Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church

Time is a family gift. Time is a God-provided resource for us to use purposefully.  Time is a way of measuring the meaning of our lives.  Time is for love, worship, work, and re-creation.  

Of the 24 hours in each day, the average amount of television watched by an individual recently increased 3 minutes per day to 4 hours & 35 minutes (Nielsen Media Research).  That is more than one day per week that people sit in front of a TV set. 

Therefore, let’s talk about time, faith, and the television. Read More »

“I wonder if my experience of life wouldn’t be richer if I engaged all of my senses in this process of being … eyes and heart fully open.”

Article by Mary Bea Sullivan

Jenny sees funny things the rest of us miss.  Her humor is never mean-spirited, she simply sees irony everywhere.  One time, she was in church and the fire and brimstone minister was exuberantly singing, “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there!” … all the while, jabbing his pointed finger toward the ground. That one, it makes her laugh until she cries!

Jenny is at college now … and the other day she sent me a text message I only half understood about the guy in the cow suit for Chik-Fil-A who was waving in the wrong direction.  What I did understand was the end of her message, “Tell me this is not the funniest planet ever!“

My reply was, “It is if you live awake like you do.” Read More »

Article by Judy Mosley

Already I have walked away, four times, from the computer screen.  It’s quiet time.

Last year, quiet time meant that all little people went to sleep.  Now, the definition of quiet time has changed to, “Stay in your room for at least an hour so that I can get something done.”  Sometimes they fall asleep, but mostly they stay awake.  It makes for a dreamy bedtime.  However, my middle child is still working through the concept of staying in her room.  So I’ve gotten up, again, to remind her that she needs to stay there.

It’s a work in progress.

Teaching kids how to live is not an easy task. And knowing whether or not you are doing a good job can be difficult to figure out.  Some days you can feel like the super hero from a story book.  Other days can leave you feeling like the worst parent in the world.  But there is always tomorrow … and it’s a relief to know that whatever you did yesterday can be transformed today.

Here are some guidelines of my own that I have gathered from my experience as a parent. They’ve helped me to know if I am on the right track with my children.

1. Be Clear (and Consistent) About Your Expectations.

This includes telling, showing, and modeling for them what you would like them to be doing on a daily basis.  Whether it’d good manners at the table, behaving a certain way in public, or picking up their rooms, children need to be taught how to do this. And just as importantly, they need to see you do what you expect from them.  Be the leader and show them how you want them to behave.  If you are clear about what you want, it makes it easier for them to follow what you say. Read More »

Article by Judy Mosley

I hear that in faraway places, some families sit down and … talk.

If there is a problem, they call a family meeting and discuss the issues that are pressing them.  Urban legends speak of each person using words and sentences that make sense.  And by the end of the meeting, everyone understands what they need to do and how they fit into the family.

Unfortunately, with three children all four years old and under, words are rather scarce in our household.

The children can say lots of things, but most of the time, we don’t have a clue as to what they are really trying to say.  We know that they get frustrated, just like we do.  And we get frustrated a lot!  So until they grow and mature, we have what we call “Grievance Sessions.”

These are our emergency meetings.  They normally happen on an as needed basis and these are the rules. Read More »

Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church

Can we spend some time together? This is one way we say to one another, “you matter to me.”  When our response is “Yes” … we express our loving openness to connect.

Our connection may be over a drink at the corner coffee café, by texting or emailing, by sitting next to each other in worship, by yelling together at a football game, by walking the land, by starting school prayerfully thinking of each other, by shopping together, by visiting in the hospital, by having an office conversation, by imagining and praying for each other when separated by miles … really our connections can be through anything that we find meaningful.  In our 21st century world there are many quality ways for us to invest time with each other.

For love to be expressed through time, we must: Read More »