Larry Gates, KDP Chairman just sent out an email saying that Kansas will get paid and blamed GOP manuevering for trying not to pay Kansasians.

Tim-- thanks for reading this book. biggest point I got was that parents need to start very early talking about LOVE and Marriage. Children are a heritage to the Lord. The never belonged to us. It's hard to separate parenting from that child being an individual, but that's how it is. It reminds me very much of the command to teach our children daily and constantly God's word... somehow we skip over selling them on God's love story for them. They have to be sold on it before they hit the teen years. We have to be ahead of the cultural curve because the world is just too good at selling them a lie. Again, thanks for your feedback.

I heard and exerpt from a sermom: everytime you celebrate a birthday, you are really celebrating the day two people had sex. he he.

dude... you are sounding worn down. Get the creature comforts you need to sleep on the plane ride home. Going is always so much easier than returning. Pillow, blanket, neck ring, etc. Be safe. Can't wait to hear you break down the details of the trip. DO NOT FORGET TO RETURN WITH PASTRIES.

come on with the details! blow us away already!

I prefer vs in this forum... was that why the question mark? hey.. I'm even willing to chip in the cost of pastries! "Sweet fellowship." he he... sounds like a great way to make sure we all get our hearts right so we can partake!

Holy cizow!

Is there some reason why we can't have a pastry plate for communion ;] ?

Sounds like the cliff notes of an amazing journey

Be safe and be well!

Tim, my heart breaks over this issue. My ear is on the ground so to speak and I've been lucky with the honesty my teens have shared with me (dude, I'm using a code name for this post). The rules have changed. Girls are not only not valuded by boys, but worse, they are not valued by themselves. Sex among teens is the norm, not the exeption and the stastics aren't different inside the church. Multiple partners is the norm. Sex before relationship is the norm. Girls "performing" is the norm. At no time is there less than 20 girls pregnant in our high school--it's not hidden, or "taken care of" as much here as in other schools. The love of women is all but dead. I beat my head against the wall trying to figure out why girls are at my house when I don't know their parents and they don't know me, my values, my rules...etc. I find myself parenting children that aren't mine but happen to pass my threshold. This started in the SEVENTH GRADE. That's when I started dealing with "teens" having sex. SEVENTH GRADE!! Please read Teaching True Love to a Sex at Thirteen Generation by Eric and Leslie Ludy. I read it thinking this can't be true, but when I asked my kids, my heart broke when they confirmed IT IS ALL TRUE. We can't afford to turn a blind eye to what is happening to the value of young women. WHERE ARE FATHERS????

Girls are RUTHLESS!!

my saved brother-in-laws tragic death 3 years ago left my sister in unimaginable pain. Today, she is engaged to a Christian man that has both she and MY MOM attending a bible believing church. At the time I could not have conceived that God was using this great mans death to make a way for my sister to come to Christ.

Hey... I had something similar growing up. It snapped around the ankles and wrists... I looooved it. But my feet were always cold.

Someone is doing a great job parenting! Great essay Jonathan!

wow! Someone is doing a great job parenting! Great essay Jonathan!

Someone is doing a great job parenting!! Good job Jonathan!

Hey Tim-- Just a question. Will you go back to preaching verse by verse at any time? I've always found that I learn more and learned how to study my bible more by verse by verse teachings. I have to admit, the handouts have made me a bit bible lazy.

Look how pretty we all are on Sunday with our pretty Sunday smiles. Everyone as happy as can be. We're all a mess--why does it feel like we should suppress it and hide it from others? As if our imperfections invalidate our ability to minster to others? Our imperfections are the reasons why we can minister to others, they are why we need God. We are a living organism, as you said, and all parts of the body need care-taking. Ministering to others does not mean that you don't live with your own oxen. Can you preach next Sunday in some dirty clothes and be all smelly--maybe with some ox dung on you?

Tim--such awesome points in Psalms. Our struggles seem so huge to us until compared to those in the bible. Best point after that is that God wants to end these huge struggles for us--it doesn't matter that they aren't as severe as someone else's. He only asks one thing--turn to him. Seems easy, but the rich man walked away from Jesus knowing that he was Christ--how many of us have turned away and are trying to overcome our personal battles "personally?" Often the hardest thing to do is give God all control. It even sounds like God is pleading with Israel to turn to them so He can end their pain. How many of us need to give up control and turn to God? I want those promised blessings! Thank you for this reminder.

Ugh. Got the message loud and clear. So my question is NOW WHAT? I knew I was not in God's will, but I 'wanted it' so I did everything I could to label it God's will and ignore the flashing signs, and as I realized after Sunday's message, also ignored that God may have "stepped back" knowing that I knew better. I should have lived by the faith that I already knew. I can't undo what I've done. So tell me, now what?