In the spring I put together a talk and an article about four tools of character training: curricula, the Bible, real life stories, and our own example.

As I was seeking to explain how to use scripture as a tool of character training, I was very glad when I came across the book by Lou Priolo, Teach Them Diligently; How to Use the Scriptures in Child Training! Mr. Priolo does a great job explaining why scripture is so important to teach our children and giving ways to do that.

The verse that he uses as the foundation of his book is 2 Timothy 3:16. Years ago when I was memorizing this verse, I was impressed by the fact that there is a definite progression in which the list of purposes for scripture is written. It goes like this:Continue Reading

[This blog entry is re-posted from Sept. 8, 2014, because we need to never forget!]

Have you thought lately about how many people don’t really know about or remember the terrorist attack on the United States on 9/11/2001?

Sunday is Patriot Day and the 15th anniversary of 9/11, so anyone younger than 15 years old wasn’t even alive when it happened. Add to those youngsters the people who were so young that they either don’t remember it at all or very well, and you have quite a number of people. I think we can safely say that many people into their early 20s don’t have the memory and/or understanding of what happened on 9/11.

I recently listened to an audiobook, Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory. It’s a true story of Michael Hingson’s experiences on that day. I think reading this book together with your children is a good way to teach them about this part of our history.

I hesitated to get the book when I first saw it, because, unlike those younger people, I remember all too well what happened that fateful day and I don’t handle graphic details about it very well. It still hurts too much.Continue Reading

Maybe we should start with a different question: why do I go to church? To get my weekly shot in the arm? To hear good preaching? To be with other believers? To participate in worship? Lots of different people have lots of different reasons.

Lately I’ve been reading Peace Making Women by Tara Klena Barthel and Judy Dabbler. In it, they make a comment with which I totally agree, but I’d never heard it put this way. They explain that many people have a mind-set that church is like a cruise ship.
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