Going to Church

When I was young, my family went to church every week.  Well, you may be thinking "Of course, since Grandad is a minister!", but remember in the past almost everyone went to church every week.  Your Dad did too.

On Sunday mornings you probably wonder, "Mom, why do we have to go to church ??"  Well, there are lots of reasons - here are the main ones:

• If you pay attention at church, you'll find it provides a foundation for being a good person and making good decisions.....  and the right decision sometimes means choosing a more difficult path.
• I want you to have a "church family".  In any church congregation, you will get to know a diverse group of people - young and old, richer and poorer, and usually friendly.  In my experience, the adults at church are genuinely interested in children... that means YOU ! 
• We need to do things that benefit others.  It's tempting to focus only on what we want for ourselves.  Church helps us remember how important it is to spend our time, energy, and money supporting other people.
• I want you to be familiar with many stories and teachings from the bible, and hope you come to enjoy church music.  And also hope you'll be comfortable with prayer, since there will be trying times in your life when praying can make you feel better - plus, as an extra bonus, some prayers are answered !!

So, yes we're going to go to church.... as I try to raise up two boys to become thoughtful men.

Take a few minutes and read the NCFE blog entry below - and watch the My Sweet Lord video from "Concert for George".  This 2002 concert was a tribute to George Harrison of the Beatles.  The performers include Billy Preston (singing), Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Star:

      My Sweet Lord

Choices We Make

Sasha and Brock, today I was thinking about the choices we make in how we treat people in our lives.  I decided to read about military codes of honor, particularly since your grandfather was an army officer.  I found interesting information about the history and substance of the US Armed Forces code of conduct here:  Code of Conduct

Well, we're not in the army.  But we make decisions every day about what we say and do.  Remember that the way we treat others is a reflection on ourselves - because it's important to consider how others feel and to absolutely avoid acting like a bully.  And because people notice our behaviors and develop opinions about the kind of people we are.  So, here are a few basic rules to consider as you spend time with kids and grown-ups:

• Don't call anyone names.
• Don't be intentionally mean (such as tease kids at school or anywhere else, talk about them, put them down).
• Always be polite, with people you like and also with people you don't especially like.

Remember you are the next generation of Carroll boys and should try to make your grandfather proud.