Suggestions To Make your Family Time More Effective
Awesome post on how to make your family time more effective here.
Dads…
I came across this very short post today about how dads can make their words count. This has been an issue I’ve been thinking about and praying through on a personal level this week and wanted to pass the article along to you.
Keeping Our Kids Safe on Mobile Devices
I wish I could personally hand this article to every parent of every teenager in America. Take a look here:
The 2011 MTV VMA’s
I missed it this year. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know it was on Sunday night while I was hanging out with 30 of our students at our annual Back 2 School Bash. Then when I saw some of the high-lights (used loosely) later that night I was actually relieved that I missed it.
But a lot of my reading this week has centered on the show that was watched by 12.4 million people between the ages of 12 and 34. And I came across this article that I wanted to share with you. Take a read and let me know what you think.
First Day
Today was our second ever first day of school. My daughter started first grade! One of the things we talk about pretty regularly when school rolls around in the fall both in my home and with our students in the youth group is that the number one most important reason God has placed us where He has is to represent Him well in this time and place. So on the first day of school we talk about doing your best in school, respecting your teacher and classmates, and learning…but most important of all we talk about being Christ’s ambassador (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). Usually the language we use with our daughter is “be a blessing today.” God told Abraham that He was going to bless him so that he could be a blessing to others. God has blessed us in incredible ways. And I bet God has blessed you as well. So, be a blessing today and remind your teens that their number one job at school today and all year is to be a blessing.
Time to Launch
Every year around the middle of August we plan a retreat for our new 7th graders called Launch. The Launch retreat is this weekend, and I’m so excited to welcome in a new class to our youth ministry!
This time of year is also the time we are gearing up to literally Launch into a new school year. We will be introducing our “new” Old Skool Sunday School on August 21 with a breakfast for all our students and adult leaders. Our brand new Wednesday night ministry will Launch on August 24. And this blog site will re-Launch with new posts at least twice a week after the summer break.
I hope you and your teenagers are buckled up and ready to Launch with us!
Moralistic Parenting
Excellent post here. I would say one of the biggest enemies of the Gospel is a parent who raises “good” kids instead of godly kids. Thoughts?
“99 Thoughts” Give-A-Way
This is a shorts, easy to read book with 99 simple, practical, biblical, thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for parents of teenagers. The topics include culture, media, communication, friends, spiritual issues, and many more! I’ve read this book and will definitely keep it within arms reach as a youth pastor and as a parent of a soon to be teenager.
If you are a parent of a teenager, I want to give you a copy of this book! And I want you to be able to give away a copy of this book to another parent you know who could use it.
Here’s how you can win both copies (one for you, one for a friend): Simply submit a comment on this blog post and share what is the most difficult thing about parenting teenagers for you. At noon on Thursday (central) one name from everybody who left a comment will be randomly selected using random.org. I will contact the winner via email on Thursday afternoon.
Becoming a Life Giving Parent
Some days I don’t read all the articles that come through my computer and find their way onto my screen. Actually, most days I just sort of skim them. But this one caught my eye because I know there are some people who give life and I know there are some people who suck life away. I hope I’m the kind of person who gives life. And after reading this article, I pray I’m the kind of parent who gives life to my kids. Definitely worth a read! What do you have built in to your life on a regular basis that energizes you and gives you life so that you can continually be giving life to your kids?
Parenting Daughters
If you have a daughter you really need to take a couple of minutes to read this. All I can say is “Wow!” This is right on and such a great encouragement and lesson for me as a dad of a daughter. I really love the idea of verbally saying that as a dad I am her pastor, her protector, and her provider. Seriously, go read it!
And if you have a son you ought to read it also! We need to teach our sons to become pastors, protectors, and providers for our daughters…for MY daughter!!!
