2 ABSURDITIES IN THE NEWS  TODAY

Absurdity # 1
Black students disciplined more  severely because of race?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48318" title="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48318" target="_blank"http://www.worldnetdaily.com/...
 
It  seems that  African American and Hispanic students in Seattle are  receiving short & long-term suspensions at a rate twice that  of other students.  The  school board is demanding  a change in these rates. 

“Seattle  School Board member Darlene Flynn,  chairwoman of the Student Learning  Committee, told the paper the district needs  to do a better job  of lowering discipline rates, especially for black and  Hispanic  students.

“‘If we're not connecting the  dots  between academic success and academic suspensions, we're  missing a very logical  connection,’ Flynn said, suggesting the  solution might be to do away with  suspensions and expulsions,  except for extreme cases.

“‘Maybe this  needs to go the same way as corporal  punishment,’ she told the  Seattle paper.”

I have  a big question:  Why would anyone of sound mind who  aspires to excellence want to serve as a school teacher?  (Of  course, as I watch the abuse of Sam Alito at the hands  of political operatives  in Washington, I ask a similar question  concerning why anyone of genuine  integrity would want to serve  in the political/judicial arena?)  Parents, blind  to their responsibilities to partner with the  schools in the welfare  of their children, want to blame everyone but themselves  for the  almost impossible-to-educate state of their offspring.   Ignorant political lackeys like Flynn are more than eager  to promote such  an agenda, and continue to believe more money  and more government to be the  answers .  Sad.

Absurdity # 2
It’s All The Fault of George  Bush!
http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=120949" title="http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=120949" target="_blank"http://thetrack.bostonherald....

Sean Penn, who obviously serves as  an expert  on political matters because he is a Hollywood actor, tells us George  Bush is the reason he cannot stop smoking. 
 
To  those of Penn’s persuasion, it seems  that every problem in every corner of the  world, and for that  matter every personal challenge, is the fault of……of course,  George Bush!  Whatever happened to the quaint and  old-fashioned and  simple idea that you and I are responsible for  our own personal  choices?

 (For a challenging  and thoughtful counter to what I have said in  this blog, check  out TabooTenente at http://tabootenente.tblog.com/" title="http://tabootenente.tblog.com/" target="_blank"http://tabootenente.tblog.com....   However, please leave some comments here before  getting lost in what he has to  say!)

My Teenage Daughter is Pregnant, Part  III

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As the  reality of K’s  pregnancy registered, I thought about quitting.  The words of  Timothy came to mind:  “He  must manage his own  family well and see that his children obey  him with proper respect. (If anyone  does not know how to manage  his own family, how can he take care of God's  church?)”  – (3:4-5).  I determined not  to  bring embarrassment to my church.  But the hard-nosed  part of me  was thinking, “This is a private, family matter.  It is really  nobody’s business.”  I decided  to keep it quiet and make no  speeches.  K rarely  attended church and no one seemed to  notice.  But,  time marches on, and so does a pregnancy.  I talked  with a couple of wise men in strict confidentiality.  They  stated their respect and absolute support, and both men individually  told me I might be surprised with how the church would respond.  But I have dealt with churches and church people for the  better part of  30 years.  I have known of pastors  who have been forced to leave  over this issue.  I  could envision a campaign of gossip and ebbing  support, decreasing  offerings and attendance, leading to the inevitable.  So  I bided my time and  prayed.
 
The moment  came when I  decided to share this matter with the church.  It was a Sunday  morning, and I told my family what was  going to happen.  K decided  not to be present.  I simply told the story: A four-year struggle  with a rebellious  teenager…A mistake she has made that really, most anyone is  susceptible  to…A developing child that is precious and a gift from  God…Forgiveness&nb sp; and acceptance on my part…A resolve that my daughter is more  important  than my job.  I clearly stated that I do not need  pity;  lots of folks go through this and I am blessed.  I just want my  church family to know, and I am going to  hold my head up  high

What transpired  was  amazing to me.  I am still deeply touched as  I think about  it.  The mood was somber.  At the close of the  service, I stated that I wanted no  one to come to the altar on my behalf, and  the congregation graciously  complied.  As I stood at the exit to  greet and converse  with the parishioners, interesting interactions began to  happen.  People walked up to me with a pensiveness and honesty I  had  seldom seen before.  A couple of elderly and outstanding  ladies  of the church told me of their unexpected pregnancies before  marriage.  One lady, with tears in her eyes, told  of how she had forced her teenage  daughter to abort her child,  and of the broken relationship that remains.  The  teenagers seemed to have a heightened respect for me.  And  the men, they did not say much, but everyone seemed to let it be  known that I was their pastor and they had no problem with me.  It  seemed as if a door had been opened for confession,  honesty, and  communication.  Almost instantly our  church was enveloped with an  ease of honesty and sweetness of  fellowship.  What a day, and to  think that I feared  it

This  last  Sunday afternoon, the church had a baby shower for my K.  Honestly,  I was dreading it, for it was a reminder once  again to the whole world that my  daughter is pregnant.  But, quite a baby shower it was.  All the  ladies came: young and old, members and those just visiting,  longtime  and newcomers.  And the gifts were amazing.  When they were brought to the house, they pretty  much filled the  entire living room floor.  K thinks  she must have almost everything  she could possible need for this  baby, and the gift certificates will take care  of the rest.  I sat at home and thought deeply about what was  transpiring  at the church.  These people seized this opportunity  to  love my daughter.  Wow.
 

Here’s  my  statement to my church:

Thank you  for  being so kind

Thank you for  loving  my daughter

Thank you for  not judging

Thank you  for  being true friends

Thank you  for  being a real church.  My church.

In a moment of bored and random internet surfing, I came across this amazing image at www.tinypic.com.  It came with no heading, explanation, etc.  I think it is an absolutely amazing picture.

I appreciate an astute Tblogger, almsthvn, for clearning me up on this matter.  This is not a real sign.  It has been produced on the website with the following link: www.randomchurchsigngenerator .com.  I guess the light blue words above the sign letters should have given me a clue.  Some of us are a little dense, and some of us are a whole lot dense.

I got to thinking about church signs.  Mine at this time says "Happy New Years!  May God Bless".  Rather innocuous.  What if church signs had to be an honest statement of the attitude of the church?  None of this "we love the world" and "everybody invited" stuff.  Just honesty.  Here's what I think some signs would have to say:

and, I know quite a few sad little (and big) churches which would have to proclaim:

and I guess my church would have to put up this sign:

Do you have a message to proclaim on your church sign?

My Teenage Daughter Is Pregnant, Part II

I was a teenager and fairly new to my Christian faith. On Tuesday evenings we would have outreach visitation at church. I was quite sincere about wanting others to follow Christ, and rounded up a few guys my age to help me with these outreach efforts. The buzz at the school concerned a young lady, my age, who lived in the community adjacent to the church. She was pregnant. We decided to go, visit with her, and encourage her to come to church. After all, this would be the "Christian" thing to do. She may have been a terrible sinner, but we were going to show her the way! Now I knew her, but not well. We waited at the same bus stop, and would sometimes hang around as a group. But I never bothered to make any effort to be her friend, or get to know her very well. I never really thought about her, or prayed for her, until that evening. Our effort was to get her soul saved. As I recall, and this happened about thirty years ago, nothing very impressive happened during our "visit" that evening. We talked a few minutes, invited her to church, and had prayer. She never came to church, and we never really talked again. Later she dropped out of school, had her baby, and seemed to just disappear. But I felt justified, because I had done my "duty".

Excuse the salty language, but my treatment of this young lady was "full of crap". A wiser, more seasoned Christian should have schooled me in true evangelism, that I had no right to try to "save her soul" until I had built a relationship and truly cared for her as a person. Why should she listen to me? I did not love her.

I remember that her dad met us at the corner of the house, and brought her out to talk with us. He never said a word; just stood there with a grim face and stared. I did not think much about it at the time, except that he seemed a little distant. Now I am that man, and I pretty much know what was going on inside his mind, and heart. His heart was broken but he loved his daughter. And he may not have been a church-going man, but he discerned quite clearly what we were up to. We represented the typical church-goer, and we did not really care about his daughter. She was just a number, a potential church attender. We did not truly love his daughter. We were too busy passing judgment.

Now my girl is pregnant, and I am the dad. The church-going dad. And I think she needs not to know of my disappointment unless she doubly knows of my love. I go with her to public places, although it is obvious she is pregnant and not wearing a wedding band. It bothers me, a little, but loving her is more important than my comfort. Right? People ask about her at church. I want to apologize for her, but never do. She is much more than "pregnant"; she is my daughter, and really a remarkable person. True? Sometimes she does not attend church, and sometimes she still does things for which I do not approve. But I have thought about this matter of freedom. If she is to ever develop a healthy lifestyle and faith, then she will do so through the freedom of personal choice. At this point in life, I can no longer infuse faith into her. And, guess what? I trust her. The process is working.