Author Archives: Kevin

Day and Night

Posted on by

“The Levite family leaders who were the musicians also lived at the temple. They had no other responsibilities, because they were on duty day and night.” 1 Chr 9:33

David made worship a central part of his kingdom. More time is spent in the book of 1 Chronicles describing the details of establishing the ministry of the priests and those who were appointed to worship than any other aspect of David’s Kingdom. This is how it should be.

Often times worship is an after thought. But can you imagine being a King whose nation was surrounded by enemies, during a period of rapid growth and expansion, and yet writing songs which are still used as devotional material for more than ¼ of the world’s population 3000 years later. His son Solomon, according to 1 Kings 4:32, wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs! This family understood the priority of worship!

According to David’s design, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the Levites were the ones who served the people in worship. This verse tells us three things about their lives which are a key to understanding how worship was and should be prioritized. They are:

1. They lived in the temple

Their address was the house of God. Of all the places on earth, God had chosen to manifest Himself uniquely in this place, and it is here that the Levites called home. They woke up in the Presence, they worked in the Presence, they rested in the Presence, and then they would sleep in the Presence. Wow! What a contrast with those who just casually come and go to church. What a privilege.

2. They had no other responsibilities

Now I am jealous. I find that I have so many items on my agenda each day. I have so many things that are crying for my attention. And just when I think I am beginning to catch up, something new and weighty is dropped on my lap. To think that the Levites had nothing in a day which could distract them from their one responsibility of worship! What a contrast.

3. They were on duty day and night

I don’t think many of us could adapt very well to being accepted for a new job and getting the contract only to learn that there are no vacation days, and that I am expected to be on duty day and night! They Levites served continuously. There was never any time when they were considered off duty, and not available. But if you have the most amazing job in the world, and work for the most amazing Boss there ever could be, and fulfill a role which literally sets people free and gives people hope and healing every single moment of every day, then maybe it is not as bad as we are imagining it to be. In fact, the whole time you are toiling, you are doing it under the anointing and favor of the Most High God. This is not “work”, it is fun! Did not the Psalmist write “In His presence is fullness of joy”?

We worship too little, too quietly, too coolly, and without consistency and commitment. In the end times, according to Acts 15:16, the Tabernacle of David will be rebuilt and restored. Worship will again become the central part of our kingdoms, the thing for which our hearts will long once again. If I could choose to be a member of a tribe, I would say, “Lord, let me be a Levite”. Can you imagine having God’s house as your address?

Naturally Creative

Posted on by

Naturally Creative

I can’t draw a straight line without a ruler.  So when I see someone who can paint a portrait of someone without a flaw, my “respect meter” goes off the scale.  It just amazes me to see such talent.

I used to think that some people are creative, and some are not.  As I have matured, I have realized that in fact we all have the capacity and potential to be creative, but in different ways.  I now understand, for instance, that I have my creative side, even if I am not good at drawing.  I easily see connections and relationships of words, I enjoy writing, have written some songs, and even won a dance contest one time.

My Wife is artistic and has a natural ability to “see” compatible colors, and match shapes and things of different sizes, gifts which make her a natural interior designer.  I have enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes even as I appreciate these innate gifts.

But the single most important factor in my discovery is having seven children.  We have always encouraged our children to express their creative side.  We praise their “works of art” even though they may not appear prodigious at first.  We don’t have a TV subscription, but rather encourage them to read, play games, build things, do a project, or learn a skill during their free time.  The results have been astounding.  In this environment they effortlessly and spontaneously generate ideas and never seem to tire of learning.  Here are a couple of things I have learned which can help you to let the flowers of innovation blossom in your children:

  1. Acknowledge that we are all creative in our own way.  Start looking at your sons or daughters and say to yourself, “he or she has a huge potential to create and it is my job to nurture it”.
  2. Encourage exploration.  Let your kids draw, even it if begins with tracing, or rubbings.  Some may draw better, some will be better working with their hands, yet others are the designer types.
  3. Celebrate their work.  Rembrandt was not born in a day.  Post their drawings, display their Lego creations, give them awards and praise for a job well done.
  4. Commit to development.  Once you discover a natural gift, help your Son or Daughter to become more skillful, and set aside time for practice.
  5. Generate momentum.  You may not have seven kids, but one of the dynamics at work in our household is that the children feed off each other’s gifts and readily learn from each other.  The same could be achieved by inviting some of your children’s friends to your house to do these kinds of things together, or by sending them to a class.
  6. Reduce rivalries.  Our experience is that TV and computer time needs to be monitored and restricted greatly.  Some shows or games can enhance creativity when done in a balanced and guided way.  But their use should be limited in order to allow for a rich imagination to be cultivated.

Unleashing our creative side can be an exhilarating and lifetime pursuit.  Nurturing these gifts and skills in our children can also be one of the most rewarding part of our role as parents.  It is never too early neither should it be too late to start.  I have given you a few ideas, but how you move forward is really up to you.  Be creative with it : )

Practically Speaking

Posted on by

“I swear that only the Lord rescues me when I’m in trouble!” 2 Sam 4:9 (CEV)

My son and I were asked to come to the stage to participate in a game to find out how well we knew each other. Among the questions that was posed to Jeremy was, “who is your father’s favorite Bible character?” He told them it was David.

David truly was an exceptional man. Although he had his blatant faults and grievous sins, this was a man whose heart was after God. Even God said so (Acts 13:22)! While there are many aspects of his passion for God which I could highlight, I am going to mention only one here: David refused to go anywhere else for help.

This is not a simple matter, and it certainly is not a minor detail in God’s eyes. He says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. The problem is, we make God to either be one of our many options, or some mixture. In other words, it is not only the “God or” question which should be our concern, but the “God and” question. This one is much more difficult to discern, and it is so acceptable in the Christian world that we scarcely notice it when it becomes our normal practice. As Christians, of course we include God in our plans. We pray about things that are important to us. And then when we face our challenges and needs, we come with God’s help as our confession, but also bring along a list of “what ifs” and “just in cases” in the event that He does not really come through for us.

It’s the Hagar principle all over again. We know that God may have promised Abraham and Sarah a child, but, practically speaking, Sarah was really, really old. It was disastrously decided that God needed a bit of help on this one, so Hagar became a seemingly viable plan B. By the response, and the consequences of this decision, it is quite apparent that God is not interested in or pleased with our “better ideas”!

But then there is David. He had been anointed to be the King over Israel. He was the most popular person in the land. He was their hero, who continually won the battles in which he fought, including the legendary victory over Goliath. “You come to me,” he said to Goliath, “with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” Not God or something, and not God and something either. David faced his troubles and his enemies with a singularity of focus. This was not out of pride; the proper word for it is faith. He believed He was All-Powerful, and then he acted like it.

David was on the run for his life for eight years while King Saul sought to kill him. He had opportunities to capture King Saul, and to knock him off. He refused. He had the power and influence over the masses of the people to assert himself into leadership. He refused. He could have assembled an army to challenge King Saul. He refused. When he had Saul within his grasp the day Saul had slipped into the cave to relieve himself where David and his men were in hiding, if David had not made a clear decision and undying commitment to living according to that decision, all those years of running with his ragtag band, of not having a proper home in which to have an raise a family, of living from hand to mouth and upon the kindnesses of people such as Abigail (who later became his wife), would certainly have tempted him greatly to take matters into his own hands. But, for David, God was not a part of his plan; he was a part of God’s plan. There is a world of difference. He knew that God’s plan would lead to certain justice, and so he waited for it. And he knew that His plan was definitely not to be tampered with.

God wants to be my Help. And although it may sound simplistic and intuitive, He does not need me to find someone or something to help Him to help me! David said “I swear that only the Lord rescues me,” not the Lord and all my good ideas, or my friends, or some professional, or more money. So when I am tempted, practically speaking, to look somewhere else other than God alone for my deliverances, may David’s example in life give me the courage to reject adding or mixing anything to and with God Himself. The man after God’s own heart, by definition, is the one who makes God alone his Rescuer from all his troubles.

A Fatherless Generation

Posted on by

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” JN 14:18

From the time of Adam, we have all been born with orphan tendencies. Even those who are blessed to have been brought up in healthy families, there are wounds and bents which are simply an inescapably part of the human condition. While this does not condemn us to failure, it does highlight the need for grace and to personally experience the unconditional embrace and acceptance of our Heavenly Father. Another way to think about this is that if Jesus needed to have the affirmation of the Father’s voice saying to him, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am so very pleased” (MT 3:17), how about me?

And yet there has never been a generation more fatherless than the one in which we are living. Sure, wars and plagues and calamities have greatly affected generations of the past, leaving many children without the love and support of one or both of their parents. And yet in our generation fathers are actually choosing to abandon their children. With children being born out of wedlock and divorce rates at all time highs, children have increasingly become victims in this narcistic and promiscuous generation. Add to this ideologies and governments whose extreme views are anywhere from anti-family to murderous, and we have a continuing recipe for disaster. Consider that ISIS shot or beheaded 74 children and broadcast their atrocity worldwide through the internet to send a warning that children who secretly break their fast on Ramadan should be dealt with severely. Indeed, more than 72% of Americans believe that fatherlessness is the most significant family or social problem facing America. The fallout from fatherlessness is both well documented and frightening. God have mercy.

While every child born has a biological father, fewer and fewer children born into the world will ever know what it is like to truly have a father. The effect of this upon society today can be compared to an earthquake which takes place far from our shores in the middle of a vast ocean. Though we feel it, no walls come crashing down, and no gaping cracks open in the ground. We may even think, “that wasn’t so bad. Because of the delay, we continue to live our lives as though nothing happened. Then just when we least expect it, we look up and a tsunami 100 feet high is speeding towards the shores of our communities from which there is no opportunity to flee or hope of defense. We look for trees to cling to in a desperate search for something which will not be moved.

So when Jesus said he was not going to leave us as orphans, this was good news then, and great news now as well. Though it is beyond the scope of this article to detail the affects of an orphaned heart, here are a few of the characteristics which are indicators of this malady:
–A sense of abandonment
–Isolation/Loneliness
—Insecurity & Fear
—Alienation
—Rejection

It often leads to addictive behavior and hostile and violent tendencies. One’s relationships are also deeply affected and are defined by the following:
—Comparison
—Jealousy & Strife
—Need to perform
—Distance (no intimacy)
—Entitlement (lack of appreciation)
—Control

When Malachi prophesied that fathers hearts would be turned back to their children, and children’s hearts to their fathers in the last days, he was indicating a time when this gap would literally be a defining feature of that hour. It describes our day definitively. In other words, he was prophesying that there would come a day when orphaned hearts would be healed, as it states a few verses earlier:

“the Sun of righteousness [shall] arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out like stall-fed calves.” Mal 4:2

The Old Testament referred to God as “Father” about 15 times. The gospel of John records Jesus referring to “Father” God 100 times! It is clear that He wanted us to get to know Him! In fact, it has been well said that this is the MAIN PURPOSE for which he came and dwelt among us. No wonder Philip said:

“Lord, show us the Father, and it will be enough for us!” JN 14:8

I am sure that Philip did not understand the depth and weight of these words when he spoke them! May you get a richer and clearer revelation of the Father today! May you near His words being spoken over you, “this is my beloved son!” May we hear Him say, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” (LK 12:32). He has provided for our fatherless generation! He was not about to leave his disciples orphaned; he’s also not going to leave us that way either! He will come to us, as He promised.

Bill Johnson recently said: “We have the responsibility to reveal the Father to an orphaned planet.” This is so true! May it start with us, and then begin to flow and impact all of those around us…to the ends of the earth. The promise to Abraham was that all of the families of the earth would be blessed. Let it be me. Let it be now. Amen.

God of the Impossible

Posted on by

“For nothing shall be impossible with God.” LK 1:37

Our God is the God of the impossible. Did you ever notice how sometimes He will take you to a complete end of yourself, and then answer your prayer? Have you noticed that He loves to work through weakness, and difficulties, or against the odds? As we enter the Christmas season, these words to soon-to-be mother Mary are a powerful reminder to us that He who overshadowed her to do the impossible then is also ready and waiting to overshadow you and me to do the miraculous today.

We have to admit that it is easier to believe that God can do the miraculous for someone else than it is for Him to do it for me. We can even sound quite spiritual in our unbelief.

  •  “Well, the reason God works in such a powerful way in Africa is because the people there are so poor.”
  • “Of course he is seeing these awesome displays of God’s power, he is a last days Apostle!”
  • “That was then, this is now. God is moving in a new and different way these days.”
  • “The Holy Spirit was doing some mighty works in China during those years because they did not have any Bibles! Now they have the word and don’t need the miraculous any more.”
  • “Those people are being persecuted; that’s why God is showing them His power in these supernatural ways.”

POSTURE

Do you suppose Mary might have been able to come up with some really good reasons why God could not do the impossible for her? Wasn’t that the period known as the “silent years” when no prophet had been sent to Israel for hundreds of years? She was, afterall, a woman, no, a girl, in a world dominated by men as spiritual leaders. She wasn’t from a famous family; she did not have a special pedigree. Say nothing of the content of the message that was being shared with her! A virgin…having a baby…without any relations with a man…but by and through God Himself?!
Instead, she answered exactly the way anyone who wishes to see the supernatural should: “Let it be to me according to your word” (LK 1:38). If we want to witness God do the impossible, it is best to get out of the way as much as possible! Our hearts should be ready to say “Let it be…” just like Mary did. This is the kind of heart through whom God moves in supernatural ways. We must be fully yielded.

PURSUIT

Notice too that God raised up a witness of the supernatural to make it easier for Mary to believe:

“Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month” (v. 1:36).

This clearly was not a coincidence. Of all the people that could have been the mother of John the Baptist, God saw to it that it was Mary’s close relative. When Mary was a little girl, she certainly would have know that Elizabeth was barren. Was she cursed? Why would God have cast Elizabeth aside? Did she and Uncle Zechariah have some hidden sin? This Elizabeth, pregnant?! She’s older than my mother! This is nothing short of a miracle!!!

That is exactly the point. In order to give Mary confidence that God would do as Gabriel had said, He first raised up a clear, undeniable, supernatural example in Elizabeth. He was making it easier for her to believe. Now isn’t that cool?! That God would care so much about my unbelief that He would make it easier for me to believe?! At this point Mary made a very wise decision. She thought: “If Elizabeth has experienced such a miracle, I am going to get around Elizabeth!” If there was anyone who was going to appreciate the cost of being shamed, Elizabeth with her scarlet letter of barrenness could. “So, Aunt Liz, what has it been like for you to have the God of the universe do the impossible on your otherwise ‘dead’ body?”

She did not have to wait long for the answers she was looking for. Mary had only just walked into the door of Elizabeth’s home and amazing things began to happen. The baby suddenly leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to prophesy over Mary about the baby that was in her womb. What? Elizabeth even called the babe “my Lord”.

CONCLUSION

I believe God wants to release the miraculous in our day like never before. As it was in the days before Jesus came the first time, so shall it be and more so in the days before He returns.

“And it shall come to pass, in the last days says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men will dream dreams” Acts 2:17.

Let’s learn from the mother of our Lord to know how we can see the God of the impossible do far exceedingly more than we could ask or think. Simply, there are two things which we can learn from her. Let’s adjust our hearts to just receive without question, and without trying to figure it all out. I call this POSTURE. And then let’s go and find the Elizabeths that God has raised up as our forerunners. People are experiencing the God of power. If I need to get warm, I get close to the fire. Mary “hurried to a town in the mountains” (LK 1:39) to find her once barren relative who had experienced the God of impossible for herself. I call this PURSUIT.

Stories

Posted on by

“There have been great societies that did not use the wheel,
but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.”
—Ursula K. LeGuin

For thousands of years, history, important lessons, commonly held beliefs, explanations of mystery and things beyond us, have all been passed down from one generation to another via one very important means: stories. Whether it was the tales told around campfires, or the annual renditions of events which had transformed peoples and places, stories are one of the oldest and most effective ways of communicating our values, our feelings, and our memories. Truth be told, no one can resist a good story!

That’s why I have made it a practice over the years to tell stories to my children. Sometimes we do it around the dinner table; sometimes before bed. Sometimes stories are told during our long “road trips”. Sometimes we tell them with pictures; sometimes a book or a movie serves as a catalyst to make critical lessons or things of interest to become personal. We have often had amazing people from around the world in our home. I take every opportunity to ask them to share their stories with us. Some stories are about things that happened to me, or our family from earlier years. Some of them are of things which took place in ancient times…things which should never be forgotten. Some serve to inspire; some to warn. Some have a moral; some just make you laugh. Information and facts may touch a mind; but stories touch the heart.

C.S. Lewis is one of the greatest theologians of the past one hundred years. And although he wrote great books which explain the path to belief or answer the questions of doubt, he is most famous for the stories he wrote which present these same arguments in timeless allegories which tickle the conscious and echo in the memories of young and old alike.

In the same way, your kids might not remember much of your moralizing. But they will not likely soon forget lessons you have told them that you are able to capture in story form. If this has not been a part of your parenting arsenal, consider ways to open up stories to your children. You may just find that you will have found a key to their hearts.

Change

Posted on by

“Those whom I love I rebuke and chasten;
therefore, be zealous and repent.” Rev 3:19

It is not fashionable to repent anymore. It’s too messy, undignified. It’s old school. It’s ashes, and sackcloth. Books about repentance don’t make the best-seller lists. They don’t even get past the first reading at the publisher! Let’s face it, leaders consider that messages about repentance are not going to bring people out to church. They reason that the sheep need something practical, something to make them feel good about themselves, something to assuage all the wounds they get in this cruel world throughout the week. Not bad reasoning…for a psychologist! While it may be popular to talk about WWJD, it certainly is worth considering that the very first words out of His mouth when He began to preach were “Repent!” (Matt 3:2)

Hebrews 6:1 speaks of repentance as an elemental teaching, a part of the foundation of the church’s teachings. And yet, many would remove the foundation altogether! There is a whole stream within the church (call it “hypergrace”) which has abandoned teachings about repentance altogether. According to this popular “grace” message, Jesus already paid it all. Our sins have been completely forgiven. There is nothing left for us to do but to receive. Trust me, there is a part of me that loves the idea of being able to keep right on sinning and not ever have to worry about it! Unfortunately, it is a lie, and if perpetuated, it will lead to death and eternal consequences.

What compels me to write about this subject? First, I want you to be alert, vigilant, and not hoodwinked by this false teaching. It is a growing cancer in the Body of Christ. Second, I want you to take this message and apply it personally. I am asking this question of myself too: have I truly repented of any and every thing which is an offense to my Lord? Was it heartfelt, and thorough, or did I just say a casual “I’m sorry” prayer and move on. Sorry scratches the surface. We say sorry to gain some relief, in hopes that our actions will not be held against us. Through repentance the axe of God is laid to the root, resulting in not a simple covering over but a legal and experiential break from the power of sin. Sorry is volitional, but repentance is transactional. Jesus did not command us to be sorry; he commanded us to repent.

When Jesus confronts the church in Laodicea about their apathy, he says “be zealous and repent”. Zealous (Gr) implies heat, passion, and zest. That is the spirit and mindset which brings about true repentance. If I have zeal, I have the right “stuff” from which repentance is birthed. Without zeal, I only bring words to the altar. Though forgiveness is offered to me on the basis of “my confession”, I have discovered that it is only a matter of time before I have to rebuild this altar, and rework these words, since the power which causes me to sin never moved out and gotten a new address. It just went into the basement to wait for the opportune time to come out and wreak havoc all over again.

Among the marvelous Sermon on the Mount topics is a seldom talked about or understood verse, “Blessed are those who mourn” (MT 5:4). Mourning is one of the deepest and complex emotions we as humans experience. Without going into too much detail, may I suggest that we probably have not really found the key to true, lasting repentance without it. I must feel more than bad; I must feel grief. Like the one who mourns, he may be doing other things for days and weeks following the death of a loved one. But his thoughts will have been invaded by another, deeper reality where memories of the loved one cannot be discarded. For that season, we wear mourning like a cloak. Even when we are laughing, some part of us is still wiping away tears.

Jesus precludes his “harsh words” about repentance to the Laodiceans with the phrase “those whom I love.” The one who will repent with sincerity and conviction first hears these words of welcome and warmth. Since repentance is painful, it is critical to know that it is not the unreasonable demand of a cold taskmaster. It is longed for out of love, out of the anticipation and joy of reconciliation.

Make no mistake about it, for those who find the grace to repent, the benefits are dramatic and immediate. Jesus says of the truly penitent, “I will come and eat with him, and he with me.” I may close the door and cry out in agony and brokenness; but my weeping only lasts for a night. Joy comes in the morning. I rise from the way of divine exchange which a “sinner’s” hall of fame has trod, only to find a door has been opened for me, and a table set, filled with every item my hungry soul has ever longed for. As though this was not enough, I get to have Jesus…richly, personally, and intimately.

I named this article “Change” because few would have read it if I wrote “Repent”. But beloved, let’s be clear. You and I are never really going to change, until we learn to repent. It’s time to proclaim that there are no shortcuts—no painless, feel-good formulas.

So if you will please excuse me, it is time for me to stop writing about it. It’s time to pray.

Old Fashioned Ways

Posted on by

Old Fashioned Ways

imgres

“Good, old-fashioned ways keep hearts sweet, heads sane, hands busy.”
― Louisa May Alcott

Every generation feels like theirs is better than the one before. Computers are faster, transportation is easier, TV screens are bigger, and athletes keep breaking the records of those who have gone before. But a child who discovers the gems of traditions has stumbled upon an oft hidden treasure. He may discover that playing board games with friends is more satisfying than playing a computer game by himself, or that a thousand “friends” on Facebook are not as precious as one or two good ones with whom he can share his heart and hurts. He might even discover that the things Mom and Dad used to do for entertainment really are a whole lot of fun!

My fascination with yesteryear began with one of my first memories. Our family rented an upstairs apartment from an elderly couple named Charlie and Mamie. I remember occasionally venturing down to their house for a tall glass of milk and some homemade cookies; but the thing that stands out more than anything else was sitting on Charlie’s knee and listening to him tell stories. Charlie was living history! He told tall tales of crossing the Midwest in a covered wagon, and of meeting real live “wild Indians”. So olden days were never wrapped in a dull, drab cloak for me. They were like a coat of many colors. A part of me has always wondered why everyone doesn’t feel the same!

I did not realize it at the time, but I had a well-lit path due to the beacons coming from the elderly people in my life. We frequently spent time with both my paternal and maternal grandparents (who were in fact neighbors and good friends with each other!). Sometimes we stayed with them; sometimes they stayed with us. Looking back, I now realize they resembled lighthouses in another very tangible way: they were totally free. Ships never had to pay for the services of the lighthouse; and no one has to pay a penny for the beams streaming from those in our family who have blazed many a winding trail ahead of us.

We close the doors of the past to our children to their hurt. But if we find ways to open the treasure chests of past generations to them, we will have passed on to them those things which will never rust or rot and shall never be taken from them.

PS. I once rode in the local parade with my grandfather in his black 1940 Buick.  And this Studebaker is the spitting image of my grandmother’s that we used to drive around in!

Encouragement

Posted on by

One of the best gifts we can give to our children does not come wrapped with a bow on it. This gift is not something which is only given on special occasions. You don’t even have to spend a lot of money on it. And unlike so many other gifts, it will not be put away in a closet once the novelty is worn off. It cannot be broken, get rusty, or grow mold. It needs no batteries. I speak of the gift of encouragement.images

The word encouragement literally means to put courage into, to inspire with courage, and to foster confidence. As parents, simply by virtue of the kind of relationship we have with our children, we have access to the means of building strength into our sons and daughters to face difficulties and challenges. We wield a tool which can make them stand tall when others around them are sitting, an instrument which will stimulate them to overcome fears and opposition, and provide leadership to others around them.

Unfortunately, many of us have never discovered the power of encouragement. We tend to point out our children’s faults, and remind them of their failures. We do not interact with them up front, or mid-stream, but rather only at the conclusion of their efforts and projects, and then our criticism rains down like hail upon their vulnerable spirits. The wise parent recognizes that words of praise and support along the way are like the people who line the streets during a marathon, cheering for the runners and providing them with water throughout the race. Too many of us only wait at the finish line looking at our watches, unaware of the fact that we were needed along the way. When they don’t live up to expectations, or give up along the way, our disappointment reads like a neon sign saying “it’s not worth the effort, you are a failure.”

 

I once heard an Olympic sprinter say that he was shocked when kneeling for the finals of his race the thought which was going through his mind just before takeoff was whether or not his father was watching. Our children need our encouragement. Our encouragement emboldens them to face life’s challenges, big and small. Start today. Let your children know that you are their biggest and best supporter. Your gift will be one that will never break or rust, and will never, ever be forgotten.

Traditions

Posted on by

The Wealth of Traditions

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.” PR 13:22

We live in such a materialistic world that people confuse valuables for what is valuable. The things that I lay up for my children when I am gone are enshrined in a will. But the riches which are matters of the mind and heart can only be passed on while I am alive. These are the things which truly remain.

My penchant for traditions arises from an important discovery: the values upon which healthy families are built are promoted or maintained by most of the older stories, movies, and memories of yesteryear. Since I am singularly committed to establishing the strongest possible foundation for my family, injecting every means at my disposal which lends itself to success, why would I wink at this verdant provision? Why would I subject my children to the unbridled screening of infidelity when I want to breed faithfulness. Why expose them to promiscuity, violence, foul language, or acrid humor when my vision for them is that they might be honorable, peace-loving, and an encouragement to the people who are around them? The media which bombards them every day taps the sensational because it sells. I would rather risk being called old-fashioned and watch a Shirley Temple movie. You may think it will never work, but it has for me. Laurel and Hardy may have been immortalized long ago; but they are still very much alive in our household, at my sons’ and daughters’ behest.

So how does a family draw from the wealth of this “account”? Here are a few suggestions:

· Speak of some of your own positive and beneficial take-aways from the past. This can be personal, or those of your parents, ancestors, nation, etc.

· Allow grandparents or family members from the older generation to mix with your children, and create the context whereby some of the great stories can be passed down.

· Intersperse your movie selections with some of the classics (e.g. Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, etc.)

· Do the same with some old TV series. “I Love Lucy” is sure to be a winner!

· Reading a book or series like ‘The Little House on the Prairie” worked very well for us. This or another similar book which chronicles wholesome family values would be a great place to start.

· Visit some awesome museums together. Then spend some time talking about it together. Antique stores are also a rich source for stirring the imaginations of your children.

· Work on some projects together that helps to link them with their past…such as constructing the family tree, or organizing and storing old photographs, or making a scrapbook.

· Organize a family reunion, or take advantage of an existing holiday or festival during which extended family will be present, and plan events which are fun and commemorate some of the ancient treasures which are uniquely a part of your families’ identity.