Responsible Father

Dads, teach your kids (unless they paid for a meal, or helped make it) to find something positive to say about it to the provider.

This is almost always possible.

A less-than-happy destination after a 7.5 year journey.

Two and a half years ago I posted a five year log of prices that our family had paid for gas.

At that point I had spent $3.99 per gallon twice but had never spent more than four.

Since then I have paid $3.95 once, but have never spent more than four.

Until this weekend.

In one week, gas prices (at least in Minnesota) went up 40 cents.

I’m not happy about this, but at least it makes an interesting blog post, right? Here’s the chart.

We live in the Northern Suburbs of the Twin Cities. I’m told that our region is leading the nation in gas prices. Hooray for Minnesota!

I wrote an article and it was published at the Gospel Coalition. It explains how our family has been benefited from having John Piper as our pastor.

Please go read it.

The morning after the big late April snowstorm I looked out through a window to see this tree.
Was it –

(A) Bent over by the weight of the snow, tired and weary, bent and sad?

or

(B) Holding up strong, despite the weight, knowing that God is working?

In any case, I decided to go outside and take a picture and discovered that without telling anyone, Anna had put on her coat and boots and was shoveling. Energetically.

Stepping outside, I heard she was singing. And what was she singing?

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever!”

I hold with those who favor (B).

Dads, don’t compound your sinfully angry outburst towards your kids by sinfully and angrily defending your sinfully angry outburst.

Dads, it’s okay to say (about some negative behavior your child is exhibiting) that it is a phase he or she is going through, as long as you follow it up with (or at least are thinking) – “and we are actively and proactively discouraging that behavior in the child.”

Dads – just to remind you . . .

Friday (or even Thursday) is a good time to turn your clocks forward. That way your Sunday morning will be more pleasant and your Saturday won’t be short.

Dads, tell your kids they should point out that they’ve noticed when you run through a red light. Or go over the speed limit. Or do other foolish thing in the car.

I happened to be looking at an old church photo directory (perhaps from five years ago) and there on page three is a note from Pastor Sam Crabtree. I don’t think I’ve read it before. I liked it. So I’m typing it up here.

Dear Bethlehem Family,

For more than one reason I rejoice that your name is in this book. Yet infinitely more important than having your name written in this book is having your name written in heaven. Having your name written there is better than having power to rule over demons.

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

If you’re holding this book in your hands, you’re not in heaven yet. But holding this book in your hands might be a means that God uses to ensure that your name is written in heaven. How so? Answer: by knowing and being known by other believers in this book and by encouraging one another to joyfully persevere in faith and confident hope in the promises of God that are yours in Christ Jesus.

This book is not a directory of angels or demons, but of people. But my hope is that the people named in this book (including you, if your name is listed) will bolster each other’s faith in the strength God supplies so that all of us do in fact gain mastery over evil spirits and besetting sins and various trials, bearing one another’s burdens as together we press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Knowing one another is step toward loving one another, and a photo directory can be a very practical tool for getting to know one another, Keep it handy for ready reference, Refer to it. Pray for the people in it.

If you go to a Bible-believing,  God-seeking church, this is true about that Photo Directory that your family is in, as well.