Happy Valentine's Day: There is a new girl in my life!

In my hand is my 30-year-old parent/child 

dedication bible.  Christ is the center of my

 life and that is how we plan on raising our 

children as well. Love you Mom and Dad!

Fumble! Turnover. Lost the handle. Dropped ball.

During the process of implementing Family Ministry we can miss the point. As each church and in each individual family makes advantageous changes to create a culture that influences a family’s faith we can lose sight of some very important truths. In the middle of identifying and learning new definitions, trying and failing new faith building skills, and raising godly disciples we can forget.

Our kids will grow up and have kids. Read that again slowly. You are not only influencing the faith of your children, you’re influencing the faith of your grandchildren, and on an on and on…

READ: Psalm 145:4-5

May I remind you about my two grandfathers?

1. Webb Fox was my mother’s dad. He was a strawberry farmer and a custodian. He wasn’t educated. He barely survived the depression. Because of his thankfulness for Presidents FDR’s New Deal Work Programs he was a lifelong Democrat. Every opportunity he had, he would share his testimony. It was a sordid story about a broken down sinner saved by grace who became a New Beginning in Jesus. What does the Fox say? He says, “Jesus saved and changed my life!” Webb Fox raised a house full of daughters, including my mother, with the same undeniable faith in Jesus. If you “google” Webb Fox you will find no trace of him. But if you look at the lives of his daughters and their families you can’t deny his faith was indeed influencial!
2. Roy Sallee was my father’s dad. I never knew him. He died as a result of poor choices and alcoholism when my dad was 6 years old. I learned at the age of 13 that his name was never to be mentioned due to the shame and pain that his name represented. I never spoke to my dad about his father. It’s really very sad. This is not the type of influence you want to have on your family.

You cannot imagine the joy that leaped out of our hearts when we saw the photo of Julie (above) this week on Facebook. Carol replied in the comment section:

Mom and Dad = Gram and Pops--and we can't wait to have our new names. We are so proud of you and the godly woman you are and the godly man you married. So delighted that little pink Bible has "come back into play."

I didn’t comment on Facebook because I knew immediately what I would be blogging about the following Friday. If you are mildly or aggressively annoyed that every new grandparent can’t stop talking about, thinking about, or bragging about their grandchildren there is something you need to know

We cannot help ourselves!

• Grandpaw has lost it!
• He has gone off the deep end.
• He is a puddle of tears of joy!
• Have you seen the latest 4 D ultrasound image of my grand daughter, “C.C.?”

Julie, C.C., & Kyle Partin

If you are asking yourself, “Wait a minute, she isn’t even born yet?” May I remind you to keep you misinformed, ignorant, mindless question to yourself? You don’t know! I cannot help myself! If God blesses you the way He has blessed me, maybe someday you too will understand. When faith in Jesus Christ is bridging the generations, when Jesus is real in the hearts of your adult children, when they commit themselves to raising godly disciple of Jesus, then the thrill you sense is unexplainably powerful!

I want to continue to influence the faith of my kids. But now, more than ever, I want to plant, water, and nurture seeds of faith in my grandkids.

I challenge you to raise your kids with your grandkids in mind!

I’ll see you soon, C.C., Pops loves you!