Welcome to my world

Well, it has happened .... my first run in with someone who decided to share their not so good opinion of my choice to homeschool my children. Ouch.

Bubby and I went to the local grocery store today to pick up a few things. It was a quick and easy trip .... up until the point of checkout.

Our cashier seemed friendly enough.... a man about 40 years old. He was scanning our items and chatting with us when he asked Bubby, "How old are you?" .... the conversation went downhill from there. It looked a bit like this:

Bubby: "7"

Cashier: "Are you ready for Thanksgiving?"

Bubby: "Yep ... but we aren't cooking turkey. My Dad and my Sister are in Mexico."

Cashier: "They got to go on vacation without you?"

Bubby: "No, they are on a mission trip to help people and tell them about Jesus." (aren't kids great - so simple - so bold)

Cashier: "That is great." (looks to me) "Where do you go to church?"

Me: "_____" (insert name of our church)

Cashier: (looks like he just threw up in his mouth frowns) "Oh that MEGA church."

Me: "Yes, it's a large church." (smile)

Cashier: "That's nice." (Seems at this point that he is a Christian, is happy we are too, but is sad for us that we go to the MEGA church).

Cashier: (changing subject - looks at Bubby) "What grade are you in?"

Bubby: "2nd"

Cashier: "Do you like your teacher?"

Bubby: "Yes" .... points at me.

Cashier: "No, I asked if you like your teacher."

Bubby: (smiling) "I am homeschooled."

Cashier: (looks at me like I have 2 heads) "What?"

Bubby: "Yep, my Mom teaches me."

Cashier: (No more eye contact with me) "Have you ever asked your Mom why she makes you do homeschool?"

Me: (inside my head) "Did he really just say that?"

Bubby: "No."

Cashier: "You should ask her why she makes you do homeschool."

Bubby: (squirming). "Hmm."

Me: (again, inside my head) "What in the world am I suppposed to say? How do I get this guy to back off without being rude? He know I am a Christian after all .... I have to be on my best behavior" ... I know, I know .... I should be on my best behavior anyway ... all the time ... work with me here. I say nothing. (spineless speechless)

Cashier: (looks at me) "I am a teacher." (as if to explain why he is disappointed that I do not send my kid to school)

Me: (grin) "Me too."

Cashier: "Oh .... a real teacher?" (small smile)

Me: "Yep" (yeah, I knew what he meant .... but I was on a roll .... and getting a bit bunchy)

Cashier: (looks somewhat relieved, like maybe he thinks it is a little better if I am qualified) "Oh, what grade?"

Me: (pointing at Bubby) "2nd .... and a 6th grader too."

Cashier: "Oh. (obvious look of realization that I did not mean a REAL teacher)

Bubby: (to Cashier) "What do you teach?"

Cashier: "High school math."

Bubby: (excitedly) "I love math ... it's my favorite."

Cashier: (shows Bubby his nametag) "Can you read this? What is my name?"

Me: (again - inside my head) "Is this a test? Is he testing my kid? What the heck?"

Bubby: (reads nametag)

Cashier: "Well, you can read."

Me: (Ok .... so at this point, I am M-A-D. I don't want to admit that, but I was. I was feeling defensive. How dare he question my kid like this? I was about to let him have a piece of my mind. Slow down .... I started seriously praying. God .... what am I supposed to say here? I don't want to be ugly. That isn't right and isn't going to help anyway.) Also important to note is that there are other people now quite interested in this conversation ... some baggers and the family behind me in line. I felt like I was on display. ugh.

Here is what came to me ... and I mean CAME in a flash:

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11
(This is a key verse the kids have focused on in AWANA.)

Ok .... that is nice right? But not helping, or so I thought. I was thinking, "how is that at all helpful?" Then it hit me. Scripture .... ok, now my brain was filling with words QUICKLY:

"A kind word turns away wrath ...." Proverbs 15:1a

"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. " James 3:8-10 (I will admit I do not know this one by heart, but OH should I. It just came to me in Cliff's Notes Version summary.)

"But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Anyway, basically, I knew I needed to hold my tongue. Being harsh was not the answer.

* I am beginning to see that this seems to be a VERY long encounter with this cashier, but all this went down in like 4 minutes at the most *

Ok, so let's continue.

Bubby: " Yep. Mom says I am a good reader." (begins to read EVERYTHING he sees around - showing the man)

Me: (In my head) "Well, atleast this guy sees my kid is not an idiot, and I didn't even have to be defensive about it"

Cashier: "Wow .... you are a good reader, young man." (looks at me) "Not bad." (sheepish grin)

Me: (actually speaking outloud) "Thank you. I am pretty proud of him."

I never did tell him why I "make" my kids do homeschool as he said. I didn't need to. I do not homeschool for him. I do it for my kids. My reasons are really not his business. I do not mind discussing my reasons with people. I was just pretty sure that he wasn't going to be convinced of anything in the amount of time I had with him anyway. I guess I don't really need to convince him of anything anyway, right? I would have seemed defensive no matter what I said in the way that situation was going.

I paid.

I smiled.

We took our things.

Bubby said "Good-bye ___" (inserting name he R-E-A-D off of the nametag).

Off we went.

I was thanking God all the way to the car.

Thanking Him for His Word.

Thanking Him for AWANA which is teaching His Word not only to my kids, but as it turns out, is soaking into my brain as well.

Thanking Him for the blessing of my two beautiful, smart, polite, non-defensive children who He allows me to raise and teach and love .... EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under his care.
- Psalm 95:1-7