This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson has always been one of my favorites. It perfectly personifies what I want to do in our homeschool. Scattering joy as opposed to just placing joy or making joy infers something carefree and light, like the dusting of colorful sprinkles onto the frosting of a cupcake.
Scattering joy means that we give it freely, despite opposition and despite what might be going on around us. We give joy to those around us without thought of getting something in return.
There are many Biblical scriptures that speak of the beauty of giving without expecting anything in return. Luke 6:38 comes to mind: “Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
As homeschoolers, we want our children to not only receive joy from us and from learning, but to become Scatterers of Joy themselves.
Bringing light into the world is a primary goal of my homeschool.
For 80s or 90s kids, that may conjure up images of the famous Care Bear Stare. When faced with something cold and dark, the Care Bears don’t hesitate. They gather together, hold hands, and send light into the darkness! Selflessly sending light should be a characteristic of homeschooling.
Sorry if mixing Biblical metaphors with Care Bears is weird, but this is who I am, so here you go!
Over the next few blog articles, I’m going to explore more about what it means to homeschool with joy!
Thank you for reading,
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Homeschool With Joy 