Comments for Forward Progress http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com faith is putting one foot in front of the other Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:10:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on A Prayer for the Last Day of Chemotherapy by Michael K. http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/a-prayer-for-the-last-day-of-chemotherapy/#comment-2330 Michael K. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:10:48 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1977#comment-2330 Thanks for your kind words, Janna. Genevieve - Thanks for clicking over and for sharing about what's going on in your life. I was encouraged by the genuineness and honesty I read on your blog today, too. Thanks for your kind words, Janna.

Genevieve – Thanks for clicking over and for sharing about what’s going on in your life. I was encouraged by the genuineness and honesty I read on your blog today, too.

]]> Comment on A Prayer for the Last Day of Chemotherapy by Genevieve http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/a-prayer-for-the-last-day-of-chemotherapy/#comment-2329 Genevieve Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:07:34 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1977#comment-2329 I found you through Zach Nielsen's blog (we are friends of a friend of his). Thanks for your words. I quoted you today on my own blog, as I deal with multiple trials: a daughter's encephalopathy of unknown origin, loss of an ectopic pregnancy, and my current isolation for thyroid cancer treatment/scan. Thanks for the encouragement. http://turquoisegates.blogspot.com/2009/12/confession.html I found you through Zach Nielsen’s blog (we are friends of a friend of his). Thanks for your words. I quoted you today on my own blog, as I deal with multiple trials: a daughter’s encephalopathy of unknown origin, loss of an ectopic pregnancy, and my current isolation for thyroid cancer treatment/scan. Thanks for the encouragement.

http://turquoisegates.blogspot.com/2009/12/confession.html

]]> Comment on A Prayer for the Last Day of Chemotherapy by Janna McGregor http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/a-prayer-for-the-last-day-of-chemotherapy/#comment-2328 Janna McGregor Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:58:58 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1977#comment-2328 Michael, this prayer touched my heart. Even though I have not known you or Jana long or very well, I am amazed at what God has done through your family. I have prayed for Joshua as you have given updates and what season of praise you have entered. Janna Michael, this prayer touched my heart. Even though I have not known you or Jana long or very well, I am amazed at what God has done through your family. I have prayed for Joshua as you have given updates and what season of praise you have entered.

Janna

]]> Comment on Thinking About Santa by Dan http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/thinking-about-santa/#comment-2327 Dan Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:02:43 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1971#comment-2327 A couple of years ago I would have disagreed with Mrs. Piper's post. But now that my kids are 3 and 5 I see the confusion that the Santa/Jesus thing brings for them for the very reasons she mentions. My wife and I are trying to figure out how to "un-do" Santa Clause. Ultimately, I think a belief in Santa confuses my boys about the gospel. A couple of years ago I would have disagreed with Mrs. Piper’s post. But now that my kids are 3 and 5 I see the confusion that the Santa/Jesus thing brings for them for the very reasons she mentions.

My wife and I are trying to figure out how to “un-do” Santa Clause. Ultimately, I think a belief in Santa confuses my boys about the gospel.

]]> Comment on Thinking About Santa by Don Rogers http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/thinking-about-santa/#comment-2325 Don Rogers Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:42:54 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1971#comment-2325 Michael- I was raised a Southern Baptist, my grandfather was a deacon, my father was a deacon, I was deacon for 17+ years. I was as deep into conservative, fundamental Christianity as anyone could be. In 2001, Christianity came crashing down around me. Nothing made sense to me about my denomination anymore. As an historian, I began to research my beliefs, the doctrines of the church, the history of Christianity (especially early Christianity). What I found was little was as it had been presented in church. My new freedom to search (without fear of reprecussions within the church) led me to reassess my relationship with God, our source, creator of all; to reassess who Jesus was and his purpose on this earth; to reassess the part played by the early church and today's church. The God I was taught to believe truly parallels the characteristics which Piper elaborated in his article: <i>we think about how confusing it must be to a straight-thinking, uncritically-minded preschooler because Santa is so much like what we’re trying all year to teach our children about God. Look, for example, at the “attributes” of Santa. He’s omniscient—he sees everything you do. He rewards you if you’re good. He’s omnipresent—at least, he can be everywhere in one night. He gives you good gifts. He’s the most famous “old man in the sky” figure. </i> Michael, I truly believe most Christians today would also describe God like the above. That is one of the greatest problems I find with today's Christianity. I somehow, in my heart, don't believe that is the way you truly see God. I read your post regularly. I hope I have assessed you correctly. I think about you and the problems with your son's health often. Blessings to you and your family. Michael- I was raised a Southern Baptist, my grandfather was a deacon, my father was a deacon, I was deacon for 17+ years. I was as deep into conservative, fundamental Christianity as anyone could be. In 2001, Christianity came crashing down around me. Nothing made sense to me about my denomination anymore. As an historian, I began to research my beliefs, the doctrines of the church, the history of Christianity (especially early Christianity). What I found was little was as it had been presented in church. My new freedom to search (without fear of reprecussions within the church) led me to reassess my relationship with God, our source, creator of all; to reassess who Jesus was and his purpose on this earth; to reassess the part played by the early church and today’s church. The God I was taught to believe truly parallels the characteristics which Piper elaborated in his article:

we think about how confusing it must be to a straight-thinking, uncritically-minded preschooler because Santa is so much like what we’re trying all year to teach our children about God. Look, for example, at the “attributes” of Santa.

He’s omniscient—he sees everything you do.
He rewards you if you’re good.
He’s omnipresent—at least, he can be everywhere in one night.
He gives you good gifts.
He’s the most famous “old man in the sky” figure.

Michael, I truly believe most Christians today would also describe God like the above. That is one of the greatest problems I find with today’s Christianity. I somehow, in my heart, don’t believe that is the way you truly see God. I read your post regularly. I hope I have assessed you correctly. I think about you and the problems with your son’s health often. Blessings to you and your family.

]]> Comment on Thinking About Santa by Daryl http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/thinking-about-santa/#comment-2324 Daryl Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:55:39 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1971#comment-2324 We did the Santa thing growing up. As the youngest, my belief in Santa was crushed earlier that others. But I suffer no ill-effects today. My wife, however, grew up in a household where a story book that had a picture of Santa on one page literally had those pages taped together so that no image of Santa was in the house. Opposite ends of the spectrum to say the least. We've talked a lot about it. My family really, really wants to "do" Santa with their oldest grandchild. My wife's family would ever-so-briefly consider disowning us if we did. At 17 months, our daughter won't know much this year. But we've decided to call it a game that people play, and that part of playing the game is pretending that Santa is real. We can still have fun with the story, leave cookies, and all of that stuff, but she'll know that it's just a fun story - like Cinderella or Snow White. Fun to pretend to live in, but not real. I think that's a pretty good compromise. We did the Santa thing growing up. As the youngest, my belief in Santa was crushed earlier that others. But I suffer no ill-effects today.
My wife, however, grew up in a household where a story book that had a picture of Santa on one page literally had those pages taped together so that no image of Santa was in the house.
Opposite ends of the spectrum to say the least.
We’ve talked a lot about it. My family really, really wants to “do” Santa with their oldest grandchild. My wife’s family would ever-so-briefly consider disowning us if we did.
At 17 months, our daughter won’t know much this year. But we’ve decided to call it a game that people play, and that part of playing the game is pretending that Santa is real. We can still have fun with the story, leave cookies, and all of that stuff, but she’ll know that it’s just a fun story – like Cinderella or Snow White. Fun to pretend to live in, but not real.

I think that’s a pretty good compromise.

]]> Comment on Thinking About Santa by CarrieZ http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/thinking-about-santa/#comment-2323 CarrieZ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:46:57 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1971#comment-2323 We've never taught Santa. We of course have a few picture books that include him, but we don't ask what Santa will be bringing them, whether they've been good enough, etc. There's really no need to teach any of it, because every grocery store checker, fellow shopper in line anywhere, etc. will cover that territory. Our stockings and advent calendar depict the nativity. We do daily doors on the advent calendar, placing a magnet on the scene and reading a related (simplified) Bible verse. We have a stocking for Jesus. On Christmas Eve, we make a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake (child-decorated, so quite lively), eat pizza for supper, and go to the evening church service. We come home, they open new jammies and put them on, we read the Christmas story (Bible, not Night Before Christmas), and they go to bed. We've set a policy with family that we will be HOME from Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas morning. The families are good about respecting it. We keep their gifts hidden until Christmas morning (often because they're hard to wrap or because we have snoopers). We do wrap them in separate paper, but no tags from Santa, etc. On Christmas morning, we open presents, then we light the candle on the cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus. It's frosted with Cool Whip instead of frosting so as not to be a total "blech" thing first thing in the morning. We watched the new VeggieTales St. Nicholas movie a few times--it's terrific. Covers the territory of who St. Nicholas really was and what he did. However, I will tell you that the last two years, our 6yo has desperately *wanted* to believe in Santa. When she asks about him, we just reply with "what do you think?" We do not encourage it any way, but we also let her believe if she wants to believe. She wants to put out cookies and milk for Santa, so we don't argue. She wants to visit Santa, so we don't argue, but we also don't pontificate on how he will fit down our bizarre chimney or shake sleigh bells outside her window or any of that stuff. I also think having tons of presents NOT for them under the tree allows them to concentrate more on giving to others and not on guessing what they're getting. We also limit TV, so their requests are super-reasonable. Our 6yo wants a "Raggedy Ann doll and a Raggedy Ann movie." Our 2yo wants "candy." Easy! :-) We’ve never taught Santa. We of course have a few picture books that include him, but we don’t ask what Santa will be bringing them, whether they’ve been good enough, etc. There’s really no need to teach any of it, because every grocery store checker, fellow shopper in line anywhere, etc. will cover that territory.

Our stockings and advent calendar depict the nativity. We do daily doors on the advent calendar, placing a magnet on the scene and reading a related (simplified) Bible verse. We have a stocking for Jesus. On Christmas Eve, we make a “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake (child-decorated, so quite lively), eat pizza for supper, and go to the evening church service. We come home, they open new jammies and put them on, we read the Christmas story (Bible, not Night Before Christmas), and they go to bed. We’ve set a policy with family that we will be HOME from Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas morning. The families are good about respecting it.

We keep their gifts hidden until Christmas morning (often because they’re hard to wrap or because we have snoopers). We do wrap them in separate paper, but no tags from Santa, etc.

On Christmas morning, we open presents, then we light the candle on the cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus. It’s frosted with Cool Whip instead of frosting so as not to be a total “blech” thing first thing in the morning.

We watched the new VeggieTales St. Nicholas movie a few times–it’s terrific. Covers the territory of who St. Nicholas really was and what he did.

However, I will tell you that the last two years, our 6yo has desperately *wanted* to believe in Santa. When she asks about him, we just reply with “what do you think?” We do not encourage it any way, but we also let her believe if she wants to believe. She wants to put out cookies and milk for Santa, so we don’t argue. She wants to visit Santa, so we don’t argue, but we also don’t pontificate on how he will fit down our bizarre chimney or shake sleigh bells outside her window or any of that stuff.

I also think having tons of presents NOT for them under the tree allows them to concentrate more on giving to others and not on guessing what they’re getting.

We also limit TV, so their requests are super-reasonable. Our 6yo wants a “Raggedy Ann doll and a Raggedy Ann movie.” Our 2yo wants “candy.” Easy! :-)

]]> Comment on Fridays Are For One Question by Alicia http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/fridays-are-for-one-question-35/#comment-2322 Alicia Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:37:24 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1965#comment-2322 Christmas in Connecticut, Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street and...my new favorite Polar Express! Christmas in Connecticut, Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street and…my new favorite Polar Express!

]]> Comment on You Can’t Be “A Little Bad” by Don Rogers http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/you-cant-be-a-little-bad/#comment-2321 Don Rogers Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:54:30 +0000 http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/?p=1921#comment-2321 That should read: <i>"Do you find the gospel (of John) to be antisemitic? I know it was written after the expulsion of the early followers of “the Way” from the synagogues."</i> Man, it's not easy getting old!! That should read: “Do you find the gospel (of John) to be antisemitic? I know it was written after the expulsion of the early followers of “the Way” from the synagogues.”

Man, it’s not easy getting old!!

]]> Comment on About by Don Rogers http://michaelkelleyministries.wordpress.com/about/#comment-2320 Don Rogers Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:50:22 +0000 #comment-2320 <i>"I also like fruit-flavored candy."</i> Green Apple candy, hmmmmmmmm! “I also like fruit-flavored candy.”

Green Apple candy, hmmmmmmmm!

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