Kids Accessing Movies Behind Your Back...

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sneaking-r-rated-movies-without-leaving-home

The rise of the internet and other technologies has made monitoring of children's lives extremely difficult. This article tries to help parents realize how easy it is for children to access movies--and other material--forbidden by their parents. In prior times, they would have had to sneak out of the house, lie to your face, or sneak into a movie theater. But now, all they have to do is use BitTorrent or YouTube to watch the movies on their computer or even on their iPod.

So is it a helpless fight trying to guard our children's minds? Not at all! This article gives some helpful advice at the end (like discussing the WHY of certain media being disallowed, establishing consequences beforehand, and enforcing them when rules are broken, etc.). But one thing they don't address is trying to help your child at a HEART level understand that undermining your authority as a parent and the legal authority of our government is a sin. And as sin, it's dishonoring (and even disgusting) to God--so awful that it must be punished. Try to point them, even in what some would consider petty sinning, to the awfulness of their rebellion, to the Savior that died in their place, and to their need to honor Him in ALL they do--even in their media intake. If they don't get that, their behavior will never genuinely change.

echnology: Are We Present--but Distracted Parents?

USA Today Cover Story

Parents, particularly those of you who work at home from time to time or do so consistently, take time to read this article from USA Today. It was their lead story in today's issue. The main premise is that parents are letting their spouses and children down by how distracted we are when we work at home. Technology has made it possible to spend more time in the home, yet it's made it possible to do so without really being present. This made me want to just shut my phone and computer off when I'm at home sometimes. I want my wife and son to know that I treasure time with them and that they are priorities above texts, emails, blogs, and books.

A Letter from a Dad to His Son with a Disability

http://sheepdogger.blogspot.com/2010/04/birthday-letter-to-my-son.html

What a powerful letter!

familylife.com

Hey everybody, I found another site that I think could be a great resource for any married couple or parent. It's called familylife.com

It has a wealth of great resources, articles, and tips for married couples and parents who are interested in engaging their families in Christ-honoring ways. Take a look at the site, and let me know what you think!

GREAT site for Parents of Students

http://www.realworldparents.com/

Check this site out! It has a helpful/informative blog, weekly "Conversation Starters," monthly "Family Activities," a "Knowledge Base" of articles that can help you with specific topics, a daily prayer you can subscribe to and pray over your child, and a lot more!

Good Article for Parents About Following Christ's Example

http://www.shepherdpress.com/blog/parenting/christs-example-to-parents.php

Here's an excerpt:

So when you feel "stressed," Christ is your example. When you become irritable and are tempted to snap at your children's bad behavior, Christ is your example. Christ's resurrection means that you have the hope and power to be a parent who honors God. You do not have to be a slave to the sinful defense mechanisms of your flesh. Rather, through his resurrection power you can present the extraordinary power of Christ to your children.

The Hardened Can Be Softened

Justin Taylor, upon noticing that in two of the gospels, both the criminals being crucified are mocking Jesus, while in Luke's one is said to have then been converted:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/01/when-was-the-thief-on-the-cross-converted/

So did both criminals revile and rail at Jesus—or only one?

The answer is Yes.

Both men attacked their Maker and King, but one man was changed while doing so.

God often gives preparatory grace before conversion, and I suppose (if asked) I always sort of assumed this was the case here. Both men were sinners; both were guilty of their crimes (probably robbery, perhaps insurrection). But I’ve tended to think that one was harder, one was softer. Perhaps dispositionally one was louder, one was softer. I’m not sure I would have explicitly put it this way, but I sometimes doubt the power of grace and assume that some are more likely to be saved than others.

But notice that according to Matthew and Mark, both men were mocking Jesus. Both were reviling him. Both were wagging their heads. Both used their remaining, dying energy to hurl verbal insult upon the only man who could save them.

But, in an instant, grace broke through.

As God open the one man’s eyes, he saw reality in new ways:

1. He saw that God is to be feared in his holiness.
2. He saw that he justly condemned for his sin.
3. He saw that Jesus was innocent.
4. He saw that Jesus was the king, ruling his kingdom from the cross.
5. He saw that his only recourse was to appeal to Jesus and his mercy to be remembered in the kingdom.

May God grant each of us to see these truths afresh—whether for the thousandth time or for the first time.

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If your child has ever gone through--or is currently going through--a stage of unexpected rebellion and distancing of themselves from Christ, even mocking Him....Have confidence that God can change them even in the very midst of their defiance. Keep pointing them to the cross, and hopefully, just as this second criminal did, they will have their eyes opened to see Christ for who He really is.