Today is my youngest son’s birthday. In honor of his special day, I present a poem he wrote as a 4th grader while I was on a business trip.
My Dad’s out of town
In a recently-released last chapter to his ground-breaking book Generation iY, Tim Elmore added material that made me realize more than ever that this book is a must read for anyone who works with youth. You can read my book review by clicking here, and you can read some other quotes I shared from this chapter by clicking here.
Just a few additional thoughts Dr. Elmore shared in this chapter that I wanted to pass along to you—
“We did a better job preventing, presuming and protecting then we did preparing.”
“Examine the right-hand column for a moment. Notice the words slow, hard, boring, risk and labor. Are those not the very ingredients that build a mature adult? When a task is hard and it moves slowly, it builds patience and work ethic in me. When things are boring, it forces my mind to be creative on its own. When I have to take risks, I learn that failure is not final or fatal, and that it’s only when I risk failure that I feel the satisfaction of true success. And when I learn to embrace labor, using my strengths to add value to others, I learned the value of service.”
“Wherever you see a lacking virtue, there’s likely an activity you can do to build it, just as one would lift weights to improve physical muscle strength. … We can no longer assume those emotional muscles will develop naturally in kids. We must initiate a plan to build them. Will likely need to discuss this issue over with them, and agree to balance the virtual with the genuine; the screen with the real. In short:
“It’s important to strike a balance between utilizing the conveniences of modern technology and building the life skills that require no technology.”
Three years ago I posted this—
I’m going to make a statement about Dr. Tim Elmore’s book Generation iY that I rarely make: This book is a MUST READ for parents and anyone who works with youth!
Yes, a must read. The subtitle of this book is not over-dramatized, but really is an understated truth: Our last chance to save their future.
Recently Tim Elmore released in ebook format a final chapter to Generation iY. After reading this I was just as convinced that anyone who works with our youth must read this book (read my full book review by clicking here). Here are a few quotes from this chapter.
“Historical trends suggest that every time there is a population explosion among the youth (between 15-29 years old), violence follows. Sociologist Gunnar Heinson reported that countries are vulnerable when the youth population is 30 percent or higher.”
“Our assessment of 8,500 high school and college students clearly reveals a drop in:
“Condoleezza Rice and Joel Klein released a report recently saying that the state of our youth is now an issue of national security. Seventy-five percent of America’s youth are not even fit for the military due to obesity, criminal records or failure to graduate high school.”
Some great reading I found today.
“Pray till you pray. Pray till you are conscious of being heard. Pray till you have received an answer.” —Moody Stuart
“Anxiety about our family is natural, but we shall be wise if we turn it into care about our own character. If we walk before the Lord in integrity, we shall do more to bless our descendants then if we bequeathed them large estates. A father’s holy life is a rich legacy for his sons. … Our integrity may be God’s means of saving our sons and daughters. If they see the truth of our religion proved by our lives, it may be that they will believe in Jesus for themselves.” —Charles Spurgeon
“Marriage exists to bring a man and a woman together as husband and wife to be father and mother to any children their union produces. It is based on the anthropological truth that men and women are different and complementary, the biological fact that reproduction depends on a man and a woman, and the social reality that children need both a mother and a father. Marriage predates government. It is the fundamental building block of all human civilization. Marriage has public purposes that transcend its private purposes. This is why 41 states, with good reason, affirm that marriage is between a man and a woman.” Read more from the Heritage Foundation about the value of marriage.
Some great reading from today.
“Why do we take a railway guide and arrange for a particular journey? … Well, one has confidence in the reliability of these official publications. As a rule we are not put to shame! Now, just as we use a railway guide we must use our Bible. We must depend on God’s Word just as we depend on man’s word, only remembering that though man may not be able to carry out his promise, God will always fulfill what He has said.” —Hudson Taylor
More archeological finds in Israel confirm the historicity of the Bible: Canaanite Fortress Discovered.
Explain to me again how this is legal (or humane!): Nurse tells grisly tale of partial-birth abortions.
The New York Post finds that tanning salons are inspected more than abortion clinics.
Medical science shows stress in the home adversely effects chromosomes in kids.
“Distractions must be conquered or they will conquer us. So let us cultivate simplicity; let us want fewer things; let us walk in the Spirit; let us fill our minds with the Word of God and our hearts with praise. In that way we can live in peace even in such a distraught world as this.” —A.W. Tozer
“If indeed the name of the eternal God is named upon us, we are secure; for, as of old, a Roman had but to say Romanus sum, I am a Roman, and he could claim the protection of all the legions of the vast empire; so everyone who is a man of God has omnipotence as his guardian, and God will sooner empty heaven of angels then leave a saint without defense. Be braver than lions for the right, for God is with you.” —Charles Spurgeon
“How one learns to be thankful for each day on which one can still do something.” —Karl Barth
Some links to some interesting reading and quotes I found this weekend.
Eric Metaxas shares some interesting archeological finds: Make No Camel Bones About It.
“No man has any moral right to go before the people who has not first been long before the Lord. No man has any right to speak to men about God who has not first spoken to God about men. And the prophet of God should spend more time in the secret place praying than he spends in the public place preaching.” —A.W. Tozer
A couple of family men (not!): Sports radio hosts blast player for taking paternity leave. UPDATE: I was glad to see that one of these guys, Boomer Esiason, apologized for these remarks. Good job, Boomer!
Helpful post for parents: How To Notice Changes In Our Kids.
“How many have we in our churches of crab tree Christians, who have mixed such a vast amount of vinegar, and such a tremendous quantity of gall in their constitutions, that they can scarcely speak one good word to you; they imagine it impossible to defend religion except by passionate ebullitions; they cannot speak for their dishonored Master without being angry with their opponent; God if anything is away, whether it be in the house, the church, or anywhere else, they conceive it to be their duty to set their faces like a flint, and to defy everybody. They are like isolated icebergs; no one cares to go near them. They float about on the sea of forgetfulness, until at last they are melted and gone; and though, good souls, we shall be happy enough to meet them in heaven, we are heartily glad to get rid of them from the earth. They were always so unamiable in disposition, that we would rather live an eternity with them in heaven, than five minutes on earth. Be ye not thus, my brethren. Imitate Christ in your loving spirits; speak kindly, act kindly, and do kindly, that men may say of you, ‘He has been with Jesus.’” —Charles Spurgeon
Rush Limbaugh’s take on the resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich.
“To be a Christian it is necessary that he serve his generation as well as his God.” —A.W. Tozer
“God’s presence is not the same as the feeling of God’s presence and He may be doing most for us when we think He is doing least.” —C.S. Lewis
These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.
[VIDEO] Great challenge from John Maxwell about being our best.
It doesn’t matter what you do … Your Job Is More Important Than You Think.
“You see Agape is all giving, not getting. Read what St. Paul says about it in First Corinthians Chap. 13. Then look at a picture of Charity (or Agape) in action in St. Luke, chap 10 v.30-35. And then, better still, look at Matthew chap 25 v.31-46: from which you see that Christ counts all that you do for this baby exactly as if you had done it for Him when He was a baby in the manger at Bethlehem: you are in a sense sharing in the things His mother did for Him. Giving money is only one way of showing charity: to give time and toil is far better and (for most of us) harder. And notice, though it is all giving—you needn’t expect any reward—how you do gets rewarded almost at once.” —C.S. Lewis
Parents and teachers, this is good advice from Tim Elmore on working with ‘difficult’ students: How To Lead An Outlier.
David Wilkerson has a solid word for those in a difficult marriage: Is There Any Hope?
John Stonestreet addresses Generation XXX: Responding To Our Pornified Culture.
Don’t let him get away with it! How Harry Reid Is Trying To End Debate In The Senate.
These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.
“It is better to offend men than to grieve the blessed Spirit of God which dwells in the church.” —A.W. Tozer
A good reminder for pastors, parents, teachers and mentors:
“And just as the helmsman does not always yield to the winds, but sometimes, turning the prow towards them, opposes the whole force of the hurricanes; so the Instructor never yields to the blasts that blow in this world, nor commits the child to them like a vessel to make shipwreck on a wild and licentious course of life; but, wafted on by the favoring breeze of the Spirit of truth, stoutly holds on to the child’s helm—his ears, I mean—until He bring him safe to anchor in the haven of heaven.” —Clement of Alexandria
“Whenever the Lord sees one of His children wrestling with some lust or bondage, He moves in quickly to bring us back to a path of obedience, peace and rest. How does He do this? He brings about conditions in our lives that force us to face our sin!” Read more from David Wilkerson in his post The Arrow Of Truth.
Chilly Chilton says, “Use social media but don’t let social media use you” in his blog post Don’t Pet The Dragon.
The former cofounder of Greenpeace has some startling statements about climate change.
These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.
I love C.S. Lewis’ interaction with children: “As to Aslan’s other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who (1.) Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas. (2.) Said he was the son of the Great Emperor. (3.) Gave himself up for someone else’s fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people. (4.) Came to life again. (5.) Is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader). Don’t you really know His name in this world? Think it over and let me know your answer! Reepicheep in your coloured picture has just the right perky, cheeky expression. I love real mice. There are lots in my rooms in College but I have never set a trap. When I sit up late working they poke their heads out from behind the curtains just as if they were saying, ‘Hi! Time for you to go to bed. We want to come out and play.’”
[VIDEO] Sarah Palin has a wonderful Dr. Seuss-like poem for Washington, D.C. insiders.
Frank Viola gets it right in Christianeze Revisited.
I love this reminder from Max Lucado’s book Grace: “Muhammad does not indwell Muslims. Buddha does not inhabit Buddhists. Influence? Instruct? Yes. But occupy? No!” You can read my review of Grace by clicking here.
Did you hear about the pastor who died from a rattlesnake bite while handling one during a church service? Check out What’s With The Snakes?
“Oh! my brethren, it were well if this commendation, so forced from the lips of enemies, could also be compelled by our own example. If we could live like Peter and John; if our lives were ‘living epistles of God, known and read of all men;’ if, whenever we were seen, men would take knowledge of us, that we had been with Jesus, it would be a happy thing for this world, and a blessed thing for us.” —Charles Spurgeon
Helpful post for parents, coaches, and teachers from Dr. Tim Elmore: What’s Trending In Kids Today
Craig T. Owens 