My seven-year-old son has asked the following question many times: "Mom, why I can't see God?"
So what does a parent say to that question?
This is usually how I respond: "Well, honey, I can't see him with my eyes yet either. But God lives in my heart because I've invited him in to save me from the wrong things I do - my sin. And the Bible tells us one day we'll see Jesus with our eyes. He has left us a love letter called the Bible that tells us everything we need to know about God, Heaven, and this life."
Sometimes I encourage him to think about all the wonderful things in the world that God has created and we talk about the tall mountains and trees - the mighty oceans and the animals and people, God's most precious creation of all. And about how much God loved us that He sent His Son Jesus into the world to save us from our sin.
Then I remind him of Romans 10:17: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." I've been teaching this verse to him to committ to memory. He has a hard time with memory recall because he has been diagnosed with an Auditory Processing Disorder. This disorder also greatly affects his ability to process reading, but we are working on that with wonderful specialists.
I just keep on loving him and I tell him the truth of God's Word. And even though he has asked Jesus into his heart, my son often gets a confused look on his face and says, "I don't understand."
"I know, honey," I say and give him a hug. "The more we read the Bible, the more you'll learn and God will help you to understand. It's okay. Mommy's still learning and so is Daddy."
As a mom, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will start impressing the truth of the Word of God on my son's little analytical heart. I see my seventeen-year-old son growing in his faith in Jesus Christ and I love to listen to him assure his little brother of the truth of the Word of God and how much Jesus loves him.
I listen to my husband read Bible stories from a Children's Picture Bible and then verses straight from the Scriptures to our little son.
Last night we read the passage about when Jesus was being crucified on the cross and about the two thieves who were being crucified on either side of Jesus. We talked about how the one was sorry for his sin and believed on Jesus. Jesus told that thief, "Today you shall be with me in paradise."
"What's paradise?" my son asks.
"Heaven."
Today I want to encourage you to read the Word of God. Read it on your own and then read it with your family. You can read alot of good books, but there is only ONE good book that is needful for this life and for eternity. Know that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." And if you are not sure if you are going to Heaven, listen to the words Jesus says in John 5:24. I've added in the parentheses to help explain.
"Verily, verily (that means truly, truly) I say unto you, He (or she) that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life."
You can know God through His Son Jesus Christ. If you want to learn more, please email me at susanskitt@verizon.net and I will try to help you and point you to verses in the Bible that will help you to understand what it means to be saved from your sin and have the assurance of a home in Heaven. After all, we only have one life to live and eternity - well, that is forever.
Live the adventure,
Living the Adventure
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Wild Things Book Tour is Here!
Looking for answers on how to raise boys?Ever wonder…
· Why can’t he sit still?
· Is he hearing a word I say?
· Why is he angry all the time?
Boys are born to be wild. Their strong spirit, endless imagination, and hunger for adventure are only matched by their deep desire to be affirmed, esteemed, and loved. In their new book Wild Things, therapists Stephen James and David Thomas help parents and educators understand what exactly makes boys tick.
You address five key stages that a boy goes through on his journey to becoming a man. What stage is the most difficult for most boys to navigate?
Each of the stages holds unique challenges. We worked hard to break down each stage in a way that is easy to digest. We think that that parents and educators will walk away with a clearer understanding of a boy’s unique design in each stage and some practical ideas in how to care for him within that stage of his development.
In many ways Wild Things is the kind of thing that you don’t just read once. It is more like an entertaining reference guide that parents and teachers can go back to time and time again for encouragement, insight, and direction.
But if we had to identify one stage as the most challenging, though, we’d have to say the Wanderer stage (13-17). This window of a young man’s development is plagued by physical and emotional change. A colleague of mine, who is pediatrician, said boys in this stage are 98% hormone, which translates to their being so emotional. A part of their developmental agenda is moving toward independence and pulling away. He’s often times the most distant and hard to read in this stage, which greatly complicates the process of letting him go and trusting him with more independence. And it is during this stage that is has the ability to make decisions that will effect the rest of his life. The risks are real and boys in this stage lack the ability to choose wisely with their future in sight.
Both of you are fathers of girls and boys. How is parenting a boy different from parenting a girl?
Parenting boys in the first three stages is just so physical. Parenting boys in these years requires a great deal of physical energy—and a good back. Whereas parenting our daughters is so much more relational and emotional. Both are exhilarating and exhausting, but in different ways.
When I (David) engage my daughter, it’s in sitting in a neighborhood coffee shop talking about her day at school. My boys can sit at the coffee shop long enough to finish a chocolate chip cookie, spill their milk and then we’re kicking a soccer ball across the street at the park.
We talk a lot in the book about boys in motion and how to engage these active, physical beings. Girls need that too, no doubt, but not in the same way boys need it.
We had our families together the other day over at my (Stephen’s) house. At one point all the kids went out in the front yard to play: five boys and two girls in all. There were a number of balls lying around the yard. The boys started playing soccer with one ball and the girls started playing soccer with another. After a few minutes the boys were trying to kick the ball at each other and the girls were off to the side talking to each other. To me that is a great picture of the differences.
What mistakes have parents and educators made in their approach to rearing and training boys?
For me (Stephen) the consistent mistake my wife and I make is that we over explain and over verbalize with our sons. This is a problem that is very common. In parenting boys, adults tend to talk to them and at them a great deal. We talk and talk and talk and end up sounding a lot like Charlie Brown’s teacher. “Whah, whah, whah.” In Wild Things we offer a number of different strategies for engaging and educating boys that better match their unique design. Boys learn through experience and physical repetition. They need consistent firm boundaries and loads of encouragement.
As far as school goes we speak a lot in the book that the compulsory model we use for schooling in the United States is generally well-suited to a girl’s learning style. It’s heavy on verbal and written expression, two particular areas of strength for most girls. It involves a good deal of sitting still for extended periods of time with mostly auditory instruction. These methods don’t match a boy’s way of learning or draw on his learning strengths.
How did you come to the conclusions you discuss in Wild Things?
The book is a combination of science and research, clinical experience (our own as therapists and that of others), and our own journey of parenting five boys between the two of us.
As therapists, we have sat with thousands of men and boys over the years. Our hope was to bring their voices into the content of Wild Things. We have learned so much from the males we’ve had the great honor of working with and hoped to bring their stories into this text. In addition to those, we are still learning so much from living with five of our wild things.
At what age should parents discuss sex, homosexuality, and pornography with their boys?
You may be surprised to hear this answer, but we’d recommend beginning a dialogue around sexuality at the age of two. We aren’t recommending education around homosexuality and pornography at two. That begins typically around age 8-10, possibly earlier or later depending on the boy. But we are strong advocates of a healthy ongoing dialogue with every boy around the design of his body, sexuality, and boundaries in relationships in stage one. We lay out a good portion of this in the book to take some of the guess work out of it for parents, and we recommend some useful resources in further guiding you through this life long discussion. As boys grow older the conversation becomes more specific and more technical. Think of it like painting: it starts with broad brush strokes and then moves to finer detail. But as a rule, it starts way before most parents think it does.
What are the three most important factors in keeping a boy from experimenting with drugs?
We continue to see three common factors among young men that we’ve worked with who either abstain from using substances or experiment and then make a decision not to continue. The first would be a strong faith and core values. The second would be a strong family open to dialogue. The third would be strong relationships.
Who are the most important role models in a boy’s life?
There is no question that a boy’s parents play a foundational role in the man he becomes. In Wild Things we have a chapter that specifically address a mother’s relationship with her son as well as a chapter that addresses a father’s relationship with his son. But it doesn’t stop there for boys. There is great truth to the old African proverb that says “it takes a village.” We talk early in the book about how a boy begins to hunger for other voices and a part of our role is to put them in his way, so that he ends up with this community of individuals who believe in him and hold him up.
What kinds of things can a father do to bond with his son and raise him to be emotionally mature?
One of the first things we’d challenge a dad to do is to pay attention to his own story. That was a central purpose in our book How to Hit a Curve Ball, Grill the Perfect Steak and Become a Real Man: Learning the Lessons our Fathers Never Taught Us. Unless we understand how our stories inform who we are as men, husbands, and fathers, we stand to make a number of significant mistakes with our own sons. So before a man starts making a list of things to “do” with his son, we’d encourage him to start with himself. That step doesn’t involve his son at all, but is one of the most powerful ways to love and care for him.
That step gives way to the second step. In order for a father to raise an emotionally mature young man, he must be an emotionally healthy man himself. A boy desperately needs a dad who has an interior life. Our culture is flooded with emotionally stunted, emotionally damaged males. There’s no shortage there. Men have a responsibility to lead their son’s in living from their hearts. Women can’t really teach boys how to do this. Mom’s can invite it and encourage it, but the action of it must be modeled by a man.
Thirdly, we’d challenge dads to study his son in search of his boy’s definition of enjoyment. That’s different for every boy. We both have a set of twin boys. Two males with identical genetic ingredients and yet the outcome couldn’t be any more different. These guys, born within minutes of one another, have different passions, different strengths, and different longings. And they experience enjoyment in some similar ways as well as some different ways. We are both on a long journey of discovering what that is. Just as soon as we get a handle on it, it can change just as his development does. So it’s a long journey of studying these boys and pursuing their passions and their hearts.
People often talk about the father’s role in teaching a boy to be a man, but a mother’s relationship is important too. What are some mistakes a mother can make?
A mother’s role is so very important. That message is woven throughout Wild Things. There is so much to the answer to this question. You’ll need to read the book to get a comprehensive look at your role throughout his development. We talk a lot with mom’s about two unique callings within their role, both of which lend themselves to mistakes and potential harm to the mother-son relationship. To boil it down though to a couple of things we would say 1) The first is being safe and 2) the second is letting go. We break both of those down in great detail within the book. By being safe we mean a mothers ability to let her son be a boy. By letting go we mean a mother’s willingness to let her boy become a man. We speak a whole lot more to this throughout the book. It’s such a big question, and an important question for moms to consider.
If you could give once piece of advice to parents and educators reading this book, what would it be?
The study of a boy is such a worthwhile use of your time and resources. Boys are complex, imaginative, mysterious, brilliant, challenging, creative, strong, tender, courageous beings—and each is unique. Parenting and educating them is a wonderful, difficult, complex, enjoyable, physical, emotional, delightful, maddening journey. Our hope is that Wild Things is a useful guide along that journey.
If we have to give one piece of advice it would be for parents and educators to continue to invest in their own emotional and spiritual maturity. Growing yourself is the best gift you can give a boy you love.
You’ve gained some valuable advice, but there’s more! If you would like to learn more from these parenting experts about raising boys, you can order a copy of Wild Things through amazon.com.
Each of the stages holds unique challenges. We worked hard to break down each stage in a way that is easy to digest. We think that that parents and educators will walk away with a clearer understanding of a boy’s unique design in each stage and some practical ideas in how to care for him within that stage of his development.
In many ways Wild Things is the kind of thing that you don’t just read once. It is more like an entertaining reference guide that parents and teachers can go back to time and time again for encouragement, insight, and direction.
But if we had to identify one stage as the most challenging, though, we’d have to say the Wanderer stage (13-17). This window of a young man’s development is plagued by physical and emotional change. A colleague of mine, who is pediatrician, said boys in this stage are 98% hormone, which translates to their being so emotional. A part of their developmental agenda is moving toward independence and pulling away. He’s often times the most distant and hard to read in this stage, which greatly complicates the process of letting him go and trusting him with more independence. And it is during this stage that is has the ability to make decisions that will effect the rest of his life. The risks are real and boys in this stage lack the ability to choose wisely with their future in sight.
Both of you are fathers of girls and boys. How is parenting a boy different from parenting a girl?
Parenting boys in the first three stages is just so physical. Parenting boys in these years requires a great deal of physical energy—and a good back. Whereas parenting our daughters is so much more relational and emotional. Both are exhilarating and exhausting, but in different ways.
When I (David) engage my daughter, it’s in sitting in a neighborhood coffee shop talking about her day at school. My boys can sit at the coffee shop long enough to finish a chocolate chip cookie, spill their milk and then we’re kicking a soccer ball across the street at the park.
We talk a lot in the book about boys in motion and how to engage these active, physical beings. Girls need that too, no doubt, but not in the same way boys need it.
We had our families together the other day over at my (Stephen’s) house. At one point all the kids went out in the front yard to play: five boys and two girls in all. There were a number of balls lying around the yard. The boys started playing soccer with one ball and the girls started playing soccer with another. After a few minutes the boys were trying to kick the ball at each other and the girls were off to the side talking to each other. To me that is a great picture of the differences.
What mistakes have parents and educators made in their approach to rearing and training boys?
For me (Stephen) the consistent mistake my wife and I make is that we over explain and over verbalize with our sons. This is a problem that is very common. In parenting boys, adults tend to talk to them and at them a great deal. We talk and talk and talk and end up sounding a lot like Charlie Brown’s teacher. “Whah, whah, whah.” In Wild Things we offer a number of different strategies for engaging and educating boys that better match their unique design. Boys learn through experience and physical repetition. They need consistent firm boundaries and loads of encouragement.
As far as school goes we speak a lot in the book that the compulsory model we use for schooling in the United States is generally well-suited to a girl’s learning style. It’s heavy on verbal and written expression, two particular areas of strength for most girls. It involves a good deal of sitting still for extended periods of time with mostly auditory instruction. These methods don’t match a boy’s way of learning or draw on his learning strengths.
How did you come to the conclusions you discuss in Wild Things?
The book is a combination of science and research, clinical experience (our own as therapists and that of others), and our own journey of parenting five boys between the two of us.
As therapists, we have sat with thousands of men and boys over the years. Our hope was to bring their voices into the content of Wild Things. We have learned so much from the males we’ve had the great honor of working with and hoped to bring their stories into this text. In addition to those, we are still learning so much from living with five of our wild things.
At what age should parents discuss sex, homosexuality, and pornography with their boys?
You may be surprised to hear this answer, but we’d recommend beginning a dialogue around sexuality at the age of two. We aren’t recommending education around homosexuality and pornography at two. That begins typically around age 8-10, possibly earlier or later depending on the boy. But we are strong advocates of a healthy ongoing dialogue with every boy around the design of his body, sexuality, and boundaries in relationships in stage one. We lay out a good portion of this in the book to take some of the guess work out of it for parents, and we recommend some useful resources in further guiding you through this life long discussion. As boys grow older the conversation becomes more specific and more technical. Think of it like painting: it starts with broad brush strokes and then moves to finer detail. But as a rule, it starts way before most parents think it does.
What are the three most important factors in keeping a boy from experimenting with drugs?
We continue to see three common factors among young men that we’ve worked with who either abstain from using substances or experiment and then make a decision not to continue. The first would be a strong faith and core values. The second would be a strong family open to dialogue. The third would be strong relationships.
Who are the most important role models in a boy’s life?
There is no question that a boy’s parents play a foundational role in the man he becomes. In Wild Things we have a chapter that specifically address a mother’s relationship with her son as well as a chapter that addresses a father’s relationship with his son. But it doesn’t stop there for boys. There is great truth to the old African proverb that says “it takes a village.” We talk early in the book about how a boy begins to hunger for other voices and a part of our role is to put them in his way, so that he ends up with this community of individuals who believe in him and hold him up.
What kinds of things can a father do to bond with his son and raise him to be emotionally mature?
One of the first things we’d challenge a dad to do is to pay attention to his own story. That was a central purpose in our book How to Hit a Curve Ball, Grill the Perfect Steak and Become a Real Man: Learning the Lessons our Fathers Never Taught Us. Unless we understand how our stories inform who we are as men, husbands, and fathers, we stand to make a number of significant mistakes with our own sons. So before a man starts making a list of things to “do” with his son, we’d encourage him to start with himself. That step doesn’t involve his son at all, but is one of the most powerful ways to love and care for him.
That step gives way to the second step. In order for a father to raise an emotionally mature young man, he must be an emotionally healthy man himself. A boy desperately needs a dad who has an interior life. Our culture is flooded with emotionally stunted, emotionally damaged males. There’s no shortage there. Men have a responsibility to lead their son’s in living from their hearts. Women can’t really teach boys how to do this. Mom’s can invite it and encourage it, but the action of it must be modeled by a man.
Thirdly, we’d challenge dads to study his son in search of his boy’s definition of enjoyment. That’s different for every boy. We both have a set of twin boys. Two males with identical genetic ingredients and yet the outcome couldn’t be any more different. These guys, born within minutes of one another, have different passions, different strengths, and different longings. And they experience enjoyment in some similar ways as well as some different ways. We are both on a long journey of discovering what that is. Just as soon as we get a handle on it, it can change just as his development does. So it’s a long journey of studying these boys and pursuing their passions and their hearts.
People often talk about the father’s role in teaching a boy to be a man, but a mother’s relationship is important too. What are some mistakes a mother can make?
A mother’s role is so very important. That message is woven throughout Wild Things. There is so much to the answer to this question. You’ll need to read the book to get a comprehensive look at your role throughout his development. We talk a lot with mom’s about two unique callings within their role, both of which lend themselves to mistakes and potential harm to the mother-son relationship. To boil it down though to a couple of things we would say 1) The first is being safe and 2) the second is letting go. We break both of those down in great detail within the book. By being safe we mean a mothers ability to let her son be a boy. By letting go we mean a mother’s willingness to let her boy become a man. We speak a whole lot more to this throughout the book. It’s such a big question, and an important question for moms to consider.
If you could give once piece of advice to parents and educators reading this book, what would it be?
The study of a boy is such a worthwhile use of your time and resources. Boys are complex, imaginative, mysterious, brilliant, challenging, creative, strong, tender, courageous beings—and each is unique. Parenting and educating them is a wonderful, difficult, complex, enjoyable, physical, emotional, delightful, maddening journey. Our hope is that Wild Things is a useful guide along that journey.
If we have to give one piece of advice it would be for parents and educators to continue to invest in their own emotional and spiritual maturity. Growing yourself is the best gift you can give a boy you love.
You’ve gained some valuable advice, but there’s more! If you would like to learn more from these parenting experts about raising boys, you can order a copy of Wild Things through amazon.com.
Based on clinical research, Stephen James and David Thomas have filled Wild Things with practical tips and suggestions for parents. They guide readers through the five stages of a boy’s development, providing an overview and explanation of each stage, followed by a plan to put new principles into action. Pick up a copy today!
Stephen James, M.A., and David Thomas, M.S.S.W., are speakers, authors, and therapists who work directly with boys and their families. They also travel around the country, speaking on parenting and marriage communication, and they have been dynamic guests on CBN’s Living the Life, Good Day Atlanta, WGN Midday News, Moody’s Midday Connection, and other radio programs coast to coast. Learn more at http://www.stephenanddavid.com/.
Thanks for joining us today for the Wild Things Book Tour, right here at Adventurous Living!
God bless and live the adventure,
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wild Things Book Tour Coming Your Way
Okay my friends, here's a little preview of what will be happening here on Monday when authors, speakers, and therapists Stephen James, M.A., and David Thomas, M.S. S. W. visit Adventurous Living! Don't you just love the cover? My boys are ALWAYS sword fighting!!!
As a mom of two boys, one seven and the other seventeen, I can't wait to share with you Stephen and David's practical tips and suggestions based on clinical research that will give fresh insight and much-needed encouragement on the road to raising boys.
The following is an excerpt from the back book cover copy of Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys
BORN TO BE... WILD!
A boy's endless imagination, hunger for adventure, and passionate spirit are matched only by his deep desire to be affirmed, esteemed and loved.
Yet over the past few decades, our culture has adopted a model of parenting and educating children that doesn't affirm, celebrate, or embrace a boy's hunger, passion, or wildness but rather seeks to tame it. As a result, many parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors find themselves frustrated, confused, and wearied by boys' behavior.
The truth is, boys don't need to be tamed--they need to be understood, loved, challenged, and encouraged.
Wild Things helps parents, teachers, mentors, and others understand and explore the hearts, minds, and ways of boys and the vital role that parents and caregivers play on their journey to manhood.
For additional information, visit http://www.stephenanddavid.com/home.html.
And friends, each of these guys has the added experience of having their own individual families. And yes, each of them are raising boys! From personal experience, I've found that sometimes that added insight of "living it" is an important element in giving honest, practical advice. Well, until Monday, I wish you a fond farewell and a good weekend. See you on January 19th... and spread the word about Wild Things book tour!
Live the adventure,
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Winner Is...
And the winner of the book give-away contest is...... (insert drum roll here, please)
Heather C. at A Women's Worth Click here to visit Heather's blog and get ready to be blessed with Heather's godly insight and love of the Word of God!
Congratulations, Heather! Please e-mail me at susanskitt@verizon.net with your full name and shipping address and as a contributing author, I will send you a signed copy of A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers! Also, please indicate whether you would like me to personalize the book with your name or the name of someone else if you would like to give it as a gift. BTW - Heather, my seven-year-old son, Joel, picked your name out of a hat, well technically it was a ziploc bag, but it worked out just the same - lol!
Thanks everyone for entering and don't forget to stop by on Monday, January 19th when I host two very special authors who will be giving sound wisdom from a Biblical perspective on how to raise boys! Their book is entitled, Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys. This book is a practical guide to understanding the way, the mind, and the heart of a boy. As a mom of two boys, I look forward to better understanding the vital role that we as parents are entrusted with on a boy's journey to manhood.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:1,2 KJV
Live the adventure,
Heather C. at A Women's Worth Click here to visit Heather's blog and get ready to be blessed with Heather's godly insight and love of the Word of God!
Congratulations, Heather! Please e-mail me at susanskitt@verizon.net with your full name and shipping address and as a contributing author, I will send you a signed copy of A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers! Also, please indicate whether you would like me to personalize the book with your name or the name of someone else if you would like to give it as a gift. BTW - Heather, my seven-year-old son, Joel, picked your name out of a hat, well technically it was a ziploc bag, but it worked out just the same - lol!
Thanks everyone for entering and don't forget to stop by on Monday, January 19th when I host two very special authors who will be giving sound wisdom from a Biblical perspective on how to raise boys! Their book is entitled, Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys. This book is a practical guide to understanding the way, the mind, and the heart of a boy. As a mom of two boys, I look forward to better understanding the vital role that we as parents are entrusted with on a boy's journey to manhood.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:1,2 KJV
Live the adventure,
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Woo Hoo, A Contest For You
Here it is, January 10th all ready, can you believe it? Thursday night was the official launch of my new jewelry business as an independent distributor. I had a wonderful home show with family and friends to help me get started and spread the word.
So, to celebrate what God is doing in my life, I want to share something special with you. My reason for beginning this business is to help supplement our family income. Raising two boys is so much fun, but as you know, there are expenses too :)
While jewelry is my new business, my passion will always be writing. So if you would like to enter my little give away contest here at Adventurous Living, I will be giving away one copy of my book, A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers. That's right, as a contributing author to this lovely hardback covered book, I will send out a signed copy just for you!
In this book, I have two short stories published, one about each of my sons! After all, that's one of the main reasons I believe God opened the door for my new business, to help support family needs.
So just leave a comment on this post and say, "Enter Me" and I will pick a winner by Wednesday, January 14th for a signed copy of my book A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers! Oh and coming up on January 19th, I am hosting two special guest authors here at Adventurous Living. Hint: it has something to do with raising boys!
Live the adventure,
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