since moving into our "transition house" that i talked about earlier we had to get a home phone number (no cell phone service in BFE). for the past 4 years we have lived off our cell phones and it has been great to save money without having a land-line. wow, i don't know if the telemarketing business is booming or if i forgot how many calls we use to get but wow, it's annoying. i guess not annoying enough for me put our number on a "do not call" list but we're only here for 2 more months before moving to Portland...then no more land-line
i got a call this morning from the albuquerque police department...more specifically the gang and drug department. he proceeded to politely tell me how gang bangers and druggies do not regard the life of our brave officers. he wanted to know if they could "count on me" to help them financially. i felt like if i said no, then i didn't support or appreciate what they are doing for us. but i know the drill so i proceeded to politely say no.
i thought through this before because i HATE feeling like a jerk (like many of you have no reservations when talking to these fools). i didn't just say no but also told him that my wife and i carefully give to organizations every month and this is not something we are able to do.
then he got more forceful with me. "sir" he said, "many are just giving a one time gift of $22." i wanted to say, "fool, $22 might not be a lot for you but that is a date night or a Saturday out with my kids" but i didn't. I politely, again, repeated myself with my reason for NO.
then he hung up on me and made me feel like the ass.
thanks albuquerque police department...
should i be the ass first...will that make me feel better about myself?
6.20.2008
6.19.2008
faith...or therefore lack of
check out this amazing teaching on faith...lack of faith. it's convicting and right on the money. this pastor has an amazing insight into the word of God and the role of the church...love it!
http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/audio/200805181100HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt17-ConvictionOfTheUnseen.mp3
if you want the podcast for it:
The Village Church
Matt Chandler
Sermon: Conviction of the Unseen
it's worth your time!
http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/audio/200805181100HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt17-ConvictionOfTheUnseen.mp3
if you want the podcast for it:
The Village Church
Matt Chandler
Sermon: Conviction of the Unseen
it's worth your time!
teaching selflessness
it's astonishing to me how the selfish nature is a strong competitor for one of our greatest struggles as tainted human beings. if you are someone who believes that humans are ultimately born GOOD...take a deep look into the core of children. there are many great qualities that children have...enough for Jesus to hold them up on numerous occasions...but still born tainted by sin.
the greatest thing we are going through right now with my oldest is servanthood. he loves to torture his younger brother. he love to compete in everything they do. he love to win. he thinks he is deserving of EVERYTHING because he is older.
what did he do the other day to get in so much trouble? ahh yes, my middle boy had to go the the bathroom. they were playing in my mother-in-laws room. Austen locked her door and went to the bathroom before Landon could get there. Landon stood at the door screaming and you could hear him dancing around. by the time we got the door opened, Landon pissed his pants. all because Austen though he should go the to bathroom first...you know the crazy thing, Austen didn't even have to go...it was all to torture his brother.
servanthood/selflessness is a difficult to teach because it everything his little body is fighting against.
there are so many other GREAT qualities that i could share that he has but that is another blog for another day. he is an amazing son and a good friend.
please do not take this blog as a complaint. i am so thankful that God has given me the responsibility to raise me three kids. i am so thankful that God has given me the heart to raise my kids under His authority and not my own. though this could be one of the most difficult times of teaching, and provoking of much anger in me, i am so thankful for the blood of Jesus Christ. it is by that alone that i am able to stand in Gods grace and teach my kids of the importance of living for the glory of God.
...though i fail many times...
the greatest thing we are going through right now with my oldest is servanthood. he loves to torture his younger brother. he love to compete in everything they do. he love to win. he thinks he is deserving of EVERYTHING because he is older.
what did he do the other day to get in so much trouble? ahh yes, my middle boy had to go the the bathroom. they were playing in my mother-in-laws room. Austen locked her door and went to the bathroom before Landon could get there. Landon stood at the door screaming and you could hear him dancing around. by the time we got the door opened, Landon pissed his pants. all because Austen though he should go the to bathroom first...you know the crazy thing, Austen didn't even have to go...it was all to torture his brother.
servanthood/selflessness is a difficult to teach because it everything his little body is fighting against.
there are so many other GREAT qualities that i could share that he has but that is another blog for another day. he is an amazing son and a good friend.
please do not take this blog as a complaint. i am so thankful that God has given me the responsibility to raise me three kids. i am so thankful that God has given me the heart to raise my kids under His authority and not my own. though this could be one of the most difficult times of teaching, and provoking of much anger in me, i am so thankful for the blood of Jesus Christ. it is by that alone that i am able to stand in Gods grace and teach my kids of the importance of living for the glory of God.
...though i fail many times...
6.13.2008
quiet moments in the Young household
when things are quiet...you know something isn't good. in my house there is constant talking, yelling, arguing, laughing, crying...you name it. so quiet is not good! i was doing my morning reading of blogs and things were real quiet so i went to investigate. this is what i found.
this is my 4 year old cutting the toe nails of my 3 year old. i wont even to this. silly me, i let it continue. after about 2 minutes and me in the other room continuing my daily dose of blog reading...this is what i got next.
Austen cut his finger nail a little bit too far down. a little bit of bleeds. a lot of crying. priceless. NICE!
this is my 4 year old cutting the toe nails of my 3 year old. i wont even to this. silly me, i let it continue. after about 2 minutes and me in the other room continuing my daily dose of blog reading...this is what i got next.
Austen cut his finger nail a little bit too far down. a little bit of bleeds. a lot of crying. priceless. NICE!
6.12.2008
NEVER take three toddlers to the library during nap time
one of my greatest prayers for my kids is that they love to read. i hated reading as a kid and my vocabulary proves it. praise God, my kids love books. the love of books brings the consequents/love of libraries. i don't know if i think i am superdad or something, why else would i venture out to take all three of my toddlers (ages 4,3,1) to the public library during their afternoon nap time? nothing else makes greater sense, right? is the greater question, why did we think it would be a good idea to have three toddlers at the same time?
if you think you have well disciplined kids, try this one on for size, i dare you! i have never wanted to shoot myself in the face so badly over a 20 minute period. if you are a stay-at-home dad or a single dad and need to get out of the house because the kids are driving you nuts...DON'T GO TO THE LIBRARY! go to a nice park or something. somewhere where talking, laughing, arguing, crying, and you yelling at your kids is appropriate.
cheers...to all the stay-at-home dads!!!
6.07.2008
how far is too far?
i was mowing our grass today and ran into a issue.
if you know anything about albuquerque, new mexico, much like most of new mexico, there is absolutely no grass anywhere unless you plant it. at our previous house i planted grass in the back yard because i couldn't fathom our kids playing in dirt or landscaped rock. it wasn't huge by any means and to share to you how un-huge it really was, i didn't even own a lawn mower...did all the cutting with our weed-eater.
at our new house (our temp. house in albuquerque) they have a lot more grass then we did. they were gracious and left their lawn mower.
today was the second time i cut the grass and when i started it up, my oldest, Austen, sprinted for the hills, screaming like a school girl, because "it was too loud." come on, the little dude is 4 1/2 years old. suck it up bud.
i have taken plenty of sociology classes to know what a sociologist would tell me but i am not raising my son to be PC or to have a well balanced psyche. i have the responsibility to raise him under the authority of Christ. in my mind that also means teaching him to be brave and to have courage...to do things even when you don't want to...to trust me in that i will protect him at all costs.
he would have nothing to do with it. i pulled all the stops (even a small threat) to get him to mow the grass with me and he just stood there crying...trying to pull away from me. i got so frustrated. i despreately want him to be brave and trust me but he had nothing to do with it. i hope i didn't cross any lines with him. i was sure to let him know that i love him and that he makes me proud in spite of being scared of the mower. i am not disappointed because he's not what i want him to be but i get disappointed because i know what he CAN be in Christ and i want to instill these qualities in him early...when he still impressionable. i DON'T want him to grow up thinking he's a failure in my eyes because i could not be more proud of both my boys!
if you know anything about albuquerque, new mexico, much like most of new mexico, there is absolutely no grass anywhere unless you plant it. at our previous house i planted grass in the back yard because i couldn't fathom our kids playing in dirt or landscaped rock. it wasn't huge by any means and to share to you how un-huge it really was, i didn't even own a lawn mower...did all the cutting with our weed-eater.
at our new house (our temp. house in albuquerque) they have a lot more grass then we did. they were gracious and left their lawn mower.
today was the second time i cut the grass and when i started it up, my oldest, Austen, sprinted for the hills, screaming like a school girl, because "it was too loud." come on, the little dude is 4 1/2 years old. suck it up bud.
i have taken plenty of sociology classes to know what a sociologist would tell me but i am not raising my son to be PC or to have a well balanced psyche. i have the responsibility to raise him under the authority of Christ. in my mind that also means teaching him to be brave and to have courage...to do things even when you don't want to...to trust me in that i will protect him at all costs.
he would have nothing to do with it. i pulled all the stops (even a small threat) to get him to mow the grass with me and he just stood there crying...trying to pull away from me. i got so frustrated. i despreately want him to be brave and trust me but he had nothing to do with it. i hope i didn't cross any lines with him. i was sure to let him know that i love him and that he makes me proud in spite of being scared of the mower. i am not disappointed because he's not what i want him to be but i get disappointed because i know what he CAN be in Christ and i want to instill these qualities in him early...when he still impressionable. i DON'T want him to grow up thinking he's a failure in my eyes because i could not be more proud of both my boys!
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