Bringing up boys

No men are born gay. And even if one insist on being a gay, it can be reversed. Yes, it's this book again by Dr. James Dobson who host Focus on Family. Why are there kids who killed their own parents or ran amok killing his friends in college? For parents who are too busy to read this book, below are some highlighted issues which you may consider when raising your son, a loan from God. Hence, we are very much accountable in raising them in accordance to the truth. 

1) boys need structure, boys need supervision and they need to be civilized. 

2) boys need fatherly figure to emulate especially after the age of 3. 

3) NO ONE IS BORN GAY OR LESBIAN. Dr James dedicated a chapter to explain on the origin of Homosexuality with the support of researches and statistics. Fathers have to do their part to "mirror and affirm his son's maleness". 

4) schools for boys - they just can't sit down unlike girls. Hence, greater patience is needed. 

5) postmodernism - everything in the media is telling our kids what is "good" when it is not. Limit kids access to internet, TV, etc.

6) set the rules and discipline them when they misbehave. Also giving him a measure of self-control and the ability to postpone gratification 

7) Rules without Relationship lead to Rebellion 

8) words can build or break - 5 mins of our communication will determine the rest of it. 

9) Parents have the authority given by God to direct and shape their kids's behavior.

10) Train boys to be respectful and responsible 

Kane and Abel

I've just finished reading Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel, a 545 pages book from cover to cover. Frankly, it was my first time to read Archer's book and also first time to be able to finish such long book within 3 days with my son around. 

The book, being one of the bestsellers of Archer's and also one of the best liked book by Archer himself has made its imprint into my heart for the past few days. Archer's skill in weaving the plots and characters in the story made you want to bury your head in the book and do nothing else. And so was the guilt of letting my son watch Toy Story 2 while I finished the last chapters of the book this morning. 

From the start of the story, you would be captured by how Archer carved out the first character in the story, Wladek or later known as Abel. Then you would also fall in love with William, described as tall and handsome and many more...

There are a few that I don't quite like about the story. First, should there be so many adultery or involvement of sex in the story? The plots themselves are sufficient to entice one to read on without having so many of the "seductive" ones. Another dislike was on how Archer kills the characters in the story. You just could not fall in love with the characters because soon it would be killed. That's how sad the story was. I have to admit I cried more than three times reading the story. It hurt me to know that Leon has to die due to his protective action of shielding Wladek from the butt of a rifle; Florentyna has to die after being raped by 16 Russian soldiers, William's father death in Titanic, and so on...The story is filled with bloodshed and deaths. 

The last part of the story, which I wanted it to be a happy ending turned out to be sad - William died before he managed to see his daughter-in-law and grandchildren for the first time! I was devastated. How could Archer end the story like that? I mean, isn't the feud between William and Abel long enough to make them kindle and be friends before one of them die? 

And the father-daughter relationship between Abel and Florentyna made me mesmerised those moments I shared with  my late Dad. Dad was so much like the aged Abel, just that he was not as shrewd. But how I wish that the story would end as in Abel knew that William was his benefactor and that should kindle the rivals between both of them. 

Overall, the story made me cry and made me built walls around myself and it would be for days before I could rejoin the real world again for the general election. It is painful to live in a self-made world. I guess this is what people called, "detachment anxiety" from the world we have created through reading a story, just like how Harry Porter had also deeply injected into my heart. Oh, how could these people write into others' hearts? I should learn...

TITLE      : KANE AND ABEL
AUTHOR : JEFFREY ARCHER

God's Smuggler

It's simply amazing! Never had I read any non-fiction book with such thrill. Once it landed in my hands, I buried my face in it at every opportunity. Frankly, I don't get much time to read a day except when my son is taking his nap. 

Although excited, reading this book was slower than I had thought. This is due to the fact I had a pen and a ruler with me all the time underlining every miracle mentioned in the book. It was difficult to resist the urge to underline each miracle that I came across as I felt they touched me deeply. Each time the narrative, Brother Andrew, faced with a great new challenge, my heart raced faster than ever. Each challenge ended graciously, showing the work of God and how faith saved Andrew. 

This book alone speaks volume of God's grace, merciful love and most of all, His power and protection against all odds. I've cried tears of joy and thankfulness for being granted this book. I guess it's a calling from God to renew my faith in Him. 

Since there are too many miracles to mention here, I'll give an instance which I like very much. It was about the Volkswagon that Andrew used for the purpose of transporting Bibles. While he was on his way from East Germany to Poland, his car breathed its last. With him in the car were two Dutch students. He needed five hundred Marks to have the engine changed and another thirty Marks to purchase gasoline on the way home. However, after changing every last guilder, it all came to 470 Marks only. He walked back to the garage and as he could no longer hold the truth from the mechanic, the two students raced through the door, "one of them waiving something in his hand. 'Andy!' he shouted. 'Craziest thing ever happened to me! We were just walking along the street when this lady came up to us and asked if we were Dutchmen. When I said yes, she gave me this bill. She said God wanted us to have it!'

The bill was for fifty Marks." 

Isn't that fantastic? If you have just gasped at the miracle above, you're recommended to read the book yourself to take your breath away with dozens of other miracles in the book. 

BOOK TITLE : GOD'S SMUGGLER

AUTHOR        : Brother Andrew with John and Elizabeth Sherrill

PUBLISHER   : Hodder & Stoughton 
LOCATION    : Great Britain

The Enemy Within

It was an ordinary Sunday's afternoon after church service and I had the 'push' to visit my church's library for some inspiring and spirit-uplifting books. Within 10 minutes, I found this book, The Enemy Within. Well, who is that 'enemy' that the book is talking about? I think for most Christians, we know that it's our flesh and the sins that our flesh indulges into. 

As I read the book, I could not stop nodding my head in agreement with Kris Lundgaard who talks about the power and defeat of sin. 

Lundgaard's book consist of four parts. Part One is about power of sin, Part Two; how sin works in us, Part Three; The Power of Sin in What It Does and Part Four; Nailing the Lid on Sin's Coffin. Lundgaard starts the book with a story of himself wanting to surprise his wife. After some struggling moment through the job, he realised he did not have the necessary tool to finish it off. And it was then that his boys started a rivalry which caused him to lose his temper all at once. After that incident, he felt like a whipped puppy. With that, he quoted Paul in Romans 7:21, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me." From there, Lundgaard proceeds to explain the truth in that verse and how true it is that in every heart, there is a law which draws us to sin. How often do you find yourself wanting to do good and the next minute, WHAM!, there goes our temper and conscience. 

I like how Lundgaard explains the soul which comprises the mind, the affections and the will. 

The mind is the sentinel, commanded to watch carefully over the soul by questioning, assessing, and making judgments: Will this please God? Is this according to God's Word? If the mind determines that an action is right, the affections should fall in line and desire, long for, and cling to that which the mind said was good. Last, the will puts the soul into action, carrying out what the mind said was good and the affections hungered for. If your mind is persuaded to believe a sin is good for your soul, and your affections work up an appetite for it, your will gives its consent - the dominoes fall and the flesh bears its putrid fruit in your life.   

(Lundgaard; 1998: 56)

The Enemy Within is easy to understand and Lundgaard's perfect use of metaphor and good writing encourage readers to put on their thinking cap. After each chapter, Lundgaard includes a section with questions for reflection and discussion. Therefore, it encourages one to search and read more of the Bible. 

Below is the information of the book: 

BOOK TITLE: The Enemy Within

AUTHOR       : Kris Lundgaard

PUBLISHER  : P&R Publishing

LOCATION   : United States of America