints I hear is, “There’s always so much ridiculous homework, that there is no time leftover for family.”
I share with them that while homeschooling can certainly be difficult and time-consuming, the benefits, to us, outweigh the negatives. I’ve learned through my experiences with soccer practices and neighborhood fire-pits that our similarities are more common than the media would have you believe. Even when you’re open to life and you often get those hurtful remarks that can sting and exaggerate how you’re different from the suburb mentality, I’ve learned that if we can refrain from taking them personally and continue to look at our similarities, we can be an instruments. Despite how those comments are made, the way we chose to live doesn’t have to be confrontational or derisive. It can be exhilarating and inviting.
I like the fact that it doesn’t have to be US vs. THEM.
Because, in the end, I want it to be “We.” As in, “We the people…We the people of God.”
