I would like to share with you a blog post that my good friend Pastor Bill Ivy wrote. As you read it, think of how your approach to your spouse or kids can make a difference in how they respond. Have you ever tried to FORCE a person to change? I call it the bulldog approach. It does not persuade people very well. Bulldogs will drive people away and keep them away. Why not start by respecting the other person’s idea. Letting them know that you understand their point of view. Then proceed to gradually build up your idea. Letting …
As a child, I was raised in a home that was filled with faith, fun, and love. Many memories come to mind when I recall the times we had together as a family. At our home, we enjoyed having youth meetings, building small forts in our backyard, and taking family vacations. While all of these things were enjoyable, the most important thing that I remember was my mother and fathers’ sincere desire to serve the Lord with all of their hearts. My father’s name is Daniel, and my mother’s name is Shannon. Isaac and Ethan are my two older brothers …
Often, as new parents we look at family devotions as a checklist: 1. Read a chapter of the Bible 2. Discuss the chapter 3. Pray Repeat Daily For Crista and I, this way of doing family devotions did not last long. When you have a grumpy 4-year-old, that is ready to go to bed, reading a chapter from Revelations does not do much for them. It does not set the right atmosphere when you are having to threaten your child that we will do this devotion if it takes us all night. There were times we were so concerned …
A while back, I attended the funeral of a manly man. The type of man who preferred blue jeans, cowboy hat, and boots. He worked long hard hours to support his family. I began to ponder the question, where are the manly men at today? Where are the men that might be a little rough around the edges, but when he shakes your hand, you know you have shaken a man’s hand? A mother once shared with me how now she not only prays that her daughter will find a husband that is filled with the Holy Ghost, but in …
Most of us fulfill many different roles. I am a husband, dad, business owner, employee, minister and the list goes on and on. Each of these roles brings a level of satisfaction. It is easy to get wrapped up in a particular role that builds our confidence and one that people are always applauding. I once heard an actor talk about how he would spend all day at a set and everyone around him would brag about him and laugh at his jokes. When he arrived home that night, he was met by his wife who had been at home all …
If we are in town, most Sunday afternoons we go home after church and have a “Sunday dinner”. It is a time we slow down, where sweet tea and dessert are must-haves at the dinner table. Our conversations range from God to politics. We discuss things that happened during the week. Luke, who is animated will sometimes stand up as he tells us a story. A family Sunday dinner is a tradition that I love and cherish. I realize that as our kids get older, it might be harder to make it happen, but right now it is working. …
If you are a parent, you probably understand the need to monitor your young children’s internet usage. With unsavory images and ads popping up everywhere, it is difficult to make sure your kids will not be bombarded with risky information. And that is not even to mention the risk of sexual predators. When our oldest son started the 7th grade, he was required to have an iPad for school. To be safe, we decided to disable his web browser (it was Safari at that time) so that he did not have access to the internet. But, we soon learned that …
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy. If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence. If children live with tolerance, they learn patience. If children live with praise, they learn appreciation. If children live with acceptance, they …
What priorities will be established in our children when the following things happen? 1. We are early for the game but late to the worship. 2. We see to it that our children do their homework but never check to seek if Bible lessons are completed. 3. They are not allowed to stay up late on school nights lest it infringes upon their school work but are allowed to stay up and watch the “LATE SHOW” on Saturday night, though they will be attending Bible Class the next morning. 4. We will not let them miss school even though they do not want to attend, but we cater …
I don’t believe there are devils enough in hell to pull a boy out of the arms of a godly mother. Billy Sunday Too many women have too much leisure time for their own good. They have time for criticism, gossip, faultfinding, and complaining. They have time for idle games and lay too much attention to things of the flesh. There are other women who have too little time for the enduring things of life. They are too busy flitting about doing this and that. They have great activity and much doing, but they lack time for building Christian characters. Both …