Thursday was National “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” I’m smiling. How about you?

This day was not set aside to be a “my denomination is better than yours day.” It’s merely an annual time when Americans have the freedom to take the Bible into public schools.

This is about the fifth year this student-led event has occurred on public school campuses across the country. There are now as a result web sites with Christian students standing up for what they believe scripturally.

Thank you, Focus on the Family, for seeing the need to promote a day when students can at least carry The Word of God with them to school. Really, Christians contain its verses within their souls, but most often than not face scrutiny for sharing.

There are still several student-led Christian events conducted on school campuses. For that, I’m thankful.

For folks who might be a little behind and or at this point have mouths gapped, only student-led religious events are acceptable in local school hallways now.

I don’t want to get too deep into Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her effort in the early 1960s to separate church and state. What I will say is something I heard once, which I believe is rather profound: Why did Christians back then stand by and let an atheist set such a precedent case — one which made its way all the way to the Supreme Court?

I’ll tell you why: Because the idea was spawned during a turbulent time in America. A generation suffering unrest was used as catalysts to avert any religious freedoms.

Apparently O’Hair and members of her family were murdered by of one of the people working in her organization in 1995. He had reportedly stolen a lot of money in the process from the O’Hairs.

While a portion of the country’s population may still believe in separation of church and state, remember, there still exists a First Amendment constitutional right for all Americans to be respected for their religious freedoms.

I do believe Christians can share faith and public prayer. I will say sadly, the world, including some Christians, can selfishly overkill a good thing.

Still, I think the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes are good documents to display in our schools.

People often talk about “a good read.” Well, to me, here are two.

I admit I’m from the generation when elementary teachers led the class in an early morning devotional. And yes, many days, we read verses straight from the Bible.

There is certainly something amiss these days when Christian teachers and principals cannot, or do not, lead as disciples with their Christian faith.

Here’s the thing: the Bible references pages of historical events like how Israel and other areas in the middle East were formed, and in some cases, lost. Most of all, it shares stories of love and acceptance like “The Good Samaritan,” which features an injured man left abandoned on the roadside and Daniel — a young man willing to die for his Godly convictions — just a few.

All the stories are so relevant to the times in which we live. According to daily Facebook posts, isn’t being loved and accepted really what the world wants?

Nowhere is love more prevalent on written pages than within the documented life of Jesus Christ.

The Bible has been a massive influence on literature and history throughout the ages. The Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using what is known as movable type.

Even Time magazine once printed: “The Bible has done more to share literature, entertainment, history and culture than any other book ever written. Its influence on world history is unparalleled, and shows no signs of abating.”

In addition, the Bible contains laws of the land...do not murder, do not steal, etc. It’s all in Exodus-The 10 Commandments brought down from the mountain by Moses.

Call it old school? How about honoring your father and mother — the fifth commandment. It’s there, too.

I was recently reading through a large Holy Bible from the 1960s which my granny gave me. Inside is all kinds of information about my family, i.e., birth dates, etc.

I remember her reading the Bible — not romance novels, not science fiction — but The Word of God daily, sometimes more than once. She instilled in me how important it was to do the same.

While billions of copies of The Bible have been sold and distributed worldwide. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to try adding a little Christian faith back into our troublesome world? I think reading the Bible daily is a good start.

In honor of taking the Bible to school, here is a verse from Proverbs 1:5

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance ....”