The Other Option

When I was a senior in high school I was faced with the terribly inconvenient task of answering everyone's question - and there was only one: "What are you going to do after high school?" Of course they meant, "Which college will you attend, and what will be your major?"

Thing was, I couldn't decide. I got a good SAT score which earned me college advertisements from all over. Every college spends so much money to beg you to pay you a thousand times more money for the privilege of sitting under their tutelage for four valuable years. Valuable to them if you enroll. Valuable to you if you hadn't. What major? Wow, there's a question. Interior design because I like reading Better Homes and Gardens? Law because I enjoy debate? Teaching? History? English? Etymology? Do they have majors in etymology?

One day I realized all those interests were part of being a wife and a mom. Cleaning, decorating, organizing, budgeting, baking, teaching, and supporting a husband: all describe the activities of a homeschooling mother, for sure. Revelation #2? Colleges don't offer a mommy major. Those interests and skills can be answered by real life practice and lots of library reading.

On the internet, Ladies Against Feminism, Crystal's Biblical Womanhood Blog, Vision Forum's taped resources, and many others have the conservative Christian arguments against women going to college. Should she leave home, leave her father's care? Is college a good learning environment? Will she use a degree (enough to recuperate the cost of tuition)? Are there better ways for a young woman to prepare for a life of biblical womanhood? Are there any colleges where she would learn real in a real Christian worldview? However, today I found an article linked from LAF that so clearly expresses many of the ideas that helped me decide, in the end, to forego college. It's a guest article on Sarah Harris' Fearlessly Feminine blog.

There are sacrifices foregoing college. I wanted to add, though, that in following God's direction for my life, I am more satisfied than if I had followed the easy path, doing what was conventional and expected. He is trustworthy, able to take care of all my doubts, all the objections that arise. Life doing the unexpected is like freefall. Not knowing my future is hard. Knowing Who holds it is worth it.

To God be all glory.