Nate has been going through a little curriculum and is studying Jonah right now. (Which we are reviewing – so I’m excited to tell you all about it in the next month or so – but until then, I have to be a bit vague about its details)

This past week, he was especially excited about the text. It was a description of exactly where Jonah went after they tossed him off the boat.  I think in Sunday School and Children’s Bibles –

He’s just sort of on the Boat,

Then In the Belly, then

On the Shore.  TaDah!

This conversation started with Nate asking where Nineveh was located, so we went to the big map to point it out. We also made a point of looking at Spain, to see where Jopah and Tarshish were located.  Talking about their “known world” at the time geographically – that Jonah would rather go – To the End of the World than obey the Lord.

What a rich discussion erupted from our kitchen table. He thought it was interesting all of the descriptions in Jonah chapter 2.  Roots of the Mountains. Wrapped with Seaweed. Depths of the Sea. Jailed.  He wasn’t sure what it meant by the Roots of the Mountains. So we talked it out as a family – talking of creation – of the mountains being pulled up in Creation and the roots of those – and then on to Petra School – and Pebbles, Petros and Petra. Firm Foundation of Petra, Pieces of the rock Pebbles – Petros.

While we were talking and Nate was asking questions, we grabbed our Nature Journals from the corner of the table – I asked him to re-read chapter 2 – and draw out what he was reading – as he was having a hard time putting it all together.

As we talked about the topics above, I drew a very direct drawing of the exact text. Bringing in academically the words, directions, geography, what people were doing, what direction they were going. One thing I wanted the boys to see (Jon was sitting with us too) was that even though

Jonah went to the end of the world as he knew it to run from God, God brought him to the depths of the world – before Jonah remembered to cry out to him for salvation.

That even when it is OUR CHOICE to be running in sin – and Our Choice to be tossed farther away from where we need to be – God is still just One Word away from us.  Lord. He is one action away from us – Praise. That Jonah didn’t need to change his circumstances, place, direction, and actions to be obedient in the task before he thought salvation could come – he only needed to cry out Lord – and Praise Him.

Nate sounded to be scribbling furiously on his Nature Journal page – and I was wondering how much I was pondering aloud, and how much he was giving to the conversation at one point.  Then Nate shared his photo and it was a reminder to talk less draw more

He says that as he was reading the text, he felt himself sinking in the water. Sinking beneath the waves, wrapped in seaweed. But he wasn’t afraid of the water – he was seeing the Jaws of Death – and he was floating down to that death. But God – snatched him back up – and away from those Jaws of Death – when he cried out to him.

I will encourage you to read Jonah to create your own visual of the end of Chapter 2.  I can’t wait to share with you this simple product that we are using each morning! Reading, Writing, Geography, Art, Narration, Reasoning, Science, and – Bible.  Relaxed Learning – Unschooling – is a good thing.