Monthly Archives: July 2020

Two Leavenworth Escapees

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It was a work detail tasked with clearing out tall grass and weeds. While loading them up after completion of the work, two escaped. They have been on the run in Leavenworth trying to avoid capture. It has been the talk of the town. What is funny is that people are getting quite a kick out of it. We haven’t had anything this interesting here for quite a while.  

If you have ever been held captive, you understand how freedom is precious. Today, men are easily enslaved by the sin of their choice — usually what they view or consume. At some point, the pleasure is exchanged for guilt and a longing to be free. 

In addition to Dad, might you have a teenager in bondage? My guess is a lot more than the dads know. Watch for changes in character, and secretiveness. Does he happily allow you access to his phone and want accountability?

Know the “health” of your flock, and dad if you are enslaved, get free no matter what the cost. See a brother for help. Call someone. 

Those two, free, happy “Goats for Hire” who escaped are still on the loose. It will be a sad day once they are caught and locked up.  

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:12-14). 

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No Compromising

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Christians understand that God is watching and sees everything we do (1 Peter 3:12). However, the ungodly are looking too. God watches for good but the ungodly with evil intent. 

There is nothing new in that, but for Daniel, his life was at stake, not merely a bad reputation or being called “hypocrite.” “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4). 

When Daniel’s enemies’ first attempt failed, they successfully tricked Darius, the king, into signing a law preventing worship of anyone but Darius. Since obviously Daniel wouldn’t comply, he earned a trip to the lion’s den for dinner. Thankfully we know how that ended. 

How serious are we in following/obeying the Lord? We do what is right because it is right. Compromise and deceit are the ways of the world. 

“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them” (Proverbs 11:3).

Dumpster Diving

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I couldn’t count how often I have heard someone defend having a TV by saying, “It does have some good programs on it.” To me, that is the equivalent of justifying dumpster diving. I’m confident if I dove deep enough into a dumpster and spent long enough there, I might find something that had some value. However, in the process, I would likely be exposed to much that was disgusting and vile. Also, the aroma of where I had been would go with me.  

I’m confident that most who have a TV would admit they watch things that at the least aren’t edifying and, at the worst, damage their souls (i.e. news). I grieve over dads who squander their time when they could be spending it with their wives and children. On that final Judgement Day, what excuse will you try to give the Lord? 

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Ephesians 5:11-12). 

Better now Beware

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The world has now discovered GERMS exist, and they make you sick. It seemed as if there was no such thing as germs before this pandemic. It was as if people didn’t understand how they caught (or shared) a cold or the flu previously. I’ve attended churches that you were expected to come, as long as you could get out of bed.

Far more critical than that discovery, would be for the world to discover sin as the reason people will suffer for eternity in hell. Right now it seems sin is only known for its pleasure, not its consequence. The good news is that Jesus is the real and permanent cure for sin. 

How about we spread the cure, my brothers? 

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). 

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

Grandma’s Lessons: Back to the Basics, Part Three

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Self-Control for Children

Aside from salvation, there might not be anything more important in a life than self-control. Self-control touches every aspect of who we are including relationships, work, health, self-esteem, spiritual life, parenting, and marriage. The person who has learned self-control has a great potential to excel in these vital areas of life. Even beyond these benefits, the parents I observe enjoying their children are the ones whose children have an age-appropriate level of self-control. Often the miserable, angry parents are the ones who have children who are loud, wild, and demanding; they lack self-control.

Scriptural Directives

Scripture has much to direct us to the importance of self-control. Here are a couple of examples: 

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Proverbs 16:32 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 

Ultimately, we need salvation and the Holy Spirit to help us with self-control, but we are all able to develop a degree of self-control, even children.

When?

When does Mom begin helping her child learn self-control? I wonder if it isn’t early, quite early. As long as a child is allowed to do anything he wants with no boundaries, he is not given any opportunities for learning self-control. Boundaries are a tool you want to incorporate into your parenting.

Boundaries for Young Children

What kind of boundaries might we consider when working with young children? 

  • Sitting in his high chair with some toys to play with while meal clean up is going on.
  • Playtime alone in a safe place.
  • Sitting quietly and relatively still during family Bible time.
  • Not interrupting a conversation.
  • Speaking in a normal loudness of voice when talking.
  • Running outside not inside. 
  • Staying in bed in the mornings until a designated get-up time.
  • Not asking for things but waiting for them to be offered and given. 

One of the greatest examples our family observed of starting to learn self-control at a young age was when our girls were asked to watch two babies about 6 or 7 months old while their mommies walked around the display hall at a homeschool conference. When the mommies returned, the babies saw them and both started to cry for their mommies. Our girls reached to give the babies back to their mommies, but the mommies said, “No, we won’t take them until they stop crying.” Even at that age with something so simple, these mommies were helping their children learn self-control.

Boundaries for School-Age Children

For your school-age children self-control might be:

  • Staying in an assigned place to do their school work.
  • Saving questions from their individual school work for a designated time rather than interrupting the school Mom is doing with a sibling.
  • Completing assigned chores well and on time.
  • Choosing to let others go first.
  • Portion control when eating.

Self-control situations abound. When you start thinking about it, you will probably come up with more than you feel you have time to tackle. I want to assure you that each one you identify and work on will be a blessing to your child and to you.

My heart aches for those parents who have allowed their homes to be ones of misery because of ignoring this critical part of parenting. I want you to enjoy the fruit of self-control in your children’s lives, and right along with that, your children will enjoy not having angry, frustrated parents. I want your children to step into adulthood with all the advantages a life with self-control gives. 

Got Life?

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Mentally go through three praiseworthy things your Lord has done in your life recently. Have you shared them with your children? “We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days…” There won’t be parting-of-the-Red-Sea examples, but there will likely be times you saw the hand of a gracious, loving Heavenly Father at work. BTW, if it was chastisement in your life, that counts DOUBLE. Do your children see a living Savior at work in your life so that life in Christ is desirable, or could they see life in Christ as stale and boring? If life in Christ is the best thing on earth–tell them about it. 

I believe many children don’t want their father’s faith because having observed their father, it is nothing more than a preference, a mere religion, a club, something you feel you need to do on Sunday morning. Sort of like Dad like’s chocolate ice cream and the children like vanilla. Frankly, Dad, if you are merely going through the motions, ask yourself the hard question, “do you have real life in Christ?” If not, want to talk?

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).