Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Parents Rights

I am reposting this from Generation Cedar. I am a subscriber to ParentalRights.org and I have signed the petition ... and not because I am a homeschooler, because I am a parent and this WILL affect ALL parents and all of our children and grandchildren if we don't stand together and stand against it. Let your voice be heard!


Before You Lose Your Parental Rights

Many of you may be familiar with ParentalRights.org, but if you’re not, you need to make yourself a close acquaintance of their mission.

In a very small nutshell, the United States is considering ratifying the Convention on the Rights of a Child, in affiliation with UNICEF, a “global movement for children and children’s rights”.

Typical of a “global agenda” is carefully disguised verbiage and a carefully embedded message that “we’re all in it for the children”. Because, after all, we are. But realistically, if the treaty is passed, it means the government will have veto power over the parents regarding any matter it sees fit.

So while on the surface the treaty’s agenda seems to be merely to “protect children from abuse” and to “ensure the rights of children” , you may want to know what some judges, already here in the US, consider abuse or an infringement of rights.

A 13-year-old Washington state boy complained to the school counselor that his parents took him to church too often (Sunday morning and night and Wednesday nights). She told him to call CPS. CPS removed him from his home and placed him with foster parents. He was allowed to return home after a judge ruled that his parents must reduce the frequency of his church attendance to only once a week.

Under the UN CRC, and within the hidden rhetoric, the government will have the power to enforce the education it deems suitable for every child. If a parent wishes, for example, to teach a particular religion as “the right religion”, that would violate the Tolerance Act and a child would likely face mandatory placement in public school. In fact, following precedent in other countries, the treaty would likely allow for either the banning of all private educational establishments or strict compliance with a state-mandated curriculum.

Sound far-fetched? There are actions already stripping parents of their fundamental rights in the educational system:

A Massachusetts father was arrested during a parent/teacher meeting scheduled to request that his 6-year-old son be able to opt out of the sex education class where homosexuality was being discussed. The school board ruled that once the parents dropped their children off at school they “gave up certain responsibilities” and the father was not permitted to have his son opt out of the class.

Again, it fell under the “tolerance agenda” being aggressively enforced across our nation. But the issue isn’t about tolerance; if I, as a parent, want my child to opt-out of a bread-making class, that is my inherent right.

Parents here in the US are facing charges if they deny certain medical care for their children (and here we aren’t talking about life-saving procedures; we’re talking about doctors ordering unnecessary tests and procedures where parents aren’t given the option to decline.)

Furthermore, many doctors now, under the “rights of a child’s privacy” will not allow parents to accompany their under-aged children for an exam, nor will they disclose diagnoses or treatment. (I have friends who have experienced this. But don’t worry, be sure you still get to pay the bill.)

In the news last week, a 6-year-old boy was hauled off from school, in an ambulance, to a psychiatric ward and placed in a 72-hour hold against his mother’s wishes. (His father was deployed, he drew a disturbing picture and wrote that he wanted to die.) The mother told the school she would take her son immediately to their own therapist but the school told her “it was out of her hands” and he was carried away. The mother was concerned that the ordeal was more traumatizing than the “separation anxiety” he was already dealing with.


And that’s the bottom line facing us in this fight. It’s not a “conservative vs. liberal” fight either. It’s a basic infringement on parental and family rights that stands to threaten any and every parent on the planet.

It’s an agenda backed by people who truly believe the world would be a better place if they get to decide what is best for children in every area of life.

I would encourage you all to visit ParentalRights.org and sign their petition. We ordered a copy of the documentary “The Child” which does an excellent job of explaining this treaty and its enormous threats to the freedom of our country. We plan to show it in a public forum and inform as many as we can. I urge you to do the same.

As many of the speakers stated, it’s a difficult fight, but not one that is impossible. The way we lose is to do nothing. But I don’t want my children to grow up and have to raise their families as slaves to the state, which is exactly what will happen if this treaty gets ratified.

Now is the time to stop it!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Learning ...

"Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work,
which is mostly standing still
and learning to be astonished."
-Mary Oliver: "Messenger"


"In the name of Jesus Christ, who was never in a hurry, we pray, O God, that you will slow us down for we know that we live too fast. With all of eternity before us, make us take time to live - time to get acquainted with You, time to enjoy your blessings, and time to know each other."
-Peter Marshall, 1902-1949

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Trees

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith. And, I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19


Our girls are tree-climbers. They LOVE to climb trees. They LOVE Swiss Family Robinson ... now that is a tree house! And, when the opportunity came to climb a really big tree, well, we stopped the car and jumped out and did it. I'm not sure the girls realized the enormity of the tree, but, brave girls that they are, they went for it!


The tree! Wondering how old it is. Has to be centuries. Wonder how many kids over the centuries have climbed it and sat in it and read books sitting in it or played pirate and made it the ship or played other fun games or just hid out. Or, how many travellers, weary from walking, sat under it's shade? Very cool!



Off we go ...



That's really high up ... you really can't tell by the photo, but it was a scary height, even from my perspective on the ground.



Just to give you an idea of the enormity and height of the tree.


Observing from the safety of the car. :)


And, oh so many branches to explore. This tree covered an entire lot!


Time to come down! :)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Birthday Girl ...

Our babiest girl turned one in December! And, since we were in New Orleans and no party could be had that celebrated with friends and family, we had our own celebration! :) And what better place for a big ONE YEAR OLD than Build-A-Bear?! We let her pick her own bear, which meant touching them all ... such an overwhelming choice! Baby girl chose a very soft puppy, which her big sisters and I keep calling a bear. Go figure! Build-A-Bear was followed by a ride on the Christmas train, a visit with Santa, a ride on Daddy's shoulder and, at Grannie's house during Christmas, a brownie birthday "cake." What a tremendous blessing and gift you are sweet Brianne! We can't imagine life without you!



Picking out her "bear."


Yep, I'm sure this is the one I want.



Mommy love! :)


Picking out a heart ... and this sweet "bear" also giggles, which Brianne loves!



Safe in Daddy's arms 'cause that fluff machine is really loud.


Train ride.


This balloon was a entrancing. She kept pointing to it and saying "zis," which she does often when she is interested in something ... point and "zis."


Happy Birthday to me!

Singing!


Hooray for me, I'm ONE!