Forward to the Kingdom!

By guest blogger Joy Porter

A prominent public figure has admitted to an affair. In spite of a sterling reputation of excellence, his image is now riddled with the salacious details of an extramarital relationship. He has complicated the situation by using his powerful influence to destroy someone who stood in his way.

If it sounds like today’s news, it’s not. This is the plot line of the adultery of one of the most well-known figures of the Bible, King David. A powerful leader, he not only enhanced his kingdom but he believed in God and adhered to a strict moral code. Yet he became entangled in one of the most famous adultery stories in history when he seduced a married woman and impregnated her. When his attempts to cover up his wrongdoing failed, he arranged the death of her husband, who was a decorated war hero in his army.

Three thousand years later, elements of King David’s tragic story are repeating once again, this time in the life of superstar professional golfer Tiger Woods. Once called the world’s most marketable athlete, his carefully built reputation is now being questioned as he finds it impossible to contain the story from a media relentlessly pressing to expose more details of his alleged affair. What Tiger will do in this pivotal moment to either rebuild or dismantle his life is not known, and perhaps it shouldn’t be made public.

But the rest of us can learn from the ancient story of King David, in which we find a worthy example of repentance and God’s forgiveness. David admitted his sin to God and was forgiven, although the physical penalties of his sin were immense. The Bible records his repentance in Psalm 51:

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds—they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight” (verses 1-4, New Living Translation).

It remains to be seen whether Tiger Woods will be able to salvage his reputation and spare his wife, young daughter and infant son from the fallout of this situation. In the meantime, perhaps it is better for us to consider our own sins, and the God who already knows of them. Repent wholeheartedly and strive to obey God, and God will say to you what Jesus once said to another caught in the web of adultery, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

For more on repentance, see “Repentance: Your First Step” from the booklet The Road to Eternal Life.

By guest blogger Whitney Smith

The sixth attitude that Paul addresses in 2 Timothy 3:2, the signs of perilous times, is that children will be disobedient to their parents. Not having kids myself, I find it interesting to observe how openly some children are allowed to disobey their parents in public. My brother and I toss around statements like, “If I had done that as a child, then I would have been [insert form of discipline here].”

Researching this topic on the Internet was quite enlightening. There are numerous discussion groups, question and answer blogs, help forums and online books attempting to aid frustrated parents dealing with disobedient children. Some Web sites attribute misbehavior to the parents’ lack of discipline. Others say that parents need to understand the causes behind a child’s misbehavior—such as children feeling neglected and crying out for attention. Likely both are true in many cases.

In a study, 79 percent of parents reported tantrums happening often.

A study published in Early Childhood Research and Practice in September 2007 monitored 33 preschool children to observe the amount and severity of their tantrums. The results showed that 79 percent of the parents reported tantrums happening often (daily to once a week). Nearly a third rated the tantrums as distressing or disturbing (a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) and half rated the tantrums as noticeable or distracting (a 3 on a 5-point scale). This illustrates that a vast majority of the children studied demonstrated noticeably loud tantrums at least once a week.

Whether the cause of disobedience lies with the children or the parents, dealing with misbehaving children effectively is essential for a healthy relationship in the future.

Proverbs speaks at length about the wise and obedient son who will make his parents proud (Proverbs 10:1; 13:1; 15:20; 17:25; 19:26). This ideal relationship is built on the biblical principles of parental nurture and discipline and an understanding by the children that they are to respect their parents—the authority that God has placed over them (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4).

Disobedience would subside if children were lovingly taught at an early age to respect the parents’ decision rather than being allowed to take control like so many examples I’ve seen out in public. Proverbs 6:20 teaches this principle very simply: “My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother.”

By learning what God expects out of us, either as the child or as the parent, we can contribute to a more rewarding relationship and avoid contributing to this negative sign of the last days.

To learn more about teaching the principle of obedience, read “Successful Parenting: What Makes It Work?”

To see the other articles in this series on signs of the perilous end times, see the “Signs of Perilous Times” category.

By guest blogger Whitney Smith

The Bible talks about the Feast of Tabernacles being a time to rejoice with family (Deuteronomy 16:13-14), and I really appreciated the opportunity to do that this year.

One of the most enjoyable experiences at the United Church of God Feast of Tabernacles site in Snowshoe, West Virginia, was the ability to truly make it a family Feast.

The wind whipped down the center street of the little village as we trekked from our hotel room to the meeting hall for church services. Although my bare skin was quite utterly freezing, my hands were kept warm. My granddad, who is 79 years old, had wrapped his hand around mine as we walked arm in arm and fitted it in tightly into my side jacket pocket alongside mine.

Despite the distances that my family has lived from my grandparents all my life, this moment seemed to make up for lost time. I couldn’t help but grin as I thought about how this Feast was a great opportunity to connect with grandparents that I don’t see regularly.

As a young adult attending Ambassador Bible Center, the desire to travel alone for the first time was in the back of mind as I began planning for the Feast of Tabernacles. Yet I decided to travel with the caravan of family vehicles and have never been so happy with that decision.

Family can offer such an exciting element to the Feast, with the ability to enjoy such a marvelous utopian setting together. With other moments together, like the one with my granddad, I was able to appreciate God’s divine creation of family.

Family is such a special element in my life, and I greatly appreciated how this Feast highlighted its importance to me. Also, being a part of God’s family has allowed me to build such strong connections, especially at Ambassador Bible Center this year. So even when I didn’t have the joys of my physical family surrounding me, I was able to share special moments with spiritual brothers and sisters.

All in all, I loved the experience of being among multiple generations in a perfect millennial setting. It was a Feast that warmed my hands—and my heart.

Whitney Smith is an editorial intern for the United Church of God and an Ambassador Bible Center student.

Today would have been my mom’s 73rd birthday. I was feeling nostalgic and rather sad. We lost her Jan. 2, 2008, and I miss her.
My nostalgia took me to the basement, and what I discovered was a gift, and a lesson, from my mom.

Tucked inside a copy of a Betty Crocker’s Good and Easy Cook Book, 1954 edition, with my mom’s name on the inside, was a note. It seems like it was a note and a Bible study Mom had prepared for me. It says:

Sharing
For God loves a cheerful giver. II Cor. 9:7
Are we cheerful givers of our time?
When Mom asks you for some help, how do you answer? Dad? Brother or sister? Neighbor?
What does it mean to share?
What are some things we share with others?
Smile–Toys–Time–Cooky–

I don’t remember when she wrote that or even when she gave me the cookbook, but I feel like she gave it to me again today. Instead of receiving gifts, Mom was always giving.

Thanks, Mom, for always sharing. I will try to be a cheerful giver till I see you again–and forever!

Ed and Angie Smith were married 65 years ago this month! Today our local congregation honored and congratulated them for this wonderful achievement, and for their sterling example of love and dedication to each other and to everyone they meet.

On their actual anniversary they were in Florida with their family including great-grandchildren celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. Harold Rhodes announced their anniversary to the delight of the crowd of nearly 2,000! The Smiths have served and shared their love with so many people over the years, I’m sure a good percentage of that crowd had personal knowledge of their wonderful example.

The lovebirds, Angie and Ed Smith!

When I first met Ed and Angie Smith, they had “only” been married 54 years! My wife and I interviewed them then for an article on “Secrets of Love.” Here is a little bit of that article:

“Edward and Angie Smith were high school sweethearts. They met when they were freshmen and started dating their senior year. They graduated in May of 1944, and were married October 8, 1944, on Angie’s 18th birthday.

“Nine months later, Edward was drafted into the army. Of course, the couple didn’t want to be separated, so Angie traveled with Edward as much as possible. But when Edward was sent to Germany for a year, Angie returned to her parents’ home.

“During that year, the Smiths did their best to stay close. Ed wrote his wife every day. Angie feels God helped them to be faithful to each other.

“Thinking back to those early years Ed says, ‘Obviously, the early portion of married life can be a “testing time”–letting your thoughts, moods, emotions and plans blend into a harmonious unit [in an effort] to become truly synergistic. Having to leave my bride of just over a year behind, while serving in the military at the Nuremberg Trials in Germany, was a sad time.”

“Finding a job just after World War II was not easy either, and there was very little pay in those days. With teamwork and careful planning, however, he explained that they were able to buy and pay for their first home.

“Over the years, Ed and Angie Smith survived many other trials, which tested their faith and courage. ‘It was not easy at all, but our love for God and one other pulled us through,’ he said.”

You can see more of their advice and the advice of some other long-married couples in the article “Secrets of Love.”

Our love and congratulations to Ed and Angie Smith. Thanks for your wonderful example!

A Pew Research survey released this week showed:

“Just 29% of Americans say that news organizations generally get the facts straight, while 63% say that news stories are often inaccurate.” That’s a huge decline since 1985, when 55% said news stories were accurate and 34% said they were inaccurate.

Where do people get most of their national and international news?

• 71% television.
• 42% the Internet (moving ahead of newspapers for the first time).
• 33% newspapers.
• 21% radio.

A Rasmussen Report survey asked Americans if they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress:

• Keep them all: 25%.
• Replace them all: 57%.

Now some quick stats from USA Today this week:

• Church with highest attendance: Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston: 43,500.
• Second highest attendance: LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, Oklahoma and 13 locations: 26,776.
• Accidents with deer each year: 1.5 million.
• Number of Stephenie Meyer books in the top 10: 4.
• U.S. currency tainted by cocaine in 2007: 67%.
• U.S. currency tainted by cocaine in 2009: 90%.
• U.S. families that eat fast food one to three times a week: 63.2%.
• Three to five times a week: 3%.
• Families that answered they never eat fast food: 33.8%.

Husbands whose wives say they never help with housework:

• Japan: 74%.
• United Kingdom: 40%.
• United States: 34% (really, I do try to help, sometimes!).
• Canada: 31%.
• U.S. 6- to 12-year-olds who buy lunch at school: 64%.
• Those who bring lunch from home: 28%.

I’m curious about the 7% who reported “other.” Did they just skip lunch? I always brought my lunch—still do!

What are your reactions to any of these stats?

A Pew Research Center study reveals some surprising, and not so surprising, statistics about job satisfaction and job security. Surprising to me:

• “Despite tough times, job satisfaction remains high. Even in the face of widespread layoffs, pay freezes and involuntary furloughs, nine-in-ten employed adults say they are either completely (30%) or mostly (60%) satisfied with their job. In recent decades, levels of job satisfaction have tended to remain stable through good times and bad.
• “Older workers are the happiest workers. Some 54% of workers ages 65 and older say they are ‘completely satisfied’ with their job, compared with just 29% of workers ages 16 to 64…a high percentage of these workers are working because they want to, not because they need to.”

Not so surprising:

• “Security trumps salary. By a ratio of nearly two-to-one, survey respondents say they would prefer a job that offers better security (59%) over one that offers higher pay (33%) but less stability. It’s not the recession that drives this preference. A similar question asked by the General Social Survey in 1989 (when the economy was in the midst of an expansion) produced a similar result.
• “Most working moms would rather have a part-time job. Among mothers of young children who have a full-time job outside the home, six-in-ten (61%) say they would prefer to work part time. By contrast, just 19% of fathers who have a full-time job and a young child say they would prefer to work part time.”

Another interesting Pew Research Center study was called “Forty Years After Woodstock, a Gentler Generation Gap.” The study showed that there are still strong generational differences, but less perception of conflict.

“Only about a quarter of the public (26%) says there are strong conflicts these days between young people and older people. By contrast, much higher shares of the public see strong conflicts today between immigrants and the native born (55%); between rich and poor (47%); and between blacks and whites (39%).”

Still, most people see young and old as quite different in areas such as:

• Work ethic (80%).
• Moral values (80%).
• The respect they show others (78%).
• Political views (74%).
• Attitudes toward different races and groups (70%).
• Religious beliefs (68%).

“By lopsided margins, the public says that older adults are superior to younger adults when it comes to their moral values, work ethic and respect for others. Even younger adults share in these assessments. The only exception to this pattern has to do with attitudes toward people of difference races. Here, a plurality of the public says that younger adults have the upper hand.”

About that declining generation gap: “Only 10% of parents of older children say they often have major disagreements with a teenage or young adult child. By contrast, nearly twice as many adult respondents (19%) say that when they themselves were in their late teens and early 20s, they often had major disagreements with their parents.”

What do you make of all this?

by guest blogger Sherrie Giddens

After slogging through the day, you many need to shake off some mud before facing the family...

As the mother of three young children, I often wished for a mud room. A well-supplied mud room would offer a small seating area, a few towels and even a robe. Placed between the garage and the kitchen, a mud room offers family members a chance to put off wet or muddy clothing before entering the home.

As my home no longer has little ones running in and out, I find myself thinking in different terms about mud rooms. Daily life can bring us into contact with people and situations that are less than godly. There are times when we may feel assaulted by the world around us, leaving us agitated or even depressed. As frustrations build up, human nature can get the best of us.

Do you need an internal mud room? Do you find it difficult to recover from a hard day, before going home to those you love?

After a hard day out in the world, Proverbs 10:20 sheds light on how important our words may be. “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver…”

By creating an internal mud room, we may find it easier to shed the dirt thrown at us during the day. A prayerful drive home, stopping for a break at a near by park or even taking a short walk—these can help us shake off some of the “mud slinging” we may have experienced. The internal mud room offers an opportunity to think about our words and how they impact those we love.

Of course there is nothing wrong with sharing the frustrations of your day. However, being able to do so with a better attitude will encourage those words of silver, love and encouragement.

I’ve written about the appalling U.S. dropout rates and the effects of not graduating from high school. This Labor Day, let’s consider further that even those who graduate from high school are often unprepared for the current job market.

A study highlighting “The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce” was released July 14 by a consortium including the Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, American Society for Training and Development and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Some key findings:

• More than a third of employers said that their newly hired high school graduates are “deficiently prepared.”
• Training for Critical Thinking/Problem Solving skills is at the top of the list of “high need” programs (91.7 percent of employers).
• 71.4 percent report a high need for Ethics/Social Responsibility training.
• 70.2 percent see a high need for Professionalism/Work Ethic training.
• 68.6 percent report a high need for Creativity/Innovation training.
• 64.2 percent said there is a high need for Lifelong Learning/Self-Direction training.

You may have noticed that some of these areas deal with character issues like ethics, social responsibility, work ethic and self-direction. These are not traditionally the domain of the schools, but of the family and the churches. I don’t believe the schools can be expected to make up for all the failings of society. The solution to these problems must start in the home. But the family has been under attack, and parents face an uphill struggle with little support.

A helpful and biblically based resource for moral education is Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension, and especially the chapter on Bringing Up a Moral Child.

I believe the combined efforts of family, church and school can make a world of difference in many areas, including the job-preparedness of the next generation.

What do you think?

Here are nine statistics, everything from the federal debt to fantasy football, that I found fascinating:

1. $1.58 trillion: This year’s U.S. federal budget deficit! This is the largest in history, but at least it’s not the $1.84 trillion estimated in May. Still, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this will lead to another $9 trillion in the next decade, on top of the $11.7 trillion in total debt we have now (source: Time, Sept. 7, 2009, p. 20).

2. 13%: U.S. mortgage holders behind on payments or in foreclosure, a record (ibid.).

3. 22%: Teens who check social networking sites more than 10 times a day.

4. 4%: Parents who think their teens check social networking sites more than 10 times a day (source: www.commonsensemedia.org/teen-social-media).

5. 39%: Teens who say they have posted something they later regretted; 13% said they have sent or posted naked or semi-naked photos or videos of themselves or others online. Only 2% of parents thought their teens had done this (ibid.).

6. 57%: College students who “said their peers used social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter for self-promotion, narcissism and attention-seeking… Two-thirds said their generation was more self-promoting, narcissistic, over-confident and attention-seeking than others” (source: USA Today, Aug. 25, 2009, p. 6D).

7. $800 million: How much the fantasy sports industry takes in each year (including the average $73 to join a fantasy football league this year, up from $59 last year) (source: Time, Aug. 31, 2009, p. 47-48).

8. $9 billion: Estimate of how much fantasy football decreases workplace productivity (ibid.).

9. 15,000: Total views to the Forward to the Kingdom blog as of today (just past the six month point). Previous stats were reported at the 100- and 200-blog post milestones.