While I was at drop in over the weekend I found myself a number of times saying "Hey don't use that word please" or "Hey, you know that you can't use that language here" more than once the response was "That's not a swear word" or "I use that word at home".
The most prominent double standard that most teens deal with is the one where the rules that are put in place to guide their lives are not modeled by the adults in their life, leaving them questioning why adults can do things they can't . . . for the most part I think double standards are dangerous. In some cases adulthood does make the difference but If you don't want your child to use certain language, you using it probably isn't the best example.
But I think a new double standard has surfaced, Where schools, youth centers, organizations (extra curricular activities) etc. used to be working with parents, they are now enforcing rules that aren't enforced at home. They are actually working against each other. I am not saying this is true of every home at all. But it seems to be an increasing reality in the lives of teens I see on a regular basis. We think we are enforcing normal rules "don't swear", "be respectful", "don't sleep around", when really we are introducing a whole new set of rules into the lives of these teens, and they don't get it, they don't see why we would ask these things of them.
It drives me a bit crazy . . . (yes I know I don't have kids so I'm not trying to tell anyone how to parent, but I do spend a lot of time with them so I think my opinion is valid) But I just wonder when good common courtesy and respect stopped being a home enforced rule. And what are we supposed to do with that when we interact with teens . . . follow suit?
Wednesday 25 January 2012
Wednesday 11 January 2012
In view of God's Mercy . . .
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is true worship." Rom. 12:1
This verse has been important to me for a long time, it has been a guiding verse of the last few years of my life, a reminder of the life I should be living. but this time when I read it 2 very significant things stood out at me.
1. "Therefore" - so I can't look at this verse or this passage or this chapter and forget about all the stuff before it . . . this verse, passage, chapter hangs on and works because of what came before it. Therefore, because of all that stuff, because of everything that just blew your mind (read that post here), because it all works together, therefore . . .
2. "In view of God's Mercy" - the part that always used to impact me (and still does) was the part where I was supposed to be a "living sacrifice" but somehow I failed to really compute the "in view of God's mercy" part. For 11 chapters Paul clearly laid out what God's Mercy is what he is all about how we are justified by faith (3:28; 4:16) how we have gained access to grace (5:2) through his son (5:10) he spells it out beautifully and then he says "therefore" - "In view of God's Mercy". This verse would be totally different if those two phrases were absent, it would then be all about us, it would become a work effort to win our way into heaven. But it's not.
Where we expect to hear "Offer yourself to me as a living sacrifice, work hard for my acceptance, clean yourself up and then I'll see if I can love you" we don't, instead we hear the upside down Gospel that says because you are already made acceptable, because I have already given you grace and because what it takes is faith because of this mercy that God has had on you Because my Son made the way . . . Therefore offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.
To me this is the most beautiful of things, too incredible to truly fathom but it is a Grace and a Mercy that I am daily thankful for. And it is this Grace and Mercy that I pray the Youth of Ponoka will recognize.
This verse has been important to me for a long time, it has been a guiding verse of the last few years of my life, a reminder of the life I should be living. but this time when I read it 2 very significant things stood out at me.
1. "Therefore" - so I can't look at this verse or this passage or this chapter and forget about all the stuff before it . . . this verse, passage, chapter hangs on and works because of what came before it. Therefore, because of all that stuff, because of everything that just blew your mind (read that post here), because it all works together, therefore . . .
2. "In view of God's Mercy" - the part that always used to impact me (and still does) was the part where I was supposed to be a "living sacrifice" but somehow I failed to really compute the "in view of God's mercy" part. For 11 chapters Paul clearly laid out what God's Mercy is what he is all about how we are justified by faith (3:28; 4:16) how we have gained access to grace (5:2) through his son (5:10) he spells it out beautifully and then he says "therefore" - "In view of God's Mercy". This verse would be totally different if those two phrases were absent, it would then be all about us, it would become a work effort to win our way into heaven. But it's not.
Where we expect to hear "Offer yourself to me as a living sacrifice, work hard for my acceptance, clean yourself up and then I'll see if I can love you" we don't, instead we hear the upside down Gospel that says because you are already made acceptable, because I have already given you grace and because what it takes is faith because of this mercy that God has had on you Because my Son made the way . . . Therefore offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.
To me this is the most beautiful of things, too incredible to truly fathom but it is a Grace and a Mercy that I am daily thankful for. And it is this Grace and Mercy that I pray the Youth of Ponoka will recognize.
Thursday 5 January 2012
2011 in Review
I married my best friend: life changed forever and I still love it!
I moved out of my "home": Now supper rarely finds it's way to the table unless I am involved in it, and a bunch of men's clothing has made it's way into my laundry hamper . . . apparently this is "adulthood" :)
I almost lost my Grandpa: I was reminded very quickly that the moments we have with those we love are precious and irreplaceable.
I witnessed the life changing power of Christ as a young man gave his life over to Him: Wow . . . seriously Wow!
A dearly loved community member passed away: The finality of death struck me in a different way and the promises of eternal life in Christ defined "hope"
My Grandpa came out of the hospital: I cannot explain in words the gift this is
We bought a house: exciting and scary are both words that could be used here
That is a VERY brief snapshot of what will define 2011 in my mind. In between those events there were a hundred and one moments that shaped and defined me. What I love about those moments is that the hand of God is evident in each of them, even in the painful ones where he reminds me that it is his strength that will carry me through. I hope that as you reflect on 2011 you, as well, will see the Hand of God and the Love of Christ.
I moved out of my "home": Now supper rarely finds it's way to the table unless I am involved in it, and a bunch of men's clothing has made it's way into my laundry hamper . . . apparently this is "adulthood" :)
I almost lost my Grandpa: I was reminded very quickly that the moments we have with those we love are precious and irreplaceable.
I witnessed the life changing power of Christ as a young man gave his life over to Him: Wow . . . seriously Wow!
A dearly loved community member passed away: The finality of death struck me in a different way and the promises of eternal life in Christ defined "hope"
My Grandpa came out of the hospital: I cannot explain in words the gift this is
We bought a house: exciting and scary are both words that could be used here
That is a VERY brief snapshot of what will define 2011 in my mind. In between those events there were a hundred and one moments that shaped and defined me. What I love about those moments is that the hand of God is evident in each of them, even in the painful ones where he reminds me that it is his strength that will carry me through. I hope that as you reflect on 2011 you, as well, will see the Hand of God and the Love of Christ.
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