I know a place, a wonderful place
Where accused and condemned,
Find mercy and grace
Where the wrongs we have done,
And the wrongs done to us
Were nailed there with Him,
There on the cross
At the cross
He died for our sin
At the cross
He gave us life again
Here's a re-post of the "Play of the Day" from All Pro Dad.
The title grabbed my attention since we homeschool our kids (and we are quite proud of that fact), but I realize that is not a option or doesn't fit for every family.
Regardless, we parents must remember that we are daily teaching our kids; attitudes, habits, world views, etc. This happens in our home. If you want to talk about your kids being successful in life, realize that having involved parents is the single biggest indicator of a child's success:
...even if parents send their children off to school to learn, they are almost singlehandedly the only factor that matters in their kids' educational success.Important to remember!
A child whose faith consists solely of a learned doctrine may have that faith badly shaken when it collides with rival doctrines. But a child who carries about within him the memory of countless encounters with the reality of God will not have to worry about holding his faith. His faith will hold him.
I'm personally not a golfer, but I understand that many men enjoy it. Here's a website that takes the love of golf and father/son bonding and puts the two together in a great way:
Father and Son Golf Adventures (FSGA) provides an awesome venue for Fathers to spend quality time with their sons doing things that they both enjoy and can contribute too. The events that FSGA organize and run are specifically designed to engage Fathers and Sons in fun and interactive activities. They are structured to allow both the Fathers and Sons to fully enjoy themselves (they are adventures) and encourages Fathers and Sons to work together and play together.
My wife and I have managed to get out for coffee and planning a couple of times over the last week, planning for the year. There is so much to do, and so little time to do it!
Here's a quick reminder from the latest All Pro Dad Play of the Day that really hit home. As leaders of our homes, we are the ones that have to be willing to set the tone for our families and have the courage to say "no" when there are too many things going on. And it may take courage...especially if your wife our kids don't agree with the assessment.
Read it, think about it, then make the change you need to make!
The two biggest issues modern families face are over-commitment and under-connection. Parents over-commit at work, at hobbies and even at church. Kids over-commit at school or piano lessons or athletics. What that means is less time as a family together and less relational connectedness.
To get better connected as a family, you have to spend more time together, which may mean reprioritizing current commitments. Strong families make their family time a top priority.
Man, I wish I had known about this a week ago!
Here's some handy gift guidance for the husband who needs a little help when selecting a present for his wife...a camp I am firmly in!
This little card (found out about it on the Building Camelot blog) has all the essential info you need to make an informed purchase in the "heat of battle". Is it lame to have to consult a little card to know what perfume to buy your wife? Yes! But not as lame as not buying it all because of your own ignorance...
While I am not willing to pay $9 plus shipping to have a professional one made, I will be putting this little idea to good use with a DIY card for my wallet.
While doing an online search for model kits to give the boys for Christmas, I stumbled on this cool kit. I doubt my boys would appreciate this under the tree, but I'm thinking this would make a great family project at some point, and a great way to teach the theology of the Tabernacle.
Here's another marriage and family educational organization, dedicated to providing resources and training to help congregations and community groups build better marriages and families.
Their teach-right-out-of-the-box marriage education program, 10 Great Dates is used by churches, community marriage initiatives and other groups around the country and internationally as a low- key, fun, male-friendly, yet skilled-based program that appeals to the masses and to couples in any setting.
I have not read the books or gone through the series, but it does appear to be Christian-based.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and of course that brings the eternal question of what to get the kiddos. Although their lists are full of high-tech gadgets (even my 10 yr old wants an ipod!), I've been seriously considering going low-tech this year.
In fact, I've got an idea for the perfect present: The Stick. Here's an article about the classic toy, which recently landed in the National Toy Hall of Fame:
Curators said the stick was a special addition in the spirit of a 2005 inductee, the cardboard box. They praised its all-purpose, no-cost, recreational qualities, noting its ability to serve either as raw material or an appendage transformed in myriad ways by a child's creativity.
"It's very open-ended, all-natural, the perfect price -- there aren't any rules or instructions for its use," said Christopher Bensch, the museum's curator of collections. "It can be a Wild West horse, a medieval knight's sword, a boat on a stream or a slingshot with a rubber band. ... No snowman is complete without a couple of stick arms, and every campfire needs a stick for toasting marshmallows.
Wow. I was searching for a little inspiration on putting together a family devotion for Thanksgiving and I found this little jewel by Dr. Ray Pritchard. A great, concise teaching on Psalm 131, which has been described as "one of the shortest to read, but one of the longest to learn".
Buried in there is this this little prayer about simplicity:
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, then I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed.
Here's a website from Focus on the Family that brings together a lot of information in one place on sexuality, with specific sections for ministry leaders, couples, and parents.
Of special note is the section on the "Theology of Sexuality", something that ultimately informs all of our decisions around this topic: the movies we watch, if/when we let our kids date, even how we vote.
As the site says:
Although the Bible employs other analogies for God’s relationship to His people, the most common is that of bridegroom and bride. If we are created in God’s image, does this heavenly relationship have any bearing on our earthly relationships? It holds more meaning than most of us have ever imagined.
Short, nice little article from FamilyEducation.com about time with your teen.
It's important to remember that although your teen may seem to be pushing away and sending the "I'm too cool to be seen with my parents" vibe at times, they really need us to draw closer than ever:
Teens don't want to be seen with their parents, much less talk to them or do anything with them. That's what we hear all the time. I don't buy it. I never did.
...
If you've taken the time throughout their childhood to really know and appreciate who your children are -- and to share who you are with them -- there will be many times during their teenage years when they will want the pleasure of only your company, when they will need you by their side, when they must have your arms around them.
So the summer is long gone now, but I just found this article about Michael Phelps. I kept on wondering as I watched his record-setting performance this summer why only his mom and sisters were there to cheer him on, with no dad in the picture. Now I know.
How sad that this young man has records and fame, but lacks the one thing he probably wants more than anything else: the approval of his father.
"This is his world, and I'm just watching him travel through it," Fred [Phelps] told the Baltimore Sun in a 2004 interview. "People ask me how he's doing, where he's swimming next, and it's hard to say that I don't know."Our sons may never reach this level of notoriety...but no matter what course they take , may it never be the case that we check out of their lives. It is our duty to make sure the divide does not remain.
I'm a little slow on the uptake when it comes to movies. Apparently this is a "Christian movie" (think Facing the Giants) that broaches the subject of marriage...and how to save it.
This seems like the type of movie I would typically wait to see on DVD (I get to go to the movies so infrequently, I like to save it for more visually epic films) but this might make a great date movie.
Check it out:
A long while ago I reviewed the book Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp. I pulled it back off the shelf a couple of days ago to look something up and realized (anew) what a great book it is.
The teaching ministries of Paul and his brother Ted Tripp have had a significant impact our family. If you are not familiar with their work I would encourage you to take a look:
Paul Tripp Ministries
Tedd Tripp Shepherd Press
Here's a well written article by a father of three boys who did not have a strong manly influence in his life. He succinctly captures in a few paragraphs several thing so many of us fathers can't seem to put into words, but struggle with constantly.
What I'm discovering is that as I try to guide these ornery, wild-hearted little boys toward manhood, they are helping me become a better man, too. I love my sons without measure, and I want them to have the father I did not. As I stumble and sometimes fail, as I feign an interest in camping and construction and bugs, I become something better than I was.
I have not read the book or been to the conference, but just a glance at the website and watching a couple of the videos makes me think this might be worthwhile...kind of reminds me of a Christian version of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" (which I investigated prior to becoming a Christian and have come to find out is very new-agey).
Love and Respect - Presented by Dr. Emerson E. Eggerichs
Is your family anything like ours this time of year?
The good news: all the extra-circular activities, special events, and homeschool co-op groups are finally winding down for the year.
The bad news: it's time to start planning out all the logistics for camps, vacations, and mission trips for the summer.
But seriously, all these things are good things ...it's just that if we are not careful we can commit to too many good things, which can be a bad thing. I have to confess we sometimes slip into a mentality summed up as:
giving [your] child necessary “opportunities” by having them participate in as many activities as possible.... keeping kids extremely active in these activities, is necessary for future success.
Make family time a priority. Spending time together should take precedence over each family member pursuing their individual activities. Healthy activities like walking, biking, or gardening together can also help keep stress levels at bay.
Mother's day came this year in the midst of a lot of other activities going on in our lives so my wife didn't get the usual royal treatment.
But, it strikes me that I don't need to have a special day to demonstrate appreciation for her. Here's a quick little article to remind us that our wives deserve special treatment from us every day of the year.
Of particular interest for this blog is the "Model for Chivalry" item.
FATHERS.COM - What Children Gain When You Love Their Mother
I don't know about you, but sometimes I need some "dad encouragement". Yes, I know I play a pivotal role in my kid's lives...but sometimes I don't feel like it. I get the impression the "machine" would keep rolling on without me.
Here's a nice little article that reminds us how we dads are different and why it is important. Also, that strategic time with our kids is invaluable:
Fortunately men today know how valuable they are to their children. The most recent studies show that dads spend 33 percent more time with their kids than their counterparts 20 years earlier... When you combine workdays and weekends, men today spend an average of two to three hours a day engaged with their young children - far more than the oft-cited figure of 12 minutes a day...
But just punching in on the family clock isn't the whole story. "Presence means more than simply being there, ...A father who is engaged can be deeply vested in his children, even when he is absent."
