Monthly Archives: March 2017

Garbage Disposal

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Our’s recently quit working, and it was disappointing considering it was only 7 years old. It’s an essential “appliance” in our home. Of course we put most plate “gleanings” directly in the trash, but there are always smaller things, especially from salads that we prefer to wash off the plate into the sink. So when it “died,” replacing it went to the top of my prioritized to do list because it was both urgent and important.

I’m guessing that most homes today have a garbage disposal. Did you know that Scripture highly endorses the concept? “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). James tells us to lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness. The concept is to get rid of the garbage.

I’m amazed at what “tries” to come into our homes, whether by the mail or electronic means. It might be as innocent as through clothing catalogs. Most are fine, but on occasion–garbage. When it is spotted, into the garbage it goes.

We use Internet filters on our phones. There is a reason. Pity the poor male 3ho felt he was immune to that sort of thing only to be held hostage by it later. My guess is that Satan’s best friend is a man’s pride. “I’ll never fall for that sort of thing,” he proudly says to himself.

Our world has so much garbage, and it can easily flow into our homes and hearts. Each home needs one or more garbage disposals. Will we value and protect our family’s purity, or succumb to the flood of garbage?

Steve

Not Good Enough?

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Do you ever compare yourself with others? It’s hard not to. The other guy:

• may seem more spiritual, 

• may make more money, 

• may be in better shape, 

• may have better behaved children. 

Oh, Friend, may I encourage you to be at peace? If you are trusting in Jesus’ shed blood for your salvation, rest in the Lord and in His grace. Be at peace with yourself, and that will greatly affect your relationship with your wife, your children, and others. We all fall short, but may we cling to the One Who can do what is needed in our lives? (BTW, if it is a matter of sin, then we forsake that sin. If you need help, ask a brother for help, but forsake the sin.)

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). 

Will Our Children Read?

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I spoke to a dad recently who used to give guest lectures to junior and senior public high school classes on a financial topic. He always began with the question, “Does anyone know what ten percent of $50 is?” After many lectures, he said he never had a student correctly answer the question. We would all agree that math is important for life.

What about reading? I’m confident you want your children to be able to read well. Reading is the basis for much learning. As believers we know it is critical for our children to understand the Bible and from it, life in Christ. Do we ever think about how important our example in this area of reading would be to our children? If our children never see us reading, will reading be important to them?

I’ve received emails from moms, in response to a book recommendation I’ve made that might help their situation, who say their husbands don’t read. Consider this statement from an unknown originator, “The person who doesn’t read is no better off than the person who can’t read.”

If reading is important for our children, is it important for us parents? In this age of video everything, do we read? Do we read the Bible, and do we read other beneficial books? If we don’t read, are we any better off than someone who can’t read?

“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words” (Ephesians 3:3).

Children Who Are Advocates

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Recently our city wanted to limit the number of chickens that city residents were allowed to have to 10. Our 8-year-old granddaughter, Abigail, is “chickie mama” at her house, and she keeps chickens for fresh, healthy eggs for her family.

She realized that obeying the new city ordinance, if passed, would be a hardship from two fronts. The first was not having enough chickens for the necessary eggs for a large family and the other from adding new chicks to the flock before they were ready to lay eggs. If they had five hens who needed to be replaced, they would have to get rid of them before the new chicks could lay eggs.

Abby wrote a letter to the city commission stating her concerns, why she had them, and asking the city commission not to limit the number of chickens. Then she and her dad attended the city commission meeting, and Abby presented her cause before them. The vote was close, but the commissioners went with the 15 chicken limit—a compromise they felt.

Are you preparing your children to be able to cognitively and persuasively voice their thoughts and concerns publicly in areas that are important to them? Could your 8-year-old child stand up in front of an official group of adults and give them a presentation? Most adults are fearful of speaking in front of others. Maybe you are one of them. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

On Friday evenings during the school year, Nathan and Melanie have their children give short presentations at their home and sometimes for Grandpa, Grandma, and the aunts and uncles. These presentations are simply telling about something they learned or did during the school week. It is giving them skills and comfort speaking in front of people.

Talking to your family isn’t the same as talking to others, though. We can also help our children be comfortable talking to people who are friends, acquaintances, or even strangers (when they are in the protection of parental supervision). We can do that by giving our children opportunities to talk to people outside the family. Often in those situations we parents do all the talking. It doesn’t mean that the children have to monopolize the conversation, but that they are included for part of it.

Children who become adults who are stellar communicators have great potential to be strong, loving, caring fathers and mothers. Consider the importance clear communication has in families, especially from parents to children and the implications when that communication is absent. Children who have learned to think and then convey those thoughts to others will be business, church, and political leaders.

Are you not only preparing your children spiritually and academically for their future but also helping them be able to be advocates for what the Lord puts on their hearts as parents, as friends, and in whatever walks of life He calls them into? Are you giving your children a passion for things that are important whether it is how many chickens they can have in their backyard or that they can homeschool their children?

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

We have a resource available to help you in this area called Making Great Conversationalists. In that book, we give you practical projects to do with your children to help them learn conversational skills. Maybe you will learn something too.

Trusting in Jesus,
Teri

When God

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When God commands us to do something, He will enable us to fulfill the command. The omniscient One of the universe knows what we are capable of doing. He certainly wouldn’t command us to do something we couldn’t do.

If He commands us to do things beyond our own strength, knowledge, or ability, we can be sure He will provide what is lacking. When God commands, we can be sure He will enable.

The first and most important step is that we are willing to obey. There is joy and satisfaction in obeying. What has God called you to? Have you responded obediently?

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee” (Exodus 31:1-6).

Three TImes

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Three times God clearly told mankind to be fruitful and multiply. He has never taken that command back.   

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1). 

“And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein” (Genesis 9:7). 

No wonder there is such an attack on the innocent, defenseless unborn.