Whenever I go out to do lawns with Dad, there is ample time while mowing to think about many things. Yesterday one of the many things I thought about, (alongside publishing one of my books, singing "You're never fully dressed without a smile" to make Matthew laugh, and gathering leftover Christmas Tree clippings for Mama to decorate with) was why I don't think college is the best place for me to go when I graduate. Now, I realize that Meredith has done many posts on this sort of thing, and since she has had much more experience in this area, each will probably eclipse what I will write. Nevertheless, this is more for myself to remind me why I am looking forward to something different.
First off, I want to clear something up. It is the misunderstood fact that "Schooling" is not necessarily "Education". Since that is stated, I find it funny that people refer to college as "Higher Education". Dad has told me many stories that leave me with the impression that many kids at college are not there to be "educated". They are there to get more "schooling" with education as a hopeful by-product, but that is where it ends. (Though there are some who go with the best intentions and get something out of it I'm sure.) My idea of "Higher Education" is that we should never stop learning. When we think we have learned all there is to learn in life, then we had better review some things awfully quick, because that would be puffed up pride.
Now, I am not saying that everyone who goes to college is disobeying God. He works in all our lives differently, but for me, I must look at the vision God has given me for my life.
My idea of the most fulfilling "career" I could have as a woman is that of being a helpmeet, homemaker, and mother. That is what I hope and pray the Lord has called me to. And that is what all the training I have had so far is leading me up to. In fact, you can say that I am way ahead of all these public schooled kids in the fact that I am getting my career-training while I am doing "school". This is in fact, my 17 year of being trained to be a homemaker! :) Okay. That being said, what business have I to go train at some college away from home to be a lawyer? How will I use that in my future life? To diplomatically break up fights between my children? Okay, how about training to be a brain surgeon? Ummm.... sorry to disappoint you, but I think that unless all my children had awful and unusual brain problems (which is very unlikely) that would be something I would shelf pretty quickly.
Understand, I don't think that taking classes in a particular area is bad. Once I graduate I am looking at taking an online class to become a Certified Family Herbalist. Which will be really useful in my future home. But the best education I can get for my "career" is where I am right now. In my home, operating a household with my mother, caring for my elderly grandmother, learning to be helpmeet by practicing on Dad in our business.... and the list goes on.
When someone wants to learn a language the most efficient way, they go to that country, and immerse themselves in the culture so that they are forced to speak the language to survive! That is what I see I am doing right now. I am living in my future workplace. I have the advantage of watching and helping Mama care for sick children, and learning what is okay, and what needs to be watched or rushed to the emergency room! ;) That is something that no amount of college could supply for me. I couldn't read about it in a doctor class and be good at discerning how sick a child really was until I had a sick child.
I am learning how to run a household, and how to keep a home tidy and cheerful. I know many housekeeping things that make a home peaceful, like playing music quietly in the background when your Dad comes home, and always using a tablecloth and dinnertime. These are things that I would not come accross while eating cafeteria food at college! So anyway, I guess all this is to say that I don't think God would think it good stewardship for me, at least, to go to college and train for something that I will put away later, when I could have been using those years to continue in hands-on practice at what I will most likely be when I grow up.
(And anyone who wonders "What if she doesn't get married and needs to work?" my answer is first that I will trust God to have a wonderful plan and support me through it whatever it is, and then secondly, this is why I never stop learning and practicing with my talents. There are many, many things I could do at home and make profit even if I didn't marry!) -Rachel
Showing posts with label motherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motherhood. Show all posts
A brief thought for a Nor'easterish day
Hey guys! I love bad weather for a season don't you? Okay! Here is something that I loved when I read it last night. I figured I'd just put this on here and see what you young ladies, and men if you'd like, think about it!
Peter Marshall's Challenge:
The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge- that of being godly women. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now.
We hear about every other kind of woman-- beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career women, talented women, divorced women.
But seldom do we hear of a godly woman-- or of a godly man either, for that matter.
I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else.
It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America.
It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel, filled with filth.
It is a far, far better thing in the realms of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultra-modern.
The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith.
The world has enough women who know how to be smart.
It needs women who are willing to be simple.
The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant.
It needs some who will be brave.
The world has enough women who are popular.
It needs more who are pure.
We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct.
Let us not fool ourselves- without Christianity, without Christian education, without the principles of Christ inculcated into young life, we are simply rearing pagans.
Physicallym, they will be perfect. Intellectually, they will be brilliant. But spiritually, they will be pagan. Let us not fool ourselves.
The twentieth (or twentyfirst) century challenge to motherhood-- when it is all boiled down-- is that mothers will have an experience of God... a reality which they can pass on to their children.
-Peter Marshall, Mr. Jones, Meet the Master
Okay! That's great isn't it? I loved it! Well, gotta' be skitterin'! -Rachel
Peter Marshall's Challenge:
The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge- that of being godly women. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now.
We hear about every other kind of woman-- beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career women, talented women, divorced women.
But seldom do we hear of a godly woman-- or of a godly man either, for that matter.
I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else.
It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America.
It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel, filled with filth.
It is a far, far better thing in the realms of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultra-modern.
The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith.
The world has enough women who know how to be smart.
It needs women who are willing to be simple.
The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant.
It needs some who will be brave.
The world has enough women who are popular.
It needs more who are pure.
We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct.
Let us not fool ourselves- without Christianity, without Christian education, without the principles of Christ inculcated into young life, we are simply rearing pagans.
Physicallym, they will be perfect. Intellectually, they will be brilliant. But spiritually, they will be pagan. Let us not fool ourselves.
The twentieth (or twentyfirst) century challenge to motherhood-- when it is all boiled down-- is that mothers will have an experience of God... a reality which they can pass on to their children.
-Peter Marshall, Mr. Jones, Meet the Master
Okay! That's great isn't it? I loved it! Well, gotta' be skitterin'! -Rachel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)