An article that appeared in USA Today one day last week caught me eye. "Jesus takes a backseat to family." was the headline. The article reflected on a recent survey. The statement, "Christmas is a time to ..." was posed to over 2,000 folks. A higher percentage, 45% as opposed to 37%, stated spending time with family was their top priority.
Perhaps that is what I observed on December 26th. I walk for exercise, and that is what I was doing on a path near our house on the day after Christmas. It was a cool, but nice afternoon. Lots of folks were out. I greeted each one with a "Merry Christmas." From some I got a puzzled look, others responded with a smile. Very few returned the greeting. To be honest, most seemed to be pre-occupied, a few others distressed. Not much Christmas cheer, even from those who were accompanied by other people.
My guess is that most of those I met had spent Christmas Day with friends and family. A few might have even spent it in church. But did the Spirit of the Christ Child remain? It sure didn't seem so. Spending time with family is temporary. Having Christ in your life is forever. That is not the way we think or operate, however. We tend to seek those things that offer instant gratification.
Don't get me wrong. I value family time. Barb and I had our whole gang together for eight hours on Christmas Day. After everyone left I was soon craving for more. But the spirit of the Christ Child remained with me. I was reminded of that during my personal devotional time the next day, and again as I worshipped on the 2nd Day of Christmas.
Time with family is temporary, but time with Jesus is forever.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Parents, Not Teachers, to Blame for Poor Education
A brief article buried in the front section of yesterday's Dallas Morning News caught my attention. Poll: Parents to blame for school problems , the headline proclaimed. The article focused on a recent survey conducted by Stanford University. Only 35% of those surveyed faulted teachers, as opposed to 68% who believed parents deserve most of the blame. The survey was conducted in late September of this year and involved 1,001 adults nationwide who were surveyed by phone.
I am one who has always believed that the education of a child is primarily a parent's responsibility. As a Christian, I think the Bible makes it clear that is God's desire. Numerous times in the Old Testament, God reminds the Children of Israel of the need for parents to teach their children. (Deuteronomy 6:7 and Proverbs 22:6, as examples) The same theme is carried forth in the New Testament. (Ephesians 6:4 and 1 Timothy 3:4) One of my struggles during my years as a church educator was to convince parents that it was not mine or the church's primary job to provide religious training. We were there to assist them. That was a commitment they made at the time of their child's baptism.
Barb and I live in the City of Farmers Branch. As I write this our town is in the news because our mayor wants to form a seperate school district for our city. Currently most of the two-thirds of the children in our town who attend public school are in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District. Most to the remaining children, about a third, attend one of three large private schools within out city: Parish Episcopal School, Mary Immaculate Catholic School and Greenhill School. A small number of parents home school their children. Our mayor does not feel the CFBISD reflects our community. He also takes issue with the quality of education. If the Stanford study is correct, starting a new school district is not the answer. Getting parents involved is.
The decision on where a child goes for their education remains a parental one. The government, especially local politicians, should not interfere. Parental involvement, particularly when we're talking about religious, ethical and moral issues, is crucial. That is the way God intended it.
I am one who has always believed that the education of a child is primarily a parent's responsibility. As a Christian, I think the Bible makes it clear that is God's desire. Numerous times in the Old Testament, God reminds the Children of Israel of the need for parents to teach their children. (Deuteronomy 6:7 and Proverbs 22:6, as examples) The same theme is carried forth in the New Testament. (Ephesians 6:4 and 1 Timothy 3:4) One of my struggles during my years as a church educator was to convince parents that it was not mine or the church's primary job to provide religious training. We were there to assist them. That was a commitment they made at the time of their child's baptism.
Barb and I live in the City of Farmers Branch. As I write this our town is in the news because our mayor wants to form a seperate school district for our city. Currently most of the two-thirds of the children in our town who attend public school are in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District. Most to the remaining children, about a third, attend one of three large private schools within out city: Parish Episcopal School, Mary Immaculate Catholic School and Greenhill School. A small number of parents home school their children. Our mayor does not feel the CFBISD reflects our community. He also takes issue with the quality of education. If the Stanford study is correct, starting a new school district is not the answer. Getting parents involved is.
The decision on where a child goes for their education remains a parental one. The government, especially local politicians, should not interfere. Parental involvement, particularly when we're talking about religious, ethical and moral issues, is crucial. That is the way God intended it.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Kids and Cars: The Age Old Dilemma
It happened again last week. A group of Fort Worth teens were rushing to get back to their high school after an off-campus lunch break. Some witnesses said they were racing, but the drivers deny that. In reality that's not important. The unfortunate consequence is that one of the cars involved went out of control and had a horrific crash. A young man was killed. The victim was a passenger. His family described him as a good kid, who took his studies seriously. He was also a baseball player, who dreamed of playing college ball. His coach stated he had a good chance of being the starting 2nd baseman next spring.
A friend from our church was working nearby, and heard the crash. He was one of the first people on the scene: twisted metal and one young man who obviously was beyond help. It's an image that will forever be etched in his mind. We both shook our heads, "kids and cars," I stated. "But I was the same way when I was a kid," he replied. "I had my Camero. We went fast and took risks," he recalled. "Me too," I had to admit. My American Graffiti set was Eight Mile Road, in Detroit. It was a divided roadway. The suburb of East Detroit stood on one side and the City of Detroit was on the other. Races took place on the Detroit side. Known fact: The Detroit Police had bigger issues than enforcing the speed limits. The staging area was a drive-in, Dunkin' Burgers. Chevy 409's and 428 Plymouth Hemi's were both present, along with other hot cars.
Kids and cars: It's a dilemma for parents. Turning sixteen and getting your drivers license is viewed as a right-of-passage. Most parents face the prospect with mixed feelings: No more chauffeuring vs. handing the car keys to "our babies." Barb and I went through it three times. Our first "Kid car" was a 1980 Ford Granada. Our oldest son, Peter, labeled it the "Turbo Turd." It was an ugly brown with a tan roof to match. It was big, heavy and we felt our kids were safe surrounded by all the sheet metal. I don't recall any speeding tickets and only one minor fender bender.
There are a couple of things parents need to do. It obviously starts with providing proper training, followed up with some very clear rules and consequences. We also need to be observant. Who are the friends and associates of our teens that we don't feel comfortable with them riding with? As with the other teen issues, open honest communication is vital. The last step is probably equally important. Put them in a vehicle that is safe. Their image is not as important as their security.
A friend from our church was working nearby, and heard the crash. He was one of the first people on the scene: twisted metal and one young man who obviously was beyond help. It's an image that will forever be etched in his mind. We both shook our heads, "kids and cars," I stated. "But I was the same way when I was a kid," he replied. "I had my Camero. We went fast and took risks," he recalled. "Me too," I had to admit. My American Graffiti set was Eight Mile Road, in Detroit. It was a divided roadway. The suburb of East Detroit stood on one side and the City of Detroit was on the other. Races took place on the Detroit side. Known fact: The Detroit Police had bigger issues than enforcing the speed limits. The staging area was a drive-in, Dunkin' Burgers. Chevy 409's and 428 Plymouth Hemi's were both present, along with other hot cars.
Kids and cars: It's a dilemma for parents. Turning sixteen and getting your drivers license is viewed as a right-of-passage. Most parents face the prospect with mixed feelings: No more chauffeuring vs. handing the car keys to "our babies." Barb and I went through it three times. Our first "Kid car" was a 1980 Ford Granada. Our oldest son, Peter, labeled it the "Turbo Turd." It was an ugly brown with a tan roof to match. It was big, heavy and we felt our kids were safe surrounded by all the sheet metal. I don't recall any speeding tickets and only one minor fender bender.
There are a couple of things parents need to do. It obviously starts with providing proper training, followed up with some very clear rules and consequences. We also need to be observant. Who are the friends and associates of our teens that we don't feel comfortable with them riding with? As with the other teen issues, open honest communication is vital. The last step is probably equally important. Put them in a vehicle that is safe. Their image is not as important as their security.
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