What You Should Start Doing Today for Your Kids

You see it in movies and on television. You think about it, but do you actually take the time to complete the task? You know it is a great idea for your kids, but you make all these excuses and put it off for years. But, is it really that difficult? What is this undertaking I suggest?

Writing a journal, of course. We all have those moments in adulthood when we see life from our parents perspective. When we have kids, we see how they cared for us, and we understand things that were confusing to us before. We begin to see ourselves in similar situations taking care of our own kids. We can understand how much our parents cared for us, and how they could see our potential, as they watched us grow.

Life is complicated. People are complex. But, what if we make it a little bit easier on our kids to understand us and to understand themselves? What if they could read our thoughts and see life from our eyes? What if they could read about all the times that they were able to shine? They could see the child that God really created them to be.

What if your kids could read how awesome they are, and see how much you believe in them? They could find their desire to work hard in life and never doubt themselves. What if, years from now, they can remember the crazy, fun times together as a family because they can read about it in a journal? They could have joy and be ready to move on creating more exciting memories as they grow. What if they can actually understand how much God has blessed them with family, as He intended? They could be at peace, knowing that God is in control. They, also, could see the blessings that go along with God's good design.

I encourage you to start small. Keep a separate journal for each of your kids, and write just a five minute letter to them today. Then, once a week go back and write some more. Tell them about the day, tell them whatever you would want them to know as they read your letters to them years from now. I hope it's a great gift you can give your kids when that time comes!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa Seng

(If you enjoy reading my blogs, you can visit www.williamhseng.com. Click on the "contact" tab at the bottom of the page so that they can be sent to you by email.)

Raising Christian Children in a Secular School Environment

Raising our kids, it's an exciting journey. We get to see them run around, having so much fun exploring the world around them. The gift in the journey is that we get to see the joy in their hearts and, at the same time, impact their lives in such a great way. We get to teach them the good in life, and we get to teach them that they are valuable. We, also, get to help shape their surroundings. To our kids, their environment is their world. For this reason, I want to talk about a few tips on how to raise kids in a secular school environment.

As I began discussing this topic with my husband, I questioned whether I had any credibility to write on such a topic. My kids are not school-age yet, and they are not old enough to make statements about their faith. They know truth, as they are taught the Word of God, but their faith has yet to be challenged.

The experience that my husband and I have in secular education for 12+ years, has encouraged us to dive in to this subject. We have had to overcome challenges in order to strengthen our faith and understand where truth originates.

In this blog I want to outline a few important points to remember as we raise kids in a secular world. I will have an entire checklist in my next blog, but the most important points I want to discuss at this time. Some of them are basic principles, but I want to emphasize why they are so vital in raising our children.

1. Display Christian values in the home. They will learn that the Bible actually matters. They will see how being obedient to the Word of God is a great blessing to our lives.

2. Attend church regularly. They will be surrounded by people who encourage them and help teach them purpose and morality.

3. Have them attend a good, Bible-based church camp. There are many church camps that do not abide by Biblical values, but my experience is that a good church camp can make an incredible impact on your life. Kids will be blown away that people in the world, outside of their family, actually care about them. They will see that they can act in good character and actually have a lot of fun.

4. Emphasize character more than accomplishments. We praise achievements with grades and sports, but it is most helpful to teach our kids to be kind and caring to others.

5. Encourage them to attend a Christian college, not just a church-affiliated school or secular university. Some schools are church-affiliated more so in name than in the standards they uphold. Christian colleges teach morality and truth. They help kids to makes sense of life and their learning.

I hope these tips are helpful and a blessing to you! To receive the full checklist, and my future blogs, visit www.williamhseng.com. Click on "contact" at the bottom of the page, and send us your email address.

Thanks for reading!

~Melissa Seng

Positive Vibes or a Good God?

"I need your positive vibes today!" "I am sending some positive thoughts your way!" It's the kind of dialogue we see and hear all the time. It's quite thoughtful and sounds great, but is it doing anyone any good? Is it okay for us, as Christians, to use this kind of lingo?

I am not a fan of the term "positive vibes." People do not always know what they even mean when they say it. But, for many, they are really saying that positive thoughts trump the Christian practice of prayer. People use to say, "I'll pray for you!"Now people say "I'll send my positive vibes your way!"

I'm sorry, but if I am sick, your positive vibes are going to do me no good. If you were to come visit me, you could cheer me up, out of the goodness of your heart, or pray. According to the Word of God, prayer is powerful and effective. James 5:16 says, "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

The idea that we need to rise up positive energy from the universe to use for our own good is a New Age belief. As Christians, we believe that positive energy comes from God. Everything comes from God because he created everything out of nothing. We are not to worship the energy, but to recognize where the positive energy originates.

Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker and Christian, taught that positive thoughts -> positive action -> positive results -> positive emotion. We are not to act purely out of emotion, but out of our knowledge from the Word of God. We can have joy (emotion) because we first know that we have eternal life (thoughts). We know that good things are to come, so we can have peace and joy in this life.

Sometimes if we do not feel positive or happy, instead of just doing a happy dance, we can think about why we are to be happy. Scripture tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to "be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." By being grateful for our blessings we can have joy in our hearts. Romans 8:28 tells us that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him." We can be positive today in knowing that God works for our good.

I hope this blog encourages you today!

Thanks for reading!

~Melissa Seng

Are We Losing Our Kids to Technology and Entertainment?

Technology. It's everywhere. According to Google.com, technology is machinery or equipment that is used for practical purposes. It can be in the form of computers, telephones, cars, or microwaves. But, some of the most widely used technology has become laptops, smart phones, and tablets. These forms are changing the way we live, and are changing the ways our children grow up and adapt to the world around them.

It is common for young children to imitate their parents on the phone or on a personal device. But, is it the best idea to buy them one? Some would say that it's harmless, but if you take a look at the culture of our young people today, you might think differently. You might actually wonder where all the kids have gone.

I am not talking about kids in their teens. I am talking about kids, who have barely learned to talk. These kids are staring at a screen all day, when they should be learning about all the wonders around them. In the grocery store, or at a baseball game, or at a birthday party kids are just looking down, missing all of the excitement in their midst.

Kids, from the time they are born, are taking everything in and learning to understand the world around them. They are learning right from wrong, and they are learning how to live in this crazy world. Are we reducing their understanding of life on Earth to a screen? Real experiences of smelling fresh flowers, growing a garden, learning to ride a bike, playing in the dirt, seeing waterfalls, and playing with friends means so much more than seeing it on a screen. Real experiences make life worth living.

When I ask my three-year-old, Jaden, if he wants to watch something (because we do not have cable), he tells me, "Maybe when Daddy gets home." I am so thankful that he enjoys the company of his family and can be at peace without personal, hand-held entertainment systems.

A short time ago, my husband and I were talking with a young man, who was selling us a phone. He saw our three-year-old having fun talking with everyone in the store, and he said, "I wish my son was that outgoing! I come home and he doesn't even talk to me. He just has that screen in front of him." His boy was the same age as ours, just a toddler! The man was obviously saddened that his boy was too busy for him at such a young age. The ironic part of the situation was that that same guy tried to sell us the same tablet that his boy had for just $50! (I could understand if he wanted to just give away his boy's tablet out of desperation to have a relationship with his son.). I didn't have to think twice. Now, a year later, I wonder how many people have sold their kids over to a lifestyle that they are not even a part of, all for the price of $50? Yes, we may want peace in the home, but I'd bet that most of us still want the presence of our children.

Personal, hand-held entertainment systems are not going to go away any time soon. We must take a hold of the situation. We must not let years pass by, where our children grow up with technology, instead of their parents and friends, by their side. We need to encourage kids to have fun, instead of just enjoying such a shallow form of entertainment. We need to teach kids to look towards God and His creation for fulfillment, instead of looking towards creations by mankind.

Our kids do not stay young forever. Our prayer should be that they can enjoy life and all that God created. It seems as though the world is at our finger tips, but, really, it is in the hands of God. Let's encourage our families to put their lives in His hands, instead of in their own.

Yours Truly,
Melissa Seng

Showing God's Goodness Through Faith and Family

If you have been in church long enough, you have probably seen some of the most caring, compassionate, and gracious people that you have ever met. They are delightful in their service, genuine in their faith, and great examples to the young and the old, alike. They help you to see that God is good and that He has good things in store for us.

We ask ourselves, what is the trick? I can think of many people who have been great examples to me in the church. They have been all ages, backgrounds, personalities, and skill sets. They belong to different churches, have different education levels and career paths. But, they all have a few factors in common. They put faith and family in the forefront of all they do. They live out their faith at home, and raise their kids to do the same. Over the years, the messiness of life does not phase them. They let God work everything out by faithfully living their lives according to His instructions. As a result, they amazingly never lose their peace and joy.

The Bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The same is true of our actions. Out the abundance of the heart, we can serve people. We never have to be lacking anything.
How do we become like those who give out of abundance?  What if we do not believe we have the peace, joy, compassion, or care that others have to give? Well, the Bible tells us that what we sow, we reap. When we read and pray, we have more to give. Pastor Craig Cramer recently stated that only 17% of people in this country attend a Christian church service regularly (at least three times a month), and only 13% of those people read their Bibles daily! Wow. Just attending church and reading the Bible is a great start for having more to give!

Terri Savelle Foy encourages people to clean up at home first. We need to de-clutter our home, our minds, and our lives. We need to get rid of the mess so we can have more to offer. Part of cleaning up at home involves taking care of our family. God commands us to do so. If every Christian takes care of family first, there would be less stress on the church to take care of those in need. We can not take care of everyone, but we can take care of the people that God has placed in our lives.

Some of the happiest and most helpful people in the church are those who work alongside their families. Husband and wife. mother and daughter, brother and sister, parents and kids - it brings great joy to people to see families serving together. And, it brings joy to the families, as they know that God has blessed their faithfulness in serving one another. It is, also, much more fun and productive to care for your family and the church at the same time. To grow the church family, we need to serve as a family and embrace God's gift of family.

It is the example we set before people and the care we provide that allows us to be a blessing. We can be a delight and a joy to God's people, just as others have done for us.

A Brief Reflection from a Wife at Home

The other day something very fascinating occurred to me. I had a million goals for the day, a less than positive attitude, and a desire to just go outside and have some fun. I realized that the day before, I had somewhat neglected my duties as a wife, because it was so much more fun to just go outside. I knew that clutter and mess inside the home would just make me stressed out, so I realized that I needed to get to work. My mind was going back and forth, from telling me to go outside with the boys, to stay inside and clean up. I was so confused on what to do.

You know, on these beautiful summer days, it is normal to neglect some duties inside for the sake of running outdoors in the summer sun. Going on a walk, running laps around the house, going to the park, swimming, having a picnic, those are the good days. Kids need the fresh air and the excitement in order to feel like kids. Running around screaming and hollering is what they do best.

So how in the world do I know when to do the housework on these beautiful days? I know it sounds like a less than intelligent question to ask, as we can all figure that out on our own. But, I hope to share something with you that can help.

I realized my husband was at work. I knew if he was working, I should probably be working too. If he does not get a break, why should I? We work as a team. He does not have the pleasure of working from home yet, but either way, work is a part of our world. God gives us work.

The Scriptures tell us that God prepares good works for us to complete. The good works can be in the form of making money, growing crops, taking care of livestock, and taking care of our home and our children. Sometimes that work can be fun, and many times, if we have the right perspective, it can be rewarding, as well.

Rest is for the weary, but let's stay strong, be thankful for the opportunity to take care of our family, and wait for the proper time to celebrate together when the day's work is done.

Encouraging Your Spouse

Have you ever realized that your spouse needs encouragement? The world tends to beat us down, and we constantly need someone to be there to build us back up. I have heard that encouragement gets us going, and consistency keeps us growing. We need discipline to stay in motion, but that encouragement is so powerful for helping us begin each day in a world that is great at tearing us apart.

I have recently realized that women need just as much encouragement as men. All people need a sense of self-worth. I believe that helping our spouse to feel like they are worth something is one of the greatest gifts that we can give. Our culture tells us that we are not good enough, the work place tells us we are not good enough, the church tells us that we are not good enough. The message comes at us from every direction. How do we combat these negative messages that do nothing but prevent us from enjoying the life God has given us?

It is fascinating how God brings good teaching to us. I hope that I can provide that to you now.

Joseph is a character in the Bible that we can look to in these situations, when we do not feel like we are enough. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, who basically wanted him dead. I am sure he felt worthless and betrayed. Little did they know that their brother would get the attention of the king because of his ability to interpret dreams, and he would soon be second in command over the people of Egypt. He would have access to the stored food, when the rest of the land was experiencing famine. Joseph tells us in Genesis that when people (his brothers) meant to harm him, God meant it for good.

Encouraging your spouse is important in word and deed. As John C. Maxwell explains, we need to set people up for a win. He said that good leaders take people so far that the finish line is within reach, and then they let them cross it on their own. We should do the same. We can praise our spouse, and then let him/her win. Feed the kids, and praise him/her for helping with the clean-up. Do most of the work cooking, and praise him/her for helping at cutting up the vegetables. Clean up the yard, and praise him/her for watching the kids. In our home, my husband is a good example in this regard. He does most of the cooking (because I am just not a great cook) and he praises me for the little help that I give. And, I am able to do more each time. If we ask for too much at once, we are setting our spouse up for defeat. But, if we are reasonable in our requests, he/she will be encouraged to do even more!

Let's encourage our spouse in word and deed! After all, you are the best person in the world that can provide that gift.

Yours Truly,
Melissa Seng

www.williamhseng.com