When we moved to North Carolina and had to choose a name for
our homeschool, my husband and I chose to call it Cedars of Lebanon. Why name our homeschool after a tree? The Cedars of Lebanon have been prized for
centuries for their excellent, strong wood.
Palaces and temples throughout the ancient world, including the Temple
of Solomon, were made from these lovely trees.
Not only is the wood very tough and durable, but the cedars grow
unusually straight, making them ideal for building. They have a lovely aroma that is released in
their forests and when cut down for use.
The Cedars of Lebanon also have amazingly deep roots, often growing
several feet deep for every foot of the trunk.
This allows them to survive long droughts that kill lesser trees. In addition, Cedars of Lebanon can release a remarkable
acid from their roots that breaks up any obstacles that stand in the way of
their growth; these lovely trees often break even heavy boulders.
Aren’t these the same things we want for our children as we
homeschool them? We want them to be
strong in their learning, in their faith, in their character, and in their love
for God and others. We want them to grow
straight, staying true to the path that Christ prepares for them. We want their lives to be a sweet aroma to
others and to God. We want their roots
to go deep as they surrender their wills and lives to the love and grace of
Christ. Roots that are firmly planted in
Him will not soon be led astray by the whims of the world. We want their knowledge of God’s Word and His
world to make them effective warriors for Him, knocking apart all obstacles
through faith in Christ and the workings of the Holy Spirit. We hope to teach our children much
academically, and that is very important.
But it is so much more important that our faith is contagious, that our
love runs deep, and that we lead them to the Living Waters that alone can
quench their thirst. We want to raise
our children to be adults who are useful to God and who love Him with their
whole hearts and their whole lives. With
God’s help, we want to raise our children to be like the glorious Cedars of
Lebanon!
