Tag Archives: family

Re: Think Orange

Published in Nate's Blog on September 11, 2009
Re: Think Orange

Reading a book by Reggie Joiner called Think Orange.  It’s about the impact that church and family need to make on young people.  Interesting point he makes on page. 66-67 – Moses was talking to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6, “Talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Joiner suggests that this should be the rhythm of our relationship with our families…

1.  “when you sit at home” = meal time

2.  “when you walk along the road” = drive time

3.   “when you lie down” = bed time

4.   “when you get up” = breakfast/beginning of the day

The jury is still out on this book, for me, but I do like this idea, that we create an intentional rhythm to our day, with our children.  Not a forced schedule or a passive happy-go-lucky “what will be will be”, but rather a routine that is intentional, that is designed to keep us in touch, to bring us into regular interaction with our family members, and to bring us regular opportunities to teach our children (and to be taught ourselves).

I like that.

Here’s a beauty of a chart that I copied from page 69…

TIMES COMMUNICATION ROLE GOAL
meal time formal discussion teacher establish values
drive time informal dialogue friend interpret life
bed time intimate conversation counselor buIld intimacy
morning time encouraging words coach instill purpose
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On the tranferrability of faith – part 2

Published in Nate's Blog on August 6, 2009
On the tranferrability of faith – part 2

It must be transferrable.  Because I woke up this morning with a peace that cannot otherwise be explained.  I’ve been anxious, tense, nervous, and scared for the last 2 weeks.  But woke up this morning and the very first thing that went through my head was, “everything’s going to be ok.” 

The second thing that went through my head was, “I’m not worried.”

The third thing was, “that doesn’t make any sense.”

The fourth thing was, “don’t overthink this, just accept that it is so.”

The fifth thing was, “Gosh, I need to brush my teeth, my mouth tastes awful.”

Mom’s surgery went well today.  She will be in the hospital for 3-5 days and will receive a report on the stage of her endometrial cancer in 7-10 days.  I fully expect her to be lobbying to go on vacation with us on August 16.  I doubt that the doctor will let her.  But we can always hope. :-)

Thanks for praying and for sharing your faith with me when I needed it.  If you ever need my little bit of faith, I will be glad to share it with you if you ask.

I’ll continue to keep you posted.

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Is my friend’s faith transferrable?

Published in Nate's Blog on July 31, 2009
Is my friend’s faith transferrable?

I wonder.

I need it to be.

We found out last week that my mom has cancer.  The doctors will be taking it out on Thursday the 6th of August.

I need more faith, I know that.  My mom and dad seem to be quite matter of fact about the whole thing.  I, on the other hand, am not.  I worry.  I am scared.  I need more faith.

My friend BL emailed a few minutes ago and offered me the “little bit of faith” that he has.  He wondered if that was possible – for his little bit of faith to be transferred to me.

In the New Testament, there is some strange relationship between the faith of a person and the healing power of Jesus.  I was pondering the story of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, but now comes to mind the story of the friends of the paralytic who ripped off the roof of the house so they could lower their friend in the midst of the crowded house and get him close to Jesus.

I need to look this up, hold on…………………………………………………..

Yep, Mark 2.  Oh man, what an unbelievable story.  The Bible says that the man’s four friends brought the man to Jesus to be healed but couldn’t get to him because the house was so stinking crowded.  So they went on the top of the house, and dug through the roof and lowered the paralyzed man down to Jesus.  (Totally incidentally, don’t you think Jesus had to be GRINNING as the roof comes off and the guy is lowered down to him?!)  And then v.5 says,  “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (italics mine)

Not the paralyzed guy’s faith – it was the faith of his friends that Jesus acted on.

Can you have enough faith for my mom, and for me, friends?  Will you share it with me?  I need it.

Thanks in advance.

I’ll keep you updated.

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Massive

Published in Nate's Blog on July 10, 2009
Massive

What a great time we had Wednesday night at our second SummerSalt event at Hager Park.  This one was for families.  We had over 80 kids, lots of parents and a few grandparents, four giant inflatables, face painting, snow cones, brownies, lemonade, group games, bubbles – it was awesome.  Our next event is at Gymnastics Unlimited on July 22.  Go to jcconline.net/summersalt to register!

I took down Kirsten North on the Gladiator Joust, and knocked the Vernmeister out also.  Unfortunately the preacher’s oldest son took me out.  But I let him win, don’tcha know???  Ok, not really.  He’s got good balance, and I do not.  I’m lucky to stay upright when I’m just walking on the ground, let alone while I’m getting pounded with a giant foam tube while balancing on a tiny pedestal.  Plus he hit me in the glasses.  Come on, you can’t hit a guy with glasses!

SummerSalt Inflatables revised

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