Posts Tagged ‘ Facebook ’

some things you may find interesting


Good leaders are always looking at what others are saying and doing. In an effort to be one myself, I spend time reading and following others through books, Twitter, Facebook, and on blogs. I’ve recently discovered Challies Dot Com (www.challies.com) and found it to be a wonderful source of devotional material to ponder. Today, i am re-posting some articles that had been listed there which led to many though-provoking ideas.

I hope you enjoy!
DK

(originally posted on 1/15 on challies.com)

Tim Tebow’s Life Is a Tragedy – This is an interesting take on Tebow. “Everyone’s life is a story, especially the lives of celebrities. But the way our stories get told is often what distinguishes us common folk from celebrities, mostly because celebrities have the media following them around creating a narrative, or drama, that always takes a predictable path.” He argues that Tebow’s life is a tragedy, fabricated by the media.

Adam and Eve and Pinch Me – Carl Trueman looks at the difference between Al Mohler and Tim Keller when it comes to evolution and wonders aloud why it is that many of the leaders of the new Calvinism are making complementarianism a major issue and evolution a minor one. It makes for a good and thought-provoking read.

The Plain Preaching of the Gospel – Justin Taylor shares a great quote from Charles Spurgeon as he argued that the plain preaching of the gospel was (and still is!) sufficient to grow the church.

Why Conservatives Should End the Debt Ceiling Debate - Dr. Mohler’s article on the debt ceiling is worth reading even if you read only long enough to see what he says about it being a “pseudo-event.”

Why We Need Plumbers—and Pastors – You can probably identify with this: “Growing up I knew I could serve God in whatever profession I chose. Providing, of course, I chose to be either a missionary or a pastor. … Sure, a wealthy executive or doctor who lived faithfully for Christ might achieve a modicum of respect in church circles. But spiritually speaking, they were ‘walking wallets,’ useful for funding ministry—the real work of the Lord.”

2013
01/16
CATEGORY
Christian Life
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Walking kids though tragedy


It has been a looong day. As a new parent, I’m trying not to be an emotional wreck, even though the shooting today didn’t effect anyone I directly know. It just eats at me though.

And I’m sure it does for others, too. Especially kids who hear bits but don’t fully understand. So it’s important for parents to be ready and equipped to talk to their kids about tragedy like this. The below article is a post I found through a friend (HI DEANA!) on Facebook. The original can be found here: http://www.childrenswishingwell.org/talking-to-children-about-the-shooting-at-sandy-hook-elementary/

I pray that as you talk with your kids, these simple tips can add a layer of comfort to the discussion. God bless you, and may His comfort be with those who have been touched by today’s events, victims families and survivors.

DK

Talking to Children about the Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary

December 14th, 2012 | Posted by Cynthia Manley in Parenting

Today’s tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Ct., has left all of us shaken, especially parents, who may be wondering how to talk to their children about the shooting.

We talked to Jodi Bauers, child life manager at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, who offered some guidance for parents.

She said that the biggest question children are likely to have is whether something similar can happen to them. Parents should reassure them and help them feel safe while also providing age and developmentally appropriate information.

Her other tips for talking to your children about the shooting include:

  • Take care of yourself first. Calm your own fears and anxiety before talking to your children. They pick up on your emotions, and your calm demeanor will go a long way to reassure.
  • Turn off TV and other media. Graphic details and images can be upsetting to all of us. Younger children may think that the event is happening over and over. Tuning in for the latest is tempting; pace yourself with the news and listen in only when children are out of earshot.
  • Consider the child’s age when deciding whether bring it up. A preschooler may not know about the event and probably doesn’t need to know about it. Answer questions if they ask.
  • Be proactive with older children. You can start the conversation with “you may have heard about…” and ask what questions they may have.
  • Help the child understand that it is OK to feel sad or angry that this had happened.
  • Reassure and emphasize their safety. Discuss the steps that adults in their life take to keep them safe, such as their schools’ safety plan and safety measures taken at home.
  • Help your child find ways to cope with their fear and grief. Providing outlets like artwork or imaginative play can help them process their feelings. Draw on ways your family typically copes with a crisis such as sending a card, making a donation as a family to help the victims or praying together.

If you or your child need additional help dealing with this tragedy, be sure to contact your doctor or mental health provider.

We hope these tips help you and your family in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

 

2012
12/14
CATEGORY
children and family
1 comment

Cell Phones and Kids


Today’s post is from a post  BY CAREY NIEUWHOF that I came across from the Orange Group (www.orangeparents.org) and is a question that I have been asked several times: When should kids get cell phones?

In today’s world it seems like parents use the devices as monitoring systems, which can be good…but often they don’t do much to monitor what their child does with the phone once they’ve got it. Cell phones can be useful tools, but they can also be dangerous. And, simply put, they are not a substitute for responsible parenting. If you want to give your kid a cell phone and you want to pay for it, go for it. But don’t do so without limitations and conditions…and for heaven sake  there is no reason your kindergartener needs a cell phone, so just don’t!

Enjoy!

DK

 

I have two sons. One’s in college and the other is still in high school, but it feels like I raised them in the olden days. You know, the 2000s.

One day, they get to tell their kids that when they were young, they had to actually go to a storeto rent a movie and play it on something called a DVD player. (I’m sure their kids will say, “Really, dad?”) They’ll get to talk about their awesome CD collection. (“Your what collection, Dad?”) My oldest son is just old enough to also remember the horrendous pinging sound of dial up. Oh the stories he can tell. . .

Ten-year-olds today live in a significantly different world than ten-year-olds even a few years ago.

Today, when you get a phone you don’t just get something to dial if you’re going to be late for dinner or you’re in danger. You get everything with it—Facebook, movies, a full web browser, and any app you can think of. And you have it with you anytime, anywhere. Wifi is everywhere, and whether it’s an iPod touch, a phone, a tablet, a laptop or any kind of mobile device, our kids have access to anything, anytime.

It can be difficult for parents to address when their kids should get their first phone (or whatever device it is that will allow them access to the online world with the swipe of a finger).

Even though my sons are 16 and 20, I never had to answer that question quite the same way many of you do. But I’ve thought about it a lot.

Here’s how I think I might answer the question, “Dad, when can I get my own phone?”

What I think I’d say today is this: “When you’re ready.”

Here’s why. I’m not sure there’s a magic line that kids cross when they reach a certain birthday or grade in school that really qualifies them to be ready to handle everything that comes at them when a browser or app opens up.

Maybe “when you’re ready” isn’t a bad idea in other areas too. For example, is every 16-year-old “ready” to drive a car? Don’t tell your kids this, but I think there are probably some 14-year-olds who are ready and responsible enough to drive. And there are some 44-year-olds we should bench. Whatever the legal drinking age is in your area, I know some 16-year-olds who would never touch the stuff and some grandparents who should be cut off.

So how do you know when they’re ready? Well, that’s up to you as a parent. I think to a large extent it’s tied to the development of their character, something we talked about in this post.

There are a few final things that intrigue me about the “when you’re ready” angle on technology:

It responds to the development of each child individually. Because it’s not a question of math or birthdays, it allows you to gauge your response individually to each child. Because some kids are mature for their age and well, others aren’t, it gives you options as a parent.

It fosters a dialogue. “When you’re ready” prompts the question, “Well, when will I be ready?” which can be a gateway into all kinds of great conversations about character, responsibility and honest dialogue about what they will learn and discover.

It creates an incentive. Suddenly a phone isn’t an entitlement, it’s something that’s tied to a child’s progress and their demonstration that they are ready to handle the responsibility that comes with it.

This is all just a suggestion of course, but then with technology moving as quickly as it is, we’re all kind of in a laboratory anyway, aren’t we?

 

2012
11/26
CATEGORY
children and family
Christian Life
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Thankful? Really?


As we enter into the season of Thanksgiving (which some seem to want to skip over for the more profitable Christmas season), it seems to have become very chic to talk about things we’re thankful for. I find this somewhat interesting because many of the people who are daily talking about things they’re thankful for have spent the better portion of the year complaining about many of the same things.

I saw someone yesterday talking on Facebook about how thankful they are for their ‘great job.’ However, just going back to August they had a ranting post on their same Facebook page about how they hated their job and had the most awful boss in the world. Along with a few choice words they talked about what they wished they could say to their boss (who I hope is not their friend on Facebook!)

This isn’t a solo scenario, nor is it an amusing one. It’s really quite sad.

While I am glad to see people count their blessings  during this wonderful season, it seems that they largely miss the point. It’s almost as if many thing “I can have a wrong attitude and think poorly about this job or that person the majority of the time, then others I can be thankful for them an negate everything negative I’ve said.” But it doesn’t work like that, really.

First, lets start by looking at a few things the Bible says about being thankful:

Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]! 2 Corinthians 9: 15

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Psalm 7: 17

First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men.1 Timothy 2: 1

At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5: 20

For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be thrown away or refused if it is received with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 4: 4

Now these are just a few of many scriptures on the subject, but do you see a theme forming?

  1. Thankfulness comes out of having a right heart, which comes from having a right relationship
  2. Thankfulness isn’t conditional on what has or hasn’t happened to you, or what someone has or hasn’t done
  3. Thankfulness should involve the people and things in our lives, which we recognize as being gifts from God
  4. Thankfulness should produce action on our part through prayer first and foremost

These are things that are included in being thankful.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of thankful is to be “conscious of benefit received”

We must be careful that we don’t insult God, who loves and cares for us and provides us with every good thing when we spend most of our time complaining about our spouse or job or our financial situation and then suddenly talk about how thankful we are. See, most people aren’t truly conscious of the benefit they have received  or thankfulness wouldn’t be a one time occurrence. Thankfulness would be an overwhelming response on a daily basis, despite the trials and troubles we may encounter.

Think about it like this:

When we really understand how much God loves us that He would give us our spouse, even with their quirks and issues, or our jobs, even with its hassles and stresses, because He wants to provide for us and bless us…and use us to be a blessing back, then we can begin to have a different perspective on these things. When I look at my wife as a gift from God, then even when she does something I may not like I still see her in the right light.

This is such an important thing, and really what it comes down to is thinking rightly, which sadly most people-including Christians-don’t do. God gives us a very specific list of things He wants us to spend time thinking about. When we do, the effect it has our our minds and attitudes is profound. See here:

Philippians 4:8

English Standard Version (ESV)

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

However, when we don’t actively train our minds to think the way He wants us to think then we end up allowing our flesh and our feelings to have influence. God doesn’t want that from Believers. He wants us to be Spirit led and controlled  not flesh led and controlled   When people don’t think about the right things…and when they don’t think about things rightly, it will often cause them to devalue them, because they aren’t looking at them as God does.

So while I’m happy for everyone who is counting their blessings, I guess my encouragement is this: Don’t just do it now. Think the way God wants you to think and do it all the time…you’ll be amazed how it can change your attitude and outlook. And even your circumstances.

DK

 

2012
11/05
CATEGORY
Bible
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