I feel disconnected, cut off, and isolated. It’s only because my “office away from home” is closed this week. It is the Christian dance studio at which my granddaughter studies ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, etc. and at which my grandsons take acrobatics. There, I get to visit with some wonderful Christian parents several days a week when I am helping my daughter take or pick up one of her children.
I have even helped some Challenge students with Latin and logic there during their breaks between dance classes. Great music is going on in the various studios, and moms are having fellowship while watching their children dance through the various studio windows.
In addition, I’ve been able to put out catalogs and flyers advertising the next upcoming information meetings, special events, and Parent Practicum. I’ve also been approached by many parents over these past few years asking about homeschooling in general and Classical Conversations in particular. The word is getting out that I know about homeschooling because I began homeschooling my own daughter in 1980, and have been involved with it off and on since then.
As a result of these activities, several parents have attended information meetings, and several dancers are now enrolled in local Classical Conversations communities, from Foundations through Challenge.
Although there are a handful of other grandmas there, for the most part the moms are young enough to be my daughter and conversations with these women make me feel young again. My own daughter is there and she not only has her three children in Classical Conversations, but is also a Challenge IV Director herself. Guess what a lot of her conversations are about!
So for this week, I think I am suffering a little withdrawal from this wonderful haven. Not only that, but the CC Communities I support recently had their last classes, and their final programs, most of which I was able to attend. We have even completed Mock Trial with the Challenge B class I direct. So Classical Conversations is now over for the year as well.
My point is—do any of you feel the same way about the end of the CC year? I admit a part of me is feeling a big Aaaaaahhh! I could use a little respite as I head out of Mock Trial to re-charge, go with my daughter to North Carolina for her Challenge IV training at Parent Practicum (Of course I can’t just make her go alone, now can I?) What fun! All those uninterrupted hours in the car for adult conversation. But I digress!
Then there will be my own communities’ Parent Practicum to enjoy here, and Challenge I Academic Training to take to be the Academic Orientation Instructor for Challenge I directors at yet a third Practicum. Finally, there is our huge Home Educators of Virginia annual convention to attend in Richmond where I will help work the Classical Conversations booth. Again, more fun! Oops! I meant to say work, but you wouldn’t believe me, would you? Time consuming—yes. Effort—yes. But enjoyable and rewarding–definitely!
The Lord has graciously allowed me to have input not only in my own homeschooling family’s life, but also into the lives of so many others through Classical Conversations. I get to help my own grandchildren as they work through Challenge math and Latin, and I sit in Essentials with my youngest grandson since his mom is directing Challenge III.
Today I asked myself if I missed the fellowship of church as much as these other groups I’ve mentioned. I think my answer is yes, but in a different way. The bigger question should be—do I miss the teaching of the Word as much as I miss conversations with friends? Again, I’ve answered yes. I get Bible studies through online sources and books which are excellent and truly inspiring, but there is and should be something special and personal about sitting and hearing God’s truth expounded in person.
I find myself craving and enjoying good teaching as much as I love to have great conversations about Classical Conversations, which, of course, usually center around the importance of having a sound biblical worldview and acting upon it.
A community may be ending for the summer and my “office away from home” a.k.a. The Dance Studio, too, for a while, but we can still reach out for Christian fellowship and spread the word about Classical Conversations personally and in other venues such as the Parent Practicum. I know many of our families keep in touch and have times of fellowship throughout the summer. Why not be the catalyst for something like that to keep the community and conversations continuing?
Sometimes it takes no more than announcing on your Facebook page or your community’s page, if they have one, that you’re going to the park, or beach, or hike, or fair, or amusement park, or zoo, etc. and just naming the date and time. Often someone else will meet you there because they want fellowship too. How about inviting some of your CC families who attend a different church to attend your church’s Vacation Bible School or other special events such as a church picnic?
Most importantly and fortunately in this country, we have the privilege and opportunity to attend a good Bible-teaching church. Isn’t it great our Lord never takes a “break” from us? Unlike us, He never shuts down to re-power, re-group, or re-charge Himself! The fellowship we so enjoy with people, we can always have with Him anytime and anywhere.
