The homeschooling community is so small and intimate, when compared to the population of the world. And of that homeschooling community, the people that identify themselves as unschoolers? A mere fraction. Unless you quite deliberately keep your family isolated, you’ll at least know of other unschoolers, all around the world. You’ll recognize their names, and you’ll learn their stories. You’ll make connections that are in many cases lifelong.
Perhaps the smallest group of all is the Christian unschoolers. Most Christians who choose to homeschool take a decidedly opposite approach, and most unschoolers… well, suffice it to say that we’re a small lot indeed. To break it down even further, there’s an even tinier fraction of that group…. the Christian unschoolers who embrace the lifestyle of a “radical” unschooler. These women, the ones that share my belief in both following Christ and living and learning in freedom: They’re not my friends. They’re my sisters.
One such sister, Lauren of Sparkling Adventures, is in pain after the sudden loss of her beautiful 7 month old son, Elijah. I have tried for days to write a post about it, but the words just wouldn’t come. Are there even any words to say? What kind of words could capture such a devastating tragedy without sounding like hollow platitudes? What kinds of words could even begin to do justice and pay respect to what this family is now going through, and will continue to go through?
What I finally decided is that there are no words… only Love. Prayers. Compassion. Shared grief. My heart is broken for my dear sister, and for her four little girls who are suddenly without their baby brother.
Lauren was, and continues to be, an inspiration. In her own words, from just a couple of days ago:
“Now I will learn how to comfort those who have lost a child, I will learn how to love those who have family in jail, I will learn how to be a single parent and I will learn how to love the people around me who are well-meaning but not comfortable with our lifestyle.
These are huge areas in which I will be stretched and growing in grace and love, and I embrace the opportunity to grow in Christlikeness, however painful it may seem at this time.
Know this: God is good. All the time. Of this, I am convinced.”
If you’d like to help this family in a financial way (their needs right now are great) please click on the image to find out how you can contribute.
To Lauren, you are so loved. You have many thinking of you, praying for you, and lifting you up… from all around the world.
