2019, here we come!
Word for the year
Our family word for this year is oikonomos, which is translated from the Greek as steward. This word is made up of two Greek words. Oikos generally refers to household, abode, dwelling, or clan (i.e. someone’s immediate family and area of influence). Nomos is often translated exclusively as Law but actually more closely resembles the idea of management. The Torah is the way God brings His divine principles of management into this earthly realm, and we His people are called to disciple (manage, influence) the nations (Matthew 28).
God’s instruction is beautiful, lovely, admirable, and when displayed in the earth, brings about glory for Him. So we take this idea of oikonomos and apply it literally from our household and immediate family outward. We disciple our children in God’s Word, His instruction, from Torah to maps!
Stewardship
We are very excited about stewardship. For me personally, I look at Titus 2:3-5 with new eyes. When older women are admonished to be sensible (literally, to act in God’s definition of balance) and workers at home, that word is actually oikouros, translated “homekeeper.” It doesn’t just refer to staying at home as a wife and mother, though I have always heard the emphasis in this verse placed on the interpretation of not working outside the home. I love staying home with my children and homeschooling them, but this season is quite short considering all of life.
There are a few spheres I currently move in, and I anticipate there will be more in the future. Oikouros refers to one’s area of direct influence. For me right now, that is mainly my family, but God is expanding my ability in many ways to minister beyond my immediate family and thus teach my children how to do the same. I’m newly inspired to see this productive task of discipleship in my life as one divinely given.
It is the beginning of a very different season in life for us now that we are moving beyond baby years and into a stage where there is greater time, physical resources due to more rest, and when the children have a level of independence and growth in their own gifting that we can actively look for areas we can all be a part of God’s management plan. We’ve logged a LOT of ministry hours this past year, and we’ll have a multitude of opportunities this year as well.
We are becoming a well-oiled machine, and as things click at a faster pace, I love the balance of oikonomos. It is there to constantly remind us not to get ahead of God. We are called to instruct and disciple those around us, not thinking of our area of influence as just groups of people that we might pray for now and then. No! It is supposed to be an active discipling, and active instructing in the ways of God. There is no passivity about oikonomos.
Changes in life and school
There are two main areas we will see oikonomos at work this year. One, we must look at all our commitments and ensure that we aren’t just “doing activities” to stay busy. Being an active steward of the particular gift mix given our family in this season means not wasting time, filling our hours with things that don’t enable us to be better stewards but just suck time out of our days. Two, we are to be bolder for the gospel and God’s ways of living that bring abundant life and blessing. If the gospel, the Good News, given directly as God’s nomos to us, brings about a level of peace in obedience, why would we not share that as many times as we are given the opportunity? The very definition of oikos suggests our immediate influence, meaning a place where we spend all or most of our time. This means LOTS of chances to steward. We won’t be spreading ourselves thinner, but will be more mindful of our oikos, deepening into those areas we already directly influence.
Incorporating oikonomos into our homeschool is going to bring about some changes as well. We have many commitments right now that are good things but that end up taking a lot of available time off our week. To deepen discipleship means lessening some of these things but also going even deeper in some of them (the ones that truly fit into the sphere of influence). With Selah becoming a bat mitzvah this year, we have a lot of discipleship to do right here! Courses at Hebron Heights Academy will be adjusted accordingly with the time we have available. For one, I’ll be spreading out some things (like worldview studies, which help us in our witness) so that we may go deeper. For another, I’m going to let the kids be finished with the Latin we’ve already learned since my goal of learning English grammar through Latin has already been met. Other than word roots, we won’t be doing any more new Latin since the next level is preparing to read original Latin works, which was never my goal. I might do this differently if I had a child who absolutely adored Latin. I don’t, so my next round of Latin will be in a few years when Ketziah and Tirzah are ready.
New school schedule
Our schedule for 2019 includes 42 weeks of school. The reason for this longer year is that I am gradually shifting the kids’ records to reflect Colorado’s age-grade system. We are all over the board with what grades the kids technically are versus their grades according to our state. Since it is such a headache to try to figure out who is supposed to test when and what grade they are all considered when I turn in my letter of intent for all the kids each August, I’m just going to simplify my task by corresponding everything to one system. We’re also going to shift to starting the new school year in mid- to late July, though we will still school year-round. This will give us a chance to get in about 8 weeks of school before the fall festivals, when I like to take a large chunk of time off.
I have really enjoyed starting the new year in January because it has such a freshness to it, but as we head into high school and concurrent enrollment at college, it makes sense to simplify. We will have FOUR children doing standardized testing this spring. Oy vey! I will have them complete their tests at our homeschool enrichment program location. It will be the first test where they are timed, but I am encouraged that I will get to see how the kids do in a totally different environment. We’ve always done the Stanford untimed tests at home over the course of a week or two with lots of breaks and with Dad as proctor. This new set-up might be a complete bomb, but since I only use the tests as a general guide to make sure we’re mostly on track, I am not going to worry at all about it.
Finishing our degrees!
Pete and I have some exciting things happening this year as well. Pete will be almost completely done with his MBA by the end of 2019 and I will have finished my associate’s in graphic design by this summer. I’m a bit bummed that a lot of my old college courses did not transfer to my current degree program. If I end up pursuing a bachelor’s someday, I will still have 60 credits to earn. Boo! However, I am still excited to complete this process, even if I am only halfway there. Being lifelong learners is a really important value in our marriage, so it’s okay if we take our time. A personal goal that I am incorporating into my daily Bible study this year is memorizing Psalm 119. It is probably my favorite chapter in the Bible. I’ve memorized chunks of it in the past, but this year I am scheduling memory time into my quiet time. It’s quite possible I won’t get the entire Psalm with instant retention by the end of this year, but I am aiming to do as much as I can and to keep it fresh in my mind as I go.
May we all be strengthened in this new year for His glory!
Hebron Heights Academy 