Family Vacation Advice #1

Never allow your children to watch "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel before going on a trip to the ocean!

Yes, I had one of my children absolutely afraid of sharks while we were away. Afraid so much that when a dolphin swam by one evening as she was standing in about shoulder deep water she thought it was a shark (just noticing the dorsal fin above the water), almost literally ran on top of the water to shore. (it was the fastest movement through water on record, and she didn't even swim!)

Upon recognizing that it was only a couple of dolphins, she calmed down and started breathing normally again, but not before making quite a scene (and some comic relief).

I know that her fear was real, even though a bit misplaced. But as a family, we were able to overcome the real fear and make the most of a vacation that was spent in and around the ocean.

We all have some unfounded fears though, things of which we are truly afraid. And these fears affect our lives, sometimes keeping us from the very things God wants us to experience. Many of our fears are about the unknown, doing things we have never done, experiencing change in the way we do things, those things lurking in the deep, dark depths just under or around us.

The Disciples also were afraid at many points of their lives. There were things that happened to them and eventually to Jesus that made them fear for their very lives (not an unfounded fear at all!). But Jesus gave them a word of encouragement not just to unfounded fear, but even to the fears of an eventual future death. The word he gave, "Don't be afraid. You trust in God, now trust me!" (John 14:1, my translation)

What are you afraid of? I mean really afraid. For me, I'm afraid of not doing right before God. I'm afraid of disappointing people, even when I'm doing my best for God. I'm afraid sometimes that I'm not doing everything I should be doing. But I'm not afraid of the enemy. I'm not afraid of criticism. I'm not afraid of the future, because Jesus told us not to!

I've never been a daredevil. I've seen others do things and I'd think, that's not for me. But through the years I've developed a healthy courage to try new things, not worrying so much what people think, not worrying about the unknown. I've learned to risk more, to trust more, to love more.

That's what Jesus has called us to be about, risk.

Okay, so we did see a shark on our last day on the beach, just a couple hundred yards from where we swam every day. It was just a small sand shark, about 3-4 feet in length. Big enough to do some damage if it were to attack, but only if you were small enough to be prey (fortunately, we weren't). She was excited to see the shark, probably because we were standing on a pier about 20 feet above the water, a safe distance. (storms at sea brought in large amounts of sea weed and with it, more fish and predators.)

We weren't in any danger through the week and my daughter got over her fear. So should we. A piece of advice, though. If you have a fear no matter how unfounded or wacky it may be, don't watch a show or read a book or article about your fear. It doesn't help overcome it, but magnifies it. Rather listen and trust Jesus' words, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, so do not be afraid."

Peace ><>
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Teaching Jobs

After getting home late from a meeting down state, I went to the Middle School last night for it's open house. This is where we where parents meet their children's teachers, walk through their daily schedule, and discover all of the things the kids haven't told them yet about the school year. It's a very informative process and an important communication tool. I was glad to be able to get to this event because of the new staff this year including a new principal and several new eighth grade teachers.

They were impressive, and I am excited for this school year. Probably the biggest reason for my excitement is that this new principal has a philosphy of education that simply makes sense (and whether he knows it or not he agrees with me) that the real teachers are parents. School teachers provide ideas, exercises, concepts that are solidified at home. The framework of learning really has to happen at home, where the lessons of life are being taught every day (whether we mean to teach them or not, our children are learning.) In other words, the responsibility still falls to us parents (and grandparents and guardians, etc.). They may learn at school, but they are molded at home.

We are the real teachers!

When I think about this sometimes I cringe. I wonder what I have taught my kids at times. Have I shown them procrastination, laziness, irresponsibility or have I shown them maturity, accountability, productivity, and that hard work pays off? I pray that I am a good teacher. In fact I pray that I become better and better each day so that my kids (and eventually grandkids) can learn something from me that help them grow up to be God-loving, productive adults who make their mark on the world.

That's our job!

Now I have lesson plans to finish...


Peace ><>
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GPS

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Parents everywhere have slipped and fallen. They’ve lost their footing and tumbled down the steps of the family arena. They have lost, or more accurately, they have given away their rightful positions in the family. And the results have been devastating. Marriages have been bruised, battered, busted and broken because too many parents have lost focus of their roles. They’ve let culture dictate to them what the primary focus of the family should be and they have ignored the guiding GPS—God’s Positioning System.

God’s plan for the family is simple. God first. Marriage second. Children third. Sadly, though, we have a positional problem. Too many families are trying to do life inverted and backwards. The kids stand at the top step of the family arena, while the marriage is left slip-sliding to the bottom. But that’s not the goal of parenting. It’s not what God wants, and it’s not what works. The right definition of parenting, God’s definition of parenting, is teaching and training your children to leave. As parents, your number one goal should be to prepare your child to leave. The implications of this are towering. So live by God’s positioning system. Invest more strength and energy to your marriage and discover what the true meaning of parenting is.

Peace ><>
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