An illustration for fathers...a reminder for everyone!

I remember standing at the edge of a pool with my Dad telling me to jump. We all have those memories, and if you have children, you've no doubt had the experience of encouraging your children to take that leap of faith and jump into the pool where you're waiting.

Below is a reminder of why our faith glorifies God...

"Your daddy is standing in a swimming pool out a little bit from the edge. You are, let’s say, three years old and standing on the edge of the pool. Daddy holds out his arms to you and says, “Jump, I’ll catch you. I promise.” Now, how do you make your daddy look good at that moment? Answer: trust him and jump. Have faith in him and jump. That makes him look strong and wise and loving. But if you won’t jump, if you shake your head and run away from the edge, you make your daddy look bad. It looks like you are saying, “he can’t catch me” or “he won’t catch me” or “it’s not a good idea to do what he tells me to do.” And all three of those make your dad look bad.

But you don’t want to make God look bad. So you trust him. Then you make him look good–which he really is. And that is what we mean when we say, “Faith glorifies God” or “Faith gives God glory.” It makes him look as good as he really is. So trusting God is really important.

And the harder it seems for him to fulfill his promise, the better he looks when you trust him. Suppose that you are at the deep end of a pool by the diving board. You are four years old and can’t swim, and your daddy is at the other end of the pool. Suddenly a big, mean dog crawls under the fence and shows his teeth and growls at you and starts coming toward you to bite you. You crawl up on the diving board and walk toward the end to get away from him. The dog puts his front paws up on the diving board. Just then, your daddy sees what’s happening and calls out, “Johnny, jump in the water. I’ll get you.”

Now, you have never jumped from one meter high and you can’t swim and your daddy is not underneath you and this water is way over your head. How do you make your daddy look good in that moment? You jump. And almost as soon as you hit the water, you feel his hands under your arms and he treads water holding you safely while someone chases the dog away. Then he takes you to the side of the pool.

We give glory to God when we trust him to do what he has promised to do–especially when all human possibilities are exhausted. Faith glorifies God. That is why God planned for faith to be the way we are justified." - John Piper

Kids can teach us all kinds of things...what a reminder for all of us!

Friday Media

Laughter is good medicine...and parenting includes a lot of laughter!

Take a few minutes and enjoy!

Friday Media

For those of you who have talented little athletes on your hands, the following video asks you to consider how that fits in with a biblical model of stewardship in regards to parenting...





Time???

Energy???

Capital???


Have you asked yourself those hard questions when it comes to the reality of what God has entrusted to you to manage (your families faith health, your families' time, your families' resources)?

Are you at least willing to acknowledge the possibility that extra-curriculars (in whatever form) can detract from your main job as a parent (leading/shepherding that child to know and to love God with all their heart/soul/mind/strength)?

Thoughts?

One "thought-provoking" question

Psalm 145:4-7 says...

"One generation shall PRAISE Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness."

It didn't say, one generation shall educate each other.
It didn't say, one generation shall regularly attend church and hope it sticks.
It didn't say, one generation shall send them to Christian schools.
It didn't say, one generation shall let the pastors teach our kids about God.
It didn't say, one generation shall lecture.
It didn't say, one generation shall _________...

It said, one generation shall PRAISE your works to another.

As John Piper says, "there is a way to talk about God that negates the very truths about God you're trying to teach/pass on."

So, how are you "praising God" in the presence of those younger than you, mainly your children?. Do you talk about God in such a way that your children know He is the praise and glory of your heart and soul? Does the very thought of Him lead you to spontaneous praise in the good AND bad times?

Are you "praising" his works to the next generation?

The countdown has begun...

One month...

31 days...

744 hours...


That's right...no matter how I count it, it's getting closer and closer and closer. Today is October 3, and the official due date (Nov. 3) for Lauren and I's little "Nathan" is only one month away. Now, I know that at any moment in the next month, a series of events could happen that surprises us and shortens the amount of time we have.

The room is ready...the crib is put together...the car seats are ready to be installed...

Is there any other advice you current parents would give us about what we should do during the next month as we wait?

One friend, told me to go see a movie on a whim at the theater (just because you can) ...what else?

Friday Media

Parents, wouldn't it be great if you knew what your kids will be learning about during the entire month of October at church? Wouldn't it be great if there were a video that could summarize it all, help you understand the big picture, and maybe give you some insight into how to have conversations with your kids after church is over each week? Wouldn't that be great?

Well, you're in luck...

Elementary

Preview: Imagine That (October 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Preschool

FL Preview : Fantastically Made (October 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Get ready...it's going to be a great month!

What are you focusing on...

The other day I ran across an interesting article. I found it to be an interesting read, and wanted to pass it along.

Biblical Parenting vs. Gospel Parenting

Here's the only issue I have with his article...biblical parenting is gospel parenting! In other words, gospel parenting is the biblical way to parent. Do you get what I'm saying or am I just confusing you (as I confuse myself)?

What I enjoyed about the article is the distinction of focus when it comes to how you parent? The kinds of truths you attempt to point your children toward in those critical moments of parenting is a BIG deal.

Your thoughts?

Friday Media

What does the Gospel have to do with parenting? It doesn't always seem like those two go together...but they DO!!!

The Gospel and Parents - David Platt

If you have a commute or enjoy listening to podcasts while you work out, make sure you grab this one.

Blessed...

I wanted to share a story with you about a recent blessings I received. One of our church members made it possible for me to attend a national conference. Sometimes conferences/learning opportunities can be expensive (travel, hotel, food, etc.). This particular conference is held locally in Frisco, and so the cost isn't as substantial.

I'll be attending on Thursday and Friday the D6 conference. D6 gets its name from Deuteronomy 6. It's one of my favorite passages about the family/parental responsiblibity to shepherd/nurture/grow the faith of the next generation.

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

I'm looking forward to this learning opportunity. I hope to bring back some interesting knowledge and other insights for you about some new ways to look at this age-old challenge of growing up little "disciples."

I am a blessed man...blessed to have this opportunity...blessed to be a part of a church full of generous people...blessed to have a mission in life that I love...blessed in so many other ways!

Friday Media...

One of the great things that has started to happen in the last decade is this deep look into one of the "unwanted" or "undesired" outcomes of children who grow up in church. We've all heard the statistics about how many of the kids who grow up in church and yet, when they reach adulthood, they leave the church/faith.

There's all kinds of things I could say here...in fact, I have my own ideas/opinions/hypothesis, about why this tends to happen.

There's a study coming out of Fuller Seminary in CA called "Sticky Faith." When I heard the main thesis of the book, it matched many of the thoughts that I had about this phenomenon. It's set to release later this year, but the authors have provided a bit of summary for us. It's an audio podcast summarizing their findings.

Sticky Faith - Summary - Audio

I think this is something you should listen to and consider in your own parenting!

God is BIG!!!

I'm pretty sure you're aware of this, but God is BIG! Kids are acutely aware of how big God is. They are well acquainted with this idea of "wonder." As we move into adulthood, the "bigness" of God starts to become "less big." By "less big," I don't mean that somehow God is smaller. It's not His problem...but our problem.

I saw something the other day that helped me understand just how big things are that we think are. It's a completely different example an idea than God, but this helped me understand just how "BIG" some things are.

What does one TRILLION dollars look like?

Now, if that's what a "trillion" dollars looks like, can you imagine the size of the God of the universe who created everything (including the trillion dollars)? Want further proof, just google how many stars/galaxies exist.

How big is our God? [rhetorical question, no need to answer unless you really want]

Serving in Children's Ministry

Have you ever considered serving in children's ministry? Take a look at the reasons that a couple of ladies do!

Children's Ministry Testimony from Steven Polk on Vimeo.

Things I Love Too Much...

Last Saturday, I posted something on Facebook. I didn't think much about it at the time. I think, originally, my intent was to be a little comical and a little confessional. Here's what I wrote...

"There are some things in life that I love too much...#1 on that list...college football! (cut me some slack...at least I'm admitting that I have a problem)."

It's true. There are...

• Things that I love too much.
  
• Things that my affections are tied to.
• Things that I care about way more than I should.
• Things that are far from eternal.
• Things of which I need to confess.
• Things that hold too much sway over my emotions.
• Things that take way too much of the time I've been allotted on the earth.
• Things that I get more excited over than the worship of God on Sunday mornings.

All that to say, I don't have any plans to never watch a college football game again...I'm just wondering how much I love it. I'm trying to ask myself some of the hard questions that most people are really afraid to ask themselves.

So, here's the question for you today. What are those "things" for you? What are the "things" that you love way too much? An even scarier question...for those of you who are parents, what does that communicate to the little eyes that are constantly watching you from every angle?

It's a scary thought...but wasting your life on "things" that don't matter is an even scarier thought...at least for me.

Friday Media

As is custom, on Friday's, I pass along some good media (audio, video, etc.) about parenting.

Today, I wanted to share with you something that I think might be extremely helpful to you as a parent kids at Firewheel. Each month, our curriculum company gives us all kinds of great resources to help kids and families. Here are the summary videos of what your kids are learning about all month at church. Take a minute to watch...it may help you have a spiritual conversation to your kids!


Elementary

Preview: Grow Up (September 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Preschool

FL Preview: ANYTHING (September 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Hope they help!

Kids and Facebook

I found this to be an interesting take on kids and Facebook...

When should you let your kids use Facebook

My own personal thoughts are if the rules say 13 is the age you have to be...and your kid is 11 and has a Facebook...that means you either lied for them or you don't care if they lied and bent the rules. I know what you're thinking...everyone is doing it! You might even think I'm taking too hard of a stance. However, if you think I'm taking too hard a stance, go to www.firewheelchurch.com and listen to Pastor Jerry's message on integrity from a couple of weeks ago. Integrity is so tough sometimes, and I'm with you in that battle! Now, don't hear me condemning you...that's not what I'm saying. You could just as easily point a finger back at me in other avenues of life.

Instead, what I'd ask you to consider is to whether or not you've really thought about when, how, and why you let your kids be on social media websites.

What are your thoughts?