Do people listen to lyrics?

God is in control.  He always has been and always will be.  We were at the grocery store this afternoon when I ran into someone from our old sister church.  She told me that a speaker on time management will be at the church tonight.  We went.  It was just what we needed to hear.  Of course.  God is in control.  I don't even need to ask questions like, what if I didn't find out about the speaker until it was too late?  If that was so, God didn't want us there. 

The speaker recited the lyrics to this song at the end of his talk:

 Cats in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin


  My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking before I knew it and as he grew
He said, "I’m gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I’m gonna be like you"

And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin home, dad, I don’t know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.

My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on lets play
can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do" He said "Thats okay"
And then he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said "I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m going to be like him"

And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, dad, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.

Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile

"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad,
You know we'll have a good time then.

I’ve long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day........
I said "I'd like to see you if you don’t mind"
He said "I'd love to Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new jobs a hassle, and the kids have the flu.
But It's sure nice talking to you, Dad,
It's been sure nice talking to you........"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me,
My boy was just like me..............


And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then.

Wow!  Talk about a powerful sermon in a song.  This isn't a new song and maybe many have heard it but did they really listen to the lyrics?  Why hasn't this song prompted parents to value their children over their own lives, their work, their hobbies, their TVs, their friends, their reluctance to have their children take over their lives?  I know the answer.  It's just a song.  And it's only meaningful to those who already know there's a relationship that needs to be tended to.  Parents are to make the time for their children.  All day long, the Bible says.  How did schools become so important that a child's life revolved around it?  I don't really think it's the fault of the institution.  The public schools have been severely criticized for not turning out competent citizens.  Moral citizens.  Well-adjusted to life citizens.  How can an institution offer all that should come from one's parents? 

I would like someone to tell me how Christians can send their children to schools?  How can they bear to have their children be taught by ... just anyone?  How can they bear their children learning from the ungodly ways of their schoolmates day in and day out?  How can they bear to not know what's going on with their children for most of the waking day?  How can they desire that their children be out of their house from such a young age?  (It's like work hours, really.)  How have they forgotten the unkindness that schools heap upon children?  How can they keep from protecting their children from growing up in that institutional environment?

I almost forgot about what socialization does to children.  I was shocked when a boy threatened one of my children to get off the swing or else he'll make him get off.  This happened at a Christian homeschool co-op class.  I was so happy that our son didn't learn to stand up for his rights.  He got off the swing and there was no confrontation.  I'd like to think that it was our godly training that helped him to avoid a fight.  I still don't act that way so I don't think it came from me.  Psalm 1 tells us exactly what happens to a man that avoids ungodly company.  He is blessed.  Children are too precious to be thrown in the lions' den for the sake of ... what exactly?

Ken Ham has written a book that I am interested in reading.  The book description reads:

If you look around in your church today, two-thirds of the young people who are sitting among us have already left in their hearts; soon they will be gone for good.This is the alarming conclusion from a study Answers in Genesis commissioned from America's Research Group, led by respected researcher Britt Beemer. The results may unnerve you - they may shake long-held assumptions to the core-but these results need to be taken seriously by the church. Already Gone reveals:
Why America's churches have lost an entire generation of believers
The views of 1,000 twenty-somethings, solidly raised in the church but no longer attending-and their reasons why
Relevant statistical data effectively teamed with powerful apologetics
The study found that we are losing our kids in elementary, middle school, and high school rather than college, and the Sunday school syndrome is contributing to the epidemic, rather than helping alleviate it. This is an alarming wake-up call for the church, showing how our programs and our children are paying the price. 

It's about relationships.  Life, that is.  Schools don't reflect that.  The disconnect with the relationships from family and school just grows year by year.  It doesn't take long for the child to prefer the relationships of the schools that are so much easier than those at home.  After all, one doesn't have to live with those at school.

I've read that some people have come away from watching the movie Avatar feeling depressed.  They were awed by the glory and beauty of the imaginary utopia and then they went back to their real world.  It's sad.   I'd like to see a utopia where people didn't send their children away and where children didn't send their parents away.  That really shouldn't be an utopia fantasy.  That's how life used to be.  God intends for us to have relationships where we desire to take care of each other and live with each other.  Christians, please listen to this song and bring your children home and spend time with your children.