I'm reading the President's speech in chapel tomorrow.....

In case you haven't read the back-to-school speech he gave today, here it is in transcript form:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

I realize that someone else wrote it and I realize that it won't go down in history as the most famous speech he gives, but it was soooooo good. Whoever did write it deserves some kudos. Please read it.




I'm reading in chapel for a couple of reasons.

• It was a speech to ALL students and they should get to hear it.
• It was challenging - something that they NEED to hear.
• It was inspiring.
• We are going to read and discuss 1 Peter 2:13-14 and 1 Timothy 2:1-3 and pray for the President and our country.

I am going to tell my 5th and 6th graders the truth.

• I did not vote for Barak Obama and would never.
• His beliefs and my beliefs don't mesh.
• I have the right as an American to voice my dissent to any authority.
• Nonetheless, I respect the office he holds and will obey him as my authority unless he tells me to do something that would cause me to disobey God - even if it is something that just ticks me off personally, as long as it is Godly, I will obey.
• According to the Bible, I am to pray for him whether I voted for him or not.

 

I didn't listen to him give the speech. I just can't stomach him. I know that's so negative. I only read it online.

I've got some kids this year - albeit in a Christian school - who are going through "crap" at home. I don't know any other way to say it. Crap.

They need to hear this:

It's going to encourage some of my children that if the President of United States had a father that abandoned him and a mother who struggled to raise him that perhaps they, too, can be a success in life despite the ludicrous childhoods that they are having now.

I realize that the speech is contrived and purposely conservative.

I just have some kids whose parents aren't telling them these things and perhaps a personal message from the President to them might help.

 

I don't care much for what he has to say either. I don't like him. But I didn't tell the children that.

But, since you are judging his words to children without reading them first, that doesn't speak highly of your criticism. They were great words.

I dare you - in fact, I double-dog dare you to read the transcript and THEN come back and tell me what you think.

We did study God's Word. We read and discussed 1 Peter 2:13-14 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2. We had a "sword drill" for these two verses. I talked about the need to obey all authorities in our lives. We talked about honoring your father and mother, obeying teachers and principals, and when you get older, obeying a boss and civil authorities. I told them that authority is from God and the Bible should be obeyed. We discussed how the Bible trumps all authorities. The Word of God was studied in my chapel.

We did worship. Worship is presenting your body a living sacrifice - laying down your heart, mind, attitude, talents, and everything that makes you human and allowing God and His Holy Spirit to control you. We submitted ourselves to God's authority and to governing authorities. We prayed four times. We thanked God for Godly parents and for policemen and good schools. We prayed for the president's spiritual status. We prayed for his personal safety and the safety of his family. And we prayed for him to follow the wisdom of God's leadership.

And ..... I do consider what I do in chapel every Wednesday from 10:15-10:45 preaching to those children. We get deep into the Word and we pray hard. Last, over 15 children were saved and over the course of the year, over 40 made public rededications to Christ - at chapel. I thank God for that.

No political statements were made. I did not mention Republicans or Democrats or conservatives or liberals. I read a statement from the president to the children encouraging them to do their best in school and encouraging them to behave and study hard. He encouraged them to rise above their circumstances and dream big things and achieve big things.

And we committed ourselves to be in obedience to the two verses that were the text of my message to them.

It was a good day.