I live in a rural part of Texas with my wife, and four children. Our church is 45 miles away, and getting there on time has been hard. Like any family with many children, organization is a key to success. Here are some steps I have taken and they might help: 1) Clothes out the night before to include shoes and socks. I’ve found that the shoes and socks are the things which actually take the longest to find on a Sunday morning, and matching socks and shoes are almost never to be found on Sunday Morning, having everything ready the night before saves that needed time. 2) Diaper bag always packed.. It’s really bad when you get 13 miles from home and that thought “Oh No! We left the diaper bag at home” very common for the new parents (and old alike). One thing we found is to have a ‘emergency’ diaper bag in the trunk of our car at all times, and saves on the backtrack! 3) Harmony – Often trips which are less planned tend not to have the same level of harmony. I’ve found to have things to keep the children occupied (like tapes, CD’s, games) in the car help to keep them from fighting. Also rules which don’t allow picking, nagging, or bad attitudes are a must. This way the trip doesn’t become a drag, you’ll want to drive your family to church because this is a great time for family bonding. 4) Sunday Breakfast. For our family making breakfast on Sunday morning was a huge drag on time, though eating out does cost, it saves in time. This is the one time of the week where fast food is allowed. If not fast food, then having something, which can be eaten quickly and without a mess in the car (granola bars, breakfast bars, pop tarts, etc.) 5) Pack the night before, Bibles, extra clothes, anything you need should be placed into the car the night before.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Calvinism and the Great Commission
I have never really had a problem with sharing Calvinism with love, since it’s a theological bent, not a religion. We are all Christians, and I look lovingly on my Armenian and Dispensational brethren, who are just as much an heir of the Kingdom, as am I. We might not agree on the systematic of theology, but we can agree on the core Christian principles. There is a great misconception with our other Christian brethren, that Reformed means frozen chosen, and we do not have a zeal for the Great Commission. Even though it is very rare, that you might see an ‘alter call’ in a Reformed Church, they have a zeal for preaching the Gospel without a ‘watered down’ message. We (Christians) are not called to convince people to believe (how do you convince a fish it is a good thing to be trapped in a net), we are called to preach the Gospel. The work of Regeneration is solely in the hands of God. May the Church never be complacent in completing the work of the Great commission.