Shocking Revelation for Western Cape Schools

Recently this devastating report (below) appeared in Die Burger newspaper tucked away in its inside pages. I sincerely feel that such an important issue should have received front-page exposure. The implications of this report have huge consequences for South African society. What a sad day for South Africa and its citizens when provincial government accepts foreign monies to fund a project like this.

CLANDESTINE AGENDAS

One just has to observe the values of the youth in the Netherlands to witness the destruction such atheistic teaching produces. Now, shockingly they have been given license, by investing large amounts of money into our education system to corrupt our children. A snap survey of a few parents indicated total ignorance of this investment and the proposed introduction of evolutionary teaching into the schools. Most were astounded when I pointed this out. Have you been informed?

We believe a matter of such importance needs the full support of the parents of the children who will be exposed to such teaching. After all parents are responsible for their children – not the state. The consequences of children believing they came from nothing, are nothing and are going nowhere, has a severe impact on society, especially in the area of accountability to the law and to ones fellowman. If there is no respect for God and His Laws, the Ten Commandments, then there will definitely be no respect for the law of the land. Evidence of this is already glaringly obvious amongst non God-fearing political leaders and business leaders in South Africa today. The Western Cape Consultation of Christian churches have been made aware of this report and have subsequently sent off a letter to the Dutch Embassy.

They have requested an urgent meeting to discuss the concerns, specifically that the plurality of our community is being undermined, in that the views, beliefs and values of a large segment of the population in our schools are being overridden and disregarded.

All the major religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, by definition reject evolution. The implication that a foreign government has made this investment into our education system to foster the teaching of any particular ideological paradigm does not create a healthy precedent. We will keep you informed of the progress and outcome of these meetings. In the meantime we encourage every parent to call their school principals and request a parent information meeting in order to become informed of exactly what is being taught and what is going to be taught and what the consequences will be for both them and their children.

PARENTS HAVE RIGHTS

Parents have rights and will be accountable to God one day for the way in which they have brought up their children. We also call on all the intercessors in the land to pray against the forces of evil trying to erode our society. Childrens’ values and their beliefs should be taught and entrenched by parents and not by schools, or state education departments.

This project, as indicated, will stretch throughout all the provinces soon, so it is not just a Western Cape problem.

We encourage parents not become intimidated by teachers and principals who support this introduction of the THEORY OF EVOLOUTION. Many un-Godly academics like to use fancy scientific grammar and terminology to influence and intimidate parents. Always identify the spiritual understanding of the teacher or principal before one discusses this matter. Christians do not, and cannot, support evolution. It is an unproven theory and no palaeontologist, scientist or physicist has come up with proven evidence.

Fathers who Build Confident Kids

THOUSANDS OF BOOKS, ARTICLES AND OTHER forms of instructional media are available to guide the new father on the path of fatherhood. Many provide conflicting advice whilst promising outstanding results. The new father is faced with the decision as to the advice he will follow realising that he has only one shot at this project. There is no second chance to raise a child.

Where do you begin? God did not leave you in the dark as to how to raise your children. He provided a comprehensive manual describing in detail, how to nurture, develop and raise your children. Your children will need to grow, physically, mentally and emotionally to be all that God destined them to be.

As a dad, you have the awesome privilege and responsibility of overseeing this process. Your responsibility is to ensure your children are raised being certain of having the ability, judgement and resources that they need to succeed. You want the very best for your children. You have great plans for their future and plans for their success. Will this result in them growing up to be the confident, well adjusted individuals that God intended for them to be? Do you need some help in raising confident kids? Let’s get to work then, there is no time to lose!

Realise that your children are individuals

Children are different, it is God’s idea. Observe families and you will be amazed how children born into the same family can be so different in nature, temperament and appearance. This is quite normal. Let’s check the manual and make sure we are still on track here. Psalm 139:14-16 reassures us that this is no factory defect but rather it is part of the master plan. “I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvellous! Of this I have no doubt. Nothing about me is hidden from you! I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below, but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.” Remember, God never says “Oops”.

Give your children assurance and affirmation

Speak positive words over your children.

Be on the lookout daily for reasons to praise them.

Never open your mouth without engaging your brain. Think before you speak.

Realise that your every word has a permanent impact on their lives.

They want your approval and encouragement.

Make time to be their best friend

Here is a vital component of your role as father. In the busyness of life, you may be tempted to take short cuts when it comes to spending time with your child. They look to you as a mentor, a confidant and a friend. If you are not there for them, they will find a substitute and this is usually where things go wrong. A myriad diversions are waiting to take your place as their friend. Drugs, alcohol and inappropriate relationships are just a few of the alternatives to your friendship. Take heart, they all come a distant second to you and if you make the time you will discover that the results are well worth the effort.

Well, isn’t it time for you to take the controls now? You can make a difference in your child’s life today, and remember if you forget something, it is all in the “Manual”!

Making A Life VS Making A Living

Lately I have come to see the difference between making a life and making a living.
In our world today we fall into rush hour traffic in business and become conformed in
the world’s ways. When greed overtakes need, we become slaves to the society we live in.
We can seek brand names and forfeit our title as children of God. Our motives for working
can be geared towards building a name for ourselves instead of building up God’s Kingdom,
if we seek to receive instead of seeking to give. The difference between making a
living and making a life can be seen in the story of Martha and Mary. Do we grumble
at our workload because we are not appreciated or noticed, or do we give
of ourselves completely to God and do all we do for Him with a willingness to
serve Him in others? If we try and make a living for ourselves and our needs, we can at times
fail to surrender our inabilities to please others, and fall prey to bitterness when our needs
are not met by others. It is better to make a life i.e. to seek God in all our situations, and do
all we do for Him (even when we serve others), so that we are guaranteed to be fully satisfied
in His acceptance and love for us. Once we have achieved this ‘New Life’, we can strive
to give more of ourselves, our time and our talents willingly in servanthood to others in a
good attitude, (seeking to serve instead of being served). Making a life is seeking to serve God,
being Jesus to others and seeking Jesus in others. Making a living is seeking to serve self,
seeing what we can get out of life instead of seeing what we can give to life – to God.
EnJOY life to truly live.

Successful Single Parenting

When raising your children is your responsibility, and yours alone, the difficulties and struggles may seem overwhelming. Widows and widowers suddenly find themselves being mothers and fathers through no choice of their own. They never dreamed it would happen to them. They must care for their children while still grieving the loss of a mate who can't return to help them.

Other men and women become single parents when their partner leaves and refuses to share the responsibility for their children. They are left feeling abandoned and heartbroken. There is also perhaps the saddest group of single parents - those who live across town from former spouses who have been abusive or are heavy users of drugs or alcohol.

There is hope, however. God is a Father to the fatherless and a husband to the husbandless. Men, the Word of God promises that He will be your sufficiency and your portion. You have not been abandoned either. Even although the Lord is there for us and we have the support of our friends and family, there will always be obstacles that need to be overcome as a single parent. Being aware of these and learning the skills to overcome them, will make the journey as a single parent not only easier, but even enjoyable.

Emotional baggage

There are few tasks that require more courage and strength than single parenting. It's not just a matter of responsibility. Challenging tasks become far more difficult when we are weighed down by heavy emotional baggage. This added weight can prevent you from being an effective parent because all of your energy is being consumed by your past struggles. Some ‘baggage items’ that might be weighing you down are: self-pity, depression, guilt, fear, economic devastation, anger, envy, exhaustion, loneliness and frustration.

Most single parents are afflicted with many, or most, of these problems. There are unfortunately no shortcuts to overcoming such painful obstacles. Each area must be encountered, explored and left behind. You no doubt want to raise healthy, well-adjusted children but this can only be done when you are able to focus on them and not yourself. Your children are the most precious gifts God has given you and they need you now more than ever before. By dealing with your baggage and reaching out to them, your own healing will be speeded up. Surround yourself with friends you can talk to, make sure you are eating healthily and exercising regularly, study God's Word regularly and don't stop going to church. Seek help in the areas where you are struggling, spend time with a counsellor you trust. It is crucial that you deal with your emotional pain so that you can be there for your children when they need you.

1. Never demean your partner in front of the children. Try to say positive things about their other parent because your child loves and cares for them very much, even although that parent may have hurt you. Children are often torn between their parents and don't say how they really feel for fear of hurting one or the other.

2. Let your children know where they can reach you and the other parent (if possible) at all times.

3. Allow your ex-partner to call your children often and don't complain when it is time for them to visit their other parent. This only makes children feel guilty for wanting to spend time with their mom or dad.

4. Don't give in to the temptation to avoid discipline. It is natural to think that your children won't want to be with you if you correct them for doing something wrong. But nothing could be further from the truth. They won't respect you if you don't discipline them.

5. Never use your children as a ‘news-service’ to find out what the ex-spouse is doing. Your children are not spies and should never be treated as such.

6. Try and keep the same rules in the two households, where possible. Bed times and other restrictions should be the same. Maintaining consistency helps children deal with the change much easier.

The first thing you need to remember is that you simply cannot do everything well. If you try, you will spread yourself so thin that even the things you're best at will have mediocre results. Do the best you can and don't worry about not being perfect.

Secondly, look for substitutes who will handle tasks that your partner used to perform - employ a gardener or a cook for instance. Don't try to do everything yourself.

Never enough by the end of the month
As a single-parent family you cannot maintain the same standard of living you once enjoyed as a complete family. You need to remember this from the outset. Although it will take some adjustment, you must fight the urge to make more debt to simply keep up your past lifestyle. Do not be manipulated by your children or feel guilty if they can't have everything that they used to. Buying them ‘stuff’ is not going to make them feel any better about the loss of their parent.

No-one knows your situation better than God. If you are faithful with your money, He will provide for you. Single-parent mothers are particularly vulnerable to the threat that they are not going to make it financially. It is very easy when you are stuck on the side of the road with a flat tyre, to think that having a man in your life again would make everything easier. The truth is that at this critical time in your life the One you should be depending on is the Lord.

Don't try and work out your problems with your own schemes and solutions. Pray about every unique situation and ask for God's wisdom with your finances. It won't be easy, but putting God first and spending wisely will ensure your financial success in the future.

All is not lost
Good parenting makes all the difference in the world. The adjusted children of responsible single parents are proving to do very well, and don't let anyone tell you differently. Just take it one day and one step at a time.

I leave you with the final words of Gary Richmond:

"Although you may ask all the right questions and memorise all the right answers, there is no magic formula for successful single parenting. And most assuredly, nothing can really help you deal with single parenthood's demands, hurts, obstacles and challenges unless you choose to be obedient to God's Word.

With all my heart, I appeal to you to wholeheartedly commit your past, your present and your future to the nail-scarred hands of the One who created you, died for you and lives to intercede for you. Without Him, you can do nothing. With Him all things are possible!"

Dressing like a believer

We often associate modesty with old grannies wearing their old-fashioned frocks, stockings and health shoes. But that isn’t what modesty really is. Modesty is a character trait that is demonstrated through our behaviour and dress. Modesty does not mean that Christian women (in particular) have to be unfashionable or frumpy. Standing out, by choosing not to conform to the world’s standards of immoral and overly sexual dress, gives Christian women the chance to shine and be different.
Although I am not an expert on fashion and style, I have compiled a few guidelines for young Christian girls to use. I believe these tips help me to set a modest and pure example in a world that is marked by short skirts, low cut tops and inappropriate clothing.

Approach fashion differently
I love layers. They are versatile, practical and trendy. Layering can be used either with tights (under shorter skirts and cropped shorts) or with tops (for example, a white T-shirt underneath a low cut coloured top). Layering allows girls to remain trendy, but also to cover up in the right places. At times we may see the perfect dress, but feel it is too short to be modest. This can be fixed if we wear pretty tights underneath the dress.

Find your personal style
I once read that a good way to be unique with your fashion style is to identify key elements that represent you. For example; a favourite colour (a few girls I know wear pink all the time!) or an emblem, like a cute cow. I love cows and I collect socks, shirts and prints that have cows on them. People tend to notice when I wear them, and associate it as my ‘style’. The benefit to having signature style, is that you can stand out in a crowd, without having to wear immodest, low cut, tight or see-through clothing. I want to honour God’s commands to dress modestly and to be wholesome, but that doesn’t mean I must be boring!
I know for a fact that guys prefer girls who dress modestly. Sure, they enjoy the view they get of the girls who show off their bodies, but they definitely do not respect them and wouldn’t consider a long-term relationship with that girl because they just aren’t the quality they’re looking for. I think they subconsciously realise that good looks never last. So while you may be jealously eyeing that model’s toned stomach and perfect legs, your guy loves you for your modesty, intelligence and great sense of humour! I’ve asked my male friends whether they prefer girls in skirts or jeans. Almost unanimously they all say girls look far better in skirts because it makes them look more feminine. I think women look their best when they embrace their femininity and beauty.
We can look at the trends and what’s in style, and pick out certain elements. Christians don’t need to be nerds. Not at all! But we do need to be classy, dignified and above reproach. Wear clothing that flatters you. It doesn’t have to be a shapeless sack, but barely-there t-shirts and really low-cut jeans with underwear flashing is really not attractive! Dressing in a tarty way, with too much make-up and too tight clothing, does not enhance our beauty. Instead, mini skirts and low cut tops demoralise us and make us vulnerable to abuse and misuse. Is that honestly what each of us want?

Allure and Mystery through Modesty
I read a book sometime ago called Secret Keeper by Dannah Gresh. The main thing I learnt from her was that we, as females, have a secret power. And that secret power or allure, is modesty. She says, “Modesty is the source of this delicate yet formidable power, making it a power in and of itself. It’s delicate because it can be so innocently given away without your even knowing it. It’s a formidable power, because once you have mastered modesty, no man will be given access to the full secrets behind your allure until you so desire.” Isn’t that amazing? The more we cover, the more enticing we are!
“In Genesis 2, God surveys His fine creation and finds everything just right. He uses the word ‘good’. The Gestalt theory teaches a graphic designer to control a viewer’s time by forcing the person to mentally complete a visual image. Because completing the incomplete intrigues the brain, it will always pause to finish an unfinished picture. What does a guy see when a girl walks by him wearing a long, tight skirt with a slit all the way up the sides? He sees past the fabric, because the slit invites him to finish the picture. This is simple visual science.”
Dannah continues, “How do you think this theory works when a girl wearing a tight T-shirt with her belly bared walks down the road past a guy? Yikes! Because he sees an incomplete picture of her body, he is compelled to complete it. The thrill not of what is seen, but is yet to be seen, is what actually tempts him. His imagination kicks in. It’s just how the brain works, especially for guys.”

Do not lead others into tempation
Fact: It is much more tempting for a guy to see a girl dressed in today’s skimpy fashion than it would be to see her naked. Does that astound you? It’s true. A Christian couple I know recently went to France for vacation. At one point this pair unwittingly stayed in a hotel next to the nude beach. The woman was concerned it would be tempting for her husband. It wasn’t. In fact, he was rather grossed out. There was nothing left to the imagination, which is the most tempting part of immodesty.
As Christian men and women, we have been called to a different standard to that of the world’s. God does not want us to lead others into temptation through our dress, speech or mannerisms. Although every woman (and girl) longs for attention and flattery, we need to set our focus on Christ. Only He will fulfil our emotional needs and make us feel truly beautiful and secure. Learn to embrace the biblical standards for modesty and appreciate that you can be attractive and sexy for your husband one day.
As Christian sisters, we must be mindful of our conduct. In church, be careful that your top is not see-through (eg: wearing a black bra under a white shirt) or that your pants are too low
(eg: your lacy underwear is peeping out while the boy behind you is trying to worship God). Ask your fellow girlfriends, disciplers and even your parents for guidance with your conduct. We can be friendly, without being flirtatious; pretty without being provocative; modest without being boring!