It's halfway through January and most of us are simply focused on the year 2020, but I'm still in a bit of a reflective mode, and wanted to share with my readers where my mind has been.
The year 2019 for us began with a keen awareness of the approaching first anniversary of the loss of my mother-in-law and all the “firsts” that had entailed in 2018. We missed her, deeply, and in the midst of that, felt the need to solidify our new normal. Little did I know the additional changes that our family would face in 2019.
Looking back on 2019, I see three seasons.
The year 2019 for us began with a keen awareness of the approaching first anniversary of the loss of my mother-in-law and all the “firsts” that had entailed in 2018. We missed her, deeply, and in the midst of that, felt the need to solidify our new normal. Little did I know the additional changes that our family would face in 2019.
Looking back on 2019, I see three seasons.
Figuring out.
From January to May was mostly a season of FIGURING OUT the answers to questions and concerns I had developed about Classical Conversations, the homeschool company through whom I had been a leader and business owner for five years. I spent months researching and connecting with state and federal agencies to learn:
I also researched topics like what the trivium is, what classical education is, why and how to teach Latin, what the best use of memory work is, what resources exist for all of this outside of CC, how Matthew 18 can be misused, what spiritual abuse is, and what are the warning signs of a controlling organization. I looked at new grammar and writing curriculum options, and multiple choices for history and science as well. I was amazed to find a whole world of classical education options that were entirely separate from what I had been exposed to for nearly six years.
As a result of all this research, along with intense prayer and discussion with my husband, I terminated my Director license with Classical Conversations in May. Not only that, we chose to separate from CC completely, severing a six-year educational and business relationship that had defined our homeschool journey until that point.
Given the amount of time and blog-space I have spent promoting Classical Conversations, this may be as much of a surprise to you as it has been to me. (I promise, it was not a quick or light decision! We are still using a classical model, and with my new knowledge from the last year of research, I feel that what we are doing is actually more classical than what we were doing with CC.) Please feel free to reach out to me personally with questions about all of this!
- What is the difference between an employee and an independent contractor?
- What is the difference between a franchise and a business opportunity?
- What is the difference between a nonprofit and for-profit organization?
- What does my state law say about for-profit businesses operating on church (usually property-tax-exempt) property?
- What is the Fair Labor Standards Act and what does it say about a business using volunteer (free) labor?
- What is liability when you own a business?
- What is inurement and conflict of interest?
- And how does all this affect me?
I also researched topics like what the trivium is, what classical education is, why and how to teach Latin, what the best use of memory work is, what resources exist for all of this outside of CC, how Matthew 18 can be misused, what spiritual abuse is, and what are the warning signs of a controlling organization. I looked at new grammar and writing curriculum options, and multiple choices for history and science as well. I was amazed to find a whole world of classical education options that were entirely separate from what I had been exposed to for nearly six years.
As a result of all this research, along with intense prayer and discussion with my husband, I terminated my Director license with Classical Conversations in May. Not only that, we chose to separate from CC completely, severing a six-year educational and business relationship that had defined our homeschool journey until that point.
Given the amount of time and blog-space I have spent promoting Classical Conversations, this may be as much of a surprise to you as it has been to me. (I promise, it was not a quick or light decision! We are still using a classical model, and with my new knowledge from the last year of research, I feel that what we are doing is actually more classical than what we were doing with CC.) Please feel free to reach out to me personally with questions about all of this!
Freedom.
May to September was best characterized by the word FREEDOM. Not only were the legal concerns and questions no longer weighing on me, but for the first time in six years, I had a summer when I didn’t have to recruit families, attend business training, buy supplies, negotiate facility space, or schedule our family activities around CC. We had a wonderful summer. The children attended multiple Vacation Bible Schools and camps, and they participated in a summer Children’s Theater production of Mary Poppins. We took trips to see family, including our first family reunion since the deaths of my husband’s mother and uncle, and we also took a trip to see the Ark and the Creation Museum in Kentucky.
Fresh Start.
Beginning in September, the phrase that comes to mind is FRESH START. We had a new homeschool curriculum, a new group of homeschool friends with whom we met on a regular basis, a new schedule that included an online writing club, and I have a new leadership role in my daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop.
Now, with the new year being 2020, everyone keeps talking about having “vision,” and the saying “hindsight is 20/20” comes to mind as well. For me, 2019 was a the year of clarity, of coming to a new awareness of issues I had just ignored previously, or had not fully seen, and of learning anew about the resources available, both spiritually and educationally, for those who adopt a truly classical homeschool model. It was also a year of clarity about my priorities and realizing that I had been putting business - not only mine but a whole other company - over family, and sometimes even over my faith.
Now, with the new year being 2020, everyone keeps talking about having “vision,” and the saying “hindsight is 20/20” comes to mind as well. For me, 2019 was a the year of clarity, of coming to a new awareness of issues I had just ignored previously, or had not fully seen, and of learning anew about the resources available, both spiritually and educationally, for those who adopt a truly classical homeschool model. It was also a year of clarity about my priorities and realizing that I had been putting business - not only mine but a whole other company - over family, and sometimes even over my faith.
Follow.
As I look forward to this new year, the “one word” I’ve chosen to focus on is FOLLOW.
I want to be better at following up with people in my circle of influence.
I want to focus on following through with promises I make to myself and others, to seeing projects through from planning to completion (I’m much better at the planning end!).
I want to follow the lead of my husband and to be more diligent in praying for him and in using my gifts to support him as his helpmate.
Finally, I want to follow hard after God (Psalm 63:8). Having walked with the Lord nearly fifty years, it is all too easy to rely on past learning experiences in my relationship with Him rather than keeping it fresh and current. I want to draw closer to him - now.
What about you? How did God lead your in 2019? What are you entrusting to him in 2020? I would love to hear from you!
P.S. Feel do feel free to contact me with any questions about CC as well! This Facebook group is also a source of good information.
I want to be better at following up with people in my circle of influence.
I want to focus on following through with promises I make to myself and others, to seeing projects through from planning to completion (I’m much better at the planning end!).
I want to follow the lead of my husband and to be more diligent in praying for him and in using my gifts to support him as his helpmate.
Finally, I want to follow hard after God (Psalm 63:8). Having walked with the Lord nearly fifty years, it is all too easy to rely on past learning experiences in my relationship with Him rather than keeping it fresh and current. I want to draw closer to him - now.
What about you? How did God lead your in 2019? What are you entrusting to him in 2020? I would love to hear from you!
P.S. Feel do feel free to contact me with any questions about CC as well! This Facebook group is also a source of good information.
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