I overheard this conversation, not long ago, in a gathering of little girls.

I want an iPhone for Christmas!” cried one ten-year-old.

Another exclaimed, “Me, I want a Tablet!”

“Oh, I want an iPad!” squealed the excited nine-year-old girl. 

Just as thrilled, the last child of the bunch shouted,

“I WANT BOOKS!” . . .

Silence . . .

The astonished girls stared at their book loving friend. Their blank looks seem to indicate they needed more time to register the thought ‘what exactly is a book.’

Finally, one brave “spokes-girl” from the group asked the inevitable, “Why? . . . Why do you want books?”

The love of reading is often a homeschooler’s hallmark. We, like many of you, have invested seemingly endless homeschooling hours snuggled together with our children on the couch reading stories. I loved this bonding time, as well as the literary discussions that naturally flowed from our shared time. As a result, and just like this little girl, our children acquired a thirst for books, all kinds of books, especially those with fascinating tales. A love of reading is a magnificent gift to give. Of course this gift can’t be wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree. In fact, the most valuable gifts can’t be packaged.

Likewise, the amazing gift of homeschooling can’t be packaged, or presented to be unwrapped on Christmas Day. Or on any one particular day. It must be unwrapped over numerous months and years. As we homeschool, and are with our children for large chunks of time, we are given a window of opportunity in which we can give them rare and priceless gifts. One of my favorite intangible gifts, which I’m hoping to give my children, is the legacy of living a grateful life before their very eyes. Mostly, I want to give my children an example of a life lived for Jesus, honestly and transparently before them. Although, I will never be perfect because only Jesus is, I can, however, show them how to live out their own relationship with our living God.  

This homeschooling journey allows us to daily give our children an example of a Christian life fleshed out before them. Not perfectly but transparently.

Will you join me in this matchless intangible gift giving? It will benefit not only your family, but immeasurably more people than you may dare to think.

Giving these gifts isn’t as simple as a purchase and presentation to our children under the Christmas tree. No, that’s why they’re rare and priceless. They require our heart and soul. In the daily nitty gritty of homeschooling we can lose sight of our higher purposes, and at times we grow weary. 

“. . . the Creator of the ends of the earth . . . will not grow tired or weary, . . . He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40: 28-29 NIV

I’m so grateful, however, that God never grows weary or even tired. As we trust in Him, and wait, He renews our strength to follow His “holy calling”. I’m also grateful that when we do grow weary or tired we have each other to support and encourage as fellow homeschoolers. 

Certainly, as homeschoolers, we do like to give tangible gifts to our children at Christmas. If possible, one of these gifts may include some longed for, above and beyond the ordinary, yet educational gift. A gift that nurtures their God given bent. I have a homeschool friend who hopes to give her daughter such a gift this Christmas, but she needs our encouragement and help.

Here is her heartfelt story.

“I’ve always said that Nicole was born for the stage – God just put that inside her. This has been her dream, since a very young age – all she used to do was play dress up with her brothers, forcing them to play Joseph and Jesus and she was, of course, Mary. We had many plays in the back yard, and singing, dancing, and dress up became the order of the day for a very long time in our home.”

Nicole on audition day at Sight and Sound