Superbook: Once was old is now new

Back in the early 80s there was this animated show called Superbook that CBN had that was about two kids and a robot going back in time to the Bible era and living through the moment to learn the biblical truth. The biblical truth would be tied into what the children were doing in everyday life as to emphasize the message.

I remember making sure to watch Superbook every week, I loved it so. That and I was also fascinated in the aspects of time travel.

Well, the folks at CBN have realized that after 30 years there is still, and perhaps more of, a market for families that like this type of show. So, they have had Superbook redone. The stories have been updated to include more detail and the graphics are modernized to the CGI.

Our family was introduced to the new series because Nana started buying them and sharing them with us a couple of months ago. The kids love the show and they really are drawn in. We appreciate that we have an extra outlet for the kids to get biblical truths in their daily diet.

Your family can get introduced this coming Saturday, June 15^th in select markets in the United States. Please check HERE for your local listings.

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I have in no way been compensated for this article by CBN or it's affiliates in order to post this. I have written this post simply as a resource for Christian parents knowledge of an available tool to use for their children.

Why Trying Too Hard to Lead Your Family Doesn't Work … and what Jesus says about it

Guest Post from Tricia Goyer, co-author of Lead Your Family Like Jesus
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Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.

~Anthony Brandt

         Even though John and I had no guide for leadership in our home, we tried different things during different seasons. There was one season when we had family worship every morning with our toddlers. We’d set up small chairs in the living room and we sang kids’ worship songs together before John went to work. There were seasons of family devotions around the table. Seasons when we'd focus on character development—attempting to teach our kids about kindness and gentleness and love-your-brother-and-sister-ness. And, sadly, there were many seasons that we felt more desperate than dedicated. It got to the place where we were more focused on being dedicated than focusing on Jesus.

        

Where we came from,

Where we can go ...

It's not a surprise that most families are in desperate need of a different leadership role model. In their (our!) growing up years, many parents today grew up in homes where there was single parenting, divorce, or a misunderstanding of family roles. We were the latch key children who spent the weekend at dad’s house. Some of our parents were too lenient, others too strict. Some of our parents didn’t give us a good example of what faithfulness and commitment was all about. For many of us, our parents’ quest for happiness led us wondering where we fit into the mix.

But we have to try, don't we? If we don't know something to lead our kids to God than the kids will happily step forward to lead. Go to any park, or to Wal-mart, or even look around the church and you might see that sometimes the big people aren’t the ones calling the shots. The same is true in the home. Kids have their own televisions and computers so they can pick their entertainment. They have their own schedule of school and activities that keeps the family on the run. And in some homes meals are ordered up to each person's liking. No wonder parents feel they have very little influence. No wonder they're fearful of the teen years when kids can talk back and walk out.

What parents need to understand is WE are an influence and leadership is something we need to embrace. We just need to make sure we're doing it with the right focus. I struggled with what to do and how to do it, and still focus on Jesus. That's when I came upon a verse that caused my heart to sing:

“[God] tends his flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

he gently leads those that have young.”

I loved that verse because God was talking about us—John and I. The Lord was our shepherd, and this verse reminded us that He was leading us while we led our little ones.

When it comes to leading in the home we don't have to do it alone. There are things we may try, but God knows what our family needs most … and when. When we turn to Him, He will carry us. He will place a song on our heart. He will remind us of a Scripture to read. And as Jesus leads us, we can share His goodness with our kids. We tell them what Jesus says about it, “Look to me, focus on me, and I will never disappoint.”

         
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Tricia Goyer is a co-author of Lead Your Family Like Jesus. 
Tricia Goyer has written more than thirty-five books, including both novels that delight and entertain readers and non- fiction titles that offer encouragement and hope. She has also published more than 500 articles in national publications such as Guideposts,Thriving Family, Proverbs 31, and HomeLife Magazine.
To learn more about Tricia please visit her website at www.triciagoyer.com

Encouraging Dad

It can sometimes be difficult to just let your husband take care of leading the devotions or taking care of separating squabbling children, especially if you have been a single mom or if dad works on the road or long hours. Even so, that does not mean it is impossible.

The husband is to be the priest of the home, and the family is protected by his priesthood. Being cautious with the word priest, I am using it synonymous with spiritual leader here.

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4 (KJV)

As wives, we are not to take the authority away from our husbands but to support and encourage them.

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.." - Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (KJV)

It is the duty of both parents to raise up the family in the way of the Lord.

A word from Tricia Goyer on Encouraging Husbands.

P.S. Order Lead Your Family Like Jesus before March 20 and then you are eligible to receive a free bundle of downloadable resources! See the link in the sidebar for more information.

Keeping it Fun! Play time

One of the things that we have discovered with our family and you may have learned with your own is that most kids love to play games.

One of the most recent games that we added last year was the family edition of Apples to Apples and the kids, all six of them 8-18, enjoyed playing it once they figured it out. So, for Easter we are hoping to wrangle the Bible Edition for the family. (ssshhh! The kids don't know yet.)

Apples to Apples, Bible Edition Game By Cactus Game Design Expand your "core" knowledge of Christian history with this hilarious, award-winning game! Apples to Apples, Bible Edition brings the award winning card and party game, Apples to Apples, to the Christian community. Players will delight in the clever comparisons while expanding their knowledge of the Bible. Comparing people, places, things, and events, players match their cards with the judge's. The closest match wins the round. But you've got to be fast, because if your card is the last one on the table, you lose! Inside you'll find 432 Red Apple cards, 144 Green Apple cards, 2 card trays and quick play rules. Games are fast--about 20 to 30 minutes per game, and it's an easy game to learn. Recommended for 4 to 10 players, ages 9 and up.

above links will take you to an outside site from ParentsForChrist.com that are affiliate links.

With our family as large as it is, we try to have a special gift at Easter but we do not typically get all of the kids an Easter basket, we do live frugally. With our desire to live for the Lord and to raise our family in a God centered home this game looks to be a welcome addition.

This is of course in addition to focusing on why we celebrate Easter, or better suited Resurrection Sunday.

How do you have fun with your family? Do you have special traditions?

Do you have a varying ages that you like to include together when looking for a family game? What works for you?

Does your family have an EGO problem?

In the new book by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges & Tricia Goyer, Lead Your Family Like Jesus: Powerful Parenting Principles from the Creator of Families, EGO is addressed. EGO as in "edging God out."

It can be very easy to get caught up in what I as an individual can do when facing the daily grind, let alone the struggles that can become worrisome.

In the following excerpt from the book, we can see how important it is to skip the pride and "exalt God only" by finding peace.

LEAD YOUR FAMILY LIKE JESUS excerpt HERE

P.S. Order Lead Your Family Like Jesus before March 20 and then you are eligible to receive a free bundle of downloadable resources!

Being the Example

It is truly amazing how things can get away from us. As a friend posted the other day,

"Time is free, but it is priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back." 

This is very true. Time if not well spent gets away from us and then we are often times left with the regret of wasting it.

While I regret leaving out site off to the side and not a priority for the last few months and not being the best at up keep. I know that I had my priorities right because our family comes first. We do hope to be able to be a lot more frequent with updates and postings.

As always our goal has been to lead by example. Sometimes that is difficult to show online. When our children need to be shown how to put God before video games and television, we have to show them by being the example.

It is similar to when Jesus taught about the good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-37), he used the parable to show the example of how we are to act towards our neighbor. This was also enforced by Jesus' own actions multiple times through out the new testament when He would associate with tax collectors, vagabonds, and other people that were looked at with disgrace.

If Jesus taught the disciples and other followers by examples, then shouldn't we?