Father’s Day is coming up, so this is your obligatory Father’s Day post.

Thank God that I am not my father’s son. Well, genetically I am, but I hope and pray that I have gotten out of me every bit of him spiritually, emotionally, nurturally (no, it’s not a word, but I am college graduate now and I can make things up), and just about anything else. Why?

Granted, there are some who have had worse parents, I’ve met a few, actually; however, the man is a sick and twisted individual intent on abuse and control, fanaticism, and willing to do every bad things in the name of his god. I’ll leave it at that. If I could show you the lives that he has destroyed, perhaps you would see and believe me, but otherwise, it would do no good to tell you about it. Most of it is unbelievable.

But, I have found healing in the arms of God. It is not easy sometimes, to deal with a few things, but through God I have erased the things that I was shown and replaced them with things that I know to be truth. Yes, he did do lots of damage, but along the way, I had a grandfather, a wonderful, dear old man, who took me in in the midst of a very bad time in my life. I spent barely a year with him, before he died suddenly, but in that year, I was able to take something from him that I still have. There has been other positive male figures in my life along the way which have helped me to find a better picture of a father, husband and man who what one half of my genetic make-up showed me.

For the good in my life, I can give no other reason but God. It is not my counseling or therapy, or rebellion, or drowning myself in every form of vice known to a person that I have found comfort, but only in the wonder-working power of God Almighty. He has been a constant friend and a shelter, a help, a presence, in my life as I grew, rebelled, experimented in vices, and finally found my way back to him. I gave give no credit for my healing – sometimes I am still in ICU – except to God the Father.

I have three children of my own now, and I am married to my wife – first and only, although sometimes, to irritate her, I introduce her as my first wife – which is an accomplishment as I look around my immediate family. I love her and she loves me. My children and I have a good relationship, although it is not perfect. I sometimes feel like David, in that I can only go so far with the amount of blood in my past, but my children will be able to build that perfect house. My daughter is 8, my son is 6, and my youngest daughter is 8 months. They still have a nuclear family. Awesome.

But, it is not by my hand that this is happening, but through God. Through Christ. Not by me.

It is real easy to know what to do – I just look at the parental tissue donor as an example and do everything opposite. In loving my wife, I look at my grandfather and the Song of Songs, Christ and the Church. In loving my children, I think about the failures and hurt feelings my youth and try not to replicate it, especially leaving out the anger and abuse.

My wife and I, rightly or wrongly, have cut that part of the family – and generally, if the last name now ends or has ended in Watts, then it is cut off – from our children. Safer that way, really. (My mother, who died when I was 17, had a wonderful family and I still keep in touch with my surviving great aunts who are truly wonderful people.)

So, this Sunday, I will celebrate Father’s Day with hand-made paper crafts that for the life of me, I cannot decipher, and when told what they really are, will agree and tell them that is the best thing ever. Father’s Day is not a highlight, really, as I have witnessed the births of all my children, sharing their milestones with their mother, and come home to them and their mother nightly. Every day that we can make it as a family, every day of healing, is a Father’s Day for me.

Okay, that’s it.

Our daughter (age 8 ) received The Girl’s Life application Study Bible as a reward for straight A’s on her end-of-year report card (thanks to Tyndale!). She is the ultimate girly girl so right off she enjoyed the looks of this Bible. It’s glittery, pink & purple and when you open it all the way, there is a butterfly on the cover. The edges of the paper are pink & purple as well and make up pretty flowers.

We thumbed through checking out all of the features and we found out pretty quickly how great this life application Bible is! At first glance, I was very impressed with the quick answers feature. Here there are alphabetically listed answers to “nagging questions” that inevitably arise in a young girl’s life. As Abigael and I read I asked her to give me a topic to read about, something that she thinks about or something that worries her. She chose Popularity, we found it and underneath were several scriptures to read. We read each one and had a long discussion about why popularity is not important. These quick answers allow her to go to the bible and apply scripture to her life. She is still young but has concerns and questions none the less.

Next we checked out Amazing Facts. These facts are randomly laid out within the chapters of each book. They are short facts about people or events that took place in the chapter it is nearest to. With the fact comes the corresponding scripture. Also, in the back of the book there is a “Greatest Stories Reading Plan” where you can check off reading assignments as you go, in order to read the bible in one year. another favorite feature for Abigael is the magazine like History Remix. This section tells about clothes, jewelry, places & animals of the bible times. Charts and Maps are also scattered through out this bible.

Some other features include I Survived, which are personal stories collected from teens across the country. They tell of survival and how they made it through some situations in their lives. This helps a girl realize she is not alone. This Bible, in general, really tries to connect and it is successful. Is it OK? are notes designed to help you learn what the Bible has to say about some questions that may be on your mind. They are age appropriate. Book Introduction is a brief overview of what you will see in each Bible book and the main idea in each book.

There are some things that are a bit more applicable for older girls in their teens. We’ll be saving those for later but we can see this bible growing with our daughter. She has been enjoying it and looks forward to reading it and of course how she looks carrying it. Overall this is a wonderful bible that relates and is applicable for girls of all ages (and maybe even mom).

(Polycarp’s thought: There is no greater joy than to share the love of God with someone, and that joy is exponentially mulitplied when it is your children. This is my daughter’s second NLT, the second bible she has asked for, and the second one which she curls up with and reads to us and her siblings. Sometimes, it takes a little ownership over a bible to get the children to enjoy reading it, with enjoy being the operative word.)

From Amazon:

Kids ages 6-10 love trivia, and this devotional is chock-full of interesting and sometimes silly facts. Each fact is explained briefly; the theme of the fact is then used to share a biblical truth as well as a Bible verse. The Bible message and verses tie directly to the theme of the facts, providing a better opportunity for kids to remember and apply the biblical message. What car was the first car Henry Ford built? Why do we say o’clock? Which American candy was named after someone’s daughter? Find the answers to these questions and learn a biblical lesson by reading The One Year Did You Know Devotions 2.

Continue reading “Review: The One Year Did You Know Devotions 2”

If you are looking for resources to help teach your child New Testament Greek, this might help:

We are excited about helping your child and student learn the Greek of the New Testament. This is an entirely new approach in which they will learn not only to read the Greek of the Bible but to speak it. This makes it easier to learn and a lot more fun.

Continue reading “Welcome to Kids’ Greek”

Joel began to wonder and wander… about bible translations for children. He notes 4 drawbacks to such an undertaking:

Continue reading “On Translations for Children”

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” (Luk 13:1-5 NLT)

I have some questions this morning. I believe in God. I believe that He has a plan. But I wish I knew what it was, even just sometimes.

I would like to ask God why He took a 11 year old boy, but left us with the evil men in this world. But I cannot on. I have name a few that He should have taken instead, but He didn’t ask me my opinion.

Instead, I have to read His word and settle for it – and grow because of it, and be strengthened in it.

This morning, as we met in God’s cathedral, we read the above the passage. People live, people die – not because they are good or bad, just or unjust, but because they are in God’s sovereign plan.  I am assured of the young man’s place with God, so there is no torment there, but it is still a rough piece.

I have taught the young man in Sunday School class, and last summer, during our camping trip, I got to teach him how to swim. He was a good hearted young man, and without question, will be missed. His grandparents are salt of the earth. He is survived – can you call it that – by his parents, his grandparents, and his little sister, who was with him on the ATV.

We will pray for that family daily, hourly, and without ceasing, and we will pray for the pastor who has to preside over the funeral of this young man, who he baptized.

It looks like a peanut, but it’s

A

baby, namely my baby

HT