Bullying - are you really against it?

School has started and I am sure it is just a matter of time before the "If  you are against bullying Like and Share" posts on Facebook will begin. Whenever I see those posts I usually have a few thoughts. The first is, "Who isn't against bullying?", "If I don't cave and share this am I stating that I am for bullying?", "How does sharing this do anything about bullying?"  and "Am I being bullied into sharing this post about bullying?"

When you think about bullying, you may think about the boy or girl getting stuffed in their locker or pushed on the playground or now in this age the girl or boy being cyber bullied. All of that is bullying and it is distressing when it happens. 

Do I have an answer on how to stop bullying? No, unfortunately, I think there will always be bullying since there is sin in the world. But sharing the post or having a sticker on your car is not going to change it. I believe we need to look at ourselves and our attitudes towards others and work on changing that. 

Am I saying that I think everyone is a bully? In a way, yes. I think everyone has attitudes (including myself) where we think we are better than others. That may not be bullying in the true sense of the word, but I do believe those attitudes unchecked could lead to bullying. I also believe kids see those attitudes and elevate. Again, maybe not all the way to "bullying" status but at least to the "clique" status you see so much of in schools. You see it many other places as well, but leaving it there for the moment. This is not to jump on all parents.  Yes, parents have a big influence on their children, but society does play a role as well. And guess what, you and I are that society.

This is a matter of the heart. Let's not just "like and share" the "I am against bullying posts." Let us examine our own hearts and see where we fail to treat others with dignity and respect. Changing our own hearts and attitudes is where we need to start. I know I need help with this every day.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 

1 John 3:18

Things I Wonder About - Post #1

I decided to blog about things I wonder about. I think that if I wonder about them maybe others do as well. This first post is not the number one thing I wonder about, it just happened to be what I am wondering about right now.

I read an article this afternoon titled, "10 Reasons We Love to Hate Double Names". The article was fine but not sure I personally "hate" double names. I really don't care if someone has one or two names but I digress.

I don't know if your moms did this but my mom would use both my first and middle name if I was in trouble. There were some other times as well but it was always said to get my attention. If at any time your first, middle, and last name was used then life as you knew it was over. The whole name usage was how you could figure out if you were just in a small amount of trouble or if you should make out your last will and testament.

What I am wondering about is how do kids with double names know they are in trouble? Better yet, how do they know the level of trouble they are in? Do their moms immediately go to adding the last name? How would the child know the difference between "I just need to get your attention" or "you should get your affairs in order"?

So, that is what I am wondering about. It is not life changing but most of what I wonder about isn't.