Great Quote Thursday

One test result is worth one thousand expert opinions- Wernher von Braun

The Nest

Our Pastor Hollie Miller just completed a parenting series called "The Nest". On Sunday, he concluded the series with the second part of a sermon titled, "God Wants to Bless Your Nest". Here are some of my notes from that sermon:

Advice for parents: Start early; study Proverbs

Parents should teach their children:

1. To fear the Lord (Proverbs 1:7) as a God of judgment and as a God of salvation

2. To obey their parents (Proverbs 1:8,9) as representatives of authority

3. To resist peer pressure (Proverbs 1:10-19)

4. The consequences of bad choices (Proverbs 1:20-33)

Parents should not strive to be perfect parents but wise and Godly parents.

Wise parents:

1. Are always building a relationship with their children 

Rules without relationship leads to rebellion

2. Teach their children to make wise decisions, not just to keep rules

Explain why it's best to obey; provide reasons for the rules

3. Discipline their children for the right reasons-

Because you love them 

Discipline brings wisdom

To prepare their hearts for salvation

Major on the majors; minor on the minors

4. Love their children unconditionally

Show love through words, touch, time, praise

Ask Godly couples a bit ahead of you to share wisdom

A Feature on Chad Mitchell on World Down Syndrome Day

Here's a link to a feature story WBIR did on my friend Chad Mitchell and how he is thriving as a young man with Down Syndrome.

A little known fact: Chad and Caroline Mitchell were the ring bearer and flower girl in Tonya's and my wedding.

Great Quote Thursday

Truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it. But, in the end, there it is- Winston Churchill

Book Review: Triumph- The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics

Author Jeremy Schaap chronicles the rise of Olympic champion Jesse Owens from his poverty-stricken childhood in Alabama to his winning of four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.

The book is divided into 3 sections. The first details Owens' birth to Alabama sharecroppers who escaped racism and poverty by moving to Ohio when Jesse was 9 years old through to his becoming a high school and, ultimately, a collegiate track champion at Ohio State.

The second section deals with the militaristic rise in Germany fueled by fanatical Nazism and how preparations for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games were carried out under the guise of a sophisticated propaganda campaign.

The third and final section goes into great detail regarding the days of the Berlin Games themselves and the daily activities of Owens as he pursued his Olympic dreams.

This genre of book, an historical sports biography, is one of my favorite types. As a result, I found this book quite interesting. It provides details into the life of Jesse Owens, showing him to be an amazingly athletic Olympic champion but not as a man without fault.

Great Quote Thursday

If you are sufficient for your task, it's too small- John Piper

Fun on Friday- More Parkerisms and Turnerisms

Raising two sons, 9 and 5, means we have lots of fun conversations in our home. Here are some more:

Me: What are you going to play now?
Parker: Basketball on the Wii. Do you want to play with me?
Me: No, thank you.
Parker: I won't laugh.

Tonya: I wonder what they're doing for DNow (a weekend event for students at our church). Because they've done scavenger hunts before but you wouldn't want to do that in this weather.
Turner: Scavenger hunts? Looking for squirrels?

While watching an interview with Kevin Garnett of the NBA's Boston Celtics during All-Star Weekend, it was obvious that Turner has seen lots of player interviews.
Turner (answering the interviewer's question as if he were Kevin Garnett): We just doing what we do, baby.

While watching American Idol:
Parker: There should be a show called American Dance.
Tonya: There is a dance show. It's called So You Think You Can Dance.
Turner: I could be on there but not with ranch dressing on grapes.
(We have no idea what that means)

Great Quote Thursday

Except for moral issues and exact sciences, extreme positions are always wrong- Dwight Eisenhower

Relationship Wisdom from Dr. Rick Marks

Along with our Pastor Hollie Miller, Dr. Rick Marks has been leading a marriage workshop at my home church. You can watch those messages here. Here are some great quotes from last night's session:

Wherever you care, you find involvement.

Until you care enough, you won't change.

No one will confide in you if you are not a safe person.

A relationship gives your heart away.

Fun on Friday- More Parkerisms and Turnerisms

Raising two sons, 9 and 5, means we have lots of fun conversations in our home. Here are some more:

While recently watching an episode of Scholar's Bowl on PBS, the boys learned that I had participated in scholar's bowl competitions while in high school:
Turner: What did you know?

When it was announced that the Baltimore Ravens had reached a contract agreement with QB Joe Flacco that would make him the highest paid player in NFL history:
Parker: Why?

Last week, while watching an NBA game on TV:
Turner: Why are the officials so short?

Last Sunday, our church began a 3-week long marriage workshop. After the service, and knowing there will be two more weeks of the workshop:
Parker: Talking about marriage sure takes a long time.