Life Threads is also featuring a post from me today, so make sure you check it out. And both blogs are conducting product giveaways this week. At Life Threads, enter to win a Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters gift pack— including the original book, The 30-Day Challenge, and the Small Group DVD Study.
Dear Readers,
It’s my pleasure to “swap” blog posts today with Linda Weddle from Life Threads, the blog for Awana.
Life Threads is also featuring a post from me today, so make sure you check it out. And both blogs are conducting product giveaways this week. At Life Threads, enter to win a Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters gift pack— including the original book, The 30-Day Challenge, and the Small Group DVD Study.
At MegMeekerMD.com, we are pleased to give away two outstanding books for teachers, educators, and youth leaders, How to Raise a Modern-Day Joseph by Larry Fowler and Raising a Modern-Day Joseph by Linda Weddle.
Find more information about Awana, these books, and how to enter the giveaway at the end of the post.
Meg
As they meandered through the museum, Dad took advantage of every possible moment to integrate a biblical focus into what his children viewed. Obvious teachable moments jumped out at him as they walked through the Life Origin Exhibit and then later the World Religion Exhibit. He found a more subtle opportunity in an Ethics and Morality display.
Dad felt great. He liked challenging his kids to think through why they believed what they believed.
Still in a good mood, he treated the kids to ice cream on the way home.
As they pulled away from the drive-thru window, he groaned, “Oh, no, I gave that crazy clerk $10, but he gave me change for $20.” He looked at the long line of cars behind him. “Oh, well. We don’t have time to fix it. I guess it’s their loss.”
Ahhh … another teachable moment.
AS WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN, WE ENCOUNTER A MULTITUDE OF TEACHABLE MOMENTS – EVERY DAY.
From our attitude as we welcome our kids to the breakfast table to our choice of before-bed TV shows, the hours are filled with such moments. True, that teaching might not be what we should teach, but we are still teaching.
God-centered teachable moments are based on two principles:
1. Teachable moments involve words.
We often hear phrases such as “actions speak louder than words,” but God has told us that hearing words is foundational to our faith (Romans 10:17). Without words, we grasp only part of the message.
God has chosen to give us a lot of guidance regarding our words. They should be wise (Proverbs 15:1-2); pleasant (Proverbs 16:21); and encouraging (Ephesians 4:29).
We know these principles. We apply these principles … but sometimes we do so only in relationship to other adults – not our families.
Yet, we are told to set an example to the younger generation with faultless speech (Titus 2:7-8).
Peter’s admonition to know answers to faith questions applies to our kids as well as to our neighbor or the lady in our Bible study (1 Peter 3:15).
OUR KIDS NEED TO KNOW THE “WHYS” THAT INFLUENCE OUR FAITH AND THEN THEY NEED TO SEE US LIVE WHAT WE TEACH.
Because …