Incomparable Christ

The Incomparable Christ

Thanks to the great crew that made this video happen. Truly there is no one like Jesus. 

Oatmeal Challenge

Tuesday. Oatmeal. Challenge Accepted.

Oatmeal is a common (much to my disdain) breakfast food in the Peter's household, but yesterday began our families journey to grow in generosity and in a small way to grow in understanding the needs of the impoverished in our world. It is our goal that every Tuesday we will eat Oatmeal for Supper. It was surprising how simple the meal seemed. No dessert. Just Oatmeal. We prayed for our sponsor children and put $5 into a jar to start our Oatmeal Challenge Fund ... together we will decide a cause to share our resources with as we begin to build up the fund.

Who will join us in the Oatmeal Challenge? Oatmeal for one supper a week and a mere $5 to those that live daily with so much less than we do, it seems a pretty small sacrifice. One I hope it will teach our children powerfully.

They can use an iPhone, but can't tie their shoelaces.

I came across a study recently that exposed the "Top 10" things that children today can and cannot do: Schoolchildren can use an iPhone but cannot tie their shoelaces.  The poll was conducted by electricity provider, npower.

TOP TEN THINGS CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 13 CAN DO:
1 Work a DVD player - 67 per cent
2 Log onto the internet - 58 per cent
3 Play computer games on games console (wii, Xbox or similar) - 50 per cent
4 Make a phone call - 46 per cent
5 Use a handheld games console (Nintendo DSi, PSP or similar) - 45 per cent
6 Use an iPhone (or smartphone) - 42 per cent
7 Work Sky Plus - 41 per cent
8 Send a text message - 38 per cent
9 Search for clips on YouTube - 37 per cent
10 Use an iPad (or tablet computer) - 31 per cent

TOP TEN THINGS CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 13 CAN'T DO:
1 Recognise three types of butterfly - 91 per cent
2 Repair a puncture - 87 per cent
3 Tie a reef knot - 83 per cent
4 Read a map - 81 per cent
5 Build a camp fire - 78 per cent / Put up a tent 78.5 per cent
6 Spot a blackbird, sparrow or robin - 71 per cent
7 Make papier mâché - 72 per cent
8 Make a cup of tea - 65 per cent
9 Build a den - 63 per cent
10 Climb a tree - 59 per cent

While I have to admit that I would have trouble identifying 3 types of butterflies ... the findings make an interesting point ... kids today are learning skills in a different arena than kids from previous generations. Children today are tapping into technology at massively increasing rates ... an area of knowledge that will likely prove valuable, maybe even necessary for survival in the coming years. The question is, will that leave them lacking the needed life skills to survive? As obesity rates climb higher and higher, and social skills drop lower and lower (thanks to texting and "Facebook") - we may just be setting up our children and culture for some of the greatest challenges in history.

Fatherless Generation

As I begin reading my latest book, "Fatherless Generation" by John Sowers I am struck by how significant the presence and investment of fathers is for their children. In his book, John Sowers says, "Rejection is the defining characteristic of the fatherless generation." In the United States about 1/3 of youth are fatherless and searching for dad.

This week I connected with a teen girl who admitted the challenges in her life stemmed from her longing for acceptance from her dad. He lived in the home, was a part of the family, but was too busy to really notice her. She felt lonely and depressed. With all of her ability she was trying to communicate to her family that she needed them, but as many teenagers do, she turned instead to rebellion and a world of hurt and disappointment.

As a father it is easy to see how quickly I fall short and how often I neglect my children for the urgent in life. So when I get it right and really connect with my kids it feels great. This week Ayden and I joined a couple of other dads in a father/son campout for a couple of nights. We slept in a tent, made campfires, hiked, carved sticks into knives, biked, and just had fun. I know that my son truly needs that,  and so do I. It has been said that this generation does have a father, they just haven't been properly introduced yet. As we work with youth in Ponoka, this is our goal ... introducing a generation of hurting teens to a Father that never abandon's them.

Peters Update - August 2012