Archives For Marriage and Parenting

hot sauce horror

An Intro to Disciplining Your Children

December 14, 2011 — Leave a comment

Disciplining your children is probably one of the most controversial topics in our society today. Every culture has a different norm or standard for what’s okay or not. Not only that, but the times have changed from when we were kids so that everyone is pretty much tip toeing around the issue.

For example, did you hear the recent story about a mom using hot sauce and cold showers to discipline her child? Click here to read about it, or check out this video below.

This post is not meant to be THE ANSWER to all your questions, but rather a starting place or a place of resource as you determine what your disciplining style will be for your family.

Rather than doing the whole hot sauce and cold shower thing, what about this method for disciplining?

Here’s a solution for a perpetually messy bedroom: Explain to your child, “I cannot bear to look at this room anymore — it’s too messy! I’m going to turn off the circuit breaker so I can’t see it. When it’s clean enough for me to tolerate, let me know and I’ll turn your power back on.”

Haha, okay that’s pretty funny and I guess that would only work during the day time. Nevertheless, the need to discipline is a real issue and here are some reasons why we should discipline our children:

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pencils

Faith and Kids – the Parent’s role

October 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

Deut. 6:1   These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,  2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.  3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Deut. 6:4    Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

We can’t pass something onto our kids that we don’t have ourselves. After all, the above passage says that we need to love the lord our God with all OUR heart, OUR soul, and with all OUR strength…this is before he even mentions impressing it on your child. So what’s first? What should our priority be?

If we want to be great parents and see our children grow up to know, love, and serve Jesus, then we need to be doing that first. 

Attending a weekend service, participating in a group, and meeting with others in your group on a casual basis are all designed to be reinforcements for the way we raise our children and draw closer to God…they aren’t intended to be replacements for us raising our kids up in the faith and us taking personal responsibility for our spiritual lives.

Grab a pencil.

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A Prayer for My Girls

August 8, 2011 — Leave a comment

What a great music video by one of my favorite bands. It gives me the conviction to continue to pray for my daughters and direct them to the one that they truly need for their entire life. I am reminded by the fact that my role as a Father is going to show them most tangibly how much God loves them and cares for them. What a big role. What a big responsibility. I can only do this through God’s strength, his power, his grace, and the Spirit’s empowerment.

Victoria and Adelyn – I’ll always strive to be there for you and I’ll always point you to the One you truly need – Jesus Christ.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

Hey, hey, sweet daugther
I am so proud to be your father
Each day’s like a gift from God.

Hey hey sweet daughter
There’s no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun.

You know I love you from the start
So come in close take my hand
Daddy shares his heart.

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one who give you all the things you need
Sometimes I am gonna let you down
But there is a way if you just believe
Be you here like was all you been for me
Daughter Jesus is the one you need.

No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are.

for there’s nothing in this world
There all for my baby girl
Until be happy ever after.

The history at your life still untold
I pray the King of all the universe, will make your heart His home.

(Chorus)

Who will never leave spending it all alone
All in your where you came fight to Lord.

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Book Review: Couples Who Pray

June 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

This is a solid book explaining why couples should pray. They back up their claims with good research as well.

For example, between couples who pray sometimes versus couples who pray a lot,

  • 60% vs 78% are likely to say that their marriage is happy
  • 38% vs 54% are satisfied with their family life a very great deal
  • 0% vs 0% is the fear of divorce – virtually eliminated in both groups – among couples who are satisfied with sex a great deal.

The authors then go on to explain some common marital issues that will come up, and how to solve them. This book can pretty much be summarized by this.

Pray with your spouse for at least 5 minutes a day for 40 days and you’ll see the difference.

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Marriage and Spirituality

September 23, 2010 — Leave a comment

Ever since Christina and I got married, we have always made it a point to keep our marriage centered on God. As a result, we would oftentimes use a devotional or we would sometimes just dig into scripture together. What I’ve discovered is that the format isn’t as important as the fact that you are drawing closer to God together.

It’s fascinating to see what happens when we alter our focus just a bit.

Scenario 1: Spouses focus on each other and strengthening their relationship.

Result 1: Marriage relationship is strengthened.

Scenario 2: Spouses focus on strengthening their relationship to God together.

Result 2: Stronger relationship with God and stronger marriage relationship.

When’s the last time you prayed with your spouse? When’s the last time you talked about spiritual matters together?

Husbands: Take the initiative.

Wives: Don’t wait for your husbands to take the initiative, you take it.

I just purchased Closer: Devotions to draw couples together by Jim and Cathy Burns (http://amzn.to/agoltE) as a practical action step to draw closer to my wife by drawing closer to God together.

What steps are you taking?

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