It's Also Tough Being a 5th Grader

Today it was my daughter's turn to come home with some of the same age old problems many of us have faced in our school days, ohhh, so long ago! My daughter's problem is that one of her best friends has made some new friends, and is starting to drift away from my little girl. According to my daughter, "She is acting like she may not want to be my friend anymore." Once again my heart goes out to one of my children. We have told her she is also making new friends and that sometimes during the next few years or so, that friends can change often. It's tough being a 5th Grader and having to deal with the ever changing moods and emotions of young ladies that age. And when friends come and go during those years, it can be very hard on a young girl's emotions. We encourage her and remind her that God is always there with her, no matter what her friend decides to do. My little girl, is growing into a big girl, and I love her very much. I hate to see her heart break. To bad this has to be a part of growing up.

It's Tough Being a 7th Grader

Yesterday my son came to us (parents), about problems he was having at school. It was the same age old questions, that we had to face when we were in 7th Grade, ohh those many years ago. He wanted to know what to do when, "it seems all the other kids at school are cussing and telling dirty jokes, and he doesn't want to?" He said he, "feels like he needs to cuss in order to keep his friends or to keep from being made fun of." I asked him if he cussed and he said no, but he just doesn't know what to do. He also said kids are always getting into fights and they call people names like, "gay, fag, wussy", and other names.

What do you say? My wife and I gave him the standard answers of just try to ignore the jokes, the cussing and the name calling as much as you can. If you ignored it, they would probably stop doing those things around you, because they know you would ignore it anyway. If the name calling really bothers you, you could always tell a teacher, (we know how that works), and maybe they can help. We told him to talk to his closest friends and tell them how you feel and maybe they will respect your views and not do those behaviors around you. He said they weren't trying to fight him, but I told him if he ever has to defend himself, I would not be made if he got in trouble for fighting; just never start the fight.

We also told him that the best thing to do was just pray for you enemies and you friends. Give your problem to God! Pray that your friends will respect you, and if they don't and you feel it is necessary, be prepared to give up a friend or two. Pray that your enemies will not torment you or try to fight you. Pray that God gives you the strength to do what is right, despite the temptation to give in to pressures, just to avoid persecution.

Later in the day we went to Wednesday Evening classes at our church. I was talking to the Youth Minister about my son's problems. He told me, that my son was so very blessed to at least have a Father to talk to about his problems. Some kids do not have anyone to talk to. They have no one to guide them. He told me, "You will not always have the answers, but you are pointing him to someone who does, that it is Heavenly Father." Then in told me, "You can always tell him to just punch the kid in the stomach really hard, and run away really fast. It's good practice for joining the track team." -- He meant that as a joke!!

It's not easy being a 7th Grader in today's schools, much less a 7th Grader with values and a respect for their God. No answer seems to solve the problems my son faces, but I do know that his mother and both his fathers, me and his God, will be there for him if he needs us. That is what matters the most!

Missing My Bride

After spending a great weekend with my wife on the 15th & 16th of this month, I have been forced to spend this past weekend and two days this week without her. This past Friday and Saturday night she was in Dallas with some friends at a Scrapbook Workshop. I was glad she got to spend some time with friends and catch up on our family scrapbooks, but I missed her a lot. She came home Sunday in time to spend the night with the family in one of our "camp outs." Then Monday she left for a business meeting in Austin. She will be back late Wednesday night. That is four nights without my bride by my side. I realize "stuff" happens and sometimes we have to spend some time apart, but I miss being able to roll over in the night and put my arms around her, or reach over with my feet, just to know she is there. I am sure she is not missing my snoring much though. Ha! She does tell me she has trouble sleeping, when she is away from me as well, so I'm sure she feels the same lonely feelings as I do. I miss you Honey! Come home safe and soon.

Family Camp Outs With a Twist

Since my wife is afraid of "critters" outside and we lack a tent to sleep in, my family and I have come up with a unique way to do our family camp outs. Every Friday the 13th or other special occasions, we drag our kids' mattresses and the 2 spare mattresses into the living room and we all sleep on the floor together. We each have our own mattress so we don't cross any personal boundaries. We dig our some extra sheets for the spare mattresses, cook some pop-corn, read some books together and then normally end by watching a movie together as a family. The dog loves this, as he can choose who he wants to sleep with. It is a special time for the family. We get the feeling of a camp out, without camping or being outside!?! I think? Anyway, it is a lot of fun.

Things I Didn't Learn in Sunday School -- Part 2

Here are 5 more interesting stories or revelations that I learned during my years of personal Bible study, that somehow overlooked my Sunday School teachers...

#6. I Kings 19:19-21 -- Did you know that the prophet Elisha (the one who cursed the kids for calling him a bald head), used to be a rich man before he became a prophet of God? According to I Kings, Elisha was a wealthy farmer, as indicated by the fact that, "He was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair." To be able to plow your fields with that many oxen, required a substantial amount of money. Despite the money, Elisha gave it all up to do the work of the LORD. To show his strong commitment to following God, Elisha, "took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people." With that act, Elisha sacrificed any chance at returning to his old way of life. It would be the equivalent of Donald Trump giving up all his properties and wealth to become a preacher today.

# 7. Genesis 12:13 & 20:2 -- Abraham did what? Yes, he did! Not just once but twice, Abraham lied about being married to his wife in order to protect his own interest. Both times Abraham told someone else that his wife Sarah, was his sister, and he gave her away to someone else because he was afraid that he would not be killed because of her beauty. The first incident was when he was Abram. Abram had gone to Egypt because of a famine. "As he was about to enter Egypt he said to his wife Sarai, 'I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but you will live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for you sake and my life will be spared because of you." He then gave his wife up to become part of Pharaoh's household. Just like Abram predicted, he was given lots of special favors from Pharaoh. Then God brought about serious diseases upon Pharaoh's household, and an angry Pharaoh chastised Abram, gave Sarai back to him and sent him on his way. Later, after God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, Abraham did it again!! Afraid of King Abimelech of Gerar might do to him, because of his wife's beauty, he once again lied and called Sarah his sister and gave her up to become another wife of King Abimelech. Lucky for Sarah, God informed King Abimelech, in a dream, of Abraham's lies and the situation was rectified. Sarah must have really loved Abraham to let him get away with that kind of behavior. My wife would have left me after the first incident!

#8. Jonah, Chapter 4 -- You mean there's another chapter to Jonah? All the stories I had ever heard about Jonah ended with the citizens of Nineveh hearing the words of Jonah and repenting to follow God. I never knew that Jonah was not OK with all of this. I thought Jonah was just as happy as God that Nineveh repented, but I was wrong. Jonah 4:1 says, "But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry." In verse 3 Jonah says to God, "Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." What kind of ungrateful man he was. After God spared his life for running away from God's mission for him, and getting him out of the belly of a fish for 3 days and nights, Jonah still resented the fact he had to go and speak the good news of God to the people of Nineveh. I never learned that in Sunday School.

#9. Hosea 3:1 -- The prophet Hosea had a cheating wife. Rather than divorce her, as many good Christian men would do with their cheating wives today, Hosea reconciled with her. In Hosea's own words, "The LORD said to me, 'Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites..." Hosea was told by God to model the LORD's love for His people by showing forgiveness to his own wife. Hmmm, sounds like a lesson some of us Christians today may need to take head to.

#10. Numbers 11:19-20 -- A fairly gross story...After receiving all the laws of the LORD at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites are finally on their way to the promised land. Not long afterwards they start to whine and complain again. This time about what they God is giving them to eat. They wail that all they eat is manna and "If we only had meat to eat! (v. 4). Angry at their open defiance, God decides to teach them a lesson. He gives them meat (quail to be exact). He also tells them, through Moses, "You will not just eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month -- until it comes out your nostrils and you loathe it." In other words, You want meat, fine! You will eat so much stinkin' meat that you will get so sick of it you will puke it out through your nose.

I hope you enjoy my little tidbits of learning! Please feel free to share any little stories you picked up along the way of your own spiritual journey.

Things I Didn't Learn in Sunday School -- Part 1

I learned many things about God/Jesus and other Bible stories in my years in Sunday School. I learned that Noah built the ark, Moses parted the Red Sea, David killed Goliath with a slingshot, Jesus walked on water and was crucified, Daniel survived a lion's den and Jonah was eaten by a whale! As I started my own personal study of the Bible I found out there was much more to these stories. I even discovered a few stories I did not know about. Here are 5 interesting facts/stories I found on my own:

1) Genesis 3:6 -- Every one knows the story of Adam & Eve, and how Satan in the form of a serpent tempted Eve to eat of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But, did you know Adam witness the entire event. At least that what Genesis 3:6 says, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was there with her, and he ate it". Why didn't Adam kill the snake? Why didn't he interfere and take Eve away from the tree? There goes every one's excuse for blaming the ladies for bringing sin into the world. Eve may have taken the first bite, but it seems Adam was just as much to blame for not protecting his wife as a godly man should have done.

2) Genesis 7:17-24 -- Just how long was Noah on the Ark with his family and all those stinky animals? The Sunday school answer I got was 40 days and nights. Not so!!! If you read Genesis 7:17-24 you will find that Noah was on the ark between 150-190 days. It took 40 days to cover the earth with water (v. 17-23) and then the water covered the earth for 150 days (v. 24). Wow! 150 days couped up with a bunch of stinky animals. Way to go Noah!

3) 1 Samuel 17:16, 51 & 57 -- Sure David killed Goliath, but here are a couple of interesting notes I found. We all know that Goliath taunted the Israelite army. He called them "dogs and cowards." But did you know he did this at least 80 times? 1 Samuel 17:16 says, "For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand." For 40 days straight, day and night, Goliath made the Israelite army quake in their shorts. Not one of God's chosen people, not even the King, Saul, stood up the bully who defied the LORD. It took a young man with a sling and a stone to finally prove the true power of our God. After David killed Goliath, David took Goliath's sword and cut off the giant's head. Upon seeing the head of their champion, the Philistines took off running and the Israelites finally engaged their enemy and soundly defeated them. Now here is where it gets funny...(sort of)...King Saul wanted to know who this young man was who defeated the giant. "As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine (Goliath), Abner (King Saul's main assistant), took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head." Not only did David cut off Goliath's head, he apparently toted it around for a while, like a bowling ball, and even took it with him to address the king. Isn't that hilarious?

4) 2 Kings 2:23-25 -- Did you know it might not be a good thing to make fun of a bald man? In 2 Kings 2:23-25, we read a story about the prophet Elisha. As he was traveling to the city Bethel, some kids came out of the town and started to jeer him, calling him, "bald head." Elisha apparently did not take kindly to this show of disrespect to God's prophet, "He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths." That will teach you not to make fun of a bald holy man.

5) Genesis chapter 34 -- Talk about defending your sister's honor. In Genesis chapter 34 we read about the story of Dinah. Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and Leah. Yes, Jacob had a daughter or two other than his, then 11 sons. It seems that there was this fellow named Shechem who seduced Dinah, and they apparently had a little "whoopie" before any marriage vows were exchanged. Needless to say, Jacob was more than a little peeved about the whole "affair." Evidently so were Dinah's 11 brothers. They came up with a plan to get revenge on this man, and his people, for disgracing their sister. They convinced all the males in Shechem's family that they needed to get circumcised, as part of an agreement to let Shechem marry their sister Dinah. Not only did Shechem and his family agree to this procedure, but so did every other male who lived in that city. "Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male." When Jacob found out about this...he scolded them harshly. Their reply to their father, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"