I'm just going to apologize for how this post may turn out in the beginning. I have so many thoughts welled up that I wish I could share, but I'm just not sure how to put it all into words. So first off, I'm going to put in this link to a wonderful blogging friend of mine, Kimberly at Raising Olives, who amazingly touched on this subject yesterday! So here, go read this first and then come back and maybe it will put into perspective what I'm feeling.
Raising Olives ~ By Whose Standard
So, here goes......My family and I have made several changes in the past year and by some, I'm sure we look like hypocrites, because yes we are still human and flesh and we sin and mess up, however, we have decided to live differently. I still struggle everyday with the idea that people think we are just "sheltering" our children. And I guess in reality I should just not worry about what other people think, and that is probably just Satan attacking me, because he knows good and well I'm a people pleaser! However, the bible tells us again and again, that the children of God were to be set apart. And how can we truly be set apart if we just partake in every little thing that society deems acceptable. How can I send my child to a school that teaches "not to discriminate against others, including homosexuality", when in reality that means be ok with it.
A family member of mine and I had conversation the other day about the idea behind homosexuality. They said, if it's their choice, what does it really matter? And do you really think homosexuals are not going to heaven? OF COURSE IT'S WRONG, the bible teaches this again and again!!! God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, because of this very thing, The bible tells us that God or the king of the time rid the land of this time and time again. And God makes it very clear in the old testament that "his people" are NOT to partake in this. I'm not saying anything bad about this person, because they grew up in church next to me and spent their entire school career in public school just like I did, however, I will say, that I was much more strong-willed than this person and completely turned my head anytime anything was said like this is in school.
But this is my point, this is exactly what we are teaching our children in public school. And yes, I said "we", because it is "we" that are putting them on the school bus and sending them. For over 7 hours a day they are being taught by someone else than you. And Deuteronomy is very clear that we are to teach our children the commandments of the Lord "when we sit at home, walk along the road, when we lie down, and when we get up". Not does God say this once, but TWICE, in Deuteronomy ( 6:7 and again in 11:19) Go ahead and argue with me, and tell me that you can do exactly what this passage says and send them to school too, but think about this. You going to mention his name in the morning on the way to school, when you have maybe an hour together, then you're going to mention his name again when you pick them up, and two more times, at dinner, and before bed. Now put that up against all the time they were with "the worldly views" at school.
I'm not going to even go into deep conversation on our sex-ed classes at school and that we no longer teach abstinense at all!!! We tell them go ahead and sin, just be safe doing it!!! I'm appalled! And then someone argues, well we have to separate church and state we don't want to push our religion on anyone, ok that's fine, but why are we as christians still participating in this "public school" thing if we are to truly be set apart?
So you ask, why do I even care, because we have already made the decision to homeschool? Well because I have several friends and their children, whom I LOVE dearly, that are affected by this. And I'm constantly bombarded with the question, why we are doing what we do? So I guess I'm just clarifying that this is not part of a cult, this is just trying to truly lead this life that I believe God wants us to lead.
However, Love should be #1 in my life, as Kimberly wrote in her post, and I don't, for one second, want any of my friends to think my life-style is any better than theirs. Sin is sin, the new testament states that again and again. And what I stuggle with daily is no different than what anyone else struggles with daily.
I think the one important thing that I have learned lately, that today's christians have gotten sooooo far away from, is the ultimate goal is to strive to be holy, not happy. (Chip Ingram's parenting class taught to teach our children to be holy, not happy, and when they learn to be obedient and holy, they will be truly happy.) And if you follow God's will for your life, then he will give you that more abundant life and in return you will be very happy. But the sad thing about today's christian society is that we have gotten so used to the WWJD idea, let's just think what "good thing" Jesus would do, not the whole mindset behind and actually how holy he was.
I don't think I've even realized a part of the whole idea behind holiness until just recently. Society has warped us into thinking that christians are just "nice", and this is sooo wrong!!!! Holiness is sooo much more!!! God is not just "nice", is is just!!! I've read time and time again, when he is not "nice" to people who sin against him. However, he is LOVE and he will forgive, but we have to accept him and want him in our lives and OBEY his commands. Good deeds will NOT get us into heaven alone, no matter what the world tells you!
I'm really sorry, it seems as if I've preached a long sermon today, and that was not my intent, and I really hope that you have read this with an open heart, and not for one second think I'm judging anyone! I'm more on the defense, than anything, I just want people to understand this whole "homeschool" thing a little bit more, than just those people are weird or they had a bad experience in school.
