Since it is Valentine’s Day, here is a story that will help us see how to have a happy marriage.

“A father of five young children won a toy at a raffle. Back home, he called his kids together to let them determine which one should have the present.

"Who is the most obedient?" he asked. "Who never talks back to Mother? Who does everything she says?"

Five small voices answered in unison: "You, Daddy!"

HT: Mikey’s Funnies

"One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time." – John Piper

I am not one to brag often about my kids because I don’t want people to think that I think my kids are better than theirs.  But since this is my blog I can brag a little about my son, Josh.

Monday night, we had parent teacher conferences at school.  I know when I was a kid I never told my mom and dad about them because I didn’t want them to talk to my teachers.  Josh, however, let us know.  I went to all of his teachers and they all raved about Josh.  They said he was a respectful young man, well behaved and did not cause them an ounce of trouble.  The one comment that was shared by at least three of the teachers was, “I wish I had a room full of students like Josh!”

I am thankful for Josh.  He is an incredible young man.  He is the kind of kid that is comfortable with who he is and is not moved by the leading of the crowd.  In fact, he tries to lead the crowd.  In his second semester of his first year in public school, last year, Josh started a Bible Club that meets once a week.  He has formed a leadership team and is beginning to develop a plan to make sure the Bible club continues after he graduates.

I would like to take credit for how Josh is turning out, but I can tell you that I feel inadequate as a father and really believe it is the hand of God on his life.  Even through our flawed parenting, God has given us a godly son.  Thank you Jesus!

One more thing:  Josh’s Algebra teacher asked if we had any more children coming up that are as good as him.  I had to tell her, “I don’t know about my other one, only time will tell.”  She acts too much like me!

We are proud of you son!

Athiest Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller) states that he doesn’t respect Christians who don’t share their faith. This is sound and convicting:

“I’ve always said, you know, that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that, well it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward…How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? If I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

HT. Baptist Press

                    “Cold Hands Billy Joe”

HT: Larry Hehn

The snow, untouched, lies on the ground
Peering out the window, no one is moving around

The snow falls blowing in the wind
Covering tracks if they’d never been

The animals in hiding and the birds no more aflight
the people indoors gathering around the fire

The village is silent as if asleep in the day
Almost hibernating waiting for the flowers of May

Winter can seem long and many view it with dread
Bundling up with covers not wanting to get out of bed

But looking at the wonder of winter’s painting the town white
I marvel at old man winter’s artwork that colors everything bright

Though the village is sleepy and people taking shelter inside
Winter is not that long, soon, very soon, spring will come to life

-Danny Cheney-

Leftovers are such humble things,
We would not serve them to a guest,
And yet we serve them to our Lord
Who deserves the very best.

We give to Him leftover time,
Stray minutes here and there,
Leftover cash we give to Him,
Such few coins as we can spare.

We give our youth unto the world,
To hatred, lust and strife;
Then in declining years we give
To Him the remnant of our life.

—Author Unknown