Making Biblical Family Life Practical

 

 

Don't blame Pinterest - there has always been a temptation to seek the perfect house, the perfect project, the perfect celebration ... and frustration that our very imperfect spouse and children gum up the works. Before there was social media, there were glossy magazines, and before that, critical in-laws and neighbors to keep up with.  While it's nice to have nice things and impressive events, we shouldn't ignore that the skills we teach and the memories we make with our family will be a large part of the legacy that remains when children leave home and grandparents pass away! This episode we talk about balancing the desire for perfection with the reality of our family!

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What do you do for your family's Christmas celebration? In particular, how do you handle it if your extended family has traditions you no longer follow? Or maybe you've added some traditions as well as dropping a few? This episode we talk about some of the traditions we've adopted, and the value of becoming the host for the extended family event - for the glory of God!

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In a culture that's increasingly secular - and hostile - there is one time and place where you can not only share the Gospel with strangers, you can sing it at top of your lungs - and they smile and applaud! That's just one of the reasons we love caroling. This episode, we'll give you a Biblical rationale for caroling (yes we will!) and lots of very practical ways to organize your own caroling party!

 

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This has been a pretty divisive election season - the Gallup pollsters found in the days just before the vote, that nearly a third of us were voting against the other candidate, not in favor of the one we were marking! So there are a lot of stunned and stung people out there, and no doubt, some of them will be at Thanksgiving Dinner with you.

Now what?

Your feast of gratitude toward God doesn't have to become a shouting match ... but it may take some thought, some planning, and some grace-filled diplomacy to keep the conversation on track! This episode, we talk about some practical ways to show love to people you don't agree with for the holidays.

 

 

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Most of us remember the magical expectations of Christmas as children. It's more thought-provoking when you're the parents selecting those gifts for your children, nephews, nieces, and all. This episode, we talk about gifts that aren't heavily advertised, licensed-character products that will fade in interest not long after the wrapping paper goes out. Listen in for some of our favorite presents we've given our kids - and we've given each other - when money was tight and we wanted to do something special, not something expensive.

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Sticks and stones ... right? We've all heard that, and probably told our kids that one time or another. Yet name-calling is not only a plague of childhood, it's actually a problem throughout life ... and we adults are warned by Christ Himself to be wary of the temptation! This episode, we look at what the Bible says about a deceptively simple and "harmless" practice that can trip us up when we least expect it!

Online Stories We Mentioned

"Young Adolescents as Likely to Die From Suicide as From Traffic Accidents," N.Y. Times, 11/3/16

"Nation's Christians Look Forward to Questioning Each Other's Salvation in Post-Debate Discussions." Babylon Bee, 10/19/16 (Note: SATIRE)

Selected Scriptures We Referenced 

“[The tongue is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. … My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” -- James (James 3:8-10)

“The law is fulfilled in this one word, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” -- Paul (Galatians 5:14-15)

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  -- Jesus (John 13:34-35)

 

 

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Several people have asked us "What time is curfew at your house? When do you require your kids to be home? Is it different for teens and twenties?" 

Our answer usually surprises them -- because we really don't have one! That doesn't mean our kids run rampant, smashing mailboxes at 3 a.m. and hanging out in grocery store parking lots all night ... but it's because of an approach we take with relationships and responsibility in our family. This episode, we'll talk about how and why we handle the question of curfew the way we do!

 

You can read more on our blog at RaisingRealMen.com - CLICK HERE! 

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Once it was so easy - Dad had his calendar at work, and Mom had hers for the kids and herself. What needed coordination except for holidays and vacations? But when we had kids in high school and heading off to classes and activities all over the place, we realized we had to get better organized or we'd lose track of everything. This episode, we talk about four very simple things we've done - and totally for free - that help us keep tabs on everyone's plans and commitments, so we avoid most of the "Uh oh!" moments we used to have so often!

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This is a data-driven society, or at least, it claims to be. "The surveys said" or "Research indicates," or "Studies show" are assumed to be _proof_, but a famous politician observed that "There are lies, and there are damn lies, and there are statistics."

How can we look at news of the latest polling or study and begin to discern what may be valid, and what may be false, in the daily flood of data? How can we sort out science from propaganda? How can we avoid being deceived or just misled by bad methods or bad intent?

Dr. Brian Ray, the founder and head researcher for the National Home Education Research Institute, talked with Hal at the HSLDA National Home School Leadership Conference, about things we should understand when confronted with "research."

GROUPS WE LIKE

 

National Home Education Research Institute

Home School Legal Defense Association

 

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Parenting is hard enough when everything's perfect. It's really hard when you have to be a single parent -- however you got there -- and being a single mother raising a boy is nothing to sneeze at.  Both our mothers were widows with teenagers at home, and so we've seen up front some of the struggles single moms go through. This episode we talk about some particular issues a mom with a boy may be facing when there's no father in the home -- whether Dad's gone to heaven or gone to Iraq.

Resources We Recommend

Our book Raising Real Men will help you better understand your son at any age

Our new book Love, Honor, and Virtue will help you discuss Biblical sexuality from a young man's perspective

Here's our article about keeping your kids safe from predators

Here's a list of our favorite character-building books for boys

 

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