Boys 2 Men

One of my finds at The Homeschool Store was a book put out by Doorposts.  When I opened this book I was absolutely amazed at the resource that I happened upon.  Well, I cannot take credit for it really.  The young lady who works at the family business has been my guide to this new world of homeschooling and she directed me to the shelf.  The name of the book is Plants Grown Up:  Projects for Sons on the Road to Manhood.  It is written by Pam Forster.  She bases the curriculum on the scripture from 2 Peter 1:5-8 which says "...And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity, For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."


So, the first sections is "Add to your faith Virtue".  The first section in this area is called Leadership:  Justly Judging in Discipline Situations.  This has been an unbelievable time of learning for the boys.  We have been dedicating time each day to an activity in the book which can range from:  memorizing Bible verses; memorizing Westminster Larger Catechisms that address the roles of "superiors" and "inferiors"; studying the 21 Rules of This House by Gregg and Joshua Harris; role playing discipline situations; to studying how Jesus dealt with his disciples and the Pharisees.  It has been great seeing them learn why it is we do what we do in disciplining them.  While we have tried to make it a point to use Scripture when disciplining the boys, it has still been great for them to see discipline from another perspective.  We are teaching them how to think about discipline.  We are asking them to think about how they will do this in the future.  We are teaching them to think about justice, wisdom, and truth.  We are training them how to lead their own family even thought they are but 7 and 9 years old.  I love that!  I like having the long term in mind.  I would like to think that we are training them to be godly men, but I know that we can only help them to a point.  We must be responsible with these boys that God has given us.  We are merely stewards.  We cannot change their hearts.  Only the Holy Spirit can change the heart!

I pray that in pouring God's Word into their sweet little hearts, God will use this to draw them to Himself.  My hope is for them to trust God for themselves--not because we say to, but because they see that the Bible is truth.  I know that you guys reading are hoping and praying for the same thing.  I will pray for your little ones and you pray for mine.  Prayer is a powerful thing.  In the mean time, we can do our part by finding and utilizing wonderful resources like Plants Grown Up.