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Planting Seeds of Truth for Your Kids (Feature Friday 01/24/20)

He had been so excited to wear it. The weather had just turned cold enough for winter coats and that morning he had thrown it on with joyful exuberance. The last thing I saw was a beaming smile as he strolled into his school. The next time I saw him was with head low and tear-filled eyes. What happened? One word – kids.

Children can be brutal on one another. While my son was excited and joy-filled to wear his new coat into school it seems his classmates were not so thrilled about his new attire. Apparently, throughout the day multiple classmates made fun of his “puffy” coat and had less than positive remarks about it. Kids are brutal. This is why parents have such an important role in how we use our words for our kids. I appreciate Candace Wynn’s article “Planting Seeds of Truth for Your Kids“.

I have come to realize and am still learning just how big my words are in the ears and hearts of my children. I hope this article encourages you to speak the truth in love not just to your own children, but to any child you have the privilege to interact with regularly.

As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day and I’d love to hear what else you’d add to the important list of seeds needing to be implanted in our kids.

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

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How to Be an Intentional Parent with Your Words (Feature Friday 11/22/19)

I am excited! This weekend I get the privilege to retreat for a 24 hour period with other guys from my church. We will worship together, laugh together, eat together, and be challenged from God’s Word together. But I am even more excited because of the theme we will have: Words Matter!

What a needed topic and theme. “Words are powerful and memorable. We remember words that are pointed and positive. We also remember words that are sharp and negative. The human brain processes physical and emotional pain in a similar way. This means that negative words can literally hurt and cause pain because our brains perceive little difference.” While this is an important theme for all of us, it’s even more so for parents. Which is why I appreciate Doug and Cathy Fields post “How to Be and Intentional Parent with Your Words“.

Doug and Cathy challenged me, my use of words, and how to be a better dad to my kids. I hope you are challenged by the article as well. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

 

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The Suicide Talk (Feature Friday 10/25/19)

About every other month it seems there is another high profile personality who just can’t take life any longer and decides to end the battle raging within them by taking their own life. The reality is that almost everyone I know has been affected by it. It crosses demographic, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural divides. Old and young, rich and poor, atheist and Christian – suicide seems to be prevalent to all. That is why it is such an important issue to talk about…especially with our kids.

Just thinking about talking with my kids on the issue of suicide conjures up so many objections. “No one in our immediate family is struggling with it (that I know of), so I’ll wait until it presents itself”. “I don’t want to put the idea or thought in their head”. “If I just guard them against it, protect them from the fact that it is happening, or brush it off as inconsequential, it will not affect them”. These statements and many more like them I have heard, read and even thought to myself, yet all of them are unjustifiable.

But once I came to grips with the gravity of suicide and remembered my God-given responsibility to talk to my children about all things in life the question shifted from why to how. How can I talk to my kids about suicide? At what age? In what setting? While I have not embarked on this specific “talk” yet, I have bookmarked and saved Parent Cue’s article “The Suicide Talk“. It answers many of my objections, gives helpful tips on how to have the actual conversation and even touches on the heart attitude in addressing the situation.

When my wife and I determine it is the time to have “this talk”, I will refer back to this article, use it as a guide, and compassionately interact with my kids concerning the reality of suicide in our world.

I hope you find the article helpful and if so, please pass it along. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day!

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

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Have more Fun (Feature Friday 08/23/2019)

The past few days have been exhausting. Our six year old has had the flu (including all the fun things that come with that). Our 14 month old has been avoiding sleep like the plague, even though sleep is what he needs and we want most. With all this going on we feel like we are just surviving.

I am up early preparing for the day, taking the breakfast shift before I head out to work and have gotten home late because of multiple evening meetings. My wife is managing the ever growing piles of laundry, making sure everyone is fed, and doing the bedtime routine solo most evenings. Needless to say we are exhausted.

It is in weeks like these where I can come home, we can do the dinner, clean up, bath, and bedtime routine on autopilot. But there is something we have been missing and I needed the challenge in…Having More Fun as a Family.

Anyone who knows me know I love a good time, but this last week or so has been a struggle to have or even want to have fun as a family. So I was exhorted and encouraged by this article.

I hope you will remember and seek to have some fun this weekend as a family or individual. Enjoy the article and as always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!

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Turning Selfishness into Servant heartedness (Feature Friday 07/26/19)

It was weed pulling day at our home. I started with three little helpers yanking weeds around me in our flower beds and around the house. As the morning went on they dropped like flies. The first one was done after fifteen minutes, the second child lasted just over thirty minutes, but the third kid was still with me after an hour. I was shocked, surprised, proud, and curious. What caused one child to last longer in an act of hard work and service while two others more quickly dropped?

Some of it was age, the younger ones dropped out first. But I couldn’t help ask if there were other factors involved. This line of questioning led me to seek to understand and learn “How to Teach My Kids to be Servant Hearted“. In a world that repeatedly shows and teaches kids to pursue their self-interest above all else, we want our kids to be counter-cultural and others oriented. What makes this endeavor even more difficult is that their own hearts naturally bend to self-satisfaction.

The endeavor as parents to turn selfishness into servant heartedness in my own life is hard enough, but to seek to help my kids in it is another level. While my wife and I are intentional in trying to shape our kids to be servant-hearted, this article was a quick, concise, and helpful reminder with 3 easy tips.

If you are a looking to become more servant-hearted yourself or helping others do so make sure to check out the article. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.

Photo by Maddy Baker on Unsplash

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Feature Friday (06/28/19)

Tragedy! It strikes in the most peculiarly places and times. It affects all of us, regardless of age, gender, socio-economic class, race, and location. Tragedy is a human experience. To be human is to experience tragedy in some form.

The same horrible situation that affects adults can happen to children as well. The loss of a favorite item. The passing of a loved one. All of these and more happen to children like adults. As a parent there are many ways we want to respond to tragedy that hits our children, but what is one of the best ways to come alongside our kids in tragedy?

Brooklyn Lindsey shares an excellent article on this subject. Instead of offering advice, seeking conversation, or hoping to soften the blow, there is a better way.

Brooklyn shares how one of the best things to do when suffering rears it’s ugly head in any form is to “Huddle Up Close“.

Enjoy the read and as always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!

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