Dear Mr. President...

I'm not much for bothering people in power; it's just not what I do.  As a wife and mother of 4 I realize that people's time is not only precious, but it's also limited.  When you are responsible to or for a number of people, you can easily be pulled in many directions at once. 

That being said, I have decided to use this medium to write President Obama a letter.  Since high school seemingly every political candidate, from local council people to presidential hopefuls have gone on and on about the need for an educational overhaul of some sort.  In all this time, though, the only thing that came to fruition is No Child Left Behind, which seems to have left behind quite a few children.  I've listened to educators and non-educators alike weigh in on how to change, improve and re-invent the educational "wheel".

So I have decided to weigh in on the education debate as well, albeit in a much less public way.  Will President Obama see this letter? It's doubtful, unless he happens upon my blog (which I seriously doubt) or someone else reads this and forwards it to him (something else I doubt).  Perhaps someone else may read this who is in agreement with what I have to say and maybe, just maybe, our collective voices will be heard and change will happen.

Here goes...

"Dear Mr. President,

I want to begin by congratulating you on attaining what many have merely dreamed of.  Seeing you in office allows me and other parents of color to tell our children that they really can aspire to become the President; it's something that is actually in their reach.  I also want to commend you on your ability to keep cool amid the constant attacks from those opposed to your point of view.  Not sure how you do it, but it's reassuring knowing that you are able to maintain your equanimity in all situations.

I'm writing because I would like to add my two cents to the education conversation.  I will be honest and admit to you that my only qualifications are that I'm a concerned parent and I am the product of two educators.  Being the daughter of educators has always caused me to look at our current education system differently than most people.  Something I find disturbing is that the overwhelming majority of the blame for our failing education system is placed on teachers.  There's no shared culpability between teachers, administrators, parents, and dare I say, students.  No one talks about the astonishing number of students that come to school merely out of obligation instead of a genuine thirst for knowledge.  Of course that could be because students these days are being taught by the latest standardized test (and by the way, has education really improved since the onslaught of all these tests?).  Nor does anyone talk about the many hats teachers have to wear: social worker, conflict mediator, parent or a combination of them all.  There's also this new thing about teachers being required to teach their students subjects they are not yet developmentally ready for (my 4th grade son was learning about solving algebraic equations. Algebraic equations at 10 years old...really?!)? 

You are a busy man Mr. President so I will not bore you with all of my complaints regarding our current education model.  I would, however, like to share a few ideas that I believe would greatly help our children.

First, I believe it would be a good idea for the whole states rights issue to be overturned as it relates to education.  In my humble opinion, one large obstacle in the way of better educating the children of our nation is that each state has different standards for education.  Wouldn't it be better if children received the same education in New York as they would in Massachusetts, Arizona and so on?

Second, I think that it would be in the best interest of all involved if all children were made to wear uniforms to school.  Children being allowed to wear whatever they want causes great distraction for students and teachers alike.  Also, uniforms would help children to focus more on their schooling and less on material things.  Plus, parents who don't have a lot of money won't feel bad about not being able to buy their children the latest fashions.

Another idea that I think could be helpful is to make all middle schools and high schools same sex or at least make the classes same sex.  I don't have to tell you that hormones start going crazy around middle school.  Girls start noticing guys and vice versa.  I remember that age well.  And I also remember thinking heavily about guys when I should have been concentrating more on my studies.  In addition, girls tend to shy away from class participation when in a mixed environment.  I don't have to tell you that class participation is an integral part of the learning process.

Lastly, I believe that we need to go back to basics.  I know you were expecting something complicated, but that is the exact problem.  School has been made unnecessarily complicated.  As stated earlier, my 4th grader was learning algebraic equations.  Sure it was rudimentary algebra, but the very idea of teaching algebra (or geometry for that matter) at that age is asinine.  And what's with all the crazy new ways to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division?  Why are people trying to reinvent the wheel?  We shouldn't be making things more complicated than they have to be.  I know our children are supposed to be in this big competition with children around the world, but in our zeal to out-do others, we are ruining our children.

Mr. President, I realize that I don't have letters behind my name to qualify me as someone who is an expert on education.   But maybe that's the problem.  Too many "experts" with too many convoluted ways of reaching a simple goal, which is to equip our children with the tools necessary to not only successfully compete with their international counterparts, but to also be filled with a passion to learn outside the confines of school.and not enough common sense".

Do People REALLY Know Where You Stand?

Don't ask me how I started thinking about this--I just did.  Actually, it probably started when I was at the nail salon last week and saw a Jehovah's Witness, well, witness.  Despite us not being in close proximity to each other, I was able to hear her all the way in the front of the salon where I was.  The young lady (we'll call her Jessie) she was witnessing to was not the first person in the salon that she shared her message with, but for some reason, my ears perked up this time.  Though I couldn't hear exactly what Jessie was saying, I could tell from the conversation that she was engaged/married to a man that was not "into church" (ask me if I'm surprised) and she was therefore concerned about whether or not it was a good idea for her to get involved with being a Jehovah's Witness.  The Jehovah's Witness (we'll call her Simone) gave her some reassuring words, a few scriptures (which she used incorrectly, but that's for a different post) and encouraged Jessie to meet with her at a later date to get a bible study started.  Jessie was "hooked" and will no doubt become a Jehovah's Witness soon.

As I was listening to Simone chop up scripture---uh, talk to Jessie, I was unsettled.  No, unsettled probably isn't the word.  I'd say I was envious.  Why?  Because with no hesitation, Simone swooped in, started a conversation with Jessie, and within mere minutes had a new convert.  And the thing is, I could tell it was like breathing for Simone.  She didn't have to coerce, intimidate or beat Jessie over the head.  Since I wasn't able to get to Jessie after Simone, I went from envious, to saddened/upset.  Hopefully Jessie will hear and accept the gospel.  If not, there goes another potential saint.

That incident somehow got me to thinking about atheists (hey, don't ask me how my mind works.  It often goes on it's own tagents).  I used to have disdain for atheists, just angry with them, for no other reason than their non-belief in God.  And though I still strongly oppose what they stand for (I just can't understand how you can look at all of creation and believe that the earth/"mother nature"/universe made this happen.  I would think the mere fact that a slight tilt of the earth one way or the other could freeze or fry would be glaring evidence of the existence of God, but...I digress), I respect the fact that they're clear on who they are and what they believe.  There's no back and forth, there's no hot and cold.  They're not on the fence.  What I've also noticed is most atheists wear their belief (or is it lack thereof?) as a badge of honor.  They're at the ready for those who seek to proselytize them. 

Though I disagree with Simones of the world do and am saddened by what atheists do daily in attempting to prove there is no God (and encouraging others to do the same), I can't "hate the player". They're doing what they feel convicted to do. They let others no, in no uncertain terms, what (who) they stand for!


That got me to thinking...do others REALLY know where my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ and me stand? 

As grateful as I am to not be living in the "dark ages" of the church (y'all know what I mean.  No women preachers; no pants or makeup for women; the broker you are, the closer you are to God; God wants you to be broke, etc.), I'm fearful that we're becoming too "free", so to speak.  We're becoming too fly.  Please understand, I am not a "everything but church, the Bible and Christian programming is the devil" type of person, but what happened to our standards?  What happened to our unflinching convictions?  What happened to Christians not caring if people disliked us because of what we believed?

Christianity has seemingly become the flavor du jour.  It appears Christianity is the new "it" club to be a part of, as long as the standards are tailor-made to suit each individual, because who wants to be told they have to make some changes, huh?  Who wants to deal with potentially losing family or friends, temporarily or permanently because they speak against actions and behaviors that are morally wrong?  But that's what we signed up for.  Not a social club where we determine what "rules and regs" we'll adhere to, while ignoring those that make us or others around us uncomfortable.  Joining was not supposed to be so we could rock the newest, flashiest cross-adorned shirts, the biggest, most gaudy "Jesus piece", or adhere an Ichthus to our ride(s) (though I see no problem with any of those things).  Jesus was very clear in Matthew 10 when He said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the memebers of his own household." (v. 34-36).  He knew that for every person who got saved, there may be a relative or friend who would resist the gospel.  What that means is, sometimes we have to say the thing that nobody wants to say.  At times we have to decline being a part of/going to different affairs.  As harsh as this may sound, sometimes we'll have to stand alone (so to speak).  Is it easy?  NO!!!  Is it comfortable?  NO!!!  But He never said it would be either of those things.  Do I struggle with these things?  I'd be lying if I said I didn't.  But every day I wake up I try to remember that I'm representing Him, to my children, my husband, other family, friends and strangers.  I want my children to look at me and say "that's how I'm supposed to live my life before God".  I want my unsaved husband to look at how I submit to him/pray for him/take care of our home & children and in turn accept Christ for himself (he doesn't currently believe in Jesus, but I do believe that he respects me for not being wishy-washy on the subject).  I want to freely, passionately, lovingly and effortlessly talk to nonbelievers about the Lord in such a way that they too want to be saved.  I want everyone to know, without question exactly where I stand!

How about you?

Basket of Potpourri? What kind of name is THAT for a blog?!

So I tried this whole blog thing before.  For a number of reasons it didn't really get off the ground.  One of them being that I couldn't decide what I wanted the blog to be about.  Should it be about my walk with Christ, including the good, the bad and the ugly?  What about being married?  How about being a stay-at-home mom?  Maybe about fashion...uh, that last one would have been a long shot, since fashion is not my strong suit, but you get my point.  I vacillated back and forth about it for so long that I just canned the whole thing. 

Then I had an epiphany.  Who said I couldn't write about them all?  Was it necessary for me to be confined to one topic? 

Truth is I'm interested in a plethora of things.  I research and read on varied topics, including, but definitely not limited to politics, pop culture, how to keep marriage spicy, natural food/hair/body products, economics--I think you get my drift.  Bottom line, I'm a hard girl to peg.  Much love to all the bloggers out there who are able to tailor make their blogs to speak about one overarching theme.  My mind, however, is somewhat like a child's.  One minute it's on one thing, the next it's on something else.

Hence Rose's Basket of Potpourri.  If you've known me for a while, you know the significance of Rose.  The basket is this blog.  And for those who don't know (which I'm sure all of you do), potpourri, besides being a fragrant mixture of dried petals and spices, is also a mix of unrelated topics, objects, etc.

So, welcome to Rose's Basket of Potpourri.  I hope you enjoy!