Post by pursuer on Apr 26, 2008 17:23:53 GMT -5
Oh my. I actually feel like a little grown-up right now.
I was on the phone with one of my Christian friends/acquaintances a bit ago, and we have a pretty strained relationship as it is (she spread rumors that my husband was having an affair after tell me she was concerned about the issue - I am not). We used to be dear friends, but slowly started drifting apart, and because of some of the things she has said and done, I have a hard time calling her "friend" anymore.
However, I have felt continually pulled by the Lord to continue to keep contact with her, love her, and radiate our lifestyle in a quiet way for her and her husband.
She is a public school teacher, and we obviously have some very different ideas on schooling. We both know where the other one stands, but never talk about those differences. We politely ask about how school is going for the other, but never start topics about why we're living the way we live, etc.
Even when she complains about not having enough time with her husband, or when she tells me she's desperate for a child but will go back to work when she has one. I keep my mouth closed.
Well, my little 5 year old Precious Jewel got onto the phone afterwards to talk with my friend, and I allowed her to use the "special" corded phone in my room (she prefers the corded one for some reason, hence why it is "special"). I heard her rambling and told her to focus her conversation. She calmed down, and so I, unfortunately, tuned out from what they were talking about.
Soon I heard" .... public school.......... and what if they're bad? DO you put them in a time out?...... How do they learn their lesson then?" I immediately said, "What are you talking about?" She said she was asking Aunt "L" about public school, and I started keeping my ear tuned in. Very soon, she was talking to the husband, rambling away. Then she said, "Okay, are you needing to go then?..... Hello? HELLO?"
I went in and she said, "I dunno what happened, Momma, but he hung up!"
I said, "What we you talking about public school for, what did you guys talk about?"
And that's when she said it. "I told her public school is naughty."
I checked with her about a million times to make sure she wasn't just tricking me, and she really said that - to the public school teacher.
*SIGH*
Precious Jewel and I had a 10 minute conversation about living life quietly for the Lord, and just because I/someone believe in something, does not mean we always shout it from the roof-top.
End result is that we called this friend/acquaintance and had to leave a message, because she didn't pick up (which I understand). I apologized for having not taught this lesson to Precious Jewel sooner, for hurt feelings for my friend, and then Precious Jewel left an apology.
I don't ever remember saying anything remotely like that to my daughter, in regards to public/private school. We HAVE had discussions about what is in God's Word regarding a parent teaching their own children, but never a pointed "it's sin/naughty to send your child to public or private school." The ONLY thing I can think of is that when we thought she was asleep, she wasn't, and overheard one of my husband's and my conversations on the matter.
I don't feel ashamed for believing all parents can/should teach their own children, but I do feel so sad and embarrassed that this has happened. I don't speak out in real life about many of my Biblical lifestyle choices because I want the lifestyle to speak for itself.
Has ANYONE had anything like this happen to them before?
I was on the phone with one of my Christian friends/acquaintances a bit ago, and we have a pretty strained relationship as it is (she spread rumors that my husband was having an affair after tell me she was concerned about the issue - I am not). We used to be dear friends, but slowly started drifting apart, and because of some of the things she has said and done, I have a hard time calling her "friend" anymore.
However, I have felt continually pulled by the Lord to continue to keep contact with her, love her, and radiate our lifestyle in a quiet way for her and her husband.
She is a public school teacher, and we obviously have some very different ideas on schooling. We both know where the other one stands, but never talk about those differences. We politely ask about how school is going for the other, but never start topics about why we're living the way we live, etc.
Even when she complains about not having enough time with her husband, or when she tells me she's desperate for a child but will go back to work when she has one. I keep my mouth closed.
Well, my little 5 year old Precious Jewel got onto the phone afterwards to talk with my friend, and I allowed her to use the "special" corded phone in my room (she prefers the corded one for some reason, hence why it is "special"). I heard her rambling and told her to focus her conversation. She calmed down, and so I, unfortunately, tuned out from what they were talking about.
Soon I heard" .... public school.......... and what if they're bad? DO you put them in a time out?...... How do they learn their lesson then?" I immediately said, "What are you talking about?" She said she was asking Aunt "L" about public school, and I started keeping my ear tuned in. Very soon, she was talking to the husband, rambling away. Then she said, "Okay, are you needing to go then?..... Hello? HELLO?"
I went in and she said, "I dunno what happened, Momma, but he hung up!"
I said, "What we you talking about public school for, what did you guys talk about?"
And that's when she said it. "I told her public school is naughty."
I checked with her about a million times to make sure she wasn't just tricking me, and she really said that - to the public school teacher.
*SIGH*
Precious Jewel and I had a 10 minute conversation about living life quietly for the Lord, and just because I/someone believe in something, does not mean we always shout it from the roof-top.
End result is that we called this friend/acquaintance and had to leave a message, because she didn't pick up (which I understand). I apologized for having not taught this lesson to Precious Jewel sooner, for hurt feelings for my friend, and then Precious Jewel left an apology.
I don't ever remember saying anything remotely like that to my daughter, in regards to public/private school. We HAVE had discussions about what is in God's Word regarding a parent teaching their own children, but never a pointed "it's sin/naughty to send your child to public or private school." The ONLY thing I can think of is that when we thought she was asleep, she wasn't, and overheard one of my husband's and my conversations on the matter.
I don't feel ashamed for believing all parents can/should teach their own children, but I do feel so sad and embarrassed that this has happened. I don't speak out in real life about many of my Biblical lifestyle choices because I want the lifestyle to speak for itself.
Has ANYONE had anything like this happen to them before?