I wish I had understood what I now know when my children were kids; that they are not really just mine, but that they are on loan from our Father God.
He entrusts us with a great responsibility, but he can call them home at any time. Of all the things we will answer for, I expect none will be more important than how we raised the children.

They are on Loan--My Daughter spent many nights with me when she was in Diapers and Littleman spent many nights with me when he was in Middle-School.

Had to keep his bedroom door closed when he went back to Mom and when his Bus would run for about the first year after that?

Man was that Tough...

I'm afriad I have to take serious issue with this post, specifically with "...allow Mom to be home full-time with the kids in the preschool years"

Christian mothers should be home with their kids for the first 5 years, but after that, it's perfectly acceptable to turn them over to day-care and government schools for the next 12? That is not at all what the Bible says.

Deut 6: "these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children"

Psalm 1: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly"

Prov 4: "Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding."

Prov 22: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Isaiah 54: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."


How are you "instructing your children in the way of the Lord" when your child's school has completely excised God from the classroom?

Even the verse you quoted in your post affirms this; if you're not instructing your children, how do you know they are "walking in the truth".

Whether you educate at home or pay for private school is your choice. But God has loans you your children. Surrendering their education to the state is clearly not an acceptable Christian behavior.

"Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, render unto God what is God's." Are your children Caesar's or God's?

My Daughter's first day of school was at a Christian School...(Mom was out of town flying)She left that when her Mom moved four years later...

Littleman received the best education he could have possibly received living here with me. That School is a Presidential Award-Winning No Child Left Behind Institution.

He had to have that...that was my Decision and he received the best education he could have possibly received.

Just because it is Public does not mean those Educators don't care and love those kids. I was told by more than one that they loved and cared for my Son--and they proved it with a 93 Overall Average and the Highest Score on the Rising Ninth ever recorded. Second String Orch and the Works.

When Parents don't have to deal with Divorce and/or Learning Disabilities? They can afford the Luxury of Choice.

Gunk, it isn't about "educators caring and loving kids". The Bible instructs Christians to raise their children up to walk with God. Loving teachers don't change the fact that the public school excises all mention of God from the classroom.

As to your second point, it seems to me that a child who has been through a parental divorce (or death) has even more need to be educated at home. His entire familial world has been shattered, and you're going to send him away for 8 hours each day? Children with learning disabilities or even severe disabilities often to far better at home than institutional school settings. I have many friends who are successfully home educating children that the school system had already labeled ADHD, OD, PTSD and OCD. Is it hard? Yes. Following the Lord often is.

I'm not going to back off this one. Christian parents are responsible to God to see that their children's education supports and honors their faith. Sending your children to a state-run institution deviod of any mention of Jesus is in direct defiance of the Bible.

"I believe it is time for responsible Southern Baptists to develop an exit strategy from the public schools."
- Albert Mohler (2007?)
- President of the Southern Baptist Seminary

He's speaking for and to Baptists (of which I am not), but the Biblical basis for his recommendation applies equally to all Christians.

Well Paul was schooled under Gamaliel and Jesus under The Holy Ghost. They were both Mutilated.

0832 on the Morning Bus? 1642 on the evening Bus. You do the Math.

You are not a SB but you quote SB Docs?

My son always did say he liked Bryant's Preaching...said; "Dad he makes sense to me..."

Sounds to me like you are going to have a Very Difficult time Letting Go--It is Tough.

It's amazing how you people just don't 'get it'. God & Jesus have been excluded from schools because there are many many religions in this world. Why talk about just one? America is a pluralistic society with followers of many religions. I see no reason to focus only on your particular superstititons.

It is called the Separation of Church and State...One of the Basic Foundations of our Country. Which is Rome Burning once again.

Screw the Religions--Worship the One True Living God.

God and Jesus have not been Excluded from Anything...They live within Our Hearts.

It is called the Separation of Church and State...One of the Basic Foundations of our Country. Which is Rome Burning once again.

Screw the Religions--Worship the One True Living Allah.

Allah and Mohammad have not been Excluded from Anything...They live within Our Hearts.

Hard to let Go isn't it JCO.

This is a Christian Website...

I could not imagine going to a Muslim Website and saying anything about Christianity.

This is about Parenting...and it is Hard to Let Go. That is the Topic and that is The Point.

You gentlemen have all made my point perfectly.

The government seperates education from faith. However, Christians are called to engage their faith in all aspects of their lives, especially in the education of their children. Those two are irrconcilable.

Christian parents can chose to obey the government by having their children educated sans-God, or to obey the Lord by educating their children in his word. I don't think it's a hard choice.

Fortunately, we in America can still opt out of that system. What's amazing is how few professed Christians actually do.

Wow! This has certainly been a crazy ride you guys have been on since I posted this morning.

As I re-read Bryant's four points, I think they would apply to any parents irrespective of their beliefs. Even point four leaves room for parents of other beliefs. I even suspect that atheist parents "say some kind of prayer" with regard to their children.

The message was an encouragement to good parenting, not a call to arms.....

Well I myself am not a parent yet, I am a well educated young woman who was raised by 2 public school teachers. I went to a public high school then a state college, and during that entire time I took CCD classes and I was invovled in many bible studies that all allowed me to meet other christian kids at my PUBLIC high school.

Just because there is seperation of church and state doesn't mean that God is not still there. It just means that he is not written into the curriculum or the standardized tests. As for private schools....they generally have equal education standards as the area's public schools, but are only affordable to an elite few. While their teachers are underpayed and have much worse benefits as the public school teachers. (Is that really far and equal?) As for home schooling....do you really think that a parent can teach a child proficently in all subjects? Do you think that one person has the same knowledge to teach a student as the many different teachers that a child will learn from over the years? Also...how about the emotional IQ of that student? Do you really think they have adjusted well when they only see you all day?

It is very difficult to let a child go out into the world "alone", but if you teach them your values and let them know the difference between right and wrong, they should be able to understand that public education doesn't mean that God is not all around them. My parents had to let me and my brother learn on our own during the school day and when we returned home, it was our parents that helped us to understand how to interpret the things that we learned.

Just a reminder to all parents out there: you were someone else's child first. Teach your child from your mistakes then let them go to learn on their own. God will be walking beside them (and you) every step of the way.

Just because you are a working mom doesn't make you an ungodly parent. I was a single mom for a brief time, however, socitey and the economy doesn't make it possible to stay at home.My girls are in college, and they are making great decisions i made sure I was off of work in time to pick them up from school if not me my husband. I stopped going to a church because I was ridaculled for being a working mom. So does this mean I failed in the eyes of God? I don't think so. I really dislike how Christians make sound like a sin if the mom is working. Thank you Jesus for your Love. I wont depend on Mans love or approval

"And a certain Woman named Lydia, a seller of Purple of the city of Thyatira...

One that worshipped God, Heard us: whose Heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul...

And when she was Baptized, and her Household(and her household--and her household--and her household)

She besought us, saying, If you have judged me to be Faithful to the Lord...Come into my house, and abide there.

And She Constrained Us..."

Gal ran her own business...Owned her own Home...Had her family Baptised...Provided for Paul's material needs in The Process.

You Gals are Good...Those are just Outstanding Comments.

Thanks Gunk

Kelsey? If you were my Daughter I would Hug you.

I am proud of You.

You are a Great Gal and have Great Parents...My daughter is doing research down at Emory(Yerkes)while she does her Neuroscience at GSU.

See she came from a Divorced Environment...Sweetheart you had your Parents Together. Makes all the Difference.

You love and Honor them--They have given you the Best of Both Worlds.

God Bless You Sweetheart--You are going One Long Way/Uncle Gunk

What a wonderful devotion! Thank you!

Kelsey Rae,
You are entirely misinformed about homeschooling, and seemingly reading the teachers' union playbook. I would suggest you do some much needed research before making such statements.
1 - Statistics show that home-schooled children are far better prepared academically while there is no data substantiating your claim to lack of "emotional development". As a matter of fact I personally know several home-schooled kids who not only are great individuals but much more mature than their peers. Bryant Wright's church has a great homeschooling program, why don't you start your research there...
2- Nobody is forced to work in a private school which makes it their choice. Markets and achievement should dictate what one makes, not the teachers’ unions conniving with governments to rip off the taxpayer.

I have a tough time believing that anyone would be ridiculed for being a working mom...

Truth is most people choose to have dual income households because they simply do not want to give up their comforts, and that is certainly their prerogative, just admit it! If people want to walk the talk, they can...just take a look at the Amish. You think they are poor?