HEDUA Post: Beware Homeschool Dads

Have you heard that punctuation matters? The same is true of the title. It could be “Beware! Homeschool Dads!” or it could be “Beware, Homeschool Dads!” The first would mean to beware because there are homeschool dads. You know, like “Watch out! Dog poop!” The second set of punctuation would mean for homeschool dads to watch out like “Watch out, Waldo!”

This article will mention both.

Read the rest of the article HERE.

Friday Funny--Who's your favorite?

This father is determined to get a certain answer. (Warning: there are a couple of mild swear words.)

Three Things the Father Never Says to Me

This was a convicting article since I think I probably said these three things in the last 60 minutes alone!

This summer our generous church family made it possible for me to take a three-month sabbatical. It was an amazing time that allowed me to spend more time with my family than usual. Together with our four children (ages 7-14), my wife and I did a three-week road trip to southern California, went camping, and kicked around our city. We played games and rode bikes and threw the football. I loved it, and am still thanking God regularly.

Not surprisingly, though, the increased time with my kids led me to experience more frustration (read, selfish anger) than usual, too. At times, I found myself looking forward to getting back to the normal routine where helping mediate adult conflicts can sometimes seem easy compared to keeping the peace in my home.

Though I have a great earthly dad, my heavenly Father has been my best example when it comes to loving and training my children well. So, amidst my frustration, the Spirit called my attention to a few specific things that I was saying to my children, phrases that the Father never says to me as His beloved child.

READ THE REST HERE!

Friday Funny--Fatherhood Batman-style

Fatherhood---Happy Father's Day

Homeschool Dads Beware

Most of us are home educating moms, but this is a growing group of home educating dads. They may be the primary teacher or a very involved father.

As much as we deal with the public questions and concerns about homeschooling in general, dads can face it even more so.

We were recently talking to a friend who schools his 3 daughters while his wife works. He's usually the odd man out at homeschool activities because, well, he's the man!
There are the awkward situations he has to deal with as well like public restrooms, swimming, etc., and there are the dangerous situations like just being out in public alone with his daughters.

Dangerous because people are being trained to question men alone with children.

Here's an example.

That's right. Surely there is something to be suspicious about a man being with a little girl. 

Think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill? Let me tell you a story.

About four years ago, my hubby took my then 4 year old to the mall to shop for a present for me. She threw a MAJOR TANTRUM in the middle of the mall because she couldn't ride the merry-go-round. 

Like any good parent after deducing that this was not going to be a quick fix, my husband picked her up and started for the car to bring her home.

On the way back to the car, he was stopped twice by "civilians" questioning whether mija was actually his daughter. 
Then the mall cop on the Segway (yes, really) came up and began to question him. It didn't stop there. He literally followed my hubby and a still screaming mija out to our van. The mall cop looked into our van to verify it had a booster seat and copied down the license plate number and the info from my hubby's driver's license.

He truly expected the police or CPS to be at the house when he got home.

This was a really hard place to be. I was so thankful that there really were people who would step up to protect a child in case of abduction. The mall cop also did a good job even making sure to document the situation.

On the other hand, my husband was trying to be a good parent and was suspected because of it.

Would it have happened if I, the mom, had been the person dragging a screaming child out of the mall.

I doubt it.

Can you see the tantrum building?

The same year, mija had another MAJOR MELTDOWN when we attending a Tea Party rally. Leaving hubby behind to pick up all of our stuff, I carried a flailing, screaming child several blocks along a busy, active, boulevard. People were ever where.

Was I stopped or questioned? No.

Why? I think mostly because I was a female. 
Maybe secondary reason was because we were in a group of somewhat like-minded people. 
But mostly because I was female.

So, let's keep our men in prayer. This is just one more way they are being attacked.

Friday Funny--Daddy's Doing Daughter's Hair-do

I saw the following video on Facebook this week.

But of course, testosterone requires that it must be outdone! ;-)
Here's a followup to the first video.

The Bishop of Liverpool from John Piper

Before we go any further, I want to make sure you read that correctly. 

I wrote the BISHOP of Liverpool not the BEATLES of Liverpool.  If you are reading expecting insects or a boys band, you're in the wrong place.

Every year for his Conference of Pastors, John Piper covers the biography of a hero of the faith.  If you'd like to see some of the past heroes just CLICK HERE.



One of the resources I wanted to point you to was THE DUTIES OF PARENTS by J.C. Ryle.  It's not a quick read, but well worth it.

Here's an example of what you have waiting for you:

Remember children are born with a decided bias towards evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong.  The mother cannot tell what her tender infant may grow up to be, — tall or short, weak or strong, wise or foolish he may be any of these things or not, — it is all uncertain.  But one thing the mother can say with certainty: he will have a corrupt and sinful heart.  It is natural to us to do wrong.  "Foolishness," says Solomon, "is bound in the heart of a child" (Prov. 22:15).  "A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame" (Prov. 29:15).  Our hearts are like the earth on which we tread; let it alone, and it is sure to bear weeds. 

OUCH!!  Someone who doesn't tell it like he sees it, but sees it like the Bible tells it!  

So go check out his piece on parenting and Piper's other resources as well!

The Marvel of Our Adoption

From the Desiring God Blog....

The Marvel of Our Adoption



May 30, 2011 05:00 pm
by Michael Johnson


Scottish theologian John Murray reflects on the Christian’s spiritual adoption:


The great truth of God’s fatherhood and of the sonship which bestows upon men is one that belongs to the application of redemption. It is true in respect of all men no more than are effectual calling, regeneration, and justification.

God becomes the Father of his own people by the act of adoption. It is the marvel of such grace that constrained the apostle John to exclaim, ‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called children of God’ (1 John 3:1). And to assure his readers of this privilege as a present possession and not simply a hope for the future he adds immediately, ‘and we are.’ To indicate the cleavage which this status institutes among men he continues, ‘On this account the world does not know us, because it did not know him.’

Lest there should be any doubt regarding the reality of the sonship bestowed he insists, ‘Beloved, now we are the children of God.’ (ver. 2). John had pondered and learned well the words of the Lord himself when he said, ‘he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father….If a man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him’ (John 14:21,23).


And now in writing his first epistle his heart overflows with wonderment at this donation of the Father’s love, ‘Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us.’ It is specifically the Father’s act of grace. John could not get over it and he never will. Eternity will not exhaust its marvel.


John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1955), 136.