What Are The Top Problems Facing Families?

Another local pastor is trying to be proactive about dealing with the top problems facing families today.  He has someone calling other local pastors to ask them what they think are the top problems.  I think that’s a great idea.  I have my list, but I’d love to hear what others think.

Here’s how I answered it (in no particular order):

1) the lack of solid marriages.  Between divorce and people having children outside of marriage why would we expect the next generation to have secure, enduring, loving relationships with a spouse and children?  Add to that adultery, pornography, the media culture…it’s tough!

2) Busy-Ness.  Why do we think our kids have to play every sport all year-round?  When do they just get to be kids?  I played a lot of sports growing up but there was always a break between seasons and we NEVER played on Sunday!  When do families get time together?

3) Consumerism/Materialism/financial pressures: Again, thank you culture!  We think we need more right now.  Easy credit.  Throw in a recession and job loss and there is some real stress right now, more than ever in our lifetime about money.  That has to effect families!

So what would you add or subtract from this list?

Who Said Parenting Was Easy? (Song Inspiration: Boys (lesson 1))

My parents warned me about a lot of things.  They taught me many good things.  But there’s one thing they forgot to mention.  Parenting isn’t easy.  I’m not even talking about the complexities of raising kids in our current culture, how to discipline, etc. 

I’m talking about something more basic: LOVE is hard.  Sometimes I wonder if I love my kids TOO much.  No, I’m not talking about spoiling them.  And I’m far from a perfect dad.  It’s just that my kids are still relatively young and I feel like their lives are passing me by as fast as wind-blown sand on the beach.  I’m realizing that I don’t really have much time with them.  And there’s so much I want them to learn from me.  I believe that I balance my life as much as possible to leverage my life into their’s.  But it doesn’t seem enough.  And sometimes that creates sorrow in my heart…

…until they get off the bus and I’m waiting for them.  We skip home.  I pour the milk.  They grab the cookies.  We sit and eat.  Sometimes in silence.  One of them giggles.  I laugh.  And we talk…sometimes just about silly stuff…and sometimes about life or what it means to die or deeper things.  My sorrow goes away.  For I love being and talking with my kids.

And then I get them off for another day… 

What about you?  What makes parenting difficult or easy for you?

Here’s a song that I can’t stop listening to.  It sums up much better than I can describe in words what I’m feeling.

The Ultimate Youth Pastor…Not!

Oh man…laughing still at the “I want a generation of Flamers!”

Adoption Option

There are approximately 115,000 children in the United States ready for adoption.  There are 350,00 churches in the United States.  If one family in every three churches adopted a child in the United States, there would not be anymore orphans here.  While I applaud families who adopt internationally, I think it would be an incredible testimony for the Church if we were able to complete the job here! 

James 1:27 is pretty clear that this is our job!  Not someone else’s, especially not the government’s.  The Scriptures are also clear that we have been adopted by God as His children through Jesus Christ.  I’m glad I’ve been adopted.  Maybe we should return the gift. 

Check out this site: www.orphansandthechurch.com

What do you think?  Should our church (FCC) make an initiative in this area?  Or leave it to 2 other churches in our community?

10 Reasons I Love Our Church (FCC)

Top 10 reasons I love FCC:

10. You are some of the best friends a man could have in the world.

9.  Many of you are transparent enough to grow!  You don’t mind emailing or telling your pastor how life (or something else) is kicking your butt.  You don’t mind being honest with me when life seems like hell.  Can you tell I like honesty and transparency and authenticity; not “masked Christians?”

8. We’ve got the best “staff” (paid and unpaid) in the world.  I couldn’t imagine doing ministry with people who are more equipped to serve God.

7.  You allow me to be me.  Sounds easy enough, but I’m not your normal pastor.

6. You compensate me well enough to not complain.

5. We have the best praise band in the world.

4. The building is pretty awesome.

3. Our children’s and youth programs are exactly what our community needs.

2. [And this from my kids] Because it’s our family and we act like family together.  yeah, that’s exactly it.  That doesn’t mean families don’t disagree or have their issues.  We ain’t perfect.  But we’re perfect for each other.

1. You take care of your pastor when he or his family are sick.  Even though my birthday on Sunday seemed terrible and my whole family is basically quarantined because of the flu, we got an ice cream birthday cake (thanks Marsees!) when there was no cake for my birthday, a birthday dinner (thanks Kimberly, Sandra, and Becky), and another dinner the next night (thank you Myra).  On top of that I got a ton of birthday calls, cards, notes, and emails.  Plus, there were even more people concerned about my family.  Thanks for letting me skip the Heritage service Sunday to take care of them.

Jr. High Challenge (Wed.-Thurs)

U R Forgiven

Jr. High Challenge (Tues. afternoon)

Free time: creek walking

group shot

Neil contemplates pole vaulting into a cave

Jr. High Challenge (Sun.-Tues)

Our Group time after evening worship

Neil and Grady bonding…the rest of us running away!

eating a late night snack before some fun time…and finally bed at midnight

Cherub Choir

I love it when our FCC kids sing.  And I love it even more when one of MY kids is singing.  So today’s video is our church’s Cherub Choir, with my son, Aidan, on the far right.  Robert, Emily, and Layne are next to him.

Teen Sexuality

Here’s an unusual post (given the source) on teen sexuality as displayed recently on Friday Night Lights (one of my favorite shows).  The author makes some great and interesting points.  Hope your child becomes a biologist!

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