Easter Joy To You 4-7-2009
All of us at the LHM Men's NetWork pray that you each have a joyous celebration of Easter.
The decorated eggs, white lilies, and new clothes only add color to the day. Martin Luther sums up the meaning of the day in the explanation to the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed:
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also
true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me, a lost and
condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from
the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and
with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in
His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and
blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This
is most certainly true.
He is Risen!
The Men's NetWork Team
The decorated eggs, white lilies, and new clothes only add color to the day. Martin Luther sums up the meaning of the day in the explanation to the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed:
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also
true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me, a lost and
condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from
the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and
with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in
His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and
blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This
is most certainly true.
He is Risen!
The Men's NetWork Team
Men and Women are Different 4-14-2009
How is that for stating the obvious? Despite all of the books, articles, movies, TV shows, and parental advice, couples still have trouble with one major part of their marriage - communication.
A good friend recently sent me an article from Preaching Today. It suggested, "men are computers and women are cell phones." Now that is an interesting proposition. It would also explain why often I hear but don't listen to my wife - I am in screen-saver mode. Literally, the lights are on, but no one is paying attention.
The cell phone analogy also fits, for she talks until I answer. Hmmm, I wonder if I can download a different ring tone?
Dr. James Dobson in his book, Love for a Lifetime, observes that women have been blessed by God with 50,000 words a day while men get 25,000. That means by the time I get home from work I have used all my words, but my wife still has plenty to spare.
So what does one do? Quite possibly, recognizing the problem is the first step. Men and women are wired differently, which is a real good thing. Then, couples can work on their communication connection - he saving some words for her, she letting go of some for him.
The best communication help I have found is at the end of the day when I turn off the TV, turn off the lights and hold my wife's hand. Then I pray for her, for me, for us, for the children, for our brothers and sisters, for work concerns, and so on - aloud. She, in turn, prays - aloud - for all that is on her heart. These words spoken to our heavenly Father are the best times of communication we have. Perhaps it also works because she can send messages from her cell phone to my computer?
A good friend recently sent me an article from Preaching Today. It suggested, "men are computers and women are cell phones." Now that is an interesting proposition. It would also explain why often I hear but don't listen to my wife - I am in screen-saver mode. Literally, the lights are on, but no one is paying attention.
The cell phone analogy also fits, for she talks until I answer. Hmmm, I wonder if I can download a different ring tone?
Dr. James Dobson in his book, Love for a Lifetime, observes that women have been blessed by God with 50,000 words a day while men get 25,000. That means by the time I get home from work I have used all my words, but my wife still has plenty to spare.
So what does one do? Quite possibly, recognizing the problem is the first step. Men and women are wired differently, which is a real good thing. Then, couples can work on their communication connection - he saving some words for her, she letting go of some for him.
The best communication help I have found is at the end of the day when I turn off the TV, turn off the lights and hold my wife's hand. Then I pray for her, for me, for us, for the children, for our brothers and sisters, for work concerns, and so on - aloud. She, in turn, prays - aloud - for all that is on her heart. These words spoken to our heavenly Father are the best times of communication we have. Perhaps it also works because she can send messages from her cell phone to my computer?
The Talk 4-21-2009
Okay, it's time for the "talk" -- you know the one -- the one you've been dreading since your kid had his or her first crush on some kid in their first-grade class. Yep, the sex talk is enough to make your stomach turn. But don't worry....
The good news is your kids are getting plenty of education on the subject -- TV, movies, the Internet, music, and their friends provide a continual stream of education. Yep, no need to have the talk about sex. They got it covered. They are doing a great job, too. The kids are learning lifelong patterns of behavior.
Let's see -- sextexting, sending nude pictures of oneself is now getting to be a socially accepted form of dating etiquette. According to a study by Teenage Research Unlimited, 22 percent of teenage girls and 18 percent of boys have taken nude or semi-nude photos of themselves and sent them to someone or posted them online.
And what about abortions? In the United States there are about 3,700 abortions performed each day with 52 percent of the females obtaining these abortions younger than age 25. Women aged 20-24 obtain 32 percent of all abortions; teenagers obtain 20 percent and girls under age 15 account for 1.2 percent. That means that every day there are 44 girls under the age of 15 having an abortion.
Hmmm. And what about STDs? At least one-in-four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's more than 3 million teens, aged 14 to 19, infected.
Okay, Dads. As Nike® says, "just do it." Take time to talk to your sons and daughters about sex. Yes, it will be weird. Yes, you'll probably hate it and, yes, you may even stumble for words, but your kids -- in the short and long run -- will be better off for it. And, who knows? They may even thank you for it someday.
The good news is your kids are getting plenty of education on the subject -- TV, movies, the Internet, music, and their friends provide a continual stream of education. Yep, no need to have the talk about sex. They got it covered. They are doing a great job, too. The kids are learning lifelong patterns of behavior.
Let's see -- sextexting, sending nude pictures of oneself is now getting to be a socially accepted form of dating etiquette. According to a study by Teenage Research Unlimited, 22 percent of teenage girls and 18 percent of boys have taken nude or semi-nude photos of themselves and sent them to someone or posted them online.
And what about abortions? In the United States there are about 3,700 abortions performed each day with 52 percent of the females obtaining these abortions younger than age 25. Women aged 20-24 obtain 32 percent of all abortions; teenagers obtain 20 percent and girls under age 15 account for 1.2 percent. That means that every day there are 44 girls under the age of 15 having an abortion.
Hmmm. And what about STDs? At least one-in-four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's more than 3 million teens, aged 14 to 19, infected.
Okay, Dads. As Nike® says, "just do it." Take time to talk to your sons and daughters about sex. Yes, it will be weird. Yes, you'll probably hate it and, yes, you may even stumble for words, but your kids -- in the short and long run -- will be better off for it. And, who knows? They may even thank you for it someday.
Fire! 4-28-2009
A recent headline read, "Senator suggests AIG execs should kill themselves." Now that is an attention grabber, so I read the story. Basically, Senator Grassley from Iowa suggested that AIG executives who received billions in federal bailout money and then awarded themselves $165 million in executive bonuses should follow the Japanese example and come before the American people, take a deep bow, say, "I'm sorry," and then either resign or commit suicide.
It seems to me the senator has some passion about his feelings towards the executives who accepted American taxpayer funds to reward themselves. Perhaps, some would say they deserve the bonuses. After all, they did find the money to bail out their companies. Don't they deserve it?
I am curious as to why anyone might be surprised at the actions of these executives. For is that not the nature of what they do? Are not they rewarded for successfully creating a profit for their company? This sort of reminds me of the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog. Scorpions will do what scorpions do (it's their nature) and people will do what people do.
So what can we do? Is there anything we can do? Are we powerless against greed, corruption, dirty politics, broken promises, and the like?
It seems to me the senator has some passion about his feelings towards the executives who accepted American taxpayer funds to reward themselves. Perhaps, some would say they deserve the bonuses. After all, they did find the money to bail out their companies. Don't they deserve it?
I am curious as to why anyone might be surprised at the actions of these executives. For is that not the nature of what they do? Are not they rewarded for successfully creating a profit for their company? This sort of reminds me of the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog. Scorpions will do what scorpions do (it's their nature) and people will do what people do.
So what can we do? Is there anything we can do? Are we powerless against greed, corruption, dirty politics, broken promises, and the like?
