Showing posts with label videos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label videos. Show all posts

Forgiveness, Patriotism, Heritage, and the Gospel


I love our family meal times. Not every meal time involves a serious discussion, but almost every Saturday morning I have been trying to focus my family on the Bible.

One of the themes that we've focused in on this past year is "Love God, Love Others." Some recent current events presented a great opportunity to explain Biblical forgiveness.

A few weeks ago, as I'm sure you know, Dylan Roof shot and killed nine people at a prayer meeting in Charleston, SC. Unfortunately, senseless murder is not too uncommon nowadays.

However the response by the remaining family members was striking. They offered forgiveness and prayed for God's mercy on him.



As a family, we discussed how we would feel if someone killed one of us. Sad. Angry. Upset. And those feelings are all valid.

Then I read Ephesians 4:32:
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." 

Paul makes it clear that our actions should not be dependent on our feelings. Our actions should flow out of our relationship with Christ. That is, our love for God is directly connected with our love for others. And love for others should know no bounds, even if those bounds involve hate-filled murder.

More Thoughts on the Charleston Shooting

Brandon Smith writes in Reflect Christ, Deflect Satan:
"The gospel frees us from our own interests. Christians have an obligation to love God and love others well precisely because of the cross."
And my friend Jim Taylor, before he preached a sermon that I really needed to hear, shared thoughts on the Charleston shooting:



 

On a Related Topic . . . 

If you've been following the story of this shooting (and probably even if you haven't), you know that our country is awash in a Confederate Flag controversy. Again. (Yes, I know that the flag is technically the Confederate Battle Flag.)

A few days after it began, I tweeted this late one night:

And then I followed up a few days later with a 1500-word expansion on that thought.

Now, as we are about to celebrate our nation's independence, I want to expand on that thought even more. It's not just "Southern Heritage" that Christians need to be careful of. We can put any other identity issue in that tweet as well.

Here are a few other variations you can try on for size:
Any Christian who puts his Patriotism over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Any Christian who puts his family ancestry over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Any Christian who puts his work or ministry over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Any Christian who puts his ethnic group over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Any Christian who puts his hobby over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Any Christian who puts his (________) over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Examine your heart. What could you fill in this blank with?

Remember, Christian, any freedom you have in your heritage is trivial compared to the freedom Christ brought for you.

These posts may help you think through why our Christian identity should matter so much:

Final Thoughts and Related Links

I encourage you to spend some time reading one or more of these links:

**image courtesy of melodi2 via rgbstock
on 7/03/2015 0 comments
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Favorite Tweets for June

Happy Summer!!

It's hot around here, which means it's a good time to do a little reading. I've read a few fiction books this month, which is abnormal for me. One of those books was To Kill a Mockingham, my first time reading this classic.

Hopefully, you get time to relax with a good book. And maybe some good tweets, like these:


From Others

@TGC:  20 years of marriage have taught me much about my own heart and the way in which God works to make us like his Son.

@StudentsFirst:  What the best schools have in common is that they set high expectations for students from day one:

@Gospel_Project:  It is important that we tell ourselves again today that we need the grace of Jesus right now as much as we needed it when we first...

@BRobson90:  Any other desire of our heart will look like rubbish when compared to the immense riches and treasure of having Christ as our chief desire!

@GraceChurchCE:  "God is God. I dethrone Him in my heart if I demand that He act in ways that satisfy my idea of justice." -Elizabeth Elliot 

@ChrchCurmudgeon:  Due to our inability to find VBS clean-up volunteers, tomorrow's wedding will be jungle-themed. 

@JonathanOwens21:  Guys, we are not just "offended" by the Confederate Flag. It's pain. Real, real pain. I wish people would understand that.

From Myself

Thanks to generous church members, I just dropped off a check to provide partial scholarships for 5 kids to attend Long Branch's summer camp. 

I can't believe that & just had senior night, and we forgot to submit this for a memory.

"When teachers believe a student can perform at a high level, the student is much more likely to do so."

Big thanks to for giving its employees time off to volunteer in our community…

We have a dentist that gives out cookies, & an orthodontist that gives out popcorn (& rents out movie theaters for all his clients).

Any Christian who puts his "Southern Heritage" over our identity and unity in Christ, tramples on the gospel.

Had a great time at Landon Powell Hit House! Grateful for their investment in youth, and t…
on 6/30/2015 0 comments
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Common Core Math, Explained

I shared this on social media last week, but I believe it is worth sharing here. Vox explains why Common Core math look weird, but why this number sense forms a crucial foundation to build on in mathematics.



It strikes me how so many people complain about how much our education system is "failing," or how teenagers can't do simple math reasoning, and yet those people are resistant to the type of teaching shown in this video. And I can tell you (as someone who has been teaching middle school math the past few months), that there are a lot of generally-smart children who don't have a basic number sense.

Maybe I'm biased, because this is how I do mental math when I add or subtract. (And maybe I'm biased because I believe Common Core is NOT the Common Problem.) So let's here from you:

Do you understand math problems like this? Or even if not, does this video help explain why elementary students are getting "weird" math instruction?

Let us know in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter. 

Also, please consider sharing this post (or the video itself) with others. It’s easy – you can just click one of the buttons below. 

We need to clarify this issue!!

on 5/15/2015 0 comments
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Self-Esteem and Parenting

A lot has been going around about how praising your kids too much can make them narcissistic. I agree, to an extent. What I've learned (through much trial and error) is that instead of praising talent, we should praise:
  1. Strategy 
  2. Persistence
  3. Effort

Furthermore, we need to help our kids learn to esteem God and others more than they esteem themselves (Philippians 2:3-4).

Here are some more thoughts, from an article called When the Obsession with Self-Esteem Creates Unlikeable (and Spiritually Deficient) Kids:
"Our kids should get their sense of worth from our teaching them that they are precious in God’s sight. They should feel loved unconditionally, not desperate to prove to everyone why they should be appreciated. When we allow them to brag, we are solidifying the false notion that we are probably born with that says our worth is based on our performance."
Or, take Jimmy Kimmel's advice:



What do you think? Can we praise kids too much? Or do we just praise kids for the wrong things?
on 3/17/2015 0 comments
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Parenting Resources


A quick compilation of some great parenting articles I've come across recently. You may not have time to read all, so pick a couple that seem to interest you the most.


A Prayer for the Parent's Soul
Thoughts on Psalm 143, from Jonathan Parnell. "Parenting is inescapably the work of waiting. But here, in this place of uncertainty, through this prayer, we remember the clear picture of God’s love in the cross and victory of Jesus."

Manvotional: General Douglas MacArthur's Prayer for His Son
Short, sweet, and inspiring.

 5 Bad Substitutes for Discipline      
If you had a choice between following my blog and Tim Challies, pick the latter. Here's some parenting wisdom he gleaned from a book he's read.

Be Ready to Answer Your Kids Questions About the Bible   
Jon Bloom gives simple and thorough explanations to some apologetics-related questions. Then, you can read about when my son asked, "How do we know that Jesus is real?"  

Three Reasons to Attend Corporate Worship
And another self-promoting plug for my own blog, you may want to check out What If My Child Doesn't Want to Go to Church? (Yes, we've struggled with this issue in our family, too.)

What Lead You to Become an Atheist? Some Surprising Answers
Not a strictly parenting article, but one that parents need to consider as they think about their own church attendance and membership. To sum it up: having your child go to church is not enough!!!

Why Repentance Must Be Central to Your Ministry    
Again, not strictly about parenting, but a great reminder that every ministry or work we have (including discipling our children) must start with our repentance. Click on the link above, just watch it below:




Did you recently come across any helpful parenting resources? Let us know in the comments.

on 11/14/2014 0 comments
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Favorite Tweets from October

I hope you get a monster amount of candy for Halloween. Or just because it's Friday. Whatever reason you need.

Here's another treat for you -- some of my favorite tweets that you may have missed this past month.


From Others:

@FallonTonight:  A Russian group nominated Putin for a Nobel Peace Prize. "I'm all about peace," Putin said. "Piece of Ukraine, piece of Poland…"

@Jonnie_W:  Just met in an elevator, and I got flustered. Hope he knows my Love Language® is sweaty palms. 

@BurkParsons:  In his sermon on the mount Jesus demanded perfect righteous of us, in his death on the mount he fulfilled it for us.

@JoeWaters_GVL:  "Childhood poverty gets biologically embedded." - Dr Gorski 

@JamieTheVWM:  Maybe we should stop saying "Jesus loves you." and start saying "I love you. Jesus taught me how."  

@TheFatherEffect:  Your kids learn about grace by watching you give it to others.  


From Me:

To boost young brains, get kids to .

Definitely a good sign --> "As overtesting outcry grows, leaders pull back on standardized tests."

Another reason why should be the first to go to Mars!

Will this video inspire students to go into -related careers? is beautiful!!   

A little encouragement for the football coaches at Greenville High.  
on 10/31/2014 0 comments
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Halloween 2014

I go through this every year. I filter through articles about Halloween and hear feedback about how other Christian families approach this holiday.

This is it for me. I will not write about Halloween on this blog next year. I've probably said and written enough, and I'm sure I've linked to a plethora of other bloggers. Don't believe me? Check out what I posted in . . .

From this, you can tell how we feel about Halloween. It's fun for our children, but mostly we use it as another opportunity to connect with our neighbors and community. We look forward to doing that again this year, especially since we've just moved into this neighborhood 3 months ago.

Want More?

But maybe you can't get enough. So, here are some other great articles I've come across.

Halloween on Mission (Grace Church Kids). Includes a link to another great article from Desiring God.

Halloween Is Not Important (The Resurgence). "Your standing before God doesn’t change depending on what you do on October 31. To be honest, it doesn’t change no matter what you do any day of the year."

3 Tips for Discipling Your Kids Through Halloween (Verge Network). Remember these three crucial parenting principles: 1) Every decision is an opportunity for discipleship, 2) Do not fear, and 3) We are all on the same team.

Halloween -- From a Christian Parents Perspective (Family Matters). "You can choose to set limits on what your family will do or not do (like I do in mine). The Spirit will lead you. The one thing we simply can’t do is withdraw and surrender the day to the powers of darkness."

Where Did Halloween Come From? Can a Christian Celebrate It? (Center for Apologetics and Research Ministry). Just what the title says!

Candy Rapping! (DeStorm Power). OK. This is just for fun. It's your reward for making it through this list of blog posts.



That's a lot of articles! Just pick a couple to read and work through. And then spend time after Halloween thinking and discussing what you'd like to do differently next year.


on 10/28/2014 0 comments
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Teenagers and Dating

The thought of my child dating is "unbearable."
When Hannah turned 11, I decided that she was about the right age for me to start embarrassing her in public. (She disagreed, with a smile.)

Now that she's a teenager, some say that it's time for us to thinking about dating. (I disagree, with a scowl.)

Advice

Maybe your child is closer to the dating scene than my children are. Or, perhaps I'm closer than I'd like to realize. Here are some good articles to help us think through this topic:


Smile

At least these Blimey Cow videos can make me smile:

Seven Reasons Why Being a Teenager Is the Worst 





When Should You Start Dating?




Let us hear in the comments:
  • From the first video: What do you think is (or was) the worst part of being a teenager?
  • From the second video: Do you have a set age when you will allow (or allowed) your child to start dating? 

Inquiring minds want to know!


**image courtesy of clarita via morguefile
on 10/24/2014 2 comments
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She's a Teenager!

Hannah, 3 days old.
As of September 25, at 12:29 AM, I have a teenager.

I really don't have much to write about that. No words can adequately capture what I feel inside. As a parent, you understand.

I remember cradling Hannah in my arms in the hospital, when she was about 20 hours old. I was weeping, as I thought: "In less than a day, she'll be twice as old as she is now."

Well, now she is 5698 times as old as she was in that moment. I'm feel just as uncertain and weak as a parent as I did then.

I fail all the time, but I think I'm doing OK. Even more important, Hannah thinks I'm doing fine. A couple of weeks ago, when I told the kids that I would be teaching a parenting class for young dads, she immediately exclaimed, "You'll be GREAT at that!" It was so encouraging to hear it from her, as I could tell she meant it from the heart.

She's a reflection of God's optimism and hope. She's beautiful, inside and out. She is growing in God, learning how to relate to others, and becoming more aware of herself.

Want to see how much her personality hasn't changed over the years? This video was done in 2006, when she was 4-and-a-half years old. We crack up to tears whenever we watch it. (The purpose was for it to be a part of a "thank you" to children's ministry volunteers in our church. The voice you hear is the Children's Ministry Director at the time.)


There is so much commentary I could give you about this video, but I'll just share this one thing: Her favorite (or was that frave-rit) Bible story that she referred to is when Solomon threatened to cut a baby in two (I Kings 3).

Hannah, 12.8 years old
I'm not fearing this stage of her life (the dreaded "teenager"). Our relationship is changing, but it's not for the worse. I get to relate to this young woman in a way that I could not have done with her when she was 4 or 5 years old. I am so thankful that I get to be her Daddy.

I'm even thankful I get to do things like buy her hot chocolate after an MRI at 10 o'clock at night. (See the picture to the right.)

Want to read more about her, and what I'm learning from parenting my daughter? Here are some posts from her previous birthdays:
And here's my post from this year on her birthday, on my other blog: Birthday Flashback.

Are You a Parent of a Teenager?

Do you have a teenage daughter, or will you soon have one? Be encouraged, and be joyful.

And here are some other articles that may be helpful for you:
I especially like the following excerpt of this last article, which I'll close with:
"What happens when the joyful little girl who knew the love of Jesus begins to look shadowed and burdened, wondering if it all makes sense?... As I attempt to love my daughter through her struggle, I am trying to get out of the way. I am trying not to let my sin hinder her progress."
on 9/26/2014 0 comments
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Parenting Articles and Resources

Harvard-bound? Not on his own, or even with only my help.
A list of resources for you. I think you'll find at least one or two to be interesting and helpful.

Earth-Bound Parenting (Paul Tripp). "In fact, if left to your own willpower and “righteousness”, you would choose earth-bound parenting 10 times out of 10. But don’t be discouraged by that statistic; the God who is speaking these words in Matthew 6 is speaking them with two feet on the ground. He left Heaven and came to earth to die for selfish, impatient and idolatrous parents like you and me."

It Takes a Village to Raise Kids (Jamie Ivey). Yes, fatherless children need mentors to be involved in their lives. But my children (and all children) need the same. "The more people in our kids’ lives that they trust and that are telling them the same truths we are, the better."

Using Guilt to Lead Kids to God (Jayson Bradley). Guilt may get short-term results, but it doesn't mean it should be a tool for long-term discipleship.

#HowToDad (General Mills). Yes, they are trying to sell you their product. But I still like this because of the positive message it portrays.



Don't Just Talk the Talk (Casey Lewis).  The author explains what it looks like to shepherd your family, and adds this exhortation: "Being a believer means we live according to God’s will; it means we walk the walk. So it doesn’t matter what you say. What matters is what you do."

Biblical Parenting: The Call to Formative Instruction (Tedd Tripp). The first of a three-part series. Tripp starts with the big picture, and then moves on to practical tips and ideas.

Cultivating Wonder in Our Children (Hannah Anderson). "We tend to believe discipleship happens through the accumulation of religious knowledge. A quick Google search for “children’s discipleship” brings back resource after resource — everything from catechisms to Bible memory systems to pint-sized devotional books – all promising to produce faith in the next generation of believers. What I rarely hear discussed is the necessity of discipling our children through “natural revelation.”"
on 9/12/2014 0 comments
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Gifts FOR and FROM Dads: 2 Great Videos for Father's Day

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart."   (Colossians 3:21)

From Jim Valvano (HT: ClickstopCulture):






A Letter from Dad to His Son (HT: Focus on the Family):





Related Links:


on 6/12/2014 0 comments
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The Joy and Agony of Parenting

Three uplifting videos for Mother's Day weekend:


3 Queens from Matt Bieler on Vimeo.








Related Links:
on 5/08/2014 0 comments
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New Skill: Rubik's Cube

There is a flaw in my plan.

One of my personal goals for the year was to spend 20 hours (over two-month spans) learning new skills. First it was Spanish, then ukulele.

I'm not becoming an expert at either one, but it's been challenging and fun.

What's the problem, then? Well, my plan was to spend 30 minutes, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks (that equals 20 hours) learning the skill. But of course, to maintain and continue to grow, I still need to spend time practicing my Espanol and my ukulele.

Even if I only maintain with 1.5-2 hours per week, I realize that I will quickly be overwhelmed how much time it takes to develop and retain skills. By the time I'm on my 4th skill, for example, I could be spending 7 or 8 hours a week just on these "hobbies."

And that doesn't include the time demands of blogging, editing the book I wrote last year, or any other leisure activities. Oh, and I need to work, too.

Yep, there's a flaw in my plan. But I'm stubborn enough to keep going.


This Month's Skill: Rubik's Cube

A couple of years ago, my son got a Rubik's Cube. Even using the instructions, it still took hours and hours for me to solve it. For the next two months, I will improve on this.

But I will not do the full 20 hours learning this skill. I will probably go for about 10-12 hours over the next two months, so that I still have time to keep learning Spanish (I'm just finished with Year 1!) and the ukulele.

How am I going to learn to solve the Rubik's Cube (besides taking off the stickers, which was my technique when I was a kid)? I will probably use this guide, or this.  

Or maybe you know of a good source? (Please let me know in the comments!)

Of course, I could just with DeStorm Power's rap:




The Next Level?

Maybe one day I could solve this one to the right -->

Maybe.

And here's a video of someone solving 6 types of Rubik's cubes: from 2x2 to 7x7.

Then again, maybe it would just be easier to program a robot to solve the cube in under 3 seconds.



Let's Hear from You

How about you? Are you learning any new skills this year?

And if you are a Rubik's cube expert, do you know of a good "cheat sheet"?


Edit: Here's how I did Solving These Skills.    
on 4/29/2014 2 comments
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Conversation with Paul Tripp and Elyse Fitzpatrick: Parenting and the Gospel

A great 20-minute video on how God's grace affects our family relationships. Will be well-worth your time to watch it, and keep coming back to it.


Here are my favorite snippets:
  • "When I as a parent look at the cross of Jesus Christ . . . I begin to understand what love is, but I'm brought to the end of myself, and that's a good thing." 
  • "You do not want to be the child of a parent who thinks he is a 'grace-graduate.' . . . The parent needs to be rescued from himself, from his own self-righteousness, from his own arrogance."
  • "If we live in the light of God's love for us even though we remain sinful, we shouldn't be shocked at our children's sin."
  • "All of parenting is a gracious rescue."
  • "I have no ability whatsoever -- zip, nada -- to change my child. None. No matter how elaborate my punishments are, no matter how steel-tight my arguments are, no matter how big my threats are. I do not have that ability. I am not the fourth member of the Trinity. . . . A parent must embrace his or her inability, in order to find the liberation of being an instrument in the hands of God."
  • "So much of what goes on in 'Christian' parenting is this covenant of works, which is basically, 'Good parenting in, good kids out.' . . . [Our children] become smarter sinners, until they're old enough to blow it all off."
  • "We have to try to stop trying to find the magic method, whereby we're going to force our children . . . into some sort of compliance and obedience, and instead say, 'Salvation is of the Lord. I'm just like you. Let's run to Jesus.'"

Which statement stands out most to you?


Related Links:
on 4/08/2014 2 comments
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20 Hours to Learn Anything: It's a System, Not a Goal


For all the goals I had in 2013, losing weight was not one of them. However, of my eleven monthly 1 small thing goals, 5 of them were health related. I did those monthly goals with the intention of trying to form new, habits, and slowly but surely, I have become a regular exerciser.

So, while I did not intend to lose weight, I did want to be healthier, and I took specific action steps to achieve better health. Since the summer, I started doing two things:
  1. Exercising regularly, which usually means jogging 2 or 3 days each week.
  2. Tracking my caloric intake, using an app on my phone.
The results:  I lost almost 10 pounds in the last six months of 2013.


What I Learned About Goals

Here's what I learned about making goals: Don't make the end result the focus. Yes, you need to have a specific objective. But more important are the action steps toward your goal.

You see, I realized that I can't always control results, but I can control what I do.

What if I made "Lose 20 pounds my goal," which is sort of true for me, because I do want to lose another 10 pounds or so? What if I made 20 pounds my goal, and only lost 10? I would probably feel like a failure.

But I focused on two action steps (involving exercise and diet) and I let the results take care of itself. James Clear wrote about this, as he explained why it's more important to have systems than goals. He writes that goals . . .
  1. reduce your current happiness (because we equate goals with happiness)
  2. are at odds with long-term progress (because we slack off after accomplishing them)
  3. suggest that you are more in control than you think (sorry, Type A people, we can't control everything in life)


This Year's Goals Systems

2013 Goals: Each month, do something regularly to form a habit.

2014 System: Spend 20 hours over 2 months to learn a new skill.

I was inspired in part by Josh Kaufman's TEDx talk, in which he makes the case that it takes about 20 hours to learn the basics of a new skill. For me, this will translate to roughly 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks.

Here are some of the skills I hope to learn:
  • Basic Spanish language
  • Playing an instrument (probably the ukelele, which is what Kaufman did, too)
  • Solving a Rubik's cube
  • Computer programming
I need two more skills (since I'll need six for the year). You can let me know of any suggestions in the comments.

Again, I will focus on the system (i.e., practicing for 30 minutes a day), not the goal (mastering the ukelele, becoming fluent in Spanish, setting a world record for solving a Rubik's cube).

Yes, I do want to become competent in speaking and translating Spanish, and I'll keep that objective in mind. But the part that I will focus on is what I will do to make it happen. I will focus on what I will do and how long I will do it. If I do that, the results will take care of themselves.

 

Skill #1: Learning Spanish

The first objective for the year is learning Spanish. Of course, I do not expect to acquire even a basic mastery in just two months. Instead, I will focus on establishing a system to learn Spanish in January and February, and then plan to continue my study through the rest of the year (and beyond?).

We've already bought the Rosetta Stone software. We got a good deal on the homeschool version (for up to 5 users, plus it tracks grades), so all five of us will be working on this, though at different paces and with varying focuses. For example, our youngest child will only do speaking and listening.

I haven't taken Spanish in almost 20 years, but I am excited to do this. The main reason is to be able to help others who speak Spanish but not (or only a little bit of) English.

And there are personal benefits to learning new skills (such as foreign languages). It has been shown to positively modify the brain's structure, keep aging minds sharp, and delay dementia. For children and youth, learning a foreign language has been shown to increase a broad range of cognitive development. In addition, the "flow" state of acquiring new abilities has been shown to increase happiness. That is, our whole body likes it when we learn new things.

Our six-year-old on lesson 1.

¡Vamanos! (Let's Go!)

Since all five of us will be learning Spanish, perhaps we can produce something like this (from what I understand, it was produced as a final project in a Spanish class):



What about you? Are you up for learning any new skills in 2014?


Related Links:

**top image courtesy of imageafter via everystockphoto
on 1/07/2014 2 comments
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7 Inspiring Articles on Christmas

Unpacking treasures stored away for a year.

Now's the time of the year where every blogger writes about Christmas. And I'm no exception.

I'm sure you have seen and read plenty of Christmas articles over the past couple of weeks. But here are some more great articles (some from last year, and some from this year) that have helped me worship Jesus this Christmas.

The Scandal of the Incarnation.  "I’m glad that the Almighty God of the universe loved his people so much that he was willing to come in obscurity, to live in humility, and die shamefully so that we might be forgiven and have life to the full."

Christmas in a Cold Prison.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer spent the Christmas of 1943 in prison, and again in 1944. Commenting on this fact, Tony Reinke writes, "We can miss this meaning of Christmas if our celebration is only wrapped up in comfortable warm fires and the fellowship of friends and family. We can miss the memory of our desperation that required the Son of God to suffer for us. We can miss the personal desperation met in the manger. And we can miss out on the fellowship of his sufferings."

The Incarnation.  Not an article, but a beautiful 3-minute video by Odd Thomas. You can click on the link, or just watch it here:



3 Tips for Sharing Jesus with Others This Christmas.  Adam Ramsey reminds us that we are surrounded with opportunities to share the gift of the gospel. "Freely we have received. This Christmas, let’s freely give."

Five Things to Teach Your Children This Christmas.  "Christmas provides a wonderful opportunity to pour the truths of the gospel into the hearts of our children. It’s an ideal time to show them the greatest gift they could ever receive, the gift of Jesus Christ."

Why Jesus Came.  From an Advent devotion from John Piper, it's the entire mission of Jesus in two verses.

Jesus in Prison.  An excerpt of a sermon that a friend of mine gave in a young offender's prison. The gospel could not have been made more relevant.

on 12/17/2013 0 comments
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Thanksgiving + Hanukkah = Thanksgivukkah?


Hanukkah started at sundown yesterday (November 27), so today is the first day. It last coincided with Thanksgiving in 1888, and it won't again for over 77,000 years. I don't think we'll make it. (And read this article to learn when, and why, Hanukkah will coincide with other holidays.)

I hope you get to enjoy your day with family and friends.

Want to learn about Hanukkah? Then ignore this video: (Really, it's terrible, except for a laugh.)



If you want more accurate resources, check out Why I Celebrate Hanukkah. And for an old story from our family on Thanksgiving, check out "Are They Pilgrims?"  

Today, you may be celebrating . . .
  • Thanksgiving 
  • Hanukkah 
  • Black Friday (because apparently, it now begins on Thursday)
  • anything else!

Whatever it may be, I hope you have a great day and a great weekend.

God bless!
on 11/28/2013 0 comments
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How Are Babies Made?

How are babies made? NOT like this:



But if you want ideas for having a real talk with your child about sex and babies, try these posts:

And if you want to learn some amazing facts about babies, try this video:


on 11/21/2013 2 comments
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She Doesn't Want Me to Fix It

Men, we know we like to fix things. But our wives just want us to listen and be sympathetic.

No matter what.



Seriously, though. My 14th anniversary coming up next month, and I can think of only a handful of times when I've done this well -- when I've responded with sympathy instead of my "ingenious" solution.

When our immediate response is to "fix" her problems, we are saying, "It's a good thing you have someone as smart as me to help you." How condescending.

Guys, if we can do more listening and more feeling, she will appreciate it. And in terms of strengthening our relationship, we'll hit the nail right on the head.
on 11/12/2013 0 comments
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Is It OK to "Accept Jesus in Your Heart"?

I never liked the phrase "accept Jesus in your heart." Before I was a Christian, this cliche' was confusing. And when I become a Christ-follower and started reading the Bible, I never saw Jesus, disciple, or apostle use this phrase. At best, it is unhelpful; at worst, it is misleading.

Instead of inviting Jesus in our hearts, we should be believing and trusting in Him, and following His ways. And as parents, we need to making disciples of our children, not getting them to repeat a simple prayer.

On the other hand, a couple that mentored us (including  premarital counseling, parenting classes, and the husband and I having lots of meals together) did use the phrase "accept Jesus in your heart" with their children. In their perspective, they used this phrase as a part of how they taught their children to follow Jesus.

On the other hand (is that a third hand, or back to the first?), I agree with David Platt in the video below. Using this phrase is a dangerous path, that might give parents false assurance.





So while it is not inherently bad for some to use the phrase "accept Jesus in your heart," it may be dangerous for churches (and believers) to teach others to do that. We need to focus on helping others to respond biblically to the gospel and to the full glory of God.

What do you think? Do you think it's OK to say, "Accept Jesus in your heart"? Why or why not?


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**image courtesy of Elizabeth Thomsen via flickr
on 9/05/2013 0 comments
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