Tag Archives: self control

Mom Murders Teens for Being “Mouthy”

Tragic and unbelievable. Those are the words that immediately came to my mind upon hearing about the Florida mom who admitted to murdering her 16-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son. Have you heard about this case? It’s all over the cable news networks. According to CNN, on the evening of January 27th, Julie Powers Schenecker allegedly shot and killed her two children for “talking back.” Police say the 50-year-old wife of a U.S. Army colonel admitted to them that she shot her son twice in the head with a .38 caliber pistol while she drove him to soccer practice in suburban … Continue reading →

Can Self-Control Be a Bad Thing?

Can self-control be a bad thing? According to a recent scientific study, apparently it can. Can empathizing with others be a bad thing? Again experts have decided it apparently can be. What do you think? Well, I’m going to have to disagree on this. It seems to me, that too often the problems in marriages are caused by selfishness and lack of self-control rather than by self control and empathizing with our spouse. If each of us stopped and thought before we spoke, we might decide not to say what we’d been going to, because we’d realize how much it … Continue reading →

It May Not Dawn on Kids that They Can Simply Stop

I was having a casual chat with my teenagers a while back and we started talking about some of their past childhood behaviors. One of my children said something that struck me as interesting–she explained that when she was little, she did not realize that she could simply choose to STOP doing something–a behavior or activity. She said that it came as quite an eye-opener to her when she realized that she had the choice to STOP being friends with someone, acting a certain way, getting angry at a sibling, etc. While we had a good chuckle about it, I … Continue reading →

Despite Appearance, They Really Do Want Structure

It might seem obvious that little children need and want structure and organization surrounding their lives–but it can become less obvious as kids get older. The way they push against those limits and seem to embrace mess and chaos can cause us to believe that they really don’t want the structure and organization we parents impose. But, the truth is–even those teenagers who are telling us to “loosen up” and “butt out” really do want structure and organization–they are just trying to learn how to do some it themselves. I think we humans strive to make order and structure out … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids to Calm Themselves

I’ll be the first one to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with time-out. I’ve used this technique with Tyler and have experienced my fair share of successes and failures. In the November 2007 issue of Parenting, I read about an alternative to time-out and it sounds like a good idea. Let me share it with you. Basically, the author tells us to re-think time-out by not giving our kids time-outs when they are misbehaving. Instead, we should teach them to take their own time-out when they feel they are getting out of control. This method teaches kids to … Continue reading →

Week in Review: Feb. 25th—Mar. 3rd, 2007

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Amy’s blogs for this week: This week Amy showed us 10 Advantages to Being Part of a Large Church and 10 Advantages to Being Part of a Small Church. She pointed out 5 Advantages to a Christian School. In What is the Rapture? Part 1 she provided an overview of what the rapture is and who believes in it. In What is the Rapture? Part 2 Amy discussed varying theories in regard to when a rapture may take place. The Sabbath in Bible Times goes over the history of the Sabbath. What is the Tribulation? Part 1 gives an overview … Continue reading →

Self-Control

Those pressing on toward their New Year’s Resolution goals likely have a good understanding about self-control. It’s something so many of us struggle with. It’s the inner battle between our flesh nature and our spirit nature. What inspired me to write is my deep craving for something sweet to eat right now! I am well aware that I need to drop more than a few pounds and I know too my body does not need more food in it—especially sweets! I know that I’m not going to starve if I sit here and resist the temptation to give in. I … Continue reading →

Temperance: A Godly Balance

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Are you a balanced person? When I think of someone who is balanced, I think of a person who has everything under control. They have found a way to make their relationships with God, spouse, children and community blend together. They spend the appropriate amounts of time at work, at home, and in recreation. This person doesn’t put too much emphasis on any one area of his life that could potentially overshadow his other priorities. The Bible has something to say about balance. II Peter chapter 1 talks about building upon our salvation and growing in Christ. It says to … Continue reading →

Christians and Gossip Part 2

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In part 1 of this series I discussed Proverbs 11:13 which says that faithful people will conceal gossip, while liars will spread it. We all know in our hearts that gossip is bad and that we shouldn’t have any part of it, but how can we resist? James 3:2-8 gives us a very potent view of how God views gossip: “…If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole … Continue reading →

Fruits of the Spirit in Our Lives

How fruitful is your life? We are told in Matthew 7:16 that we will know others by their fruits. So, what kinds of fruits to you bear? What kinds of fruits do those who you are influenced by bear? Jesus tells us in John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (NKJV) The fruits of the Spirit as told in Galatians 5:22 are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, … Continue reading →