Then this site may be just what you're looking for:  Cozi!

No, that's not an inviation!  But the name of a family organizing website to help famiiles keep their events, plans, lists, and calendar in one place.  It's completely free!  It also has other add-ons like E-Christmas Cards (for those who don't do 'Snail Mail' anymore) and a family journal site.

Check it out when you get the chance.

Dean

Those of you who attended the FJIF Take-Home Event, you heard some of this; but I wanted to take a bit more time to look at how we can and should intentionally T.R.A.I.N our children. Proverbs 22:6 encourages us to train our children and offeres a promise in return. Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 tells us to teach our children the commandments and Love of God, and do it ALL THE TIME! In fact, there is never a time in which we are NOT teaching our children about God and His Love / Promises.

Therefore, since you're doing it anyway: WHY NOT BE INTENTIONAL IN IT?! Mark Holmen, former Senior Pastor at Ventura Missionary Church, and found of the Faith Begins @ Home movement, wrote a book called Faith Begins at Home. He takes the word T.R.A.I.N  and makes it into an acronym for us to easily remember 5 key principles in how to intentionally disciple our children.

For this post, let's only focus on the first letter "T." T, if you were not able to quess, stands for Time. In today's world, time is one of our most precious commodities. The primary question I hear from parents is, "When is there time to talk with my children about faith?"

For most parents the stereo-typical image that comes to mind when you say "faith-talk" is having an hour-long, sit-down discussion at the kitchen table with the Bible open and a candle burning. Of course, the realty today is that a lot of families don't even have kitchen table, and they certainly don't have a full hour when they can talk together! In our increasingly busy lives, we must make the best of the time that we have. So when is the best time to discuss our faith with our children? The only reasonable answer is anytime.
Here are 3 of 7 times that are perfect times for starting to converse to your children about God and Faith:

1. Car Time - Doesn't it seem that the most time you spend together as a family is when you're in the car, on your way to the next thing you have to do? Try turning off the radio and asking your children what "highs" and "lows" they had during the day. Then take a moment to pray for the event that you’re headed to next.

2. Sick Time - Another significant block of time that you have with your children occurs when they are sick and have to stay home from school. While no one looks forward to his or her child being sick, it does provide time to have a healthy conversation. Sick time gives you a chance to watch videos or listen to music together. So why not chose videos that will naturally lead to talking about issues of faith and life?

3. Bed Time - There might not be a better time to talk about faith than at bedtime. Share the highs and lows form the day and then take time to pray for each other. With teenagers you can ask, "What's on your schedule tomorrow that I can pray for? Do any of your friends need prayer for anything?"

(These sections are taken directly from Mark Holmen's book.)

Dean

Yancy Richmond is an up and coming (and nearly arrived) Christian artist.  What makes Yancy unique is that, so far, she has stuck with kid's music.  I have especially liked her Little Praise Party "My Best Friend" DVD for pre-school praise.  So, I jumped at the chance to review her new CD, Have a Fancy Yancy Christmas!  [Not to mention they sent me one for me - SWEETNESS!]

By checking out the track list, you can see this CD contains a nice blend of "traditional" Christmas carols, and 3 originals (2 by Yancy herself):

One topic of debate this time of year for Christan Families centers around the issue/person of Santa Clause. Do we tell our kids about Santa? Do they get gifts "From: Santa?" What's the harm in pretending that Santa does exist?

Here are some of the issues so that you can decide.

Cons
1) Santa Claus is often given the same qualities as God: Omniscience and Omnipotence, specifically.

2) Santa keeps a list of our rights and wrongs. God does not.

3) Telling kids that Santa exists, when in fact he doesn't, sets up your kids for disappointment (not to mention you are lying to them).

Pros
1) Saint Nick was a real person and we could teach about him and his ministry.

2) James Dobson says it's OK.

3) Kids pretend all the time - to be a Princess or a Jedi - this is no different.

So, what do you think? What stance has your family taken? Has the question of whether or not to "believe" in Santa ever come up?

Food for thought, Dean

For those of us over the age of 30, you may remember a sketch on Saturday Night Live called "Deep Thoughts.....by Jack Handey."  They were quotes to either show the absurdity of a situation or intentionally be stupid.  Here is one of this quotes:

“If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone.” --Jack Handey

Or you can watch some by heading over to this site.

Well, this is:

Random Thoughts....by Dean Butterfield

• Why is it that when I start looking for volunteers, I think I hear crickets chirping in the background?
• How one spends their time and money communicates values to our kids.  What values are we communicating?
• As a Christian, I believe the Bible is the ultimate authority for all of life.  But do I really live and think that way?
• How do you communicate grace and truth in one sentence, with using the word "...but..."?
• Have you ever seen horse fly, a horse fly, a horse fly?
• I am amazed nearly everyday how God has gifted His people for the work of the Kingdom.  Now, only to use those gifts by answering the call......

Well, I got tired of the old coffee house look, and my wife told me I need to update my book, so I decided to change it up a little bit.  I found some great Blogger Templates sites in the process, if you are interested:

• www.allblogtools.com
• http://blogspottemplates.blogspot.com
• http://www.blogspottemplate.com
• http://mashable.com/2008/05/17/70-plus-new-and-beautiful-blogger-templates/

I haven't felt like blogging much recently as I have a lot on my heart and mind recently.  There are a couple of families in our church that my wife and I would consider friends (they are also volunteers) who are on the brink of divorce.  I have had 3 volunteers recently let me know they need to step out of ministry.  Then last week I got sick for a couple of days.  I feel like my spiritual and emotional tank is run dry!

Sorry, nothing profound to say today.

I have no idea if this will help any of you with where you are in life with your kiddos but I ran across this site today, and I'm just gonna pass it along.

The Porn Talk site is a comprehensive site for helping parents have difficult conversations with their kids about sexuality and pornography.

For His Glory, Dean

I know this is going to be a huge shock for you, but it appears the Gosselin children are beginning to act out!  Duhn, duhn duhn.......  The last few months have been wracked with pain, jealousy, anger and bitterness between John and Kate; and all is not well in the perfect little world of Kate.  OK, you've got to read this quote:


"'I'm trying to give them the grace to see, if they’re acting out of line, I'm trying to look deeper into why that is," she says in the article. "Why the kids are acting out. Cause it’s all inter-related. I mean, they don’t see it, but it’s all interconnected'."


What????  Why are the kids acting out????  IT'S BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE MUD-SLINGING AT EACH OTHER AND YOU'VE TORN THEIR WORLD APART!!!  


It doesn't take any analyzing or seeing how things are inter-related!!!  The only thing that is going to make it any better (besides a complete miracle of God) is to let them say what they want to say and grovel for their forgiveness!!!  Once you've done that, then you can begin to rebuild their trust in you as their parents - and with that trust will come obedience!


There is a bigger purpose for this post, though.  There are families in churches all across our country that are right now going through divorce and CHOOSING to ignore Biblical truth for their own selfish desires.  I know this is messy, ugly and nasty stuff, and from a human and emotional perspective, I get it!  But long before divorce papers are filed, long before bitterness and apathy forms - married couples must be willing to step and say "Enough is enough!  I don't like living this way and I want to make this work!!!"  If you are on that edge in your marriage, talk to someone who will encourage and help you bring peace and reconciliation back into your relationship.


Dean


PS - Sorry about the "rawness" of this post, but I am pretty passionate about this topic - especially right now.

Ran across this video put together by the folks at Granger Community Church in Granger, IN. Have tissues available!!!


Kids Prayers from Granger Community on Vimeo.