Yoga in the Classroom

Well another great learning day at our local public school (sarcasm intended). My 5th grader came home upset about what they had to do for PE. Apparently a parent was allowed to come to the gym and teach yoga to all the 5th graders. She taught them a few chants and positions to allow their spirits to be connected with each other. Wow, did my hair bristle up and down my neck.

Of course, the principal didn't know that this took place and talked to the PE teacher. The PE teacher of course denied any chanting was taught and said it was just exercise. Passing the blame. The PE teacher is having a hard time finding time to meet with the parents who really had a problem with this guest speaker.

It was really just a lesson for me as a parent. Because there was a child in the class (a Christian girl)who refused to participate and told the teacher "I do not do yoga!" Her parents had explained to her the history of yoga and why it is not okay to use it as an exercise. I had not prepared my daughter in this way and she was confused. She is told to respect authority and to do her best in school. She knows the Truth and we discuss all the "stuff" she learns in school that is not true and is a world view. But I didn't teach her what to do when the authority she is respecting goes against God. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she wasn't sure how to handle it. She didn't want to get in trouble or be disrespectful to the teacher. It was definitely a lesson learned for all of us.

I am still going to hunt down that PE teacher and give her a true lesson on yoga, with love or course. I might just suggest that pilates might have been a better choice.

"..because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."
1 John 4:4

Praise the Lord!

Crazy Talk in the Public Schools

My son Logan could write a blog about the crazy stuff he hears at school. I am not talking about the silly "stuff" kids say, but the crazy "stuff" teachers say. I am so glad he knows the Truth and can filter out the crazy.

His science teacher explained to the class his interpretation of evolution. Old Darwin himself would turn over in his grave. Basically, 70 thousand years ago there were many monkeys. All differect species of monkeys. A certain species of monkey that were very clever, not wise, but clever, figured out which plants gave off the necessary oxygen they needed to evolve. With this clever knowledge they put these plants around them and were then able to evolve into humans. The monkeys we see now are not clever monkeys but dumb monkeys and haven't figured out how to evolve.

Wow, we are some smart monkeys. Unfortunately, most of the students in Logan's class are non-believers and so this information is believed and probably someday repeated.

I believe this poor science teacher can't seem to explain the big holes in Darwin's Theory, so he must make up the story of clever monkeys to put his mind at ease. And I suppose by teaching others this nonsense he can somehow make it true.

This is only one story of many that my son must listen to and filter during his many hours at public school. We feel he is truly learning life skills and with guidance and support from home he can stand firm for the Truth. Because someday soon he will be on his own and he will need to stand firm on a foundation based on Truth in a world full of clever monkeys.

Just another teaching moment in the Raitt household:)

We Can't Do Anything We Want

Obama, in his message to our public school children, repeated the same ol' American mantra of "We can do anything we want if we work hard and get an education". I am pretty sure those aren't his exact words but close enough. I disagree. I know it is not shocking that I disagree with Obama, but I disagree with the whole premise that all people can do anything if they work hard at it. That is false, and I think the contestants on American Idol can thoroughtly understand my argument.

I can't sing. I am quite sure I am tone death, I mean deaf. Although I murder any note I try to sing. Growing up in the Catholic church, I once had a priest lean over and tell me not to worry about my singing voice because God was tone deaf too.

Now my mom didn't tell me that if I worked really hard at it I could be a superstar singer. She told me big deal, so you won't be a singer, let's focus on the gifts you have and not the ones you don't have. Bless her pea-pickin' heart, she was right.

I can look at many directions I theoretically could have taken in life that would have been a disaster if I tried to apply the work hard and I can do anything method. Horse jocke? I am 5'11" and just a hair over 125 lbs (sarcasm intended). Hairdresser/stylist? I can barely braid my daughter's hair. Gymnist? Pilot? ballerina? No way Hosay.

I wish more parents would tell their kids to reach for the sky but encourage them in a realistic direction.

Just a thought...

Obama Talks to our Children

Are you kidding me? What a waste of value time and tax dollars.

That is all I have to say about that subject:)

Where's the Love?

Where is the love? This is what I want to know. We can have knowledge, wisdom, money, generousity, kindness, etc...but still refuse to love. Believe me I am at fault too.

Here is what I am talking about and I hope it comes across well. But since I am the writer of this blog I am sure someone will be offended. (I need to work on that...someday).

A friend of mine is on a brand new walk with Jesus. God has really openned up her heart to listen and understand the truth of who He is and what He has done for her. Sounds good so far. All she wants is to learn the Bible and truly understand what it says. She started meeting with a mentor from our church. Great lady, really knows The Word. But instead of teaching her the Word, she told my friend where change needed to occur in her life and pointed out her sins. Of course, she prefaced every comment with "I am not judging you, but you need to be aware of areas of sin in your life."

Needless to say, my dear friend came to me in tears. It made me think of our role as sisters in Christ. We need to take our authority out of the situation, because we have none. We forget that the measure of faith that we have has been given to us. And if we truly believe that, then God does the changing and giving along our walk with Him. We can't hurry someone's walk or give them the Cliff notes to catch them up. We are truly there just to love. God reveals our areas of sin. God changes our hearts and desires. God gives us the ability to understand His Word. God chose us for a purpose, His purpose.

Do we really feel He can't change people without our help? Are we really helping at all? If I look at my friend and her experience, I would say the mentor didn't help at all. And I am sure she wasn't trying to be mean or judgemental, she just forgot how to love.

What if some really "big" sinners entered through the doors of your church?
Sinners like hookers, gay couples, abortion doctors, politicians, molesters etc...You know the sinners that we justify don't deserve our love. Believe me I struggle with this all the time. But I shouldn't. If God can rescue me from the mire and change me, He can change them. All He calls us to do is love them and be a witness for Christ. Just love them.

Isn't that what Jesus told His disciples?

Just a thought..:)

Help Wanted-Only Men Should Apply

Lately in the news women have been all bent out of shape about comments men make about their gender. For example, Colorado Senate race had a comment made by the male candidate towards the shoes of the female candidate. It was really nothing and actually accurate. He said "Vote for me because I don't wear high heels". Whoopee doo da day is what I say. We do wear high heels (well I don't because I am 6 feet tall) but ladies do, and we wear dresses, and lipstick and we care about how we look in our jeans.

My point is very simple, embrace being a women.

I have a number of very good friends, but I wouldn't call anyone of them to help me on the side of the road when I run out of gas(again). I call their husbands. I usually say "Can you please help me (again), I ran out of gas." They are always so helpful and I call them my "knight with shiney gas can". I never once hear them comment on how I only use them, or how dare I only call them for manual labor, or I am putting them in a gender box, or disrespecting them because I am only using them for manly stuff. Men like being men. As long as I don't make them talk about my new outfit or really make them talk to much about anything, they are always willing to help.

Why can't women do the same? Let's stop being gender-defensive and love being women. God created us and He knew what He was doing. So let's make a plan to never get our gender panties in a bunch and be excited that we never have to wear tighty whities. (Wow where did that last sentence come from?)

Just a thought:)

We Added a Martha-Slightly Tweaked

Well as the picture to the left shows, we added a Martha. But she doesn't know it yet. She is the friend that keeps us all glued together. In fact when we need glue she would be the one to remember to bring it. She keeps us on schedule but is able to change at a moments notice. That is the only way she can stay friends with us and love us unconditionally. Her name is Teresa and what a blessing she is to us both.

I guess she is not a true blue Martha but she definitely can live up to the job if she had to. Her home is beautifully organized, always clean and well decorated. But she would never tell anyone to take their shoes off to preserve the clean conditions of her home. She loves people more than things and she loves company. Well at least that is what she says when I come over unannounced with dirty shoes on my feet. So basically she is a Tweaked-Martha.

The three of us have gone through a lot lately, which is partly why I haven't written in so long. But I feel it is time to get back to it and hopefully we will be able to share the story that has taken us away from blogging.

So many stories so little time.....