Your Child, Your Imprint

About a month ago, I began teaching 6th grade math at a local middle school, and I noticed something very quickly - my students are not nice. They are not respectful. They do not like to put much work or thought into anything.

So, I figured, I should do something about this as a teacher. So do something I did. I put in rules and regulations, punishments and rewards, grades and tests that would ensure that my students would abide by our school's rules. Those that command the students to be respectful and courteous, prepared for class and waiting their turn to talk.

But then I realized something: my laws can only go so far. If these children do not have a change of heart, they will only obey me so far as they are required to. So I looked to the parents. They are the ones who hold the most authority, and the most opportunity, in their child's life. Some of them, I found, are caring and nurturing; others could care less about their child's misbehavior.

The Bible tells us that it is primarily your job, parents, to educate your children. The responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders. Now many parents may deny it and pass it off, but the truth of God's Word stands. I have the opportunity and privilege to teach them about math and some of life, but it is your calling to raise them up for the glory of God.

Your child, beloved parents, is often an accurate reflection of your parenting. Your understanding of God, your teaching of His ways, how much time you spend with them, the way that you talk to them, the kind of behaviors you do and do not tolerate, whether or not you discipline them - all of these things are reflected every single day in my classroom and in the world.

This is a sobering thought as I look at my own children. What will their character say about mine? Where have I failed before God? Have I taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ well or poorly? Have I modeled it well before them?

Thankfully, the God of grace is full of mercy and grace for poor sinners who call on Him for help. We are beset all around with sins that try to drag us down - and laziness in parenting is one of them - but He is full of loving strength, fully able to uphold you when you feel too weak, too tired, too sinful to be able to love your children in His ways. Run to Jesus - He is able. Admit your sins and fall at His feet. Beg for mercy and He will answer. Amen.

A Rebuke for Parents Like Me

Here is an article by Pastor Carey Hardy, of Grace Community Church in California, entitled, "How to Raise a Pharisee." I came across this article a while back, but re-reading it lately has helped bring both the dangers and the proper emphases of parenting back into focus for me.

So, parents out there, read up.

I Read a Great Interview with CJ Mahaney

and I want to pass it on to you. He talks about true masculinity as humility and servanthood, and explains this in the realm of marriage, parenting, church, and life. He even gives a great story about teaching Biblical character and worldview through sports!

(Hat tip: JT)

"Planned Parenthood" is a Lie

I was driving a few hours ago between job sites and stopped at a light beside our local "Planned Parenthood" organization. It dawned on me that this name is a total falsitude. This organization does not exist to "plan" people's "parenthood," but rather to deal with people's "unplanned childhood." They should just be honest and call it, "Unplanned Childhood."

Or, more to the point, "Ended Childhood."

What Will You Tell Your Boys and Girls?

A great post by Pastor John Piper got me thinking - what will you and I tell our children about men and women? How will explain how God made us? How will we explain our differing roles? What will we tell them is important about a man being a man and a woman being a woman? What will we tell them that men should not do and that women should not do? What will all this say about the God who made us so?

Now some of my questions are obviously weighted and weighty, but the question remains for you - what will you teach your children? The way that you teach and display gender roles to your sons and daughters tells them a lot about how they should view not only the world, but most importantly, God.

As Piper points out, how we understand God as masculine - yes, the Bible does use exclusively masculine pronouns and exclusively masculine descriptions of God in all three persons - matters for how we understand His character, worship, missions, gender relationships, marriage, preaching, leadership, singleness, and the Christian life, just to name a few.

So I had to ask myself, and now ask you, what will we tell our children about the way God made men and women so beautifully different and yet complementary? Our words will speak volumes toward how they will understand God Himself.

God-Centered Children's Books

"What are some good, God-centered books for children?" a sister in our church was asking a few of us yesterday, so I decided to do a little research. My wife and I read a few of these regularly, and I found the others from trusted ministries and websites.

Here's my first list:

The Big Picture Story Bible by Paul Helm: excellent coverage of salvation history, following the creation-fall-redemption-restoration line; Christ-focused, Scriptural, and heart-aimed.

Big Truths for Little Kids by Susan and Richie Hunt: combines catechism with stories; practical, realistic, and basic.

The Gospel for Children by John B. Leuzarder: a basic Gospel presentation for children; God-centered, thorough, and simple.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: classic stories of the magical land of Narnia that highlight various truths about Christ, imaginative, innovative, and unforgettable.

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Hal and Conn Iggulden: a book written to renew a love for masculine things in boys and men; thorough, fun, active, and challenging. Get it to remember that God made boys to be men and nothing less. (*This book is not written by believers, nor does it make any explicit references to God, but we found it to be God-aimed nonetheless because of its view on masculinity.*) A powerful, man-shaping tool in the hands of a believing parent.

"The Christian Logic Series" by Nathaniel Bluedorn: both The Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox are written to teach adolescents and adults how God gives us reason and logic to think about the world; thorough, practical, and illustrative.

God Knows My Name by Debby Anderson: reminds children (and moms) that God cares for His people, even in the details; illustrated, practical, and simple.

The Bible Explorer: God's Truth from Genesis to Revelation by Carine Mackenzie: "a Bible reference tool for children," going through the canon with summaries and key texts; useful, thorough, and thought-provoking.

Ten Boys Who . . and Ten Girls Who . . series by Irene Howat: "a series of four books designed to introduce children to post-biblical heroes of the faith;" faith-giving, awe-inspring, and history-teaching.

Find the Animal series by Penny Reeve: four volumes designed to produce amazement and wonder in young children at the creative hand of God by showing exciting features of specific animals; each book is devoted to one animal in a detective style. "Guess which one this is!" Great for teaching about God's creation.

My God is So Big by Catherine Mackenzie: aimed at young children and utilizes the popular song for which it is named; teaches the next generation about the gigantitude of God.

Resources for finding and/or reviewing children's books:

• DesiringGOD.org's recommendations page
• DiscerningReader.com children's books page
• half.com - search for specific books to buy at lower prices

I'm sure there are more, so keeping letting me know and I'll keep posting them. Hope this helps for now.

A Tiny Heartbeat

I was playing with our daughter tonight,
and I leaned over and listened to her little heart beat -
it was quieter than her breaths,
and softer than her thumping feet;

but, oh, what a joy!
oh, what hand divine!
could make not only big hearts but tiny ones,
with one word, in a moment of time!

The Dangerous Book for Boys

This book looks awesome, and subtly hilarious. Check out the interview at the bottom, too. I want to get this for me, before we have our boys.

Update: Al Mohloer blogs on the book.

25 Ways to Help Kids Love to Read

Copied from the Desiring God blog:

Here's a list of 25 ways to help your child love to read adapted from Zahler's 50.

1. Teach your child to read.
2. Let your child see you read.
3. Read aloud.
4. Encourage your kids to read aloud to you and to each other.
5. Ask your children to retell for you the stories they've read.
6. Have pre-readers “tell the story” from pictures.
7. Help your children evaluate stories.
8. Connect stories to children's lives.
9. Encourage identification with characters.
10. Make connections between books.
11. Share with your family from your own reading.
12. Recommend beloved books.
13. Own books your child will want to read.
14. Go to the library regularly.
15. Take books with you when you travel.
16. Suggest practical reasons for reading.
17. Send kids to books for answers to their questions.
18. Help your children find books that encourage them in their interests.
19. Provide a home environment conducive to reading.
20. Use TV wisely if you must use it at all.
21. Increase your child's real-life experiences.
22. Work with your child's teacher.
23. Expect great things for and from your kids.
24. Recognize differences among your children.
25. Take delight in words and let that delight show.

And, above all, let's take delight in the Word and let that delight show.

Amen, and let us press on to know the Lord in the most important, most objective, most concrete way He has given us - His very words. We have a ministry, a commission, a happy life-long job of raising up an entire generation to hope in God.