Category Archive

I just put a link under “Other Dads Who Blog” for Adoptive Dads.

Boy, if there ever was a blog that belonged there, it’s this one.  I like the most recent commentary about “The Reality Of-Corruption“. It’s a good thing to point out.

And the facts and statistics are helpful as well.

Go look.

And thanks for commenting Matt, or I wouldn’t have know about you.

I have previously mentioned that I am the team leader for the Kindergarten First Grade class at our church’s Wednesday Night activities. One thing I like to do is have them sing songs that help them get the wiggles out – Songs with physical action. But I found that there aren’t enough of these kinds of songs, so I decided to write one. I thought I’d share it with you. 

You can sing it to the tune of Bill Grogan’s Goat, or make up your own tune. If you’d like to see the melody that we sing it with, let me know.

And use creativity in the body motions you use while singing it.

Body Song
By Scott Jamison
An Echo Sing-along Song By Scott Jamison
(Ephesians 2:10)
 
1. Look at your Feet
They walk around
See how they run
From here to there
God has a place
For you to be
He’ll use your feet
To get you there.
(Hab 3:19)
 
2. Look at your legs
They’re very strong
They stand you up
And make you tall
But never think
You don’t need God
Or too much pride
Will make you fall
(prov 16:18)
 
3. Consider eyes
They can see far
They can see near
and read God’s book
God has some sights
For you to see
God’s truth is plain
For all who look
(Romans 1:20)

4. Consider Mouth
It can speak dark
It can speak light
You have a choice
God has some words
For you to say
Bless God and peop
-ple with your voice
(James 3:5-10)

5. Look at your arms
They lift big things
They hug your friends
And they can reach
Don’t only talk
But also do
Use your long arms
To prove your speech
(1 John 3:18 – Matthew 21:28-31)

6. Look at your hands
They play with toys
They work with tools
And learn great skill
God has some things
For you to make
Go use your hands
To do his will
(1 Thess 4:11)
 
7. Some folks are small
Some folks are tall
It matters not
God uses all
He uses feet
and eyes and hands.
Go use them all
As God commands
(1 Cor 12:14

Copyright Scott Jamison 2009

I’m posting this more as a question: Do those of you who have adopted agree with this?

— — —
There are many reasons to adopt, but there are two primary reasons –

1.To add more children (or a child) to your family.
2.As a ministry to the parentless.

For many or most of those who adopt, I assume, their motivation is a little of both. For both of our adoptions, for example, I would say the primary reason was to gain another child, but we had ministry in mind. It obeys the command to help orphans in their distress.

There are those parents, however, who adopt almost exclusively for reason #2 – as a ministry. These are people who adopt unwanted children, or older children, or sibling groups or disabled or troubled children. May God bless them.

If you know of people like this, and you learn that they are going through hard times and have significant family difficulties because of their decision to adopt – if you know families like this, you might be tempted to think ‘They made an unwise decision when they adopted – look at how rough things are for them right now.’ If so, fight this temptation.

They didn’t do it for a more pleasant life. They did it to make a difference in the life of a child. Pray for them.

*** As an update on the Verse CD Giveaway, I hope to announce the winners tomorrow. There is a good reason for the delay. ***

Two Notable Items from this weekend:

1. Recommended – The Movie ‘Fireproof’

A good, simple, inspiring and pretty realistic story with a good message – Marriages are important. I like much about it but here’s one thing I’ll point out.  There are scenes where people are encouraging the upset spouse in her complaining. This is shown as bad. I like this. If you are ever find yourself listening to someone complaining about their spouse and you are endorsing their complaints, you are doing damage*.

2. The Gun.

As a birthday present for Barrett who turned 9, but really for our three oldest (ages 9, 10 and 11) we went to Gander Mountain and bought a BB gun. And we took it out today and shot at a target. My eldest especially took to it and we had to call him inside when it was getting dark.

Now there are some of you who are thinking that no gun should be brought into any home and you think what I’ve done should be illegal. And there are others who are thinking – you have an 11 year old and this is your first BB gun?

Do you think that if I’ve offended two extremes, that perhaps I’m doing the right thing? I hope so. 

* Except in a few extreme cases, of course.

7 Occasions when it’s okay to have good feelings* about your child’s sadness**:

1. When they are experiencing grief over their own sin.
2. When a vacation is over.
3. When a grandparent or another loved one has died.***
4. When the child is experiencing empathy over someone else’s tragedy.
5. When they are experiencing grief over someone else’s sin.
6. When they lose something forever.
7. When the child is sad about an unsaved person.

Am I missing any? I sure like to hear your suggestions.

* I struggled with what word to use. Happy is too strong, Peaceful is too weak.

** i.e. preferring it to the alternative (them not being saddened)

*** This was the first item on this list. I was surprised by the slight joy that I felt seeing how sad my kids were when they heard that my Dad died. I thought, “They must love him.”

Normally I put these at my other blog, but since this is Promote Responsible Father Week, and since this is kid-related, I thought I’d put it here.

Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learned From A Boy Named Orison (Part 2)

• Why doesn’t mom tell you “Don’t do that” more?
• And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Gloh oh oh oh ria” It’s like a choir!
• Obama is the first president I will remember. That’s a big deal.
• I’m never going to work again!
• Grandma didn’t really get run over by a reindeer, I still have my Grandma.
• <<Those toys>> don’t spank that boy. They always give him mercy. Because they don’t have hands.
• I want to do what I do in my heart.
• I love everybody in the world.
• I’ve been cutting my hair!
• Mommy said to think about good things. Elton John is a good thing. I will think about that.
• Saul! Saul! Why are you pew-suh-curtin’ me?
• If I don’t learn, I’m gonna get a worm.
• <<The CD ‘To Be Like Jesus is >> like real rock’n’roll, cuz it’s so crazy!
• The baseball players only get dirty when they slide in the dirt, but not when they slide in the green fuzz.
• I’m going to Kenya. I’m going to see my friend Eli. I’ll be gone for three days.
• Morrow can’t sin. He doesn’t have anything in his head.
• Mom, you didn’t ruin the chicken.
• And on earth peace among those others with whom he is pleased.
• I flush the toilet every day and I don’t got money!
• Go rock, Obama
• Grace means pray.
• I can’t be quiet. I always talk.
• <<I want to>> learn about parks <<at pre-school>> ‘cause I don’t know how do people build them.
• Dad, I love you. May I have some Oreo pie, please?

**** Winners Announced! ****

 **** This contest is now closed – I will be announcing the results in a few days ****

It’s finally time!

I am giving away Fighter Verse Songs CDs. You’ve heard about this CD here and at my other blog for months. It has memory verses put to song – top quality, lots of styles of music, fun music and Biblical lyrics. You’ll like it.  For more information, look here.

Here’s what you do to enter:
1.  Subscribe* to this blog (worth one entry).
2. Mention this contest on Twitter or Facebook or on your blog (worth one entry each).
3. Email me or comment here to let me know you’ve done these things (or that you are already a subscriber).

There will be three winners.

3rd Place: 1 Fighter Verse Song CD
2nd Place: 1 Fighter Verse Song CD
First Place: 3 Fighter Verse Song CDs! (They make great gifts!)

I’ll choose the winners on the weekend of October 3rd.

One other thing, if you already have a CD and you like it, put some nice words in the comments or wherever you mention this giveaway.

*If you don’t know about this whole subscribing thing please see this helpful guide created by Abraham Piper.

It’s a good goal, don’t you think? A child who feels they are entitled to good things is a spoiled child. You want to work to prevent that type of attitude. You want them to see God’s grace and mercy.

Here’s one way – Thank Him for small things.

In your prayers with your family, be thankful for things that you might be tempted to consider insignificant.

Beds for example – the typical American child’s bed, when considering all sleeping situation used by children down through human history, are in perhaps the top one percent, in terms of comfort. Shouldn’t we be thankful for that?

Or green grass. Since lawns don’t exist naturally, it is only recently that they have been a common experience. So if you have a lawn in your backyard (or near your home) which is comfortable to sit in, or picnic on, or lay back on, you are blessed.

Or Air Conditioning, or good drinkable water, or a safe home.

When it is 10 below, and I thank God for a heated house, I am trying to encourage my kids to think “Oh, yeah, there are people that are outside in this. I am thankful for this warmth.”

If your child is thankful for something, he is not taking it for granted. And then you just have to point them to the Giver of that thing.

What other things can we be thankful for that we normally aren’t?

So this summer I was in a discussion with three moms (one of them my wife) who have between the experience of giving birth 17 times. I mentioned my hope that someday my wife might have the chance to be in a delivery room as a witness, not as the laborer; to experience it from the standpoint of someone other than the Mom giving birth.

She said, and the other two women agreed, that she had no interest – there seemed to be strong agreement among them that they seen enough of that particular hospital room. No thanks.

Let me say this, as someone who has done this thing that none of them has – Women, while the labor witness experience is not pleasurable (how could it be, watching someone in pain?) it is nevertheless an honor to be there. It is an experience that is worth it. You get to see the first moments of a child’s postnatal life. A child made in the image of God. It is incredible.

I’m not saying that you should beg someone to let you do this. Rather, I’m saying that if offered the opportunity from someone you love (say, a sister or a daughter), consider taking it.

I recently posted 11 things I learned recently while on a trip with my wife.

Here (on our actual 15th anniversary) are –

15 Things I Already Knew About My Wife

1. She’s an awesomely talented soprano.
2. She’s more organized than me, and I’m fairly organized.
3. She’s a beginner.
4. She dreams. Good dreams.
5. She is very interested in the state of our children’s hearts.
6. She holds me back from foolishness.
7. She likes picnics, State Parks, and Lake Superior.
8. She makes great brownies. She once made a pan for me to bring to work and the serious older programmer suggested that I ask her to bring them in once a week. He suggested Mondays.
9. She has the right amount of interest in making herself attractive.
10. She is not a legalist.
11. She has strong, cute, perceiving eyes that flash with beauty.
12. She censored censored censored censored.
13. She never lies.
14. She has infected our kids with the goal of having a larger family.
15. She loves me.