Missing Christmas: Distractions

“You’re skipping Christmas!  Isn’t that against the law?”

While you may not react to the news of your neighbors “skipping” Christmas quite like neighbors in the film “Christmas with the Kranks” did, the reality is anyone choosing to skip or miss out on Christmas would seem a little odd to most of us.

For most, Christmas is a wonderful time spent with family and friends, celebrating traditions, sharing gifts and appreciating all that we have been blessed with – especially the birth of God’ son.  Most of us would never imagine skipping out on Christmas, as the Kranks plan on doing due to their daughter being away for the holidays.  However, many of us are at risk to miss out on Christmas, for a variety of reasons. 

This chance at “missing Christmas” isn’t’ something new.  It’s actually something that’s been happening since the very first Christmas.  Over the next few weeks we are going to take a look at some of the characters who almost missed out on the true meaning of Christmas – they almost missed out on the birth of Jesus.

As we learn from these stories, there are many things that can keep us from being transformed by Jesus’ birth – whether it be distraction, selfishness, or disappointment.   When we look at these moments found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, we are reminded that we could miss out on the real meaning of Christmas if we aren’t careful.

The first way that we can potentially miss Christmas is through distraction.  We can find an example of this early in the first Christmas story, as Mary and Joseph are looking for a place to rest.  They came to an inn, to inquire about some space.  And Luke 2:7  says, that “there was no room for them in the inn”.

This small sentence contains a big message: Joseph and Mary tried to get into the inn, but they weren’t afforded a normal room.  Instead they were left to take shelter in a stable or small cave near by.  Mary’s condition must have been obvious.  It leaves us to wonder: what was going on in the innkeepers mind?

Maybe his or her sense of compassion was overshadowed by the distraction of making money – it wouldn’t be good for business to have a woman giving birth in those close quarters with other paying guests.  Whatever the motives, the innkeepers missed out on the miraculous entrance of God in human form.  The innkeeper missed the first Christmas.

And like the innkeeper, we can be distracted by the pressures around us and miss out on the miracle of Christmas.  We want to encourage you, especially during this advent seasons to slow down and take time to remember what Christmas is all about. 

One way in which we would like to partner with you in this effort is through our Advent Family Resource.  This year, it’s called “The Spirit of Christmas” and if you haven’t already picked one up at the church you can download a digital copy HERE.

Use this resource or find other ways to slow down as a family and appreciate what Christmas is all about, Whatever you decide … don’t’ miss Christmas, because I think it’s against the law or something.

Home, Sweet Home

By Devin Dummel

There is something about this time of year that is magical.  The time around Thanksgiving and Christmas is a season full of many wonderful things and experiences.  Perhaps none more special or memorable than the traditions and celebrations that we share with family.

There is a reason that the saying is “Home, sweet home.”  And whether you are returning to your childhood home, or creating a space for your children to return to one day and call home, there is nothing more satisfying and heartwarming than spending this special time of year with the ones we love in the places that we feel most loved.

The unconditional love of the family is truly a unique and treasured thing in our world.  It is life giving and restorative.  These special treks home provide ample food for the journey and encouragement to press on through life’s trials and frustrations.

It’s a beautiful thing, when you think about it.  And the unconditional love of the family is not an accident.  It was created with purpose and meaning.  God created us all in His image, and the love of the family is designed to be an extension of His unconditional love.

The Apostle Paul described this love in these terms:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5)

You may not realize this but you and your family are an extension of this same love.  You were designed this way and your hearts are built for this type of unconditional love.  This is why we are compelled to see past each other’s flaws and stick close together as a family.

And while your family may not be perfect, and this Christmas season you may have your fair share of family drama and frustrations – the fact remains that this same love that God demonstrates for us – this “I know who you are, your faults and all, and I still love you” type of love – is the same love that God has endowed our family with.

So during this special season, let that love shine through.  Make history in your family and demonstrate the great mercy of God.  Allow the heart of God to be displayed in all your words, in your actions and in the things that you treasure during this season.

Be part of creating a space where your family will not only know of the love of God but will experience first-hand what it’s like to know the unconditional love of the family of God.  Help create a space where your children, your spouse, and your extended family can sit back, relax, and think to themselves “Home, sweet home.

Home is Where the Heart Is

By Devin Dummel

It’s likely that at some point in your experience, somewhere you have stumbled across a sign that read “Home is where the heart is”.  It’s a saying that has been around for a long time and often when it’s stated it means that:  Wherever your heart is, that place is your true home.  The place that you feel most appreciated and loved, is the place where you feel most comfortable.

It’s not necessarily your house, or a building made of bricks, mortar, stone or wood – but it’s wherever your heart feels most at peace.  It really can be anywhere.  You may feel most at home at a friends’ house, or you may feel most at home hidden away in the library.  Where ever it is that you feel most content, that is where your heart is.

This is a traditional understanding of this statement, but I want to encourage you and even challenge you to think about this idea of “home is where the heart is” in a different light altogether.

We believe that God has created two very powerful influences that He desires to use strategically in the life of every child.  Theses influences are the family and the church.  They both exist because God initiated them, and He desires to use them to restore and redeem our broken world.

We believe that the church is designed to be God’s bright light to the world, uniquely and strategically displaying God’s glory for all to see.  And we believe that God designed the family to demonstrate the warm heart of God.

God designed the family, even in its imperfection, to display the heart of God to every generation.  It’s his plan and desire that His heart would be communicated primarily through the heart and love of the family.  That’s why parents are the primary influence in the life of every child.

Understanding these two influences, what could it look like to understand the idea of “Home is where the heart is” through the lens of how God designed the family?  Specifically, when we say “Home is where THE heart is” – what we could really be saying is: “Home is where God’s heart is.”  It’s has always been God’s design that the family would be a consistent witness to the next generation.  Even early on God instructed His people, to make sure that His heart was known and passed down from generation to generation.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates. 

God understood the role of the home, which makes sense because He designed the influence of the family.  And one of the most crucial roles that the family plays – that our homes are responsible for – is to be a witness to the next generation about who God is and what it looks like to live a life that honors Him.

You may not realize this, but what you do in your home each week matters.  You may not view it this way, but when you think about it – you are always making history in the life of your child.  What you do every week, through your normal routines and rhythms adds up and give you momentum in the life of your children.

You are the living, breathing, walking, talking, pinch your cheeks to prove that you are real, witness for Christ every week at home.  And while that may seem like a lot of pressure, it reality is it is a great opportunity. 

You are the greatest influence in the life of your child – so you can impress upon them the heart of God.  You can talk with them around the table, when you drive to school or sports, and when they wake up of before the go to bed.  You can find creative ways around your house to “tie symbols” and “paint doorframes”.  You can make sure that they experience and know the heart of God consistently.  You can make sure that YOUR home is where God’s heart is.”  And that will make all the difference in the life of your child … and even in this world.

There's No Place Like Home

By Devin Dummel

Ever since Dorothy uttered these iconic words, “There’s no place like home”, many have begun to understand the influence of the home.  There is something special about the home, about our family dynamics and the impact they can make in the life of each child.  We believe that no one has more potential to influence a child than their parents. 

While we love spending time with kids and students of all ages, the reality is we don’t get a large quantity of time to make an impact.  We may get somewhere between 40-60 hours a year with your child.  But parents average 3,000 hours a year to influence their children.  The truth is what happens in those 3,000 hours matters a great deal.  So what you do this week matters and what happens at home matters.  There truly is no place like home.

Over the next few weeks we are going to look at some of the key qualities of an influential home.  Just as you would look for certain things when buying a new home or redecorating your current home, we need to keep our eyes focused on the spiritual qualities that we are looking for and want to develop in our home.

The first place we will start is with the quality of love.  Love is the backbone to the home.  It is one of the main purposes of the family, and God designed the family to express his love for every child – from generation to generation.  Too often we forget that truth, and while we understand that families should “love” each other, we have embraced defining love in our own familial terms.  What we must refocus on is God’s love and how we can demonstrate that as a family.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says,

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice.”

Notice how the Apostle Paul describes how we are to follow God – through sacrificial love.  We are called to love “just as Christ loved us”.  It means that we must lay down our own desires and consistently put others first.  This is part of our offering to God.  Unfortunately, we don’t always show this type of love at home.

If you and your home are one of the greatest influences in the life of your child, then right now you are making history.  You are molding and shaping your child for the next generation.  What you do on a day to day basis, how you choose to model your life, and what type of love you choose to demonstrate at home have an enormous impact.  The reality is when we shape our homes we are not just setting a course for our spiritual future.  We are plotting a spiritual path for our children.

Paul goes on to describe what this self-sacrificing love looks like:  “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place … for this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person … has any inheritance in the kingdom of God.”

This week, we challenge you to remember that, there is no place like home.  The example you set, in how you love your family will leave a lasting mark.  You have the choice on if you will demonstrate your own version of love, or if you will follow God’s example through consistent and intentional moments of sacrificial love.  Which path are you charting for your children?  Are you leading them toward the Kingdom of God? 

It’s our hope and goal to come alongside you and help you leverage all the influence your home has, pointing your children and others toward the Kingdom of God.  Because someday that will be our forever home … and there is no place like home.

Friends: Circle of Friendship

By Devin Dummel

When I was in middle school my mom had an uncanny ability to find out all my secrets.  If I was trying to keep something from her, undoubtedly she would find or figure it out.  One thing that I often chose to keep from her was who I was hanging out with.

We all know friendship is important and while I wasn’t hanging out with the worst kids in middle school, I knew there were some kids that my parent’s would prefect I didn’t spend as much time with.  But no matter how much I tried to conceal it, my mom would always be able to tell who I was hanging out with.

On one occasion, I asked her in frustration, “How do you know who I am hanging out with?”.  She said, “Son, I know who you are spending your time with, because I see the changes in you.  When you change who you are hanging out with, it changes things about you.  For example, your haircut, or the clothes you choose, the music you listen to, and the words you use.”

What my mom had come to realize and leverage to help her make good parenting decisions, was the truth that friendships are a very powerful influence. 

Proverbs 27:17 says,   “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

And just as one friend can make you a better person by “sharpening” you, so too can friendships do the opposite and weaken you to the place where you are just like a dull blade.  The truth is our friends for good or bad will rub off on us.

 So as parents it’s important to make sure that we help our children discover how to navigate all kinds of friendships.  To ensure that the friends who are influencing them the most are the ones who will help them the most.

Maybe the best thing we can do for our children is give them an image that     can be helpful as they think about their friendships.  The picture is one of a bullseye or of concentric circles.

We will refer to this as the Circle of Friendship.  And everyone you know will fall somewhere on the Circles of Friendship.  Our goal is to keep the right kinds of friends in the right kinds of circles.

 

So let’s take a look at the three different circles.

First is the inner ring of the target … and this circle is  called  the …

1.      Circle of  CONFIDENCE.

This circle is characterized by the friends in your life that you have 100% confidence in.  This doesn’t mean that they won’t let you down.  But it means that you have been there and your friendship has withstood some tough things.

It’s typically a smaller circle – where only a few “best friends” enter.  This circle also is one where once someone enters the circle – they usually stay in it – unless they break your trust.

It’s through these friendships that we ask hard questions – share our deepest fears, and turn to when times are tough.

These kinds of friends can be honest with us … even if it hurts our feelings, they will go the extra mile for us … and we would do anything for them as well.

These friends hold your confidence, and you are confident in them.

The middle circle is known as the:  

2.     Circle of INFLUENCE.

This circle is characterized by the friends in your life that you let shape your likes and dislikes.  This is a group that is somewhat larger than the previous circle.  You will spend much of your time with friends from this circle, through school, sports and other activities.

You may find yourself trying new things, and discovering your taste in music and activities, what you wear and what you like through this group of friends.

These friends influence us daily and we also can influence them on a regular basis. 

      Finally, the last circle is the outer circle and it is the …

3.     Circle of CONCERN

      This circle should be the largest by far.  This circle would include anyone you know but that doesn’t hold much influence with you.

      This group is characterized by your godly concern for them.  Meaning you want them to have a good life.  You want them to have a relationship with God.  You would do a lot to help them in a time of need.

      However, you normally don’t interact a ton outside of casual encounters and interaction.  You are not influence by their opinions or beliefs and largely want the best for them in all situations.

      Many of these people you would not consider friends, but are people that you know and are acquainted with.

As parents, it is crucial for us to help our children navigate the Circle of Friendship and put the people they know and consider to be their friends in the right areas – so they have the appropriate amount of influence.

We want to challenge you this week to talk to your son or daughter about their friends.   Help them understand you can still care deeply about someone, and not let them influence you to head down negative paths. 

When we teach our children how to navigate the complex world of friendships not only will we help them now, but we will set them up for success in the future.  Because we all have friends and we are all influenced by our friends.  The question is, are we choosing the right people to be influenced by.

Friends: Being a Good Friend

by Whitney Jones

We all desire friendship. It is a basic human need to want to be with other people. Friends are a necessary part of life. In the world we live in there are positive and negative friends we can surround ourselves with. Proverbs tells us what makes a good friend and how to develop and maintain meaningful friendships.

“A friend loves at all times. He is there to help when trouble comes.” -Proverbs 17:17

As parents it’s our job to help guide our children to finding good friends. And once your child develops good, healthy friendships, you need to help foster those relationships.

So, what should you look for in friends for your child?

Here are a few things to consider:

• ·        Does the friend encourage others in a positive light?
• ·        Is the friend servant minded?
• ·        Does the friend have a good relationship with family?
• ·        Does the friend have similar values as your family?
• ·        Is the friend a Christian or at least being discipled in that path?

These are the kind of friends you want your child hanging out with, a friend that is going to influence your child to be a better person, a friend that brings out the best in your child. A friend that is Christ like.

So, have you given much thought to your child’s friends? 

If not, why not try to get to know the friends that your child spends the most time with, and try and discover what kind of influence they are having in the life of your family.  You can also challenge your child to set the example and be the kind of influencer who encourages, serves and points others to Christ.

Friends: Counterfeit Friends

by Devin Dummel

On February 1, 2001 the police received a call from the Manager at Dairy Queen in Danville, Kentucky.  The manager, after counting the drawer the previous evening, discovered some counterfeit currency.

Upon further investigation, the police determined that a customer succeed in paying for a $2 order with a phony $200 bill featuring the picture of then President George W. Bush.  The fake currency even had a depiction of the White House with a lawn sign saying, “We like broccoli.”

Authorities say the cashier gave the culprit $198 change in authentic currency, stating that “at a distance the counterfeit money looks like a real bill.”  However, no U.S. currency has a picture of Bush, let alone a reference to liking broccoli.   Because there is no actual $200 currency, the culprit is not considered a counterfeiter,  although this “funny money” was able to let the culprit get away with nearly $200 and a bag of onion rings.

Counterfeit money is an interesting thing.  It may be valuable for a bit – depending on how much it looks like the real thing.  But eventually – someone is going to take one of those special markers – and discover that what they are holding isn’t real at all …

It’s a fraud.

The same can be said for counterfeit or fake friends … they may look like real friends until you get in a tough situation and you get thrown under the bus, abandoned, or burned. 

We believe that our friends are one of the greatest influences that we have in our lives.  Because of that truth, it’s vitally important that we help our children understand what healthy friendships look like.  It’s also important for us to help our kids be able to decipher what counterfeit and fake friends look like.

Here are a couple ways you can help your child discover if their friends are the real deal or just a lame imitation of the real thing:

Counterfeit friends consistently demonstrate …

1.     DESTRUCTIVE behavior 

Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

If your friends are doing things that you know are heading in the wrong direction.  In they are risky and dangerous.  In they are consistently rebellious, pushing the boundaries and maybe even doing things that are illegal.

If they are doing those things, then the truth is they are not your friend.  They do not care about you or what happens to you … if they did, they wouldn’t put you in situations that make you uncomfortable, or that could cause you danger or harm.

If you have a friend who only cares about themselves, or the thrill of pushing the envelope … they are not a real friend.  They are as fake as they come.

Also, counterfeit friends often …

2.     Lack CONVICTION.

 Proverbs 18:24 says this,  One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

If you can’t count on your friends to stand up for what’s right then eventually you will end up in ruins. If our greatest influences are our friends … and if they never stand up for something … then we will fall for anything.

Real friends are friends who listen to the Holy Spirit and are convicted – and they help us stay accountable as well.

Real friends are friends that we give “refrigerator rights”  … what I mean by that is if they walked your house … they wouldn’t have to ask to get in the fridge and grab something to eat or drink.

In the same way that you have friends who you are close enough to get in your fridge … we need to allow our friends … who stand up for what’s right … speak into you lives and help us be who God made us to be.

Provers 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Meaning – your real friends will call you out, and you may not agree but you can trust them – because you know they have your best interest at heart.

Finally, counterfeit friends …

3.     Lack  MUTUAL concern.

Fake friends normally just care about what you can do for them.   They aren’t too concerned about what you want to do or what you think is right.  They are in charge and you are along for the ride … as long as you are useful to them.

But real friends … care for each other … they stick closer than brothers.   They look out for each other and they sacrifice for each other.

If you have a friend like that … then you know you have a real friend.  Friendship is a two way street, and if you have a friendship that doesn’t feel like it goes both ways … then likely you are stuck with a phony friend.

It’s our responsibility to make sure that the “friends” our kids are hanging out with and being influenced by are the real deal.  We can’t accept every $200 bill that someone hands us.   We need to help the next generation guard their hearts and discover what a real friend looks like.

Proverbs 12:26 says, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”  Let’s make sure our kids carefully choose who they are surrounded by and let’s help them discover what it means to be a real friend to everyone around them.

Friends: Walk with the Wise

by  Whitney Jones

If you are like me as a parent, then you are always trying to “pick” your child’s friends for them. You want your child to hang out with people that are positive leaders and are making good choices. Let’s face it, your child’s friends are the next big influencer after you. They influence the way they dress, the music they listen to, the way they talk, and even the outlook they have on life. Your child’s friends can either make them or break them. Friendship is very important because it shapes our character.

The book of Proverbs is full of instructions concerning how we can do well and become successful, including instructions on how we should choose our friends. Look at the book of Proverbs as a kind of manual for parenting and guiding your children.

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

-Proverbs 13:20

Here we are instructed that befriending foolish people will bring harm to our lives. On the other hand, seeking out wise friends who live right will bring about blessings in our life.

This Proverb teaches us that friendships shape our character. We tend to take on the character qualities of those we associate most closely with. With this in mind, as parents, we want to make sure the people our children are surrounding themselves with, are the people that have positive character qualities. The same qualities we would want to see in our own children.

To guide your children to surround themselves with positive friends, consider the following strategy:

Talk with your child about which friends are not positive influencers in their life.  Then, have them begin replacing the negative friends with good, positive friends. This might not be easy and it might not happen overnight, but it is necessary to avoid having these people influence them toward negative values. Choosing individuals with positive morals will elevate your child to have higher standards and will help them reach their full potential.

Finally, make sure your child is striving to be a positive friend. You want them to set a strong example and be a light to others. In this way, they will also contribute to others lives and character.

Checkpoints: Ultimate Authority

by Devin Dummel

Recently, I’ve been thinking about and talking about paths, not just the paths that you drive on your go for a walk on, but the paths of our choices.   When you think about it, every choice is a path.  Each choice you make sends you in a direction that ultimately has a destination. 

The challenge becomes trying to choose the right paths.  And in a world full of many voices directing us to many conflicting paths, it can be very difficult to know that you have chosen the path that will take you where you want to go.

As adults if we struggle to find the right paths and make the right choices, how much more difficult must it be for our children who are young and inexperienced.  They look to us to see how to navigate different situations and experiences.  They watch how we handle our emotions and how we react to the many difficult circumstances we experience.

So it’s critical that not only we discover how to choose the right paths, but that we also help our children end up in the places they want to be in life.  This can be very difficult to accomplish.  But it is not impossible.  All too often we forget that we have been given tools to help us end up on the right paths.

If you’ve ever been camping, or been on a hike then maybe you’ve found that compass can be a helpful tool when you aren’t sure if you’re headed in the right direction.

 A compass is an instrument used for navigation and orientation that magnetically points north.  It doesn’t need any batteries to work and it’s not something that is prone to “user error”, it simply always points north.

God has given us a tool that can help us navigate life successfully.  And when we use it we can be confident that we will avoid any unnecessary heartache and pain.  God desires for us to experience the best of life and that only happens when we accept Him as the ultimate authority in our lives.

Too often we view freedom and authority as opposing concepts. But the Bible teaches that true freedom is found under authority. This principle focuses on our need to recognize God’s ultimate authority and respect the other authorities He has placed over us.

Paul says in Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We believe that it is crucial to help your child discover God and His word as the ultimate authority in their lives.  It is vital to teach them that even in a world full of advice and suggestions on which path is the best to take, God’s way is always the best we. We need to help our kids understand that maximum freedom is found under God’s authority.

This truth is something that they will first learn through watching us practice it and live it out in our homes, in our schools, in our churches, and in our communities.  It’s time to quit worrying about what anyone else says and start focusing on what God says in every area of our lives.  When that happens, we will know we are on all the right paths. 

Checkpoints: Wise Choices

by Desi Ash

Right before my freshman year of high school I made a promise to myself. The promise was that I wasn’t going to drink alcohol until I was 21 and I wasn’t going to have sex until after I was 19. I partly made this promise because I didn’t want to repeat the cycle of my biological mother, who gave birth to me, her second child, at the age of nineteen. While I didn’t fully understand what this promise would keep me from doing, I knew that it would set me up for a good future.

This promise made me very cautious of not only my friends but my surroundings. I didn’t go to parties and I barely dated anyone because I didn’t want to be put in the situation where I could have broken my promise.

I wasn’t forced to make this promise and honestly, it’s a promise I hardly ever talk about it. Looking back, this promise was a wise choice that I made that helped set me up for success.

Our next checkpoint, key ideas we see as essential to the spiritual foundation for every child, is Wise Choices.

Wisdom comes from experience- time and maturity, something that kids don’t have through childhood. Many time kids don’t want to ask you for advice because they think adults just don’t understand. What they don’t know is that adults have lived through very similar situations.

You can help open up the dialogue with your kids by being open and sharing your own experiences. Why do you know that being alone with the opposite sex isn’t the best idea or the way your friends influenced you.

Isn’t of trying to answer the question of “how far is too far” (not just when it comes to sex), how about rewiring your kids to ask “is this the wise thing to do?”

Paul says in Ephesians 5:15-17:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

We believe that it is crucial to help your child discover the ability to make wise choices.  It is vital to teach them how to navigate their culture and their world – which will always be full of difficult decisions. We need to help our kids understand the trouble that is out there before it crosses their path so they won’t question what is right or wrong, but they will know the wise thing to do.

Remember that making wise choices throughout childhood can be a huge struggle because there are times when the wise choice means you miss out on fun. What God has in store for the next generation is far better and more fun than any party or bad decision they could make now. 

Checkpoint #4: Healthy Friendships

by Devin Dummel

When I was younger, I had a friend whose name was Jason and I spent a ton of time at his house.  Jason was a good friend and I had fun with him, but if I’m honest most of the time I went to Jason’s because his house was awesome.

He had a pool and a big screen TV.  We would stay up late and play Nintendo and eat all kind of snacks – like hot pockets and pizza bagels.  It really was the best.

But one thing that put Jason’s house over the top – that made it better than all my other friend’s houses – was Jason’s family had pets.

And I don’t mean your cute kitten, fluffy dog kind of pets – I mean like real pets … weird stuff – like wombats and bullfrogs and lizards.  For a while they even had a really big snake- I think it was a python.

But out of all of the pets that Jason had, my favorite was the Chameleon.  When he first told me what it was I had no idea.  I had never heard of a Chameleon – and I didn’t even know what they did.  But once I saw it – I thought it was one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

Do you know what a Chameleon can do?  A chameleon can change the color and pattern of its skin just based on what it touches.  It has this unbelievable ability to camouflage itself – no matter it’s surroundings.

I’m a “how it works kind of person” so my first reaction to this sort of thing is to figure out how this happens.  How it works is the Chameleon’s skin has a superficial layer which contains pigments, under that layer are special cells that change for various reasons which affect which pigment of light gets reflected.

You know sometimes I think we live our lives like we have Chameleon Skin.  We have this superficial layer, and we adjust what other people see – in order to fit in and convince people to like us and want to be around us.

When you are the Chameleon it’s hard to realize that you keep changing colors, but to everyone else watching it’s really obvious.

My mom used to tell me that she knew exactly who I had been spending my free time with – like what group of friends.  When I asked her how she knew this she said – she would notice how I would talk, or what I would wear.  She would notice how I would change and then she could pin point exactly who I was hanging out with.

My mom picked up on this really big – universal truth … this God principle that is directly connected to friendship. She didn’t put these words to it – but she understood it.  And it’s a truth and principle about friendship that stands the test of time.  And she’s not the first or the last to notice it … Solomon one of the ancient kings of Israel said it this way:

 “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” - Proverbs 13:20 

This week we continue sharing about the seven checkpoints, the key ideas we see as essential to the spiritual foundation for every child. Our next checkpoint is Healthy Friendship.

The people we associate with the most will have a direct impact on the decisions we make and the standards we choose.  Healthy friendships build us up and draw us closer to God; unhealthy friendships bring us down and cause us to compromise what we know is right.

One foundational checkpoint in the life of every child is to discover how to establish healthy friendships and how to navigate out of and around unhealthy ones.

 Solomon understood that those who want to be wise surround themselves with other wise people.  But those who surround themselves with unhealthy friendships will often find frustration, pain, suffering and harm.

The principle behind this truth about friendship is, your friends will determine the direction and the quality of your life.

As a parent you likely know just how true this statement is, and you already are concerned about the friends that your child spends their time with.  Many things will come and go like phases in the life of your child – however the impact a friend has is not one of those things.

We believe that it is crucial to help your child discover what healthy friendships look like and how to form them.  We know that it’s vital to teach them what to do to get out of and avoid unhealthy friendships.   And intuitively we know that what might be of greatest importance is teaching them how to be the friend who helps others find and follow God.

Remember their friends will determine the direction and quality of their life.  So help them choose their friends wisely.