Boys, Math & Video Games

"In 1992 we began to see a very significant academic decline in boys.  You might remember that before that boys were king of the math world. Girls ruled in the English department, but boys were king of the math world. And they had a rather strong work ethic in their academics. But we saw a significant decline in that beginning in 1992.

Well, you have to ask yourself what transpired right prior to that to make that happen. In the 1970s, in 1971 exactly, the very first computer game came out, but it took a warehouse to store it. When they finally got it down small enough, the only thing they could do was to put it in a public place. So some of you may remember visiting something called an arcade? It took them a few years after that and they came out with a pretty archaic system. Some of you might remember playing asteroids or pong. Blip! Blip! Blip, blip! That was a fast one.

It wasn’t until the early 1980s that we had a viable home system called Nintendo. And computers began to be created specifically for game use including the Commodore 54, Macintosh, and PC Compatibles. By the early 90s, we saw that significant decline. We saw boys who became so concerned about fighting epic battles that were virtual, that they no longer cared about the real world around them.

Today the average boy will spend thirty-five hours in front of his PlayStation or X-box console or in front of the computer playing games. Most of them by the eleventh year of their life will have been introduced to pornography."

Dannah Gresh

Modeling For Our Children

"If your children learned about submission from the way you submit to God-ordained authority, how would they submit? What are the attitudes of the adult generation toward authority? Are we quick to berate or badmouth anything from the President to the pastor to the husband to the schoolteacher? What is our attitude toward authority? I have watched parents skirting the law, lying about the kid's age to get into an amusement park. That's rebellion against authority. Then you have a mom who rolls her eyes when it comes to her husband's authority and is a disgruntled wife, then wants her children to obey with a happy heart and a good attitude. I think when the younger generation sees us honoring authority, and they see the blessings and the rewards of that in our lives and the peace that that brings, to me that's going to be more compelling than just saying, 'You need to come under authority'".

Nancy Leigh DeMoss

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph. 5:21

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." 1 Samuel 15:21

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1

Are Your Sons Prepared?

A couple of weeks ago, I listened to a series of messages, from Family Life Today, about preparing sons.  Now, I don't have any sons, but I still enjoyed these messages.  Occasionally I listen to messages directed towards boys/men.  Why would I do that?  I find it gives me a different perspective that helps me be a better wife and helps me to prepare my daughter.  So, I encourage you to listen to these.  You will be blesseds

Are your sons fair game for the girls?  Dennis Rainey addresses the very real problem of sexually aggressive girls.  Rainey explains that, due to the rise of absent fathers today, many young women are looking for their emotional gas tanks to be filled by young men, and doing whatever it takes to get a boy's love and attention. Find our how to teach your sons how to deal with aggressive girls in the Aggressive Girls series below.

http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/essentials/raising-boys/aggressive-girls/20120416-protecting-our-boys

Dennis Rainey talks honestly with parents about protecting their sons from overly aggressive girls.

http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/essentials/raising-boys/aggressive-girls/20120417-warning-bad-girls-ahead

Would your son know what to do if he was propositioned by a member of the opposite sex?  What about a member of the same sex?  

http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/essentials/raising-boys/aggressive-girls/20120418-equipping-your-sons-for-battle

Does your son attract girls like bees to honey?  Dads need to be proactive in a son's life by having some meaningful, intentional conversations with them about various topics including: the value and application of godly wisdom, how to handle sexual temptation, God's design for sex in marriage, and the characteristics of an adulterous woman.

http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/essentials/raising-boys/aggressive-girls/20120419-careful-conversations-to-share-with-your-son

What does your son know, and believe, about women?  Topics to discuss with your sons in order to prepare them for relationships with the opposite sex.  Some topics include: rejecting passivity, the benefits of initiating, and the value of boundaries.  What can moms do to help...raise girls who aren't aggressive.

http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/essentials/raising-boys/aggressive-girls/20120420-getting-him-ready-for-the-opposite-sex

Are You A Bell Sheep?

A few weeks ago I started reading Elizabeth George's book, Raising a Daughter After God's Own Heart.  In the very first chapter she refers to mothers as being the bell sheep for their daughters.   I confess, I had never heard of a bell sheep until that moment.  Maybe some of you haven't either.  Let me explain.  When a shepherd noticed a sheep who willingly followed him and stayed near him, he hung a bell around the neck of that sheep so the flock would follow the bell sheep...who, in turn, was following the shepherd.  Of course, we are the sheep and Christ is the Shepherd.  Now that we know what a bell sheep is let's explore three questions.  Are you a bell sheep, how to be a bell sheep and why should we be a bell sheep.

Are you a bell sheep?  
I can't answer that question for you.  Examine yourself, your actions, your motives, and your heart.  Are you loving the things of this world (1 John 2:15) when you should be loving the things of God (Deut. 6:5)?  Are we teaching our daughters, by example and by words?

How to be a bell sheep?  
Instructing her in God's ways
Have daily Bible time with her
Encouraging her to have a quiet time
Pray for her
ABOVE ALL:  Live a life that brings honor and glory to God

Why should we be a bell sheep?
The answer is to point our daughters to Christ.  Is it not our desire for our daughters to grow into godly women. Women who will love the Lord with all their hearts, minds, and souls. (Matt.22:37)  Women who will be godly wives and mothers.  Women who's lives will glorify God and be a testimony to lost world.
Ladies, let's be that bell sheep, let's lead our daughters to Jesus and teach them His ways for the furtherance of God's kingdom.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:5

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:37

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Diligently Lead Your Children to God

We must labor to do good to our children even from their earliest years.  If Satan begins so early to do them harm, we must not be behind him in diligence to lead them to God.  How soon in life a child becomes responsible and accountable, is a difficult question to solve.  Perhaps far sooner than many of us suppose.  One thing, at all events, is very clear-it is never too soon to strive and pray for the salvation of the souls of children-never too soon to speak to them as moral beings, and tell them of God, Christ, right and wrong.  The devil, we may be quite sure, loses no time in endeavoring to influence the minds of young people.  He begins with them even from childhood.  Let us work hard to counteract him.

J.C. Ryle

The Soul of Modesty

Yesterday I listened to a most excellent message on modesty by C.J. Mahaney.  Pastor Mahaney brought out points in ways that I had never thought of before.  It  was such a blessing.  Modesty may not be an issue for you.  Maybe you could use this message to minister to others, perhaps a daughter, friend, sister, neighbor, etc.  I highly recommend it to all.  Here are some highlights from the message.

• Any biblical discussion of modesty begins by addressing the heart, not the hemline. We must start with the attitude of the modest woman.
• Modesty means propriety. It means avoiding clothes and adornment that are extravagant or sexually enticing. Modesty is humility expressed in dress. It’s a desire to serve others, particularly men, by not promoting or provoking sensuality. 
• Immodesty, then, is much more than wearing a short skirt or low-cut top; it’s the act of drawing undue attention to yourself. It’s pride, on display by what you wear. 
• There’s an inseparable link between your heart and your clothes. Your clothes say something about your attitude. If they don’t express a heart that is humble, that desires to please God, that longs to serve others, that’s modest, that exercises self-control, then change must begin in the heart.
• For modesty is humility expressed in dress. 
• Godly men find modesty attractive. They appreciate women who dress with self-control and restraint. They’re grateful for women who serve them by helping them fight the temptation to lust. 
• Ultimately, fathers, your job to raise a modest daughter culminates and concludes on her wedding day.
• Notice in 1 Timothy 2 that Paul goes beyond addressing a woman’s apparel. He says he desires “that women should adorn themselves … with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works” (2:9–10).
• Adorning yourself with good works means less time shopping and more time serving.  So, which are you more preoccupied with — shopping or good works?
• Modesty is important because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why Paul is concerned about it. He isn’t simply a “cultural conservative.” This isn’t Paul’s version of The Book of Virtues. For him, the issue of modesty is about the gospel.
• The woman who loves the Savior avoids immodesty because she doesn’t want to distract from or reflect poorly upon the gospel.
• Make this your aim: that there be no contradiction between your gospel message and the clothes you wear. May your modest dress be a humble witness to the One who gave himself as a ransom for all.

The entire message can be downloaded at http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/cj-mahaney/category/modesty.aspx.

A modesty checklist from the message, http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A1170-06-51

How to Raise a Spoiled Child

• Don’t expect too much of him too young, assuring yourself that “he doesn’t understand”.

• Laugh at “how cute” it is when he throws his food down from the high chair.

• Comfort him when he throws a fit; at least give him the thing about which he is throwing the fit.

• Make sure he gets to do/have “what everyone else does/has”.

• Don’t ever make him earn money to buy things he wants.

• Make excuses for him when he misbehaves. This will help him learn to blame his problems on everything or everyone else.

• Wash all his dishes, make his bed, clean up after him and keep telling yourself that “childhood is just for fun–he’ll grow up later”.

And above all else, to successfully raise a spoiled child, let him think the world revolves around him, his food preferences, his recreational needs and his whims. Do whatever you have to do to keep him in the center of the universe, including but not limited to refusing any more children from God. After all, spoiling one or two is difficult (and costly) enough.

The above text is a post from Generation Cedar.

Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Pro 13:24

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Pro 22:15

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

Pro 23:13

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Pro 29:15

Review: The State of Parental Rights in America

Review of the DVD, "The State of Parental Rights in America" by Don Hart. This video provides very insightful information concerning the state of parental rights. Don presents information concerning contemporary and historical court cases involving children being taken from their parents by Child Protective Services and other state agencies. These agencies have been given such power and absolute authority in these issues that parent's rights are being trampled in the name of 'the government knows what's best for your children'. Don does an excellent job of delineating what Scripture clearly demands of parents and what the courts in America now allow these various agencies to get away with under the guise of "protection of the children". A startling, eye-opening presentation of information that all parents should be aware of.