We marked the day she started what would be
Her formal "school" - and stacks of lessons learned,
Along with drawings, tests, and answer keys
Lie dormant now in front of books returned
From friends who shared the dream. A season wrought
With work and prayer, at times it seemed to last
Too long, but faith and patience surely taught
Us all our lessons well. The fruit surpassed
Our ev'ry expectation – a girl who
Loves the Lord, has godly friends, studies hard,
Writes thoughtfully, and even wrestled through
Pre-calculus and language with regard!
"Day one" began the journey of "suppose";
"Commencement" marks the start of what she knows.
-- K. Hartnett, April 2007
Today our godly, lovely and lively daughter Lydia graduated from homeschool highschool in a ceremony held at our church for 32 such highschool seniors. This ends an era for my wife and I as our two children are now out of highschool and our homeschooling responsibilities have come to an end. In a poetic sort of twist, Joshua Harris, our senior pastor, was given an honorary certificate and cap and gown today (all in fun- and all a surprise) since he too was homeschooled, but never attended a similar graduation function. It was his father, Gregg Harris, that we heard teach on homeschooling about 20 years ago that really sparked our interest. Joshua was in attendance at that conference too - helping from behind the book table as a pre-teen! Oh the surprising and inscrutable plans of God! The poem is set in a sort of loose English sonnet form.
