In It For the Long HaulDiana Weatherford

The beginning of our journey toward a classical education is now so distant that I am truly challenged to remember a time when Coram Deo Academy was not part of our lives. As my husband and I assist one daughter in preparing for college

while another is only a few years away from graduating, I can say, without reservation, that CDA has brought profound bless-

ings to our family. Our journey began when our older daughter was almost four and my

husband attended an information session for the school. At this session he heard, as he later described, “…everything about education that I wish I had the words to say.” The model of a rigorous, classical education in a Christian community executed by a collabo-ration of parents and teachers touched our hearts. We signed on as soon as we could and have never regretted the decision.As with anything of value, the goal of educating children in the presence of God to pro-duce Christian servant leaders is not easily gained. The energy and focus required to “work the model” is significant and sometimes seems unattainable. But, a few key fac-tors help our family to stay the course.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

For This Day January 2015, Vol.2 Issu.5

1) CDA community: We are continually amazed by the quality and commitment of the CDA faculty and administration who bring an amazing level of skill and knowledge to our students. They are committed to al-mighty God and to true education of the stu-dents. Their classes are not about checking off a lesson plan or getting through the day. They expect to teach and guide our kids to lifelong learning. As parents, we cannot fail when surrounded by such a team.2) Do your best every day: It sounds simple, but is not easily executed. Insist that your student complete each assignment (including summer reading) to the best of his ability with the time available. Then be content with the result. Some days are so packed with other activities (ballet, music lessons, sports, etc.) that there simply won’t be adequate time for your student to complete an assignment as he would have liked. While grades are nec-essary and important, they are far less im-portant than the knowledge gained from the assignment and the discipline learned from time management. If your child doesn’t re-ceive the grade he was hoping for, help him figure out what to change to reach that goal. 3) Remember the goal: While wrestling with math concepts that you haven’t seen in a few decades or realizing that your own educa-tion may have had just a few gaps, it’s hard to remember the big picture. Especially when the kids are younger, your job as the parent educator is constant. You can find yourself just trying to get through the material and then get backpacks loaded, lunches made, and bills paid. In the midst of the inherent chaos of raising and teaching the children, I’ve found peace in reminding myself of our long-term goals. Then, it becomes easier to teach the kids that, while completing that math facts test is important, if we ignore the broader goal of learning we are just wast-ing our time. For those of you in Grammar School, it may be a few years before you start seeing the outcome of the CDA model. But,

I promise, if you stick with it, it will happen. However, your dedication can generate a new set of challenges when the dinner table becomes the time to defend deep theologi-cal constructs, pretend you are actually fol-lowing the topics from Dual Credit Physics, and avoid admitting that no, you really never studied Latin yourself. 4) The hand of God: As an imperfect being, I tend to forget stuff. God promised to take care of us. He didn’t promise excessive com-fort or a high metabolism rate but, on the big items, he is always there. We must never for-get this. As my husband and I look back over the years at CDA we see God’s hand. At the time, we often missed it or just thought we had figured it out ourselves. We are grateful that God is patient with us. If we can accept, implicitly, that God is standing next to us and that our mission is just, we will always have the strength to carry on.

The results of all our efforts to raise and educate Christian leaders will not be truly known for de-cades, or maybe generations. However, we’re not building a business case. The payback inter-val is not important. If we work the model, take strength from the CDA community, remember our goal, and trust in almighty God, we will all be successful. Thank you CDA for blessing our family for the long haul.

Parent to ParentGrammar School M/W contact - Jacque YoungerGrammar School T/Th contact - Kimberley LyonsLogic & High School M/W contact: Kristin DowneyLogic & High School T/Th contact: Donna Rector

Coram Deo CafeMake plans to attend our Coram Deo Cafe Meeting.Visit CDA Connect for more information.

Moms in PrayerMoms in Prayer meets twice each week!M/W Contact: Leah ClarkT/T Contact:Tessa Nownes

Parent Fellowship Opportunities