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Click here to watch… “Making Time Count”

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
EPHESIANS 5:15-16

Due to the incredible response we have received from the recent GPS seminar, I will be devoting all four weekend services to the topic, as we biblically wrap up our parenting emphasis together as a family. So join us for our GPS encore…
“Making Time Count”

Sat @ 6, Sun @ 8, 930, & 11:15

Tomorrow morning at 9am
Part 3 of our GPS Series…
“Navigating Adolescence”

My first experience on a skateboard was in Mrs. James driveway. She was my piano teacher, but I was more interested in learning how to bank the turn halfway down her drive. My favorite words in the English language were hearing Mrs. James say, “Okay that’s it for today.” With that I was free! I jumped on my board and half way down her driveway had this thought, “I don’t know how to stop this thing!” Sparing you the gory details, that experience was what I’d describe as an “Ohhh Shi-kees” moment.

Have you ever felt that way? I think even AS PARENTS we can often feel overwhelmed as to how we are to handle a particular situation. Like the X-Games we’ll find ourselves observing others who seem to have mastered all the moves and make it look so easy. Yet when we hop aboard it’s quite a different story. So where do we turn? Who do we follow? What do we emulate? How helpful is the advice we overhear at the park on play day? Can we apply the principles seen on the Dog Whisperer to Parenting? The good news is God has given us His Word as The manual for Life. And for all the “Oh Shi-kees” moments, what’s awesome is that we’re NOT called to go it alone! God is with us on this ride! The question is are we relying on His help on a DAILY basis. Preferring to go it alone can and will lead to disastrous results! Eventually you are going to need His help! And if you only turn to Him during in the crisis moments, well you are missing out on the goodness of His protection, guidance and wisdom. The truth is if we sought His help more often, it would lead to less ‘Oh shi-kees’ moments.

So what’s the one thing I learned that piano lessons and skateboarding have in common? Practice, Practice, Practice. Let me encourage you to practice the presence of God in your life today. And promise your kids there won’t do something as crazy as not asking for God’s help because that has disaster written all over it.

This past weekend we hosted part one of a two part parenting conference at Horizon. It was incredible. I couldn’t be more proud of our ministry team and the way our church consistently ministers to real issues and felt needs. It was an awesome day with only one downside, not having enough time to cover everything. But take heart! This weekend we take on Part two (the teenage years) and this Wednesday at our midweek service we’ll be hosting a Godly Parenting Q&A. Don’t Miss it! For now, the Blog can help keep the conversation going:

Question: Have you fallen in the trap of over-explaining things to your kids? Are you constantly negotiating with them? If so, it’s likely that you’re feeling the weight of that. If with every stand you take your child challenges your authority, decision, or rule, and you keep talking to him in order to get him to understand why you’ve made the rule in the first place, stop with the Parley! Understand that what you’re doing is training your child not to accept your rules or your role. If you tell your child “No, you can’t do that,” and they keep pressing you so that you end up giving in and letting them do it -you’ve just trained them not to believe you.

Granted, in these progressive days many parents disagree with me and feel it’s important to explain their reasoning to their kids in an attempt to get them to understand. Please! I’m only trying to help you realize that wanting your child to understand your every move can easily shift into wanting their approval and acceptance of your reasons. That’s not always going to happen. Instead, what ends up happening is parents becoming cornered into over-explaining things as if the parent/child relationship is on an equal par. News Flash: It’s not! God has wisely weighed the scales in the parents favor, and for good reason. I personally think that once you’ve given your child a reasonable amount of input, any further explanation defeats the purpose and wears away at your God given role. The Bible says, “Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No” (Matthew 5:37). That’s a great principle to keep in mind, as you desire to Parent more effectively.