Parental Love

I have begun reading the Bible on a daily basis and I keep going back to the story of Esau and Jacob. It's so common to have one parent (Isaac) love one child more (Esau) and the other parent (Rebekah) love the other child more (Jacob). As I read the story, I found that Rebekah taught Jacob to lie to his father.  When Jacob was sick, Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive the oldest son's blessing and told him to dress like Esau and go to his father's bedside; knowing Isaac couldn't see and tell which son was which. She was deceptive to her husband and child, Esau.
I think about a parent who taught her child to steal sugar packets off of restaurant tables. I think of the man, who has taught his young boy to steal a car.
I know there are reasons behind every action, but I go back to Rebekah and Isaac. Rebekah's Uncle, Laban, was one who definitely was a liar (Laban tricked Isaac to marry Leah).
It is said we behave the way we are learned.  Thinking of Rebekah and how she raised Jacob says a lot.
Please ask yourself,  if what I am teaching my children going to build a strong good character, honest conduct, or am I teaching them to steal, kill, and destroy to get what they want?

How your children turn out when they become teenagers or adults says a lot about your parenting skills than about their family history.


~ Just a thought

Marjorie

I Pledge Allegiance?

As you may, or may not, know I grew up in the church. One would think I would remember pledging allegiance to the Christian Flag. I don't remember it though. With all of the ceremonies in church services from baptizing babies to confirmation classes, I don't remember honoring the Christian Flag.
Last summer, at a local church, I was helping out in Vacation Bible School and each night before we would begin, we pledged allegiance to the flags, American and Christian. I thought, "this is odd." I started asking questions about it. I didn't feel comfortable with it. I thought "how legalistic." Now, I think I have a different point of view on the subject.
Do we forget or ignore to pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag?  Is it something that has gone out the window with the wind? Do most of our children or even members know why there is a flag of this kind next to the American flag?
I started to wonder "since people voted to have "God" taken out of the schools if, we as Christians have taken our pledge of our faith out too?" I'm not here to stir the pot, but I am curious. Is our country mixed up as it is because we the church don't put the allegiance to our faith first? Have we allowed the world to consume our everyday walk with God so much that we miss what our country was founded on?
 Please know I did a little research on the Christian flag and what it stands for.
First here is the pledge to the Christian Flag.
I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag, and to the Savior, for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe.
I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands; One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and Liberty to all who repent and believe The Gospel
I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands; One brotherhood, uniting all true Christians in service and in love.
I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the gospel for which it stands; One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life eternal for all who believe.
Our Christian Flag. Its design came from the identity of the American Flag. The Christian cross, the most well recognized symbol for Christianity. The red color represents the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary for me and you. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the lamb who was slain to save those who believed in him as the Son of God to have everlasting life. "Through [Jesus] God reconciles himself to all things... making peace by the blood of the cross" (Colossians 1:20).
The white background is a symbol of purity and forgiveness. People who have been "washed white as snow" by the blood of Jesus and the scripture refers to clothing being white as snow, is the fullness of purity.  The white flag is also a representation of surrender as in war and our war is with sin.
The blue represents faithfulness, truth, and sincerity. The flag is not connected to any one religious denomination or church institution, it signifies the unity of all followers of Jesus Christ.
So then, why didn't I know about this flag? Was I the one placed in a corner with a dunce cap and should have known about this flag? Why is the American Flag so much more well known than the Christian Flag, if our country was born so we could have freedom to praise and worship Jesus Christ? Why do we only talk about the Christian Flag at certain ceremonies and Vacation Bible Schools? I am proud to be a Christian and I like that I have a Flag I can look upon to remind me of what God through Jesus Christ did for me.
It just made me wonder if we pledged to the Christian flag just as much or more than the American flag wouldn't that build stronger Christians as the pledge to the American Flag builds stronger Americans. Maybe if we said the Pledge to the Christian flag it would breed stronger Christians. I also wonder if prayer would have ever been taken out of schools if we would have had the Christian Flag flying beside the American Flag and a plede of allegiance would have been said to each flag every morning.

This just left me wondering and I thought I would share.  
Noone can come to the father except through the son and my flag symbolizes that.

~God Bless, Marjorie