The Importance of Date Night
Almost every book/blog I have ever read on developing a lasting marriage and preventing sins of all kinds in the marriage relationship, has included the idea of having a regular date night. The frequency varies, but the theme is consistent: men and women who continue to date continue to mate, and continue to deepen the bonds of intimacy and attraction that first brought them together. There are all kinds of reasons people give for not having a date night. No time, no money, and no baby-sitter are among the most popular. But let me ask you this, “If your spouse …
GO Outside!
Here is something I’ve been wondering about today. “Why do I feel pressure to spend more time outside when the weather is nice?” I am not only speaking about pressure from external sources like friends and family, but internal pressure to ‘go outside.’ It strikes me as odd that I should feel this way. Yesterday I spent the afternoon napping and watching baseball. I would love to do the same again today, except that it is warmer and sunny. Maybe I should be outside instead of watching TV. Do you agree? Part of this stems from my childhood I am …
11 Parenting Lessons
Stephanie emailed this to be a while ago and I finally got around to putting it on the blog. It is a tad lengthy, but a funny read if you have kids. Lesson 1 1. Go to the grocery store. 2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office. 3. Go home. 4. Pick up the paper. 5. Read it for the last time. Lesson 2 Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their… 1. Methods of discipline. 2. Lack of patience. 3. Appallingly low …
Top 10 Reasons to Rethink Your Involvement in Social Media
Fun post by my friend Ben on the Top 10 Reasons to Rethink Your Involvement in Social Media: 1. Your spouse discovers new things about you on your blog. 2. You have separation anxiety with your iPhone. 3. You have a Vimeo AND a YouTube account for the SAME videos. 4. You get mad at people who call you when they could’ve twittered. 5. You think people who “friend you” are really your friends. 6. Your most frequented website is a visitor stats page. 7. Half of your web searches involve your own name. 8. You don’t read “the Bible” …
7 Steps to Effective Discipline
I have been listening to a great talk from the Resurgence’s Biblical Parenting Conference by Dr. Ted Tripp called “An Overview of Corrective Discipline“. He has written the book Shepherding a Child’s Heart which I have added to my Christmas list, as should every parent. Here are some notes I took on Dr. Tripp’s teaching about discipline. The central verse on discipline is, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long …
A Word to Fathers about their Daughter's Clothes
I started working on an article today based on Paul’s words to Timothy in regarding how women should dress. I came across this incredible word to fathers on C.J. Mahaney’s blog. Dads, I want to urge you to take responsibility for your daughters’ dress. Fathers are absolutely essential to the cultivation of modesty. When a young lady dresses immodestly, it usually means her father has failed to lead, care for and protect her. Without a father’s care and protection, she may be daily exposed to the lustful minds of men. My three daughters are grown and married now, but from …
James 3 Illustrated
Powerful short movie.
Drawing Out Your Child's Heart
I heard John Piper say in an interview with Mark Driscoll that one of the things he most regrets about about his time parenting his now adult boys, is that he didn’t work hard enough to push inside their hearts and draw them out. He taught them the Bible, he disciplined them to be responsible, he cheered them on in sports and activities, but he feels like he didn’t do enough to teach them to understand and nurture their hearts. Watch the video and fast-forward to the 34th minute to hear John talk about this. What a challenge! I want …
Should Divorced Christians in the Same Church Take Communion?
I was thinking about Christian marriage and remarriage a little tonight and this verse popped to mind as I was considering two people who are divorced and yet both attend my church. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. – Matthew 5:23-24 I believe that a professing Christian husband and professing Christian wife are to remain together, despite their problems, as long as …
Uneasy is the Man Who Wears the Crown
“Uneasy is the head of the man who wears a crown.” Shakespeare I listened to a sermon last night from Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones in which he referenced this quote when talking about how man becomes a slave to power, adoration, and the worship of other men. The idea that I will be happy when I final ‘arrive’ is a lie that I consistently trip up on. I sin when I dwell on the falsehood that contentment and happiness will come from attaining some level of respect and achievement in the eyes of others. What I forgot is that should …
