{Sermon} Exodus 20:12 - The Ten Words: The Fifth Command (Honor Your Father and Your Mother)

Audio here.

Another Great Christ-Centered Resource for Kids

I've read good reviews of this potential "stocking-stuffer":

67% Off a Great Parenting Resource (The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments)

My wife has enjoyed using Long Story Short with our children each morning. The companion volume, The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments, is available at 67% off for a limited time at WTS Books.

Here's a description of The Gospel Story Bible:

It is easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles, and conflicting priorities. But the truth is that he is the hero of every story, including these ordinary ones. This is why Marty Machowski puts God's plan of salvation in Christ on continuous display in The Gospel Story Bible. The easy-to-read storybook introduces your family to many captivating people, places, and events from the Bible's Old and New Testaments, showing how each one ultimately points to Jesus.  

As you share these Bible stories together, you and your family will meet Jesus and learn a new, life-changing way of recognizing Christ as the hero of every story. Vibrant illustrations by A. E. Macha, child-friendly discussion questions, and Scripture references accompany each narrative to help you lead your family in exploring the Bible. You will be delighted to discover how easily even a young child can understand the original text of a story that he or she has already come to love.

 And here's a description of Long Story Short:

The Bible can seem like a long story for an active family to read, but when you break it down into short sections, as Marty Machowski does, family devotions are easy to do. Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God’s story of salvation through Jesus Christ. You won’t find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace. Clever stories and good moral lessons may entertain and even help children, but the gospel will transform children. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read.

Ten minutes a day, five days a week is enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God’s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school.

Your Child Can Thrive in Public School

We homeschool three of our children at present. But, I've never thought or taught that is "God's way" or "the only way" to school our children to the glory of God--and would certainly never want it to occupy a central place in the local church. The Bible simply doesn't mandate an approach. It is a matter of Christian wisdom and conscience.

So, I'm encouraged by Tim Challies review of Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School by David and Kelli Prichard.

Read his review here.

Buy the book here.

Good Parenting is More About Biblical Theology Than Processes and Techniques

I appreciated these words from the introduction to Gospel-Centered Family by Ed Moll and Tim Chester (a book Paul David Tripp calls "a must read for parents," now on sale for 60%-off at WTSBooks):

The reality is there are biblical absolutes, but at the level of principles rather than processes. Good parenting is not about adopting certain techniques. It’s about living as part of God’s story and letting God’s good news shape your values, attitudes and behavior.

The Bible is not a parenting manual, but the story of what God is doing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, good parenting is more about biblical theology--living out God's Story (the Gospel), letting it shape you--than it is about prescribing precise techniques and processes.

Here's the full quote:

This is a book about gospel-centered families. The word “gospel” means “good news”. So this is a book offering good news for families. It offers ideas to help you negotiate the sometimes troubled waters of family life. 

But our good news is more than good advice. It’s more than tips based on experience. It’s about the good news of life, hope, forgiveness and freedom in Jesus, and how this good news impacts family life. 

The Bible isn’t a manual on parenting. You can’t look under “D” for “discipline” or “T” for “teenagers”. The Bible is a story – the story of God’s salvation. It tells the story of the creation of the world, the rebellion of humanity, the promises God made to Israel and the coming of God’s Son, Jesus. It tells us how God designed the world, what’s gone wrong and how God is putting the world right again through Jesus. 

This book shows how this wonderful story intersects with the story of your family. The Bible story can become the story of what God designed your family to be, what goes wrong in your family and how God can put your family right again through His Son, Jesus. 

There are two common, contrasting approaches to parenting. Some people emphasize that every family is different and so parents need to make it up as they go along. Other people emphasize biblical absolutes and so prescribe precise techniques. The reality is there are biblical absolutes, but at the level of principles rather than processes. Good parenting is not about adopting certain techniques. It’s about living as part of God’s story and letting God’s good news shape your values, attitudes and behavior.

Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Two parents, single parents, step-parents. Several children, an only child, stepchildren. We tried not to assume every family fits the two parents with 2.4 children mold. We recognize that single parents face extra challenges while step-children raise their own unique issues. But to make life easier we’ll sometimes speak of your child, sometimes of your children; of a parent and parents.

Our 4-Year Old "Andrew Peterson" sings "Gather Round, Ye Children, Come"

I posted earlier about my 4-year old's infatuation with guitars. He also loves the music of Andrew Peterson.

In fact, he often claims that he is Andrew Peterson. And when an AP album is on, he's quick to point out, "I wrote that song."

He'll often put on AP's Christmas album, Behold the Lamb, get his guitar, and put a music book on his music stand, and then strum and sing along with the entire album. (He doesn't read music, can't play chords; and the song book is the Sovereign Grace song book.)

We've had a hard time catching him doing this on video. He's bashful. I usually have to stand in the other room and peak to watch him. Plus, when he does play, he likes his music loud, which makes it hard to get his voice on the video.

But, my wife persisted, and she finally got a fairly good recording of him singing the opening track, "Gather 'Round, Ye Children, Come." (Sorry, the guitar is not even close to being in "tune.")

My Four Year Old's First Jam Session

Somewhere around the age of 2, our youngest son started picking up brooms and lightsabers and strumming them. He would saying, "I'm playing my 'tar."

So, at some point, Mommy made him a guitar out of oak tag. And then came a 'tar made out of plywood, with rubber bands for strings.

For his third birthday, mom made him a guitar birthday cake.

Cakes are cool. But, Grandpa got him the real thing. And he knew just what to do with it.

Since then, he's worn the finish off (and some of the wood) beneath the hole from strumming. And, he's gone through enough broken strings that he now has to buy them himself.

For the longest time, he's been begging two of the guitarists in our church to come by and play guitar with him. So, last Wednesday evening they did. He was one happy little boy.

One of the guys tuned his guitar to play a chord. (At some point, when his hands are big enough, I'm hoping he can learn to play those!!) Then the guys played along in that key.

Here's a brief snapshot of the four year old in his first jam-session (and some attention-starved siblings trying to join in!):

In my next post, I'll share some video of him playing Andrew Peterson tunes.

Darth Vader's Advice for Fathers

Some good advice from the head of the Skywalker family:

The Christmas Story - from the Jesus Storybook Bible

If you don't have The Jesus Storybook Bible, I'd encourage you to get it for the kids in your life. It's fantastic; one of the favorites in our home. One of our sons frequently goes to sleep listening to the narrated CDs from the Deluxe Version.

You can hear enjoy the narration and illustrations from the Christmas story below:

(HT: Life2gether)

"The Lord Is:" A Transforming Hymn Project for Church & Family

Over the next 15 weeks, David and I will be posting our 15 hymns on the attributes of God from our "The Lord Is" project.

Each hymn follows the same three-stanza structure: (1) what the attribute is, (2) how it relates to the Gospel and (3) how it applies to the Christian life. They all can be sung to the tune of "A Mighty Fortress," or one of two newly composed tunes.

I'd encourage churches and parents to consider follow these posts. Consider singing one of these hymns each Sunday morning (and then singing and discussing it as a family after supper each night) for the next 15 weeks. Imagine how it might shape (and reshape) our view of who our great Lord is! 

See details of the project here. The first hymn of the series, "The Lord is One," is up here.

Big Idea Kids -- Register Now, Begins Sep 8

Big Idea Kids resumes September 8. Registration is now open online.

Big Idea Kids is a ministry of Northbrook Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids; a weekly club for 4-year-olds through 6th-graders. Each week Big Idea Kids learn big ideas about God, the Bible, and about God's amazing plan to rescue people. Big Idea Kids sing, memorize scripture, learn theology, eat snacks, and play games. Learn more here.

Who Needs Toilet Paper Anyway?

I found this post unpublished, as a draft, from June. Must have forgotten about it. Anyway, this is what life is like with three boys (and a bathroom sans toilet paper):

Win a 3-Pack of Worship CD's for Kids

My friend, Doug Wolter, is giving away a 3-Pack of the God's Kids Worship CD's on his blog, Lifetogether.

Enter a comment to win!

Children's Bible: The Mighty Acts of God

The Mighty Acts of God (book, audio) sounds like a book that will soon take its place alongside some other favorites in our home (The Jesus Storybook Bible, The Big Picture Story Bible, and The ESV Illustrated Children's Bible).

Here is what author Starr Meade says she's trying to accomplish:

Mighty Acts of God was written with elementary school-age children in mind. The stories are told in chronological order to demonstrate the unfolding revelation God gave of himself, of his saving purposes, and of his covenant. Important doctrinal teachings of historic Reformed Christianity are introduced or reinforced in these stories. Summary statements of these doctrines appear in the text in colored type to be easily seen. Similarly, words or theological terms that might be unfamiliar to children appear in bold. At the beginning of each story is a key verse—a Bible verse from the story or from elsewhere in Scripture, clearly stating one of the important truths seen in the narrative. A short separate feature called “As for Me and My House” follows each story, providing parents with additional ideas for discussion or activities related to the truths presented in that particular story.