| HomeschoolingResourceCenter.org Home | Search | About Us | Contact Us |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Keeping Focus June 2010 |
It's June, so what better time for a pop quiz?
What do a lens, a mirror, and focus have to do with each other? For those of you who are intellectually spent after a long year, here's the answer. The focus is the point where rays of light come together (converge) or where they spread out (diverge). Lenses are used to bend the light rays toward the point of focus. Mirrors are used at the point of focus to reflect the rays back out. What does this have to do with homeschooling? Apart from keeping our physical science skills sharp, it has to do with our theme of building a heritage of learning. Think of each ray of light coming into the lens as skills, information, or ideas from various elements of our training: academics, spiritual, physical, social, life skills, thinking skills, and character. The lens those rays pass through is our perspective – our view of how the world works. It includes our view of what education should accomplish and what makes an individual successful. Hopefully, the lens we have in place is a biblical one. 
Notice that the lens redirects each ray of activity toward a central point. That point is our focus. It is the ultimate purpose of
why we are homeschooling. For most of us, that purpose is to raise up godly men and women who fulfill God's plan for them.
Notice, too, that the lines that represent the rays of light coming through the lens are straight. They are constant and consistent. Also notice the arrow at the end of each line segment. The arrows show that the lines keep going. Again, constancy and consistency. The Bible puts it this way: line upon line, precept upon precept (Isaiah 28:10). Notice one last thing: the lines that diverge out from the point of focus. The focus is not the end. Homeschooling is not the final point. It is certainly a way to converge all the training into a determined, concentrated effort. But the point of it all is to then reflect something back out. What do we hope to reflect? The light of Christ. The character of Christ. The love of Christ. The power of Christ. The constancy of Christ. The triumph of Christ. Sometimes the effort required to keep the beams of light shining through the lens consistently can be exhausting. Let's face it, homeschooling is not a piece of cake (baking lessons using fractions anyone?) or a walk in the park (life science anyone?). It requires concerted effort over the long haul to keep everything and everyone focused. Sometimes it helps to be reminded of the hope of our homeschooling calling – our children as rays of light effectively shining in the darkness around them. Let's rekindle our desire to remain consistent and constant by His sufficient grace and empowering. 472 words To view more 'Keeping Focus' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
