The Crossings

The Day is Coming....

... when I will be throwing footballs, baseballs, and basketballs at this little man. I have loved my moments of playing with dolls or stuffed animals but I am also looking forward to trying something new. I'm thinking another good week of growth and he will be working on his spiral.

Mother/Daughter Discipleship

What A Weekend!

My sweet girl in her flower girl dress... I was blessed to be the pastor at my brother's wedding this weekend.

My Family on Mother's Day

My wife put up some great pics of our new party of five. We are still getting used to playing this zone defense. Uh.. hem... "Powell party of five your table is ready!" There is just something about that I haven't become accustomed to yet.

Family, Katy

Daddying Daughters

This is really more of a therapeutic confessional than anything else.... God has blessed us with a wonderful 7 year old daughter. We have really been intentional with the outside influences that she has been exposed to so far in her life. But, we realized something last year when she began Kindergarten, we can try all we want but the world is going to get to her.

The fact of the matter is that I don't want Hannah Montana for a daughter. She might be great and all... but I love my Bethany. It is really hard to straddle the continuum between appropriate and up tight with this stuff. She can actually come home imitating some TV show or movie character the she has never witnessed first hand. She can come home desiring to have something when she really has no idea what "it" is. Well, I feel like this is sort of a milestone in raising a daughter and I am not handling it well. Maybe the fact that I didn't grow up with a sister doesn't help but still - why does any 7 year old need any appearance additive even if it is only lip gloss?

I am beginning to think instead just not bringing this stuff into our home we really need to talk about the why's of it all. Because, as we have already see, she will get exposed to it all very soon anyway.

It will be interesting to see what these struggles translate into with my son. When he is 7 we will probably still be working on not kicking the dog.

Family, Katy

Salvation & Our Children (Part 2)

I posted the first part of this topic here. And, yes I do have a head cold.

Family, Gospel, Katy

First Field Trip

My oldest daughter walked out the door this morning for her first Field Trip. We preached to her until we were both blue, "Stay right next to your teacher" and "Don't get off by yourself and get lost" and I really wanted to say "You'll poke your eye out" but I didn't. I know that Lori is more worried than I am, but it just feels weird that I have a daughter who is going on a field trip. Part of me wanted to call ahead to the Arboretum and warn them about what was about to go down. They showed up to work today thinking it was going to be an ordinary day... but no... they will be taken by storm through the assault of Mrs. Dugan's first grade class.

Family, Katy

Our Children & Salvation (Pt. 1)

I want to begin a discussion that will take a few posts to get through... How do we handle sharing the gospel with our children? My thoughts were sparked by a recent blog I read on the topic. I will refer to this blog later. So, the question on the table is - How do we as mom and dad think about our children becoming "saved"?

First, I just want warn against a very dangerous practice. Our children do not become converted or become a Christ follower by saying a prayer (GASP! Yes, that's right... they don't become "saved" by saying a prayer). Second, our children do not embrace salvation through telling you or anyone else that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. We as parents spark a life of confusion when we raise them teaching that all they have to do is say a mantra and pray a prayer. Among other things, we are teaching them from the earliest age that following Christ is about checking a box. This could not be farther from biblical conversion.

Talk to your children about the reality of Jesus' death on the cross. Talk to them regularly about his victory over death in the resurrection. Talk of these things daily... but do not make them into a mantra that satisfies a requirement to call them "saved." In the church subculture sometimes the label of our children being "saved" becomes another sticker of pride to put on the back of our vehicles.

We have an incredible opportunity to teach our children what it means to live a faithful life following Christ. Some of this they will learn by our words yet much more of this they will learn by our lives.

My New Gang

PK - No Problem...

So, I have this pastor's kid syndrome figured out... You can't beat it! I think I am just going to fully embrace it. And, it has already begun here for child #3. When I saw this little outfit I could not help myself. I almost cried when it came in the mail yesterday. The awesome thing is ... they have so many more to choose from. I can't wait to get "Spurgeon Is My Homeboy."

Lori is making fun of me but I really think this is the way to go... if you can't beat it embrace it. I am thinking about developing a plan for reading my Greek New Testament to him each and every night.

Pastor's Kid??? No Problem!

If you aren't familiar with Jonathan Edwards you can find out more here.