31 Days of Words for the Daily Dash-Day 26

I had to look up these next words. I didn't remember them exactly, but I remember the impression they left. The impression that's never left me. When I was thinking about the candidates for my 31 series, one item on the list is "Babe quote."

In 1995, I had 4 young children, so I was at a point where I watched most children's movies that came out. Babe came out that year and quickly became one of my all time favorites. The scene where Farmer Hoggett finally decides to enter Babe in the sheepdog trials contains my quote for today.

But Farmer Hoggett knew that little ideas that tickled and nagged and refused to go away, should never be ignored...for in them lie the seeds of destiny.


Our oldest child was 6 when Babe was released. Because of his July birthday and the cut off date for school, he was starting kindergarten as a 6 year old. (I was fine with that - glad that my son would be the oldest in his class rather than the youngest.)  The question remained as to whether we would send him to public school or would we homeschool.

I had met some homeschooling families here in Bolivar, MO, that had impressed me. So much so, that I began researching the idea a couple of years before we had to make that decision. I read everything I could get my hands on, went to conferences, and talked to a lot of people. When it was all said and done, and for more reasons than I want to go into here, we ended up not homeschooling that kindergarten year.

But homeschooling was one of those issues that tickled and nagged and refused to go away. We revisited the idea the next year and decided to take the plunge into that lifestyle. And since 1996, we have been homeschooling some combination of our six kids. (With the exception of 1998 - the year our youngest, Mary Grace, was born in September).

When I first heard this quote in the movie, I immediately thought of the wrestling we were doing with the homeschooling decision. I continue to be amazed at all God uses to speak to our hearts. Who would have thought such a quote - a profound quote- would be in a movie about pigs and sheep dogs. I love how God surprises us!

Now, I'm not saying we based our homeschooling decision on this quote from Babe. I don't know if I ever even mentioned it to my husband, Lou, when we would discuss this issue. But it was in the back of my mind. Its truths played out. I didn't ignore the tickling, and nagging (I couldn't!). And our destiny has been affected. God has used homeschooling to grow us, to give us joy, and (hopefully) to glorify Him.

This post is not a plug for homeschooling. It is meant to be an encouragement to any of you out there that might have something deep down that is tickling, nagging and refusing to go away - like homeschooling was for us. Don't ignore it. Take it to God, ask Him to teach you how to think about it, and what you are to do with it. Your joy and God's glory may be about to sprout from a whole new place.

Please enjoy the trailer to this inspirational movie.
That'll do, reader. That'll do.