Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the U. S. Senate, told of a senator who was called upon by an evangelical group to explain why prayer was outlawed from public schools. The senator stood before the crowd and began by asking them two questions.

“How many of you really want prayer returned to public schools?” he began. Everyone’s had shot up with conviction.

“Second,” he continued, “How many of you dear people took time in the last 24 hours to pray with your own children in your own home?” This time, only a few hands were raised, and other group members squirmed in their seats.

The senator continued, “How is it you expect the public schools to do something for your children that you are unwilling to do in your own homes?”

I think he’s got a point. What do you think about it?

Tags: children, parenting, prayer, school

This is a report from St. Paul United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio. Music Director Dennis Avey visited an elementary Sunday School class and overheard an 8-year old leading the class in prayer.

The lad said, “God bless our mothers and our fathers and our teachers and our brothers and our sisters – and please take care of Yourself, God; if anything happens to You, we’re sunk!”

Tags: children, humor, prayer

This week our daughter, Jenny, is visiting from Nashville, TN, with our 3- and 6-year old grandkids. They found the toy closet and have trashed our family room. There are wall to wall toys in that room. Being the perfectionist that I am, I tried to get them to play with one set of toys before they went to the next. No way! They want everything out in the open all the time. That way their short attention span never gets bored. Always something to move on to.

Now, I know they’ll only be here for a week, and I know they’re just kids, but I don’t like that disorderliness. But while I was dealing with my frustration, the Lord reminded me how he must feel when he looks at all the clutter in my life. Why don’t I just take care of one thing at a time? I’m sure He sees wall to wall clutter in my life.

So, I decided to chill out and just let the mess be acceptable for these days. In just a few short years they won’t want to visit here anymore at all. So, we’ll make precious memories while we can.

Tags: children, clutter, order

• The poverty rate for children living in single-parent homes is five times the rate for children living with two parents.
• Divorced men experience an average 42% rise in their standard of living in the first year after divorce, while divorced women (and their children) experience a 73% decline.
• School-age children living with a parent and stepparent, or divorced mother only, are 40% to 75% more likely to repeat a grade and 70% more likely to be expelled from school.
• Children who grow up in fractured families are less likely to graduate from high school than children from intact families.
• A disproportionate number of runaway teens come from step-parent households.
• Young sons often experience nightmares and a “father hunger” soon after the dad leaves home. In their teens, they are more likely to have increased levels of aggression, gang membership and other emotions and behavioral problems.
• Young daughters of divorce often experience anxiety and guilt. In their teens, they are more likely to be sexually involved, marry younger, be pregnant more often before marriage, and become divorced or separated from their eventual husbands.
• Children of divorce typically experience depression, drug and alcohol experimentation and a diminished ability to form lasting relationships.

Source: Free to Be Family, published by the Family Research Council, a division of Focus on the Family.

Tags: children, divorce, family, marriage

What would you do for $111,000? Back in 1993 Houston Oilers football player David Williams missed a big game and was docked that amount. What was the big deal? His wife had given birth to their first son, Scot, and David stayed with her through the whole experience. His coach objected and critics said the team should have sent a jet to pick him up for the big game, but Williams thought it was important to stay by his wife.

If David Williams continues to demonstrate this kind of commitment to his family, then Scot too is likely to see the importance of right priorities. In my years of ministry, I have seen many situations when men put their jobs before their children, only to see them rebel against the faith later.

I remember one evening after dinner I was sitting in front of the TV with my young daughter on my lap. I announced that I had to go back to the church for a meeting and she asked why. I told her that I was a pastor and people in the church had to work, and if I wanted to meet with them I needed to go in the evening. In disgust she replied, “I wish you weren’t a preacher!”

That night challenged me. From then on I made every effort to spend more evening time with my family.

God said, “You shall teach these words diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

Would you sacrifice $111,000 for your family?

Tags: children, family, priorities

I’m not sure where this came from, but I picked it up somewhere years ago:

PROPERTY LAWS OF A TODDLER:

1. If I like it, its mine.

2. If its in my hand, its mine.

3. If I can take it from you, its mine.

4. If I had it a little while ago, its mine.

5. If its mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

7. If it looks just like mine, its mine.

8. If I saw it first, its mine.

9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.

10. If its broken, its yours.

Tags: children, humor, ownership