Whether this past year has been your best or your worst, there is one really good thing that happened. You have added another row of bricks on your house of wisdom. And so has your child.

I used to shrink a little when people remarked that I had “so much wisdom.” I don’t usually feel very wise–quite the opposite. Lately however, I have had to admit that length of life and loads of experience in a lifetime of walking with the Lord has gradually brought wisdom. We never arrive. Wisdom is built day by day.

I recently picked up Brett McCracken’s book The Wisdom Pyramid, which got me on this jag for writing today. Don’t worry, I’m only on chapter four so this is not a rehash of his book, just a reference point.

I have always thought of wisdom as knowledge plus experience. I think this is still an apt description. We can know everything there is to know, but if we have never gotten to practice it in every day living, all that knowledge is pretty useless. My dad always said he graduated from The School of Hard Knocks. We probably all can relate to that sentiment. Most significant lessons have come to me by messing up, making mistakes, and miseries of one sort or another.

Think about your school year that is near its end. Have there been lots of lessons in lots of things? Have there been days when they went well and days when they most definitely did not? Wisdom has been growing. There are things you have learned not to do, and things your children have learned most definitely not to do. You found out what makes their eyes sparkle, and know exactly which lessons glaze their eyes over. Your children may not have gained as much knowledge as you wish they had, at least by your best estimation, but there is a lot more to life than pure knowledge, as I said. One of the myriad benefits of a Charlotte Mason feast of subjects is that, here a little, there a little, your children pick up lots of information. What’s even better, they gain valuable experience in every subject as they have tried to apply that knowledge. I don’t have to visit you personally to know that each of your children, if you have even half tried to guide them through their lessons, is much wiser than he or she was last year at this time.

I never understood Proverbs 14:1, though I pondered it often. “The wise woman builds her house…” In chapter 8 of Proverbs, wisdom is personified and surely looks beautiful. In Proverbs 3, the assertion is “Happy is the man who finds wisdom,”and wisdom is esteemed more valuable than rubies. Still, when you’re muddling through life it’s hard to see where this nebulous thing called wisdom is, let alone how it builds anything that has to do with us.

James says, “…the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” Now this seems a little more like it. These qualities would definitely go a long way in building a home and the education that goes on in it.

I know there are days—perhaps many days—when you feel uncertain, frustrated, or feel like giving up because you don’t see where any of your efforts are getting anyone anywhere. Your inadequacies and failures haunt you because you didn’t do your best, or didn’t even know how to do your best, and you are positive your kids are going to suffer as a result. So, if I have any wisdom at all, I can confidently assure you that all those experiences have added to your wisdom, even if it is just the courage to go on or change.

The source of wisdom is God, who is wisdom, and our pursuit of wisdom begins with him. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” says the Psalmist (111:13).  Just the beginning. Wisdom builds as we live. This fear is not terror, or else, why would we be constantly commanded to “fear not?” Still, if you have read those Old Testament stories to your children, you know that when God came near, there was quite a bit of terror. His presence is awesome, fearful—and we need it. He has promised to be with us. Could you have a better helper in times of need? In your classroom? In making decisions about your children? “Lo, I am with you always,” promises Jesus. This nearness comforts and sustains us. It is the beginning of wisdom to be conscious of the fact that He is truly always near at hand. We have a friend in all life’s turmoil, anxieties, and math problems. Christ came down to live among us, the wisdom from above. He is at the right hand of God and has sent His Spirit to “teach us all things.” Wisdom is ours for the asking. “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (Jas. 1:5) As the old jingle went, “You asked for it, you got it.” 

The biggest source of pure wisdom for the taking is found in God’s word. Moms, you can’t survive this homeschool journey, life’s journey, without refreshing your soul with that word every day. Whether you steal two minutes to focus on a tiny part, or take two hours to soak deeply, you cannot afford to neglect the daily encouragement, conviction, correction, truth, comfort, love, assurance, rebuke, help, challenge, and wisdom found in these pages. It is a tremendous gift, from the one who is Himself our indescribable gift. This living book is unlike any other, an inexhaustible, incomparable, infallible source of life. As Charlotte Mason said, to be poured over as a friend reads a beloved’s letter. “He is my beloved, and I am His.” (Song of Solomon). 

The Bible is our source of strength to homeschool and to live. We cannot skip those lessons in the true living book. When you are reading it, you are doing your best daily lesson preparation for yourself and for whatever lies ahead with your children and in your life. You will gain knowledge of God there, knowledge of yourself, and as you put its truth to the test, loads of wisdom. Don’t get it? Ask him. Know all about it all—ask for more. Want daily help to build your house, your marriage, your children, your school?—this is your source.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” (Mt. 7:25)

Let this older woman encourage you in the way of wisdom. Feed yourself on the daily bread of the word. Don’t take my word for it. Go straight to the source of wisdom. A wise woman does build her house, as Jesus said, on this rock.