Exhilaration and trepidation. What a perfect description of the homeschooling journey! Like piloting an airplane...or teaching algebra!

If you don't know Cindy Rushton, you don't know what you've been missing. In fact, whenever I write her name, I want to put an exclamation mark after it! Cindy Rushton! Are you excited yet? Cindy exemplifies exhilaration and encouragement. Our prayer is that her words will help carry you through this phase of your expedition.

She joins us this issue at TOS to help us gear up for another school year. Let's go talk with her now! Cindy Rushton

TOS: Cindy, you told me your husband has been taking flying lessons. How is that experience akin to homeschooling?

Cindy: I am devouring my husband's pilot training. In the plane, we are able to soar higher than I ever dreamed AND at record speeds. I love that we can get where we are going fast and at a relatively straight course from point-to-point. Isn't this what we want for homeschooling? Praise God, that with HIS yoke and HIS way, we do tend to soar higher and get where we are going with fewer distractions. As a result, the blessings are so very abundant. In turn, life is passing by as fast as our "read-alouds!" But that is not the only thing that reminds me of Harold's flight training. In his training, much of it now involves practicing "touch-n-go-landings," where he comes in for a landing, only to gear back up again for another round. Doesn't that depict where we are at the beginning of a new school year?

TOS: It certainly does-ready to gear up, because, ready or not, here it comes! Cindy, you have said that it is important for us to retreat before we advance. What do you mean by that?

Cindy: I remember the day when I first found out that soldiers in the midst of battle retreat. Sounds funny, doesn't it? But, good soldiers, smack-dab in the middle of the raging battle-retreat. I know that some of you may be thinking exactly what I was thinking when I first heard that. Do WHAT? Yes, beloved, good soldiers do retreat in the MIDST of battle.

TOS: That sounds interesting. Why?

Cindy: One of the first reasons is that they retreat in order to rest. I know; you are thinking, "How can a busy mother retreat just to rest?" Well, there is power in rest. We need to see that power. We need to experience that power. In real life battles, commanders know the power in bringing their soldiers apart to rest. As a result, they assure that their soldiers retreat in order to get rest. And in turn, they are strengthened and empowered for the battle that they must win. We are no different. In fact, I would say that the battle we face is much more important than any other battle on earth. We are battling for the family. Our battle will make a difference for all of eternity. We battle for the hearts of those we love so dearly. Not so much for their hearts to merely turn toward us, but for their hearts to be tender to our Lord, Whom they come to know better through our encouragement and ministry to them. We are going to get tired and weary along the way in that battle. We are hit from outside and inside. When the hits are new and fresh, it is easy to pick up the armor to block those shots. However, as the battle continues long and hard and our impact begins to be noticed by the enemy, the hits get harder to block and to withstand because the enemy knows that the only way to defeat us is to get us to quit. The best thing for us at that time is not continuing where we can be annihilated, but to retreat, to rest. Oh, I am not talking about sleeping. Quite the contrary. I am talking about getting GOD's REST! Rest for our weary soul. Rest that enables us to go back into battle as a formidable foe!

TOS: I think we all want to stand as formidable against the enemy. What's another reason to retreat?

Cindy: To strategize! I am sure that you could have easily guessed this one. It makes perfect sense for the soldier in battle to step back, take a look at any new advances of the enemy, take a look at successful advances made on his own behalf (just in case they hit the enemy hard enough to become a continued tactic in the battle against that enemy), take a look at where they have come from and where they are going, and plan the next attack. Have you ever thought of the total necessity of pulling back to retreat so you may evaluate your strategy in homeschooling? If there is one reason that we should all retreat, this is the most important. Why? We need to take time to refresh our minds on God's plan for our families. We need to pull back to let Him equip us for the battle by showing us options out there for the "attack" and which one is just perfect for us. Yes, He has a plan just for us. One just perfect for me, one just perfect for you. A plan that is promised to work, to be easy, and most of all, to take us to the end of our battle in victory!

TOS: Over the summer, we have hopefully had some time sitting on a lawn chair resting, perhaps attended a conference or two and read a few new books. These are all good things, but sometimes we feel guilty when we take time to rest and refresh ourselves. Surely that is not what the Lord requires!

Cindy: Actually, the Lord says to take the time that is necessary to pull back, kick back, and hear God! I love what Matthew 11: 28-30 has to say to

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

TOS: I'm saying to myself, "I want some of that rest!"

Cindy:Then, kick back for a bit! Take Christ's yoke! The word "yoke" means obligation or commitment. Jesus Christ has an obligation or commitment to you in all of the areas of your life, especially homeschooling! Isn't that such wonderful news? That means He has a vested interest in every single area of your life! He calls Himself the "Author" and "Finisher" (Completer) of the good work in your life. However, He does not commit or obligate Himself to complete or finish what He does not begin, commit, or obligate Himself to in the first place. We must join with Him for His yoke if we want guaranteed success!

TOS: How can we know what His yoke is?

Cindy: Do a "yoke" check! We need to do a "yoke" check to make sure that the commitment we have before us is truly HIS commitment-HIS obligation. This passage in Matthew 11 has an easy way to check our yoke: Does it make us labor, heavy-laden, overburdened? Or, does it bring rest, ease, relief, and refresh your souls? Do you find it to be gentle, meek, humble, lowly, restful, relieving, easy, refreshing, recreational (FUN!), blessed, quiet for our souls? Is our yoke wholesome, useful, good-not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant, light and easy to be borne? If we want to really have a truly successful AND happy homeschool, then we must take the yoke of Jesus Christ. We must become students of HIM, learning of Him. He is the perfect Teacher. He lived His whole life doing the very thing that we are called to do-discipling.

TOS: I'm feeling readied for the battle, Cindy! The tiring part, for me, is remaining vigilant. It's sometimes exhausting! It's so tempting to let our guard down in this endeavor.

Cindy: We know there is constantly a battle waging for our hearts, souls, and minds. I believe that one of the strategies of the enemy is to "lull" us to sleep. He wants for us to trust the "auto-pilot" to keep us going. If our "auto-pilot" is the Lord, we can surely trust that He will keep us going. But, you need to know that His approach to parenting is not "chilling" out during the "flight." He wants much, much more from us in this journey. God wants for us to join Him in this adventure. He wants for us to see this opportunity to minister alongside of Him. He wants for us to be His "helper," to bring this work to pass. Because of this, we need desperately to take time to renew to the call before us.

What do I mean by "renew?" I mean a complete heart, soul, and mind renewal to the call of homeschooling. God wants for us to have a heart for homeschooling. I am not talking about a heart for "school" in the home. I am talking about a heart for having all that Jesus died to give us. Homeschooling is only one means that God uses to restore the family to His perfect design. Yet, so often, our enemy distracts us into thinking of homeschooling as another means of education. There is so much more to homeschooling. It is not all about academics. We are given a precious gift of really ministering to the hearts of our children. We are given time and opportunity to train our children up to use all of their special gifts, talents, and bents. We are given the opportunity to really impress upon the hearts of our children our passion for God, life, relationships, and learning. Oh, if we could only constantly renew our heart, we would have a contagious passion that would keep us fired up and on track!

TOS: So, how do we do it?

Cindy: This can only begin one way. Let's see how Romans 12: 1-2 says that this can begin:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I love this passage! And I absolutely love anything that can give me THREE EASY STEPS. Want to renew your soul and mind? Want to renew your mind, will, and emotions at any time, in any area of your life? Here are they are:

1. Daily come before the Lord sacrificing ALL you are to Him. Yes, beloved, ALL that you are: your plans (every one of them), your ambitions (even that college thing!), ideas (even the best idea can be your idol, your high place, so ALL of those ideas!) and methods. Even Charlotte Mason's Approach, the Unit Study Approach, the Classical Approach, the Principle Approach, those Textbooks, the Lifestyle of Learning Approach, the Heart of Wisdom Approach. Did I leave any out? That one too! Sacrifice it. If it is of God, He will let you continue in those ideas. If not, well, ugh, God has some great ideas for you!

2. Do NOT conform. Are we not a nation of people-pleasers? In no area do I see more peer-pressure than the homeschool movement. We try to please the culture. We try to please the church. We try to please fellow homeschoolers. When are we going to turn away from people-pleasing and conforming to the ways of others? When are we going to repent and turn our hearts intently to our Lord and Savior? When we do, we will find the freedom to hear Him in each and every area of our lives, even our homeschool.

3. Be transformed by renewing your mind! Oh, beloved, reach for this renewal! It will transform your entire life! Of course, this begins as you sit at the feet of Jesus. As you daily immerse yourself in His Word, you will begin to be transformed. You will soon have different priorities, different beliefs, different ambitions, and soon, you will be able to prove what is good, acceptable, and perfectly in the will of God. If we never experience this transformation, we will always find ourselves burdened under a yoke of bondage. We will always find ourselves looking in all the wrong places for direction, approval, meaning, purpose, and rest! But, this need not happen. We can have all that Christ has planned for us! Sit at His feet!

There is just something about a homeschooling mother that makes everything else somewhat of a priority, yet [taking care of yourself] seems to be the last thing on our list to do. If we are to be prepared for this call so we can gear up for the best year yet, we most certainly must re-fuel our tanks! However, the tricky part is that we are all so very different that what re-fills my tank would not work for you. You probably have your favorite way to re-fill and re-supply. Make a point today to take that time. Take time to let God fill your cup. Take time to let your friends fill your cup. In fact, take time to fill your own cup. Then, oh, beloved, then you will be ready to pour forth from an overflowing cup!

TOS: I'm excited! I'm ready for the new school year!

Cindy: There is something wonderful about starting a fresh new beginning. I guess because "new beginnings" are what God is all about. Each day we get a new beginning. Each week, we can confidently begin a whole new week. Even each month, we get a brand new month. Oh, and then we have a New Year every single year. I need those new beginnings. I need a fresh start. I love those closed chapters to life and the new chapters. This is the time to tidy up from the last year and get ready for a brand new year. To go back to my husband's pilot training, you are now cleared to land so you can refuel to soar again!

TOS: Cindy, this has been such a delight! We want to thank you so much for sharing your heart with our readers

Cindy is a prolific author and speaker. Some of her titles include A Charlotte Mason Primer, Nature Study...The East Way, and Notebooking! Yes, You CAN Be a Binder Queen Too. She has a wide array of books, tapes, and other teaching materials. Cindy also publishes a couple of magazines in her spare time - Homeschooling the Easy Way and Time for Tea Magazine. To learn more about Cindy and her family's ministry, contact them as follows:

Rushton Family Ministries
1225 Christy Lane
Tuscumbia, AL 35674
www.cindyrushton.com
time4tea@hiwaay.net
256-381-2529