Senior Sermon

For those of you who'd like to hear my senior sermon, you can follow this link:

http://www.sibi.cc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=373&Itemid=185

It's 11 minutes long.

And, you can hear Juliana saying "Daddy!" a few times in there too :).

Our Team So Far...

The Sims Family, The Garcia Family, and The Reyes Family. We'll have more info. for you soon on the Reyes family in our upcoming newsletter. With eight children between us and one on the way, our mentors in Cuernavaca joked that we need to recruit a youth and family minister for our team alone. :)

Some of the best things in life are free

Juliana loved her free donut...and Noah's too since he didn't want his.

Here is a sample of my school work--check it out

Lay Your Burdens Down

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Essays & Theses School Work

Should we really have a “right to privacy”?

It sure sounds good to my "American Ears," but I've had to reexamine my felt need for a right to privacy.

First, in Gen. 2:18 it says, "it is not good for man to be alone." Can I say Amen? In this context, it is discussing the marriage relationship between a man and a woman and it says that it is better for man to have help and companionship rather than be alone. Let's just look for a second at Satan's first recorded attack on mankind. Notice that he didn't approach Eve while she was with Adam, but he waited to approach her when she was alone. He apparently does some of his "best" work when people find themselves alone (think Jesus in the desert). Personally, I know that I am tempted much more often and with greater intensity when I'm alone rather than with someone else. For my spiritual well-being, I try to avoid being isolated for prolonged periods of time unless it is for the purpose of meditating on God's word or for prayer (and let me tell you that even (or especially?) during those times, Satan tries to hound me).

Second, nostalgia aside, the early days of America offered a unique atmosphere that promoted family unity, community involvement, and mutual accountability. Maybe it was that no one wanted to be in the house much without air conditioning, so they found themselves outside and with their neighbors together very often. Or, maybe it was because the usual floor-plan for their houses, schools, and churches consisted of a single room. I do know how easy it is to isolate myself from my family, my community, and the world by closing a door to my car or room. I also know, however, that it is impossible to discharge the duties I have as a husband, father, minister, missionary, brother, son, and friend when isolated from other people. Sure, it's nice to be alone, and some people need time alone to "recharge." But, let us all be careful of how we use that time, and of how much time we spend alone.

And so, though there is something in me that longs to "get away to just relax," I know that there is a danger ever-present in those situations. And, just as Jesus often went out to be by himself to pray and meditate, as I learn to be more like Him, I must continue to be ever-vigilant in such situations against the Tempter and his schemes.

And speaking of exasperated children…Preventative Discipline has saved a lot of tears

There have been a lot of spankings in our house in the last few years. And, unfortunately, they're not always very effective. Noah, especially, seems to think that spankings are worth it in order to do some things he's not supposed to do. It was time for a change.

Bedtime has been particularly frustrating over the last year or so. Ever since Noah's been able to dismantle the door knob cover, he's found it increasingly enticing and entertaining to come out of his room for hours on end, which led to many, many spankings. The system was broken.

Amazingly, now when it's bedtime he stays in bed without so much as a peep. What's changed? Our usual routine is still the same: read our Bible (and one other book of his choosing), sing songs together as a family, Brush Teeth, Floss, use the restroom, Pray, go to bed. But now…he has an incentive to stay in bed that keeps him in bed. Noah LOVES to play games (and who would have known? J ), and especially UNO, checkers, and Skip Bo. Now at bedtime, instead of threats and punishments, we offer an opportunity. I say something like "Noah, if you're a good sleeper tonight and you stay in your bed quietly and go to sleep without coming out of your room; you can earn the opportunity to play UNO (or another game) with Mommy and Daddy tomorrow night." The results were almost immediate. The first night he chose to come out of his room (for something other than going to the restroom or being sick). When he realized he'd really lost the opportunity to play a game the next day, he cried and cried (much worse than if I'd spanked him ten times). The next night when we offered him the same chance, he made the choice to stay quietly in his bed. IT WAS AMAZING! The first thing he says when he gets up now is "Daddy, I can play UNO with you tonight!." He's so proud that he's made a good choice and been rewarded for it. And, we all enjoy playing games together in the evenings before bed. It's become a great way for him to learn colors, numbers, counting, addition, subtraction, patters, order, manners, and good sportsmanship. What a blessing!

We've not stopped spanking by the way. Sometimes there is just no substitute. But we've been able to significantly lessen a major point of contention between us by being proactive rather than reactive.

Fathers are to Lead…Make Sure You Know Where You’re Going

God created specific roles for specific people. Fathers are to train their children in the way they are to go. Children look to their fathers for guidance, acceptance, love, discipline, boundaries, education and more. If a father fails to lead their children to God or to teach them His ways, then their chances of finding and following the truth are poor at best. God told the Jews how to raise godly children:

• Pro 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
  

 

• Deu 11:18-23 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (19) Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (20) Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, (21) so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (22) If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him— (23) then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.
  

 

Notice how God wants fathers to take advantage of every opportunity: at home, when traveling, during times of rest, in the morning, in the evening, and as you come and go. Notice also the actions: teach, talk, sit, walk, lie down, get up, and write with your children.

 

Paul reiterates this message in Ephesians. It is the Father's responsibility to see that his children are trained and instructed in the Lord.

 

• Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
  

 

Challenge to fathers: How are your home devotionals (or equivalent) going? Do you have time set aside to read Scripture, Pray, sing, and talk with your child? If not, start today (and continue)! You are leading by example: make sure your example is a good one.