Think On These Things - Kids

Creation Museum Visit

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:08:00 -0700

Well, we finally managed to get the family packed up for a trip to the Creation Museum. If you can go on a Monday in November, you will have a great opportunity to experience the exhibits without having to peer over someone's sholder. With a few exceptions, such as the Stargazer Planetarium and the Special Effects Theater, we had our pick of seats, and the lines were non-existent, giving us the opportunity to take as much or as little time as we needed. After a handful of guests stopped and talked to Dr. Georgia Purdom after her talk, my wife and I had her all to ourselves in the Dragon Hall bookstore, as we peppered her with questions on how to evangelize, how to get a church fired up over this issue, etc. Dr. David Menton's "Microscarium" presentation where we used a flat screen tv to view what kinds of God's creatures could be seen by peering into a drop of water from the pond outside, was an impressive look at just how complex a "simple" single celled protozoa can be as we watched them twirl like tops to gather their food. Despite having the whole museum pretty much to ourselves, we had to scramble to see everything in one day, and in fact missed quite a bit. The kids didn't get to partake in the two Dino Mite Readers programs, I missed a talk, as well as a second Planetarium exhibit on the planets. You could easily spend over a day there. It was almost too cold to visit the petting zoo, but that, feeding the fish off of the deck, and the maze, all outdoor activities, were some of the favorites on their list. The kids also enjoyed the entryway, with the exhibits and live animals, tremendously, along with the Dinosaur Den, and the treasure hunt. The more things that can keep the kids captivated, the better the family experience will be. It was great to see the Museum completed, since the last time I was there it was under construction. While in town, we talked up the Museum as much as we could. We were amazed to find out how few locals have been there, despite the Museum breaking all projected attendance estimations. While some have never heard of it despite living 20 minutes away, others complained that it was too expensive. We urged them to go regardless. The Museum is top notch, and of the highest quality, and I have no doubt the operating budget is immense. I'm sure any financial barrier that could be removed, has been, so that more people have a greater opportunity to experience the Truth at this unique institution. It was a great trip. I hope to do this once a year, and would like to organize a church trip, though coordinating a weekend trip to a destination five hours away and getting back back for Sunday Morning Service would be quite a challenge.

Big Wheel Keeps on Turnin...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:51:00 -0700

Had a great time with the family in Chicago last weekend. My nephew's birthday party has been coinciding with Superweek for the last few years, and with that comes two cycling races in the area that we are privileged to attend. But the best race by far was the Big Wheel race. Several riders were lined up at the start. Both my boys were raring to go. The gun sounded, and they were off! Well, sorta. My older son's weight was distributed over the back axel, turning the front wheel into a useless windmill. It spun while he sat stationary. Poor kid. He was like a hamster on a wheel. Nevertheless, there was still a race to win! the crowd was going wild at the a bunch start, and everything was going just as the team director (me) planned - cut off all competitors and ride with your tongue sticking out. It wasn't long before a small group had broke free of the peloton. Among this elite group of riders was my boy and a Spaniard who had just finished 2nd in the Giro D'Italia Bigwheel series. It was going to be a cliffhanger. The effects of this gruelling race were beginning to show on my son's agonizing grimace! The final feet of the race were nearing. It was going to be a matter of inches! Who will take it?! YES! My son narrowly defeats the talented Spaniard in the final sprint. Well done, son. Well done indeed!

My First Grader Gives Thanks

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:39:00 -0700

Well, we must be doing something right. For Thanksgiving, my first grader was asked to write down what he was thankful for, and this is what he wrote:

I am thankful for my famile becas thay tack care of me.
I am thankful for God becus he tacks care of my famile.

I myself have expressed that sentiment many different ways, but never so eloquently.

Christmas at the Creation Museum

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 09:01:00 -0700

It looks like the Creation Museum visit for the whole fam will actually happen. I wanted everything to work out so that we can optimize our visit since my kids are still young and may not appreciate all it has to offer. So what's great about planning a visit on December 14-15, 20-21, or 27th-28th of December is because the Museum will be open after hours for special workshops for kids with Buddy Davis (a family favorite), an additional planetarium film on the Christmas star, and choirs singing Christmas Carols. If you go on the 14th or 15th, you'll also be able to catch both the new planetarium and old planetarium shows - three total planetarium shows in all.

Is your moral compass working?

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0700

When raising my kids, I like to err on the side of caution. While other 6 year olds are running around on Halloween dressed like Sponge Bob, my kids have yet to see him perform. Why? Well, we have a running joke in our family. My kids will point out a Sponge Bob toy or figurine to me and I'll jokingly wail in disgust. Is it because I've seen it and find it morally reprehensible? No. I've never seen it. But I've heard about it. So Sponge Bob is banned in my kingdom and it doesn't matter if that is unfair to Sponge Bob. Don't feel sorry for him - I've got a feeling he'll just absorb any of my unwarranted angst. But the point is that we as parents want to protect our children, because we simply cannot go out and preview everything our children will be exposed to. So I don't need to know the specifics of a movie to know that my children don't need to see it, even if it is the next big thing. If I know that a movie is based off a book written by an atheist, and that rumor has it that in the book, at least symbolically, God is the antagonist (i.e. the enemy), then really, that is all I need to know. My kids aren't going to see it. But not every Christian parent feels that way. In one of those "warning" emails forwarded to me about the Golden Compass, one Christian woman wrote back that she didn't see anything wrong with the books... [More]...

My kid is a primate

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:42:00 -0700

I wonder how many other pre schoolers and 1st graders know that evolution is a hoax and is not supportable by science. Certainly not enough. But you can be sure most of them already know they're a lot like apes. Last week I was reading one of my first grader's books about apes and monkeys, and lo and behold, there's a picture of a boy swinging on, what else, monkey bars, and below the picture the caption reads, "Primate." Whatever. And when I tried to skip another page that refers to humans as apes, my 1st grader called me on it - he wanted to know why I skipped that page. So from now on it's full disclosure. He will learn from me not only the right side of the story, but that in school, he will learn the wrong side of the story as well, and what makes the difference. On a related note, Gov Schwarzenegger signed SB 777 into law. In sum, 777 could lead to

the banishment of the words mom and dad and husband and wife in the classroom; boys being allowed to participate in girls sports, use girls restrooms, and girls locker rooms (and vice versa) if they have transgender issues; textbooks (whose publishers cater to the largest states like California and Texas) that positively portray homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender people; and parents and students being accused of harassment for stating, for example, their belief that marriage is only for a man and woman.

And that is just the beginning of it. Read on.

YuGiOh gotta be kidding me

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 06:10:00 -0700

When it comes to raising kids, ya gotta err on the side of caution. I really have no idea what these Yugioh god cards are all about, but it doesn't take a high level of discernment to tell me these aren't godly. Apparently, these trading cards are the baseball cards of our age. Except instead of player stats we have powers. That's really all I know, other than the one kid I've seen who owns them really is obsessed over them. See for yourself - is it too much of a stretch to compare Yugioh god cards to Hindu idols?

The Amazing Pace

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:54:00 -0700

Panther Creek Challenge I haven't written anything about this summer's short yet sweet race season, and it feels like a good time to wrap things up with a quick post about this Saturday's Panther Creek Challenge 2007 at the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife area. My family made a day of it. We were involved in three races, one for my wife, one for my kids, and one for myself. My wife made a spontaneous decision earlier in the week to race in the "first timer's" category at 10:00 a.m. - a 5 mile loop around Drake Lake, and finished 2nd of about 5-10 riders. I am very proud of her spunk, spontaneousness, and stellar athleticism. While she raced, the kids and I collected flowers for her, along with some frogs and bugs. She liked the flowers best, and it wasn't until much later that we found out that the yellow variety I had picked for her was actually ragweed, which she's allergic to. No wonder I've never seen it in a flower shop. Drama ensued when the biggest grasshopper you ever did see clamped down on my 4 year old's finger just as my wife was approaching the finish line. It made for some interesting audio on the camcorder. Bad grasshopper! As a way of making an example of him, we took that big grasshopper and threw him into the lake. Later, the kids raced a small loop around the prairie and took home 1st and 3rd place medals as their over-protective father ran behind them and boxed out any competitors. They were very excited, and spent the remainder of the day hanging out on the playground and chasing their friends around the prairie. But enough about them :-) My race began at 1:30, the "sport" class which consisted of a 17 mile loop around Prairie Lake. My endurance for the 1+ hour race was questionable, given that my training consisted solely of bike commutes of 7.5 miles, or 25 minutes, twice a day. I had ridden trails only once in over a year. In addition, there was no "expert" class, and so I anticipated the pace to be fast. And it was. The race started out with a 1/4 mile mad dash down a gravel-ish road which bottlenecked into the trailhead - the recipe for a spectacular crash site. I was positioned fourth as we headed into the trail system. I suddenly realized my heart was in my already dry throat, my legs were burning, and I was gasping for air. I expected this, given the desire not to get behind a slow trail rider, but I wasn't at all happy about it. Within one mile, I had moved up one place into third, but the gap was widening between myself and the second place rider, and I was still gasping. I couldn't even see the guy in first place. He was gone. I continued to ride in the "red zone" because I wasn't willing to settle for third. But my heart rate was too high and I couldn't keep the pace for much longer. That's when I glanced behind me and saw another rider swiftly approaching. With the pace he was keeping as he passed, I was no longer worried about catching the 2nd place rider, but rather being out of medal contention altogether. This was mile four, and I was in fourth place. Up to this point, I was still not comfortable on the bike. My trail skills weren't where they should be and I was making the turns very slowly. It was on one of those turns where the third place rider ahead of me sealed the deal and vanished on the trail ahead of me. I succumbed to the realization that I was not going to catch them, and I settled into a slower pace. It was then that it happened. Satisfied with just being out there, having fun with my family, who all have taken on a passion for biking equivalent to my own, riding along on a beautiful Saturday, I remember smiling. I remember pedaling in circles, adjusting my front and rear suspension, hitting the corners better, leaning into the curves, accelerating out of them, going faster, while at the same time, controlling my breathing. I felt lighter. I started thinking to myself, could I catch them? No way. But the thought began to warrant a real possibility. In jest, and perhaps due to dehydration, I imagined myself defiantly waving my fist at the trail ahead of me and yelling "don't count me out yet!" Hee. Where the sun peeked through the canopy, I began to see something - dust in the air. DUST! That could only mean one thing - I was gaining on a rider! I couldn't believe it. Before long, there he was! The former 2nd place rider was right in front of me. I passed him around mile 12 and kept going. Motivated, I began to wonder... Surely I can't catch another rider... But if this guy could be caught... Click "more" to the right to finish the article. [More]...

Empty

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:23:00 -0700

I was speaking with another father at church yesterday regarding two recent Christmas concerts our children participated in - one for grade school and one put on by the church. The more I grow as a Christian, the starker the contrast between God-honoring activities, such as a child's play about the Nativity, and any secular event honoring a vapid, imaginary character. The only saving grace of the school's "Holiday" concert was the fact that my child was a part of it. Everything else was completely bland and devoid of all meaning. Even the token old-school Silent Night was replaced by songs demanding good presents from Santa. Leaving Christ out of Christmas leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Got Kids?

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:06:00 -0700

Quick question: According to the Bible, whose role is it to bring the children up Spiritually? Isaiah 38:19 reads 19 The living, the livingthey praise you,
as I am doing today;
fathers tell their children
about your faithfulness. Hey dads, when you look at the biblical roles given to fathers and mothers, it is the fathers who are given the responsibility of providing the familys spiritual and physical needs. Too many times we as dads fail to live up to their God-given role to teach the next generation in a practical and applicable way about Christ. Don't leave it up to the church. (And please don't leave it up to classmates on the bus to school.) Have a devotional time in the evening - read a bible story with your kids, and pray with them. There are plenty of age appropriate children's Bibles, because they will need a foundation of Truth to stand on in the real world. Don't shy from the murder and other sinful stuff prevalent in the OT, because that's the real world, and it's not all that pretty. I remember an article with the lead singer of Lamb of God (ironically, not a Christian band) that he, as a father, was not going to pressure his son to any one religion so that his son could make up his own mind. This guy did not see the huge void created, a void eagerly filled by the culture. If the statistics are true, and kids watch an average of 18 hours a week of TV, how much of that time is devoted to God? None. What does TV glorify? Self, self-esteem, rock star fashion. You see, we're already in the hole 18 hours. My 5 year old has already picked out the girl he wants to marry. My 3 year old, on the other hand, has just told me that it is OK for a boy to marry a boy because that's what an (older) girl told him. And a wise co-worker just told me that I should let my 5 year old ride the bus to school so that, presumably, he can learn many other insights into today's world, such as how to socialize - i.e. learn to cuss, defend oneself, pick on the weaker, cheat in school, and basically learn every bad habit the 5th graders can teach him. If any of this concerns you, then you may wish to come to the Genesis of a Legacy class on Wednesday nights starting in September. It's about Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World, a much needed task, one of the biggest jobs of any Christian parent.

I've had some memorable rides this year...

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:06:00 -0700

I haven't mentioned much about cycling this year, though there have been some notable moments, with satisfying finishes in a few local races. But they do not compare to what happened on yesterday's ride... I was at first both cautiously optimistic and slightly apprehensive at the same time. This was going to be quite a challenge indeed. Yes, you only get one chance to make a strong first impression on your 5 year old son when you take him out for a ride on the trails for the first time. I studied the Lewis Memorial Acres trail map carefully. "Let's see," I said to my son as I pointed to the map, "if we take this route here, we'll avoid the part of the trail that is dangerously close to the creek. Wouldn't want to fall in and..." "This way, daddy!" came the interrupting battle cry as he pedaled toward the trail head. He didn't even glance at the directions! "Now son, we can't just jump on a brand new trail without knowing where we're going, can we? Who do you think you are, Tad on the Berryman?" "Now son," I continued, "We're going to be experiencing changes in elevation and some tight turns. You need to be on the break when entering the corners, OK? SAFETY FIRST!!!" I started out as the trail boss - I thought I'd let the little guy get a feel for things by watching this old pro get busy. But my confidence was abruptly cut short. "Pick it up, old man!" I heard from behind me. I thought, "Well that's not very polite. Whoever this kid is behind us, he better be careful of my little boy." Then I heard it again. "Come on, move it, DAD! ON YOUR LEFT!!!" I slid over just in time to see a blue helmeted kid on his Trek Jet fly by. He murmured something under his breath about AARP. He was out of the saddle now, accellerating up a hill, then charging into a turn. My heart rate jumped to 190. He had me in the red zone! Finally, we stopped for a rest on one of the many benches that line the trail. I was overheated, so I changed my socks and bandana (thanks Scotto), which I had wisely packed in a waterproof ziplock bag. I also ate a sandwich. It was a grueling two lap day. When we were done, I was sweating like a pig; he was fresh as a daisy. "Is this what you do when you race?" He asked. "I WANT TO RACE!" One thought keeps playing over and over in my mind. Every year, he'll only get stronger, and I'll only get older.