Are We Ready?

I love politics. I have enjoyed watching the developments of this presidential race, critiquing the different journalists and their views, and hoping each day that maybe, just maybe, McCain has a chance at winning. I do not agree with everything McCain says or has done, but I believe he is the best candidate. On the other hand, this political, race and the current economic situation, has put some fear in my heart.

I do wonder what will happen if we end up with a very liberal President, Congress, and Senate come January. How will that effect our paycheck, the business my husband works for, and just the consequences of having a far left government. "I will give tax breaks to 95% of Americans." Yeah right. How then are you going to pay for healthcare for everyone and pay for all the other liberal agendas you have? You may give us a tax break (even though we do not pay federal taxes due to our income and children), since we are the "middle class" but that tax increase to my husbands business will effect us worse. I will stick with the nothing we pay in taxes now and hold out hope for some decent raises, thank you very much. If you take my husbands bosses money, you are taking our money too. Think about it.

Anyway, that is not the point of my post. The point is, I am concerned for my children's future. What will the world they are going to live in be like? As America moves further and further left, I become more and more nervous. What will be normal for them? Same sex marriage? (Vote Yes on Amendment 2, by the way!) Socialist ideas? Will Christianity become more and more hated?

Are we preparing our children for the struggles that are going to be inevitable? As I think about why I homeschool, I am more and more aware I am not focusing on the most important things. It is not reading or writing or history, it is teaching them to wage war against the enemy. We could raise the smartest, most successful and bright students, but if we do not educate them primarily in God's word, it will not matter. I should not be weighing my children's success by how much money they might make, what job field they go in to, or what their SAT scores are. If my daughter can stand up for what she believes, to a world that hates what she believes, that is true success.

My kids may face some of the worst of times and I want them to be ready. I want them to be ready to stand up for their Faith in a world that will be against Faith. In a society and education system that indoctrinates children in liberal ideas, I want my children to know and be able to speak Truth.

I hope and pray my children will be ready. I refuse to sit back in fear and allow an economic or political situation to scare me. Right now I choose to let this remind me of what I am here to do. I am here to raise some of the next generation to love God, hate sin, stand up for what is right, and be, I pray, a light in the darkening world.

One thing I will do is take Kayla to the polls with me. She will watch me vote, she knows why I am voting for McCain, and she needs to see me involved in this process. But Kayla will also know that McCain is not our savior. She will know that God is in control of this election, even though all Americans think they are. Mommy will vote and pray, but God ultimately has chosen the winner. He knows what this country needs, even if what we need are hard times.

This political season is yet another way God is reminding me to love the season I am in and not take for granted what I do. I am a mentor, a teacher, and a mother. I am who my children look to for answers and my job is to get them to the point where they look to their Lord for answers. Presidents are not the answer, journalists are not the answer, government is not the answer. I homeschool and stay home with my kids so that no one can tell them any differently.

May we all be reminded to pray for our country, pray for our church, and pray for our children. Be reminded to teach them what is most important, even if that means skipping out on some of that math.

Will our kids be ready for what is to come? Maybe a more important question is, are you ready? I have four swords to start sharpening at a much quicker pace then before, and I plan on doing that with more intensity and focus, starting now.