Cheaters

"What we need to learn from these survey results is that our moral infrastructure is unsound and in serious need of repair. This is not a time to lament and whine but to take thoughtful, positive actions."

This quote is from Michael Josephson, founder and president of The Josephson Institute, a Los Angeles-based ethics institute. His group recently conducted a survey of almost 30,000 high school students in 100 randomly selected schools across America.

"The survey found that 35 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls — 30 percent overall — acknowledged stealing from a store within the past year. One-fifth said they stole something from a friend; 23 percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative."

They also found that cheating in school is more prevalent than in past surveys. Sixty-four percent of students admitted cheating on a test in the past year and 38 percent did so two or more times. 36 percent plagiarized an assignment, 42 percent admitted lying to save money.

Even so, "93 percent of the students said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character, and 77 percent affirmed that "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know."

The article, (on yahoo news), quoted several educators who suggested that the students should not be made "scapegoats." These students face greater pressures, more competition, busy lives and anxiety about their futures.

I think the whole thing is ironic. Since the 1950's our society has systematically worked to make secular humanism the basis of the educational system. Now they are dismayed because students cheat and steal and lie. But based on secular humanism, who says that cheating and stealing and lying are essentially "wrong?" These young people are simply "adapting" to their environment so that they can survive and thrive. It is pure Darwinism.

Apart from a moral absolute (such as Creator God decreeing what is right and wrong according to His own holy character) who can say that cheating and stealing and lying are wrong?

We cannot teach moral standards to people in an amoral society. There is no political or educational or societal solution to this. The only solution is a spiritual solution - and it can only be applied on an individual basis, as people, one by one, accept God's right over their lives and the salvation from sin that Christ offers.

Thanksgiving #5

I am thankful on three stories.

The family is together. The babies are darlings, now sleeping peacefully upstairs.

On this floor, Christmas music is playing, and my daughter is singing along with her amazingly beautiful lyric soprano. Lola and BJ are enjoying a cup of chai together at the dining room table.

The boys, Darren and David, are assembling and exploring a new board game, downstairs.

I praise God for the day. I praise God for my dear family. I praise God for the chance for us to all be together for these few days.

God is good and so kind.

Peace on you.

Thanksgiving #4

On Thanksgiving Day my daughter and her family will arrive for the weekend. Do you think we are eagerly anticipating that? For SURE!

So, what will life be like while they are here? Well, with a three year old and one year old, it is bound to be messy. We will have noise and confusion. We will have some laughing and some crying (mostly from the little ones). We will have toys strewn about and pies baking and food cooking. The kitchen will be crowded with people - then with pots and pans. There will be lots of setting up, picking up and cleaning up.

Do you like the sound of it - or not? It will be a little bit crazy, I'm sure. But through it all we will be united in love. We will talk, and work, and remember, and plan, and laugh, and cry, and wonder, and discuss. Above all we will love each other.

I will try to snuggle the grandchildren - when they let me. Sometimes I will protect them - other times I will protect the dog from them. All because of love. I will pick up toys. I will pick up children. I will change dirty diapers. I will help in the kitchen. I will tease (as if I could not.) All because of love.

This glorious messy fantastic disruption of routine is a great blessing. It helps us focus on our relationships in these fleeting moments of life. We will come away with happy memories to sustain us when life has returned to normal routines.

Praise God for His many blessings!

Thanksgiving #3

(Luke 18:11-12) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

Thanksgiving can be a mask for pride. People can express thanks as a way of bragging. "I thank God that I am so good. I thank God that I am so smart. I thank God that I am so wonderful."

Genuine thanksgiving, however, comes from our sense of unworthiness and inability. It is an "attitude of gratitude" that bubbles up in praise to God.

BE THANKFUL:

• For salvation, because we are ungodly sinners - saved by grace alone.
• For your marriage, because it is a testimony to God's selfless love.
  
• For your children, because they are unique creations of God - we are only God's palette.
• For ministry, because we are unworthy to serve God and impotent in our strength.
• For your livelihood, because our health, strength & opportunity to work are from God.
  
• For your freedoms, because God raises and throws down kingdoms according to His plan.
• For life, because God gives us every moment, every heartbeat, every breath.

(James 1:16-17) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Thanksgiving #2

(1Timothy 6:17) Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

I have many pleasant memories of the Thanksgiving Holidays. I remember the large gatherings of aunts and uncles and cousins. I remember playing in the cold, then coming inside to the fragrant steamy kitchen where mingled smells of turkey and stuffing and pies and pickles made my stomach growl. I remember the tables literally groaning under the food. (There were too many people to sit at just one table - so we were placed at different tables by our ages.)

None of our relatives were rich. But we were extremely rich in our family and in our faith. We had food enough and to spare. We had people we loved and time together. Above all we had a personal faith in Christ - a confidence in Him of eternal life and blessing that is beyond this fleeting experience.

Now, I am being nostalgic - but I would not return to a past Thanksgiving for anything. We are still not rich - but still rich in family and faith. Some of our loved ones are out of our reach in heaven, but now we have extended families of our own - children and grandchildren - with whom we are making memories for the next generation.

Above all things, I pray that we will communicate our THANKSGIVING to our next generation - that they will not just love the people and the plentiful food, but also our gracious God Who "...gives us richly all things to enjoy."

Thanksgiving is a sliver of time and many people will enjoy it. But only the people who know the one true and living God can truly appreciate it.

Thanksgiving #1

Parents are always telling their kids to say "thank you."

Little kids are expected to say "thank you" when someone gives them a gift or a compliment. "What do you say...?" is a hint from the parent.

Older kids (through to college age) get reminders to sent out "thank you" cards. Their hint is something like, "Did you remember to send a thank you to aunt Gertrude?"

These are valuable lessons from parents about the right thing to do. Say "thank you." Send a thank you card. This is gracious living. This is good manners. This is civilized culture.

What we really need to learn cannot be taught. "Be thankful." Being thankful requires an attitude of humility, but our society encourages an attitude of entitlement.

This is precisely why little kids are not often genuinely thankful. They think that people SHOULD give them stuff. This is also why many people have no compunction about stealing. They feel entitled to more than they have... so they should be able to take it from others, even including their own family or strangers, stores or employers.

This is another manifestation of human rebellion against God. In our self absorbed pursuit of autonomy we resent God's rights over us and refuse His limits.

(Romans 1:21) because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

So how about you? Do you have a thankful heart?
God doesn't need grudging thanks - He wants grateful hearts that abound with praise.

Breakfast

In the "old days" when David Andrew was in high school and Lola left for school at about 7:00, I used to make breakfast for us all and we would sit down together and eat before we took off in various directions. That was nice.

Now, Lola needs to leave for work at about 6:15 and David doesn't get up for work until about 7:30 on most days. I get up right after Lola at 5:00 and make her lunch while she showers and gets ready. When she comes downstairs I make her breakfast and sit and have coffee with her while she eats.

Lola leaves and I have about an hour for devotions before David gets up. Then I make his breakfast and sit and have coffee with him while he eats.

This is pretty much the routine for now. I don't know how long this will last - but it is nice in its own way. I get to have a nice private time with both my wife and my son before we all head off to work.

The routine lets me get good at the different breakfasts I cook... usually an English muffin and sausage patty for Lola and a 2 egg, 2 bacon and 2 toast breakfast for David. (I enjoy having the toaster pop and the microwave beep just when the eggs are ready to take off the griddle. Bing, Bang, Boom - and everything is ready. I love it when a plan comes together!)

The best thing is the conversation. We love each other and express that often. We talk about what we need to accomplish. We talk about schedules and events. We talk about difficulties and concerns. But mostly we communicate that we care about each other and what is going on in one another's lives. What could be better than this?

Maybe we will have oatmeal on Sunday?