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9 Things You Should Know About Female Body Image Issues

Joe Carter has a post summarizing 9 things that should be known about “female body issues.” Some of the points surprised me. I read them aloud to my wife; she was totally unsurprised, even when I told her women begin to be concerned about their “shape” at age 6.

Body image is the mental representation we create of what we think we look like; it may or may not bear a close relation to how others actually see us. Here are nine things you should know about female body image issues:

1. The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty hired a criminal sketch artist to draw women as they see themselves and as others see them. The social experiment revealed that women’s perceptions of themselves were very different than how others view them.

2. According to the CDC, for women ages 20 years old and older, the average height for women in America is 5’3″ and weight is 166.2 pounds. For fashion models the average is 5’10″ and 120 pounds.

3. By age 6, girls start to express concerns about their own weight or shape. 40-60% of elementary school girls (ages 6-12) are concerned about their weight or about becoming too fat. This concern endures through life.


Read the rest here.

No Babies, No Future

Eric Metaxas on the economic implications of declining birth rates.

Taro Aso, Japan’s finance minister, has only been on the job for a month but he’s already stirred up enough controversy to last a lifetime.

In January, he made headlines around the world when he told a panel on social security reforms that the elderly should be permitted to “hurry up and die.” That is the kind of comment that both causes great offense and hits too close to home. . .

Read the rest or listen here.

Mohler Interviews Charles Murray

Al Mohler recently interviewed Charles Murray regarding Murray’s forthcoming book, Coming Apart. Murray is an academic who has done in-depth statistical analysis of America’s downward moral trajectory.

On one level Mohler’s interview of Murray is an intellectual discussion. But it’s interesting to note that Murray and Mohler both agree that the solution to the problem is not new public policy. Rather, stronger families are needed. A discussion which begins in statistical analysis, ends at the dinner table.

If you take the time to listen, be sure to hold on for Mohler’s thoughts at the conclusion.

Listen here.

A transcript of the interview is also available.

John MacArthur on God’s Plan for the Family

You may have to click through to my site to watch the video.

HT: Grace to You

Get Spiritually Recharged on Vacation

Image of the Griswolds not getting spiritually recharged on vacation.It’s been a long time, but I don’t recall thinking the movie Vacation was that funny. Maybe it’s because it hit too close to home – - – planning for a vacation that ended up being a spiritual drain.

How about you? Ever have a vacation where you came back feeling more stressed than when you left?  Isn’t it amazing how that can happen?  You plan rest for months, look forward to a break. And, then you come back having bickered as a family and feeling spiritually depleted.

The solution to that is to be proactive – - plan ahead.  Outline a simple, doable spiritual plan for you and your family.  Your children may roll their eyes but this will be worth it.  Make it your goal to come back from vacation spiritually recharged.

Even in 10-15 minutes a day you could do a few simple things.

Suggestions for Spiritual Renewal on Vacation

Have your whole family read the daily chapter of Proverbs one or more days.  If the date is July 18, then read Proverbs chapter 4.  Have everyone mark at least one verse that stands out and talk about those verses right before you put on the water skis.

You can do the same thing with Psalms.  Start with the date of the month, say Psalm 18, and then add 30 to go through the end of the book.  If it is the 18th, you will read Psalms 18, 48, 78, 108, and 138.  Even one chapter is great.

Or read the book of Philippians or James in the New Testament.  Read just one chapter a day and mark something that stands out to you.

An image of a helicopter in Stillman Valley.Journal a few prayers.

Memorize a Psalm in order to be moved.

Download a few sermons to listen to on your Ipod . . . I can’t resist.

And, attend church if at all possible on Sunday mornings.  Reading a chapter of the Bible over Pop Tarts is not the same as worshiping with God’s people and hearing the Word preached!

If for some reason, your dream vacation this summer is to drive down to Ogle County – - -maybe sightseeing around the nuclear plant, or going to the museum in Byron, then we would love for you to visit The Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley.  This summer, we are meeting at 9:00 on Sunday mornings.

Fathers Day at The Red Brick Church

As promised, I provided manly Father’s Day presents for children who did the homework. Our text for today was Ephesians 5:22-6:3 and the central point was that the relationship between husband and wife explain and help us understand the relationship between Christ and the Church, and likewise, the relationship between Christ and the church helps us understand marriage.

Our children shared things they are thankful for about their dads – - how their fathers protect, provide, love, laugh with, and care for them.

From my end, I was reminded once again why I am one of the most blessed pastors on earth. I so enjoyed meeting with children before the service so that we could see what we were giving their dads. And if you look at the pictures, you will see that I even provided gift bags.

Happy Father’s Day from the Cosby Show

HT: Z

Picking out Father’s Day Presents Made Easy; It’s All About Manly Verbs

If you attend The Red Brick Church picking out presents for Father’s Day just got a whole lot easier. Complete the homework and come by my study early on Sunday. I am even supplying gift bags and tissue paper.

But I recognize that not everyone can attend our church. So I’m here to help you pick out the right kind of gift for your father.

I should say by way of explanation, that for years my wife complained that she finds it difficult to buy presents for me. Inasmuch, as there is no one easier than I am to pick out present for, I found this puzzling. And I have told her as much. Still she remained baffled. Now I realize that I should have taught her how to buy presents.

Here’s the principle. It’s all about verbs. If you identify manly verbs ,then you will easily pick out the presents. Of course, you want examples, so I am supplying the below table (table 1) to spark your thinking.

Manly Verb

Possible Gifts

Poor Choices

Kill Roundup, Raid, Shotgun shells, snap traps Live traps
Eat Chocolate, Bacon, Ice Cream, Carmel Popcorn, Oreos Celery, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
Tape Duct tape, guerilla tape Scotch tape
Grease WD-40, grease, gun grease, heavy weight motor oil Vaseline, vegetable oil
Hammer Hammer, vice grips, screw drivers Knitting needles
Saw Saw, hatchet, ax, chainsaw, power saw Butter knife
Start stuff Ether, Starter fluid, jumper cables Books on dieting
Light Matches, lighter, accelerant, gas, A book on safety

Recognizing that this still may not be enough to help you understand the male mind, I am including a Red Green video below which embodies the sort of ingenuity and resourcefulness which not only won the American West, but continues to help men with remodeling projects, plumbing problems, and various other challenges in life.

 

Thankful for an Image of Church Teens Loving Church Children (and where’s Jamie?)

Part of our church’s vision for youth is that we would see interaction between different age groups, that is that we would be “intergenerational.” We don’t want to compartmentalize and isolate teens, but rather see them build relationships with our entire church family.

This year it has been a special joy to see our teens lead the drama (and we consider Eric a teen too) for our VBS. The gift they are giving the children of our church is tremendous. Our children are seeing the older church teach them by modeling the joy of Christ and of the gospel.

This doesn’t mean that we never have youth events. We do. There is a place for teens to hang out with teens. But we get really stoked when our teens model Christ for our children (or for any other age group for that matter).

*****

Notice in the below picture that my wife (lower right) is a pastor’s wife in action!

For the Father Who Has Everything

Do your homework — come by my office before church – - and I’ll supply you with a Father’s Day present–sure to please the man in your home. But you must complete the homework and leave a comment on the assignment post from earlier this week. Share something you’re thankful for about your father so I know how many presents to supply.

My wife has occasionally lamented that it’s hard for her to pick out presents for me. She has a point. I like to get books and since I already own most of what it is in print, it is hard for her to know what to buy. I tend to have very eclectic tastes.

I once suggested that Jamie buy me a tool (I owned zero tools at the time). So she bought me a hacksaw, which she later used to “hack” the bottom off a closet door, but then that’s a different story. She thought a hacksaw looked like a tool I should own.

I also like camera gear, but good gear is a little pricey and, again, she doesn’t know what is on my wish list. If she gets me a full frame camera, I will be very happy. But ONLY if she robs a bank (in a Christian sort of way) in order to pay for it.

All of which is to say, I assume that my wife and kids are not the only ones who struggle in picking out Father’s Day presents. But, hey, I’m here to help! I understand the male mind. If you visit our church on Sunday, and come by my study from 8:30-8:45 AM (but don’t be late) and if you do your homework – - – including leaving a blog comment, then I will supply you with a Father’s Day gift that guys are sure to like. (I impose a limit of 1-2 per family).

But the important thing – - -and a great way to prepare for Father’s Day together – - is to prayerfully read God’s Word together as a family.

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