PARENT TALK

MIGRATING

2009-05-29T16:34:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone...

This is going to be my last entry on this site. I am migrating to my very own site at

www.paolopunzalan.com

Hope you can still check out my blogs there.

Blessings!

SMALL INCREMENTS

2009-05-09T12:10:00.002+08:00

Haven't gone to the gym in a while. Guilty as charged!

I did go once, when we were in Cebu during our 5 day vacation. So at the rate I'm going, it's once every 2 to 3 weeks. Not good at all.

There are times I wish that I can go to the gym for 20 hours and 'pay for' the several days I missed. But it just doesn't work that way. Wish it did, but it doesn't.

Same with gym hours... same with family time.

After missing several days of dinner times with the kids, I can't just bring them out for 5 hours and eat in 5 different restaurants.

PRINCIPLE AT WORK: There is a cumulative value to investing small amounts of time in certain activities over a long period.

LET'S EAT

2009-02-06T08:07:00.003+08:00

I grew up eating dinner by myself or with our helper. Because my mom and dad split up when I was 1 year old, mom had to work even late nights. Family meal times were some of the things I missed growing up. So I decided that when I have my own family, it is something I'd like to implement.

I've realized that it takes deliberate effort to have it consistently. It is a fight. I get pulled in 25 different directions. However, I made a decision to only be out 2 nights a week and spend the other nights at home. Tuesday nights, after dinner, I bring one of my kids out ('daddy-date' for my girl and 'guy time' for my boys).

It's easier to do it when you've made a decision way in advance as compared to making a decision at crunch time.

Consider the research findings from www.poweroffamilymeals.com.

Children depend on their parents for the ABCs of good health. 71% say they get information about how to be healthy from their mother; 43% from their father.
19% of teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week report that there is a great deal of tension or stress between family members, compared to 7% of teens who have at least five family dinners per week.
More mealtime at home was the single strongest factor in better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems in children all ages. More meals at home also resulted in less obesity.
Because feeding is the most basic animal form of caring, sharing meals is one of the most central family bonds.
Through the mini lessons of table manners, children learn to share and think of others. By saying “please” and “thank you,” we recognize the humanity of our tablemate, acknowledging the fact that we both deserve respect.
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less like they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.

The little and consistent deposits will eventually reap cumulative benefits for the family. Lord, help me to be consistent.

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW

2009-02-05T10:11:00.003+08:00

I was playing basketball with my 5 year old son, Ryan this morning. After baseball season, he's now into basketball. I enjoyed baseball season because I've always wanted to coach my son's baseball team. I had this dream way before I became a dad. Pretty shallow dream, I know, but what the heck.

As I was playing with Ryan, he said, "Dad, I love playing basketball in the morning because it reminds me of Tagaytay."

I thought about it for a moment and asked him what about Tagaytay?

He said that it reminded him of times we would play together and how fun it was.

It's really the little things, that make the little difference that eventually makes the big difference. Spending time with them is like sowing seeds. You'll really never know which ones will get lodged in their long time memory and make a difference.

So... just keep sowing good memories.

CHANGE IS PERMANENT

2008-12-23T16:00:00.005+08:00

A carpenter came to our house to fix the shelves in our storage room. In the process, we found out that he was also a plumber. The bathroom sink in our room wasn't working right. It would take 30 seconds to fill up my left hand with water whenever I'd brush my teeth. It was eternally slow but since we've gotten so used to it, we've tolerated the situation.

But when the carpenter/plumber fixed the problem, we realized how wonderful it was to have a good working bathroom sink. That 's when I remembered a principle that I learned years ago - "what you tolerate, you will never change."

Paul says in 1 Cor 14:12, "Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel ..."
God deserves our best. So do our kids... As one of our teachers, Jay Ravelo, put it, "Excellence is not our goal. It's our standard."

God bless you as you disciple, train and launch a generation of world changers."

FIXED REFERENCE POINT

2008-09-11T22:09:00.005+08:00

Astronauts train their minds to fix on a reference point. That's the problem with weightlessness. When they are in space, they are trained to focus on a particular reference point or else they lose their bearing. They also have to be strapped in someplace, or they float. Merely pushing a simple button will be hard to do if they are not fixed. That is why they have to wear shoes with suction cups to plant themselves onto the ground.

Even when they sleep, it doesn't matter whether they sleep on the "top" of the bunk or on the opposite side of it, the "bottom" of the bunk, or even sleep standing up. There is no "top" or "bottom", no "up" or "down" in space. They shut their eyes and their inner reference tells them that they are lying down.

In a society with many different reference points, we all the more need to stress the infallibility and inerrancy of God's word. In a postmodern world, people believe that “what is true for you may not necessarily be true for me.” We have become a society with no absolutes. But the basic truths from God’s word remain the same - God is good, sin is wrong and Jesus is Lord.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The Word of God is our fixed reference point. We need to drill this into the hearts of our young disciples so that they will not be caught in the weightlessness of post-modernism.

God bless you as you disciple, train and launch a generation of world changers.

SPIRITUAL COMA

2008-08-29T07:37:00.004+08:00

An article in The Philippine Daily Inquirer was written about Terry Wallis. The last time he was conscious about the world around him, Ronald Reagan was president, Bill Clinton was his state's governor, the Soviet Union was the United States' enemy and the World Trade Center stood tall.

After 19 years in coma because of a car accident that left him a quadriplegic, Terry Wallis utters his first words: Mom. Pepsi. Milk. Now at 39, he, in the last 2 weeks, realized that Reagan was no longer president, the cold war is over and a the World Trade Center is no longer there.

I think about that and can't help but say, "Wow." Nineteen years have passed - that's 988 weeks, 6935 days, 166,440 hours.

We don't have that much time with our kids. In a few years, they will launch out to the world and hope to hit their mark in God. We cannot let them stay in a "spiritual coma" and expect them to wake up and hit their mark.

God bless you as you disciple, train and launch the next generation of world changers!

MILLENIAL GENERATION: E.P.I.C. (Part 3)

2008-06-17T07:26:00.002+08:00

One afternoon, I was going to meet a friend in Starbucks. Upon entering, on my right were a group of preteens huddled around a table drinking coffee. "Ten year old kids drinking coffee? Whoa! I didn't touch or even like coffee at that age."

I realized that it is not the coffee they were after. A sachet of Nescafe is Php 5.00. A short latte is about 90 pesos. The price difference is ginormous. But why would they buy it? It's for the experience!

This generation has been described by Dr. Leonard Sweet in his book "Postmodern Pilgrims" as an E.P.I.C. generation.

"E" for experiential.

Remember those days when a birthday party was as simple as a birthday cake, ice cream, balloons and some friends? That is now old school birthday celebration. These days, a birthday party has to be an experience. Themed parties from Princess to Power Rangers with shows to entertain that would include Magic shows, Bubble shows and even acrobatic shows.

If they come in a place and they don't come out with an 'experience', then it is boring.

How does this apply in spiritual terms?

We may not have the props Nickelodeon has, the animation Pixar shows nor the millions Cartoon Network has but we can offer (or God for that matter) an experience they will never forget - His presence.

Whether that's in church or at home, when they understand the power of God's presence in a person's life, then that's when genuine life change begins.

-----

PS. The "P", "I" and "C" of E.P.I.C. will come next after this post.

MOSAIC THINKERS: Millennial Generation (Part 2)

2008-04-28T19:08:00.009+08:00

While my eldest son, Nathan who is 12 years old, was studying for an exam, my wife approached me with a question.

"Will you let your son do what he's doing?" Suddenly, he is no longer 'our' son but 'my' son. I went in to check what he was doing.

While reading his notes, he had his iPod in his ears while eating chips and lying on the bed. I told Jenn that let's see that if he passes his exams, then it should be just fine.

The millenial generation today are MOSAIC. Mosay - what? Yes, mosaic.

The generation before us think linear. They think steps: step 1, then 2, then 3 and so on. But not with this up and coming generation. They think mosaic - able to receive multiply inputs all at the same time which is why they can multi-task better than their parents.

That is the reason behind "P.I.P.s" (picture in picture), multiple tabs in Firefox, Spaces in Mac's Leopard OSX. They are able to do several things all at the same time.

For us adults, our goal is to help them finish a task. Focus is now a big thing for them, which is where we can step in and help them.

Oh, by the way, Nathan passed his exam.

MILLENIAL GENERATION (PART 1)

2008-03-08T00:35:00.005+08:00

"Dad, can I go online?"

This has been a usual question I get from my 2 older kids who are part of the Millennial Generation.

What exactly is the Millennial Generation?

Historians William Strauss and Neil Howe coined this phrase as early as 1991. They are those who were born 1982 up until the turn of the millennium.

After reading about them, there are 3 major descriptions I've gathered about this particular generation.

The first is that they are INTERACTIVE.

This is obviously not a new word but has heightened as a result of the world of internet.

Television is losing out on the Internet primarily because of the "interactivity factor." More and more young people are spending hours on the internet than on television. They get bored when they are passive. They want to take part and get involved. They don't want to just sit in the sidelines. They want to do something.

As a result, TV tries to be more interactive.

To those of you who grew up watching Sesame Street, check out their recent episodes. Elmo tries to be more interactive by speaking to his audience and waiting for a response. So is the case with Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues and many other shows.

Another classic example is American Idol. The producers of A.I. know that young people no longer want to just watch. They want to get involved in the choosing of the next American Idol. How? They text in their votes to determine who goes and who stays.

How can we reach this generation? It can no longer be just one way communication. A talking head for hours will not hack it. What will get their attention is getting interactive and engaging.

BREATHE NORMALLY

2008-02-27T12:49:00.004+08:00

"In the event of cabin depressurization, oxygen mask will drop down. Place the mask over your nose & mouth & breath normally."

You probably have heard this so many times from a flight attendant. Breathe normally? Are you serious? In the verge of a major disaster, how can one breath normally?

I was listening to a podcast by Ravi Zacarias. He was telling a story when the pilot made an announcement that they had to make an emergency landing because the landing gear was not working right.

He was told to bend, face down with his head in between his knees while holding on to his ankles. He was then told to breathe normally. There it is again.

He made a very interesting comment after telling the story. He said that when he looked around, he couldn't see one soul sleeping.

"It is difficult sleep in the midst of ravenous risk around you."

In a time where the world is in a major risk, some can still afford to sleep. In the midst of a major storm, many are tending to kick back.

With what the next generation is going through, there is just no way we can take it sitting. With the menu that is being presented to them through TV, internet and media, one can't help to just sit back, relax and watch the next generation get sucked into moral decadence.

We are told to advance His kingdom. (Matthew 11:12) How? We can start with the young generation. What we have received, let us pass on to them.

Breathe normally? I can't.

HAVE WE LOST THE VISION?

2008-02-01T13:08:00.000+08:00

I realize that seeing the things we see everyday can make us jaded. Our hearts can get calloused by what we hear in the news. We get used to reading what we read in the front page of the dailies. But seeing what I saw this morning on my way to the office gripped my heart again.

Families living in houses where you can barely call a house... Kids running around the streets half naked, asking for money instead of being in school... Old people walking feeling hopeless not knowing what will happen next...

Where have we come to as a nation? Are we without hope?

Absolutely not! Our God is a turn around specialist! He is able to turn things around.

That is why we need to keep the vision alive because one day, we will see Pasig River clean where people can hang out. Restaurants will be ride by the river banks where they can enjoy fresh air. Kids can ride boats as recreation going from point A to point B.

Only if we keep the vision. Only if we are able to raise a new generation of young leaders who will say yes to God and no to unrighteousness.

It can happen. With God's help, it will happen.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)

BUSTING OUR REAR ENDS TO BABY SIT?

2007-10-23T13:01:00.000+08:00

What are we here for? Why do we even bust our rear ends to minister to the next generation?

When our Kids Church was still meeting in Galleria Suites, we implemented strict registration policies because we were right beside the mall. We wanted to up our security because the parents give us their trust for a couple of hours to teach their kids.

One mom came in late with her daughter. Because she was already late, she was in a hurry to get into the service so she can have her “spiritual moment”. Because she was rushing, she just wanted to drop off her daughter without registering her. But our kids ministry volunteers respectfully asked her to fill up the forms. To this, she reacted saying, “Ang arte-arte nyo naman. Aalagaan nyo lang naman ang anak ko. (You guys are overly meticulous. You’ll just baby sit my daughter for a couple of hours.)

My face turned red. Smoke came out of my ears. Fire came out of my mouth. Not really. But I was infuriated when I heard this. This is not what we are called to do. We are not here to merely baby-sit the next generation. If it was all we were to do, then I am going to be the first to zoom out of the door. This is not what I signed up for.

Kids Church is not a time to baby sit. It is a time to build into the lives of these future leaders. It is not a time to entertain. It is a time to equip them for future stations in life. It is not a time to merely transfer information. It is to hopefully usher in transformation so that they can truly be a world changer.

“It is easier to build boys and girls than to repair men and women.” (Bill Wilson)

BUT LET US BEGIN

2007-09-12T08:30:00.001+08:00

Are we still undeniably convinced that we have hope in the next generation?

My dad, who was a broadcaster for more than thirty years, asked me, “Is there still hope for this nation?” Without batting an eyelash, I said, “Yes, for it just takes one generation.”

Judges 2:10 says:
After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

As a result, the whole nation turned away from God. Conversely, if we disciple and train a new generation of world changers who will love God and hate sin, then in one generation, it is possible to see a nation turn around for God.

“All this will not be finished in the first 100 days.
Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days,
not in the life of this Administration,
nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet.
But let us begin . . .”—John F. Kennedy

Transformation may not happen in ten years. It may not happen in twenty. But at any rate, let’s begin.

God bless you as you reach the next generation to change the world.

STAY RELEVANT

2007-07-02T22:11:00.000+08:00

Relevance... something everyone is in search for, aiming for, and hoping to achieve every single day. As teachers, we desire to connect and stay in touch with what's going on in their generation and find ways to practically apply God's word to their situations.

I found this website that gave tips on how to stay relevant as we continue to reach the next generation to change the world. Enjoy.

TO GYM OR NOT TO GYM

2007-05-25T11:06:00.000+08:00

Who goes to the gym when you're on a holiday? But because I am 17 lbs. over in the scale, I had thought I should give it a try since I haven't made it to the gym for almost 6 months now. The gym I went to this morning wasn't much different from the ones I've been to in the past. I've been to many and they are pretty similar... equipment, shower rooms, trainers, lockers and all.

But what was different on this one were the little things that came with the fitness experience.

1. While on the bike, I was offered a cold towel to freshen me up (I actually thought I was in a Chinese restaurant.)
2. The locker room key was on a wrist strap that looked similar to a Swatch watch (well... not quite).
3. They had apples and bananas ready just in case you needed refueling while exercising.

What was the principle I got reminded of again?

"It's the little things that make a little difference that eventually make a big difference."

As teachers, we play different roles. We play a part in the skit, lead the kids in the games, write down their names on stickers, bring them to the rest room, facilitate a small group... but whatever it may be, big or small, let's continue to be faithful.

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matthew 25:23, NKJV)

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

2007-03-28T18:25:00.000+08:00

“It’s the little things that make the little difference that eventually make the big difference.”

I heard this from Craig Jutila, a kids pastor from Southern California. Though I couldn’t get it at first, I gave it some thought, and it began to make a lot of sense. We are not after the mind-blowing, earth-shattering, tidal-wave-building ideas. It’s really the small bricks that we put down one at a time that will ultimately make an excellent edifice.

What separates a four-star hotel from a five-star hotel is not the big things; it’s the little things that make the little difference that ultimately make the big difference:

* It’s the key card instead of the traditional key.

*It’s the automatic light that turns on when we pull the cabinet open instead of having to look for the light switch.

* It’s the Crabtree & Evelyn shampoo in the bathroom instead of the generic, no name bottle.

* It’s the remote control for the TV instead of the rotary switch.

The Bible says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). King Solomon tells us to do our best with whatever God puts in our hands, whether it’s the big stuff or the little stuff.

As we train and disciple the next generation, it is the little things we do that make a whole lot of difference—a smile, a greeting, a hug, an extra prop to explain the lesson better, background music to make the skit more exciting, an extra clean mat for the toddlers to crawl on . . . It’s the little things that make a little difference that eventually make the big difference.

FISHERETTES FOR MEN?

2007-03-16T12:18:00.000+08:00

Every summer, we see God transform the lives of many of the kids who attend our pre-teen camp in Laguna. Noelle, a ten-year-old, is one of them. Her mom encouraged us with this message recently:

"I praise God for the powerful impact of the camp in my daughter’s life. I’ve never seen so much boldness and eagerness to reach out to her friends. Just this morning, she was going through the One 2 One booklet with two of her playmates and led these kids to a prayer of salvation. I was interceding while she was doing that. I’ve never seen such confidence in her. I really saw the power of the Holy Spirit in her. Thank you so much for your ministry. God bless you."

When Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, He was not just referring to people who are over twenty years old. Whether a person is a grandma, a dad, an aunt, or a kid—He wants to use everyone to advance His kingdom. And these children are not just mini-fishers of men, or " fisherettes " . Their heart of compassion and desire to obey God is as genuine as any older person’s. We have seen countless kids like Noelle whose lives God has changed and who are excited to be used of Him wherever they are—and however young they are. Truly, God is going to use anyone who is willing and available for His glory!

BOOT CAMP 2007 ANNOUNCEMENT

We would like to encourage the teachers to join us see God move in the lives of these pre-teens. If you are interested to help, call Weena at 8171212, loc. 337.

HOPE IN THE NEXT GENERATION

2007-03-15T17:17:00.000+08:00

THE DAY A PART OF ME DIED

2007-03-13T16:30:00.000+08:00

Because it was my rest day yesterday, I was around the house fixing (or destroying, in my wife's point of view) a few things. I was working on our window screen and the whole window frame fell on my left big toe. I actually took a picture of my toe to upload it but my wife pleaded for me not to because it may ruin your every meal's appetite. That's why I ended up having a tombstone image on this blog.

The whole day yesterday, my whole body was affected by this one toe hurting. I couldn't walk properly nor could I drive well. I think about how important every member of the team is in ministry or in any organization for that matter. When one part suffers, everyone suffers. But when one rejoices, everyone rejoices as well.

To all the teachers who work so hard week after week in kids ministry, my hats off to you guys.

May my toe nail rest in peace.

...so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Cor. 12:25-27)

SWIMMING WITH NEMO

2007-02-28T11:19:00.000+08:00

Went snorkeling with our pastors from VCF (Ryan, Dawny and Juray) this morning before our meeting (I know, life's tough). I found Nemo, or at least an impersonator. It really looked like him - small, colorful and fast. I tried to run after him but he was too quick.

The undercurrent was pretty strong. But that didn't deter him to go against the flow and go where he needed to go. Not sure who taught him but I thought to myself, "that's how our kids need to be. The undercurrent of media, peer pressure and the world itself may be pretty strong. But we need to teach them to go against the flow when they need to."

Thanks, Nemo.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Prov. 22:6)

GREAT POWER

2006-07-17T22:17:00.000+08:00

As I was dropping off our rental car near LAX airport, I overheard a couple of young ladies speak about their husbands as they load up heavy luggage after a week of shopping in Factory Outlets, “Wow, men are really strong. Can you believe it? They are able to carry all these heavy bags.”

As I was listening to all these and watching the strong men carry the bags onto the Airport Shuttle, I thought to myself, “Yep, men are strong but women are POWERFUL.”

You might ask “why?” Number 1 reason: they got them to carry the bags. Number 2: they got their husbands to pay for all the shopping the past week.

“With great POWER come great privileges.”

IT’S WORTH IT

2006-04-08T17:16:00.001+08:00

I spoke to Tito Falguera, our Kids Pastor from Victory U-Belt, at our annual youth camp in Caliraya, Laguna. He told me about Jorel, a four-year-old boy who would faithfully attend Children’s Church week after week with his grandmother. About two months ago, he got very, very sick, and sadly, the Lord took him home at a very young age. At the funeral service, Pastor Tito spoke to Jorel’s mom, who had never been to church. She said she always heard Jorel sing, “One way, Jesus, You’re the only One that I could live for.”

That night, after Pastor Tito shared a message at the funeral, he gave everyone an opportunity to give their lives to Jesus. Guess who was one of the first ones to respond? Jorel’s mom! She got saved at her very own son’s funeral. She is now in church and growing in her faith in Christ.

Was it a sad circumstance? By all means.

Was it a blessed night? You bet.

Is Kids Ministry worth it? Absolutely!

The Bible says that the time will come when the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them (Isaiah 11:6). This time has truly come, for we are seeing children leading others to God.

BEHIND THE SCENES

2006-03-30T10:47:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, I attended a wedding in Tagaytay Highlands. (Yes, I know, I’ve been to a lot of weddings lately.) During the reception, we were served a great meal, beginning with the appetizers. I was sitting right beside Pastor Joel Magpantay, one of our pastors at Victory Fort. He congratulated the waiter for the wonderful food and gave him a thumbs up sign. Several of us seconded this approval by giving the waiter a few nods and smiles. Proudly, the waiter stepped away from our table with a big smile. After a few moments, I thought to myself, “It’s really the chef we should be congratulating here.”

I then remembered how often this has happened to me, too. How many times have I gotten a thumbs up sign for doing a great job? A little too many, unfortunately. Like the waiter, I have been given credit for things done by those behind the scenes—our Kids Ministry teachers. Parents tell me how excited their kids are about church and how they see amazing transformation in their kids’ lives. To set the record straight, Kids Ministry makes a difference in the lives of these children and families because of the hundreds of volunteers and scores of leaders who work hard unnoticed, week in and week out. Our hats off to you, our dear volunteers. You are the chefs that cook up great kids services weekly. I am just the waiter that faces the crowd and receives the thumbs up for what you all prepare during the week.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:7,8, Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does. No one may see all you do in Kids Ministry, but surely God does and will reward you for all your efforts.

ONE OR ONE THOUSAND

2006-03-28T17:23:00.000+08:00

Cecil, a ten-year-old boy, was sent to church by his dad one early morning. To bring spiritual revival in their members, the church decided to have 8:00 A.M. services for one whole week. Upon arriving, the ten-year-old only saw two people: the red-bearded minister and himself.

Embarrassed, he took a seat, wondering anxiously what the pastor would do. Surely, he would politely tell the boy to run along home. To his shock, the pastor, with calm and solemn dignity, walked up to the pulpit and preached away. He spoke as if there were thousands in the meeting.

When it was time for the offering, the minister placed collection plate on the altar railing. Cecil walked up and dropped a nickel into the plate.

Then the minister did something that changed Cecil’s life. He came down to the altar to receive the offering, placed his hand on the boy’s head, and blessed him. Cecil testified, “He did a beautiful thing. It won my belief and strengthened my faith. The spirit of truth was in the church with us that morning.”

The ten-year-old boy was Cecil B. DeMille. Hollywood remembers him as the director and producer of hundreds of films, including the Ten Commandments and Sunset Blvd.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.” There may be seasons that there are lots of kids and there may be seasons that there are only a few, or maybe even just one. We are told to preach the Word anyway.

TIME TO STEP UP

2006-03-27T09:51:00.000+08:00

In the movie The Patriot, Capt. Benjamin Martin (played by Mel Gibson) was a widower with seven children. He was forced to step up at a time when he was very reluctant to do so. As a soldier who fought in the French and Indian War, he made a decision to never get involved in any war again because of all the atrocities he had witnessed. But one afternoon, British Col. Tavington, in his high-rounded hat and bright green regimental sash, murdered Capt. Martin’s second son and imprisoned his eldest son, Gabriel (played by Heath Ledger). Because of this, Capt. Martin was forced take up arms and get in the war.

In the world today, our children are attacked left and right. From pornography to violent video games, materialism to peer pressure, our kids are faced with challenges day after day. What are we to do? Are we to take this sitting down? I like how Capt. Martin responded. I could almost hear these words come from his mouth: “Once you try to attack my kids, you’ll have to go through me.”

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:16, Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. We have a small window of time with our children. If we don’t plant now and plant wisely, someone else will—and we don’t know what kinds of seeds they will put in the children’s hearts. But as we plant God’s Word, we know that it will never return empty, for it will accomplish the purpose for which it has been sent.

LESS IS MORE

2006-03-22T23:33:00.000+08:00

I attended a wedding of one of our student leaders in campus, who is now a lawyer. At her wedding, Claire took some time to honor her parents, most especially her dad. What she said about him touched me and made me evaluate my priorities as a parent.

As Claire talked about her dad, these were her words:
“My dad carefully chose which businesses to get into. He could’ve acquired more wealth but that would mean less time spent with us. But he made a deliberate decision to say no to certain opportunities so that he could spend more time with us. For that, I honor him. I love you dad.”

Parents, the Bible says in Proverbs 23:7, 8, “Don’t wear yourself out to get rich. Be wise enough to say no. When you take even a quick look at riches, they are gone. They grow wings and fly away into the sky like an eagle.” (NIrV)

God bless you as you parent the next generation world changers!