• 1. Control Issues (who should run the church)


• 2. Poor people skills


• 3. Church's resistance to change


• 4. Minister's leadership style (too strong or too weak)


• 5. Decline in attendance and/or conditions


• 6. Conflict with other staff


• 7. Disagreement over doctrine


• 8. Ethical misconduct


• 9. Sexual misconduct


• 10. Poor work ethic (lazy)

QUESTIONS:

• In your lifetime, why have you seen ministers/preachers leave?



• Does anything about this list surprise you or not surprise you?



• I'd be curious to know from others in ministry, how important is it to you when looking for a church to work with, to find one that has a history of keeping ministers for a long time?

Labels: Ministry, Preachers, Top Ten List

1. It does nothing to reach its community.
2. The only thing that seems alive in worship is the greenery at the front of the auditorium.
3. The song you sing most on Sundays is, "Tis so sweet to Rust in Jesus."
4. Worship is quiet because there are no children.
5. Its only conversions come from baptizing its own kids.
6. It is concerned with look and not action.
7. It is happy just being comfortable.
8. It is out of touch with the 21st century.
9. It is all about money, buildings and budgets.
10. It is all politics.

Can you add any to this list?

Labels: Church, Top Ten List

Labels: Blogging, Top Ten List

• lying
• loss of trust
• inability to express your needs and feelings
• not listening
• being self-centered
• angry arguments
• lack of touch
• lack of time

After talking about intimacy killers for a minute we decided that the above list didn't fit us very well. So we decided to make our own list of intimacy killers that we have struggled with in our marriage. So without further ado, here is the first ever top 10 list that Lea has actually helped me to comprise. Trey and Lea's top ten intimacy killers....

1. Children
2. Kids
3. Offspring
4. Babies (Thankfully we're past this.)
5. Toddlers (Past this one, too)
6. Pre-teens
7. Teenagers
8. Niños (if you speak Spanish)
9. Taylor, Parker, Connor & Cooper
10. Yes, you guessed it, children

Okay, just so you know, we do believe our children are blessings in our lives and not burdens. But, after we finished our list we just laughed and laughed. I asked her if it would be okay to share our top ten list with the blogging world. She said, "Sure, go ahead." God is sure good to me to put Lea in my life. I definitely married up!

Has your "intimacy killer's" list ever resembled ours?

Labels: Marriage, Top Ten List

1. A HEALTHY FAMILY DISPLAYS AN IRRATIONAL LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. It's not just any love, it's irrational and unconditional. It's an "I'd die for you love." It's a love that would go to any length to help one another.



2. A HEALTHY FAMILY COMMUNICATES TO ONE ANOTHER IN A LOVING AND GRACEFUL WAY. The inability to communicate is one of the top reasons for divorce in America. We need to learn to communicate in a way that shows love and grace. No yelling, no name calling and no pouting when you don't get your way. As Steven Covey puts it, "See first to understand and then to be understood."



3. A HEALTHY FAMILY AFFIRMS THE VALUE AND UNIQUENESS OF EACH PERSON IN THE FAMILY. God must have a sense of humor. Why else would He put polar opposites in families. I wrote about this recently in detail (here). Every person in your family is valuable and important. God made them just the way He wanted them. There should be no black sheep or outcasts in families.



4. A HEALTHY FAMILY VOWS TO NEVER ABUSE, SHAME OR INTIMIDATE ONE ANOTHER. The most deeply wounded in this world are those who have looked to their parents for love and support, but instead of receiving love they were yelled at, kicked or hit. Parents who abuse, shame and intimidate their children take home all the prizes at a "soul-shattering" contest. Healthy families don't do this!



5. A HEALTHY FAMILY SHARES A COMMON SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION. Families today don't need a little dose of God but a LARGE dose of God. Families need dads to be the spiritual leaders in the homes and not just send their families to church but go with them.



6. A HEALTHY FAMILY INSTILLS A SENSE OF RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER. Parents should start teaching their children at a young age that God loves everyone. He doesn't love one class of people more than another or one race of people more than another. Red, yellow, black and white, they are all precious in His sight. We are to respect others, because God loves them.



7. A HEALTHY FAMILY TEACHES BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN ACTIONS. It's frustrating to look around and see that no one wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore. Everyone is looking to blame everyone else for what they did wrong. It's time that we start teaching in our families again that we take responsibilities for our own actions.



8. A HEALTHY FAMILY PLAYS TOGETHER. The most vivid memories I have as a kid are those that involve a time that we were playing as a family. A vacation, a backyard ballgame or a trip to grandparents. Playing as a family is essential. It builds lasting memories and teaches us it's okay to have fun. I believe the family that plays together stays together.



9. A HEALTHY FAMILY CELEBRATES RITUALS AND TRADITIONS TOGETHER. Rituals and traditions teach your children permanence. It tells them ahead of time, "we'll be together again next year." I have a friend that always took his four boys to the state basketball tournament every year. They stayed in the same hotel, ate at the same restaurants and stopped at the same places. It taught his boys that it didn't matter how crazy things got in life sometimes, they always knew that come spring they'd be going to Austin for the basketball tourney with dad. They would be together and everything was going to be okay.



10. A HEALTHY FAMILY SEEKS HELP WHEN THEY HAVE PROBLEMS. Healthy families don't sweep problems under the rug. They don't pretend like everything is okay. Instead, a healthy family seeks help when they have a problem they can't handle by themselves. They seek help from a counselor, minister, elder or friend. But what ever you do, don't just ignore it and think it'll go away.

HOMEWORK: How about a little homework assignment? I'm planning on sharing this list with my family tonight at supper to see what they think. I plan on asking them how we are doing on these things and see if they can think of any others I've missed. I challenge you to do the same. Sit down with your family and talk about the list, and ask them, "How are we doing on each of these? Are we a healthy family that's batting 1000 or are we striking out on some of these?" Then after discussing the list, post it on the refrigerator or some place that it can be seen, so it will remind you of what you've promised each other. Besides in a few months your son or daughter will probably look at it and remind you, "Number 8 on this list says we're supposed to play together ... do we intend to do that in my lifetime?"

Labels: Family, Top Ten List

1. GOD WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY: I've heard this phrase more than any other. Most of the time it's from the person that's wanting out of a marriage and they are looking for a reason. "But I believe God wants me to be happy in marriage and I'm not," has been muttered a million times. Understand this, happiness comes and goes in marriage. You will not always be happy all of the time. It'll take work from both sides to be happy.
   
   
2. THE KEY TO A LONG MARRIAGE IS ROMANTIC LOVE AND SOME LUCK: I can't help but smile when young couples who are wanting to get married tell me, "Trey, we'll be alright. When things get bad, we'll live off the love we have for each other." It's at this time I'm usually looking for a trash can so I can throw up. Believe it or not, marriages that last are built on good old-fashion work; no one ever "lives on love." Good marriages and even great marriages don't just happen, they take work. What kind of work? Read a book, attend a weekend marriage seminar, go through a His Needs Her Needs class, take a weekend to get away without the kids, be willing to make changes in your own life or simply start by asking your spouse "How are we doing?"
   
   
3. HAVING KIDS WILL BRING YOU CLOSER TOGETHER AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE: Actually most studies show the opposite. The stress of having children often pushes the struggling marriage of a husband and wife farther apart. If you have children make sure you maintain your relationship with your spouse. Continue to date, spend time together and go for walks to keep your relationship strong with your spouse. If you focus 100% of your time and energy on your children you relationship with suffer from it.
   
   
4. COUPLES WHO LIVE TOGETHER BEFORE MARRIAGE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF HAVING A LONG LASTING MARRIAGE: Actually that's false. The divorce rate is quite a bit higher for couples who have lived together before marriage than it is for those who didn't.
   
   
5. ALL MY NEEDS WILL BE MET ALL THE TIME IN MARRIAGE: That's a big whopping lie. Hopefully your spouse will do everything they can to meet your needs, but thinking every need will be met at just the perfect time is unrealistic. There will be times in your marriage that "romance" will be lacking. Your spouse won't always be there at your every beckon call for sexual fulfillment. Plain and simple, your goal is not to get your own needs met in marriage, but to meet your spouse's needs and in turn they meet yours.
   
   
6. MY SPOUSE WILL KNOW MY NEEDS WITHOUT ME SAYING ANYTHING: No way. Just because you are married doesn't mean your spouse can read your mind. You have to tell your spouse what your needs are in order to have them met. Quit giving your spouse the stupid old phrase of, "We'll you should know my needs without me having to tell you."
   
   
7. CONFLICT WILL NEVER HAPPEN IN MARRIAGE: Conflict happens in every marriage. In fact, conflict can often bring growth in your marriage. I'm not saying that the couple who is constantly having a knock-down-drag-out will have a healthy marriage, but that working through conflict can bring marital growth.
   
   
8. A HAPPY MARRIAGE WILL NOT HAVE PROBLEMS: Every marriage will have its problems. Couples who truly love each other have problems and stress just as any other two people. In order to make it through the difficult times, the couple must have a commitment to each other and effective and honest communication. Seek help when you come to an impasse.
   
   
9. MARRIED PEOPLE HAVE LESS SEX AND LESS SATISFYING SEX THAN SINGLE PEOPLE: I don't know how many times I've heard this, but it's just not true (read this). According to a national survey, married people have more sex than their single counterparts and report more physical and emotional satisfaction. Maybe it's because it the way God created it to be!!!
   
   
10. MY SPOUSE WILL CHANGE AFTER WE'RE MARRIED & THINGS WILL BE BETTER AFTER WE'RE MARRIED: People and things do change. However, the most accurate prediction of the kind of companion your spouse will be in the future is the kind of companion he or she is right now. Those who marry a person with the intention of overhauling their personality or of converting them usually face serious disappointments.

In the long run, marriage is built on good old-fashion work. Your marriage needs love, support, tolerance, communication, realistic expectations, caring, nurturing, and even a sense of humor to be successful.

Did I leave any "myths" off that you can think of?

Labels: His Needs Her Needs, Marriage, Top Ten List

1. Surprise your spouse by finding a babysitter for the kids and going out on a date.
2. Leave a romantic note for your spouse to find.
3. Give your spouse a "good" kiss for no reason at all.
4. Call your spouse during the day just to say "I love you."
5. Make a list of "25 Things" that you love about your spouse.
6. Mail something to your spouse.
7. Men ... send flowers to your wife at her work place.
8. Compliment your spouse everyday.
9. Plan an evening at home together by yourselves.
10. Give your spouse a massage.

So, can you add some more?

Labels: Marriage, Top Ten List

1. Your spouse carries a picture of the back of your head in their wallet because this is what they normally see.
   
   
2. Sitemeter goes down and you have a panic attack.
   
   
3. The first thing you do when visiting a new blog is to see if your blog is on their blogroll.
   
   
4. Your spouse's lawyer serves you with divorce papers by leaving a comment on your blog.
   
   
5. One of your children walk up to you while you're at your computer and you ask, "Now, which one are you?"
   
   
6. Your mom finds out you're having another child by reading your blog.
   
   
7. You find yourself thinking, “That's a great blog idea,” so you get out of bed in the middle of the night to write the idea down.
   
   
8. You’re putting off going to bed with your beautiful wife so that you can think of number ten on your top ten list.
   
   
9. You decide to take a sabbatical from your blog for a full day.
   
   
10. You have more friends in the blogging world than in your real world.

Labels: Blogging, Top Ten List

1. People sleeping (of course).



2. A child playing a Gameboy.



3. A man on the front pew clipping his toe nails.



4. My zipper unzipped.



5. A man doubled-over in pain in the foyer at the back of the auditorium and unable to get any ones attention to help him.



6. One of my children "wave" at me.



7. People listening intently (thankfully).



8. The electricity goes off and it becomes pitch black. Someone lit a small candle, placed it on the pulpit and I was told to keep preaching, so I did.



9. Hearing the "snap" of a mouse-trap in the empty baptistery behind me and then hearing the "screeching" of a dieing rat through the rest of the sermon (during a gospel meeting at a little country church).



10. A man getting so tickled at something I said that I had to stop and let him catch his breath before continuing.

Labels: Preaching, Top Ten List

1. He Cared About People. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to discovers that "huge crowds" were always gathering around Jesus. There were times when the crowds nearly crushed him. What was it about Jesus that attracted people to him like a magnet? He served others, loved them and guided them into a relationship with his Father. He didn't look for "deserving" people to care for (there were none) ... but "undeserving." He healed, fed and touched those in need (Mark 10:45). He taught us what real ministry is: Service. There was no class distinction for Jesus. He cared for the fishermen, tax collectors, the adulterer and the 5 time divorcee. He cared about people.



2. Jesus Was A Man of Action. His life would have been one big action movie. There was nothing boring about his life. He spent his time here not just telling people how to live, but showing (action) people how to live. He showed us God through his actions (John 14:9).



3. Jesus Communicated with the Common Man. There seems to be two kinds of teachers in this world ... communicators and intellectuals. Communicators take the difficult and make it simple. Intellectuals take the simple and make it difficult. Unfortunately, there are far too many intellectuals trying to communicate the Gospel today. Jesus was simply a communicator. He didn't preach many expository sermons. There are some instances where he uses scripture, however, the overwhelming majority of the time he told stories and painted pictures. He taught with a towel, a bird, a flower, a shepherd, a son, a coin, a flower, a child, a plank and other stories to make his point.



4. Jesus Had Something To Say. After he preached the sermon on the mount, the people were amazed by his teaching because he taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29). Like the old E.F. Hutton commercial, when Jesus talked, people listened. I love the fact that Jesus taught on significant things that people needed to know. Things like eternity, death, how to treat one another, how to forgive and how to enter the Kingdom of God. He didn't spend much time preaching a lot of history lessons.



5. Jesus Offended the Religious People & Hung Out With Sinners. The only people who Jesus looked down on were the "religious" people who looked down on others. Jesus didn't give a rip what the religious people thought of him. Jesus called them snakes, vipers and white washed tombs (Matthew 23:25-36). Instead, Jesus hung out with sinners. The people Jesus reached out to were the "sinners", the prostitutes, the fishermen, the adulterer, the divorcee and the tax collectors (Luke 19:10, Matthew 9:12). Jesus hung out with the wrong type of people. He hung out with them so much that he was even accused of being a drunkard and a glutton.



6. Jesus Came as a Common Man. It amazes me that Jesus, the Son of God, came not as a prince born in a fancy clean castle, but instead as a common man born in a barn. He worked, sweated, hurt, became angry, was happy, was sad, was tempted and experienced death. All the same things I experience day to day. He knows what it's like to be a common person and relates to my struggles (Hebrews 2:18).



7. Jesus Offered What No One Else Could. Sales people will promise you the sky, but only Jesus can give you peace and salvation (John 14:27, John 14:6). No one can give you what Jesus can.



8. Jesus Offered Himself for Me. I had no shot at heaven and no shot at a relationship with God. Jesus took my sin upon himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Now, because of his sacrifice for me, I will stand before God in judgement as perfect. I can hear it now, "Father," Jesus says, "I'd like you to meet Trey, the perfect one" (I just hope my wife's there to hear that).



9. Jesus Had One Goal and He Accomplished It. His goal was to do the will of His Father. Jesus didn't need a mission statement, he just came to ... “do my Father’s will.” I guess if that was good enough for him…. it’s good enough for me. I'm tired of talking about mission statements, vision statements, strategies and goals. I just want to "do my Father's will."



10. Jesus ... (You Fill in # 10 With One You Like!)

Labels: Jesus, Top Ten List

9. The Holiness of God - R.C. Sproul
Chapter 4, "The Trauma of Holiness" is an absolutely fantastic chapter.

3. Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

No book has challenged my faith more in how I see the church and what real church is all about.

2. Finish Strong - Steve Farrar

Definitely the #2 book on my list. By far this book has influenced me as much as any I've read other than the Bible. I've literally read this book a dozen times. Any Steve Farrar book is great gift for a husband or dad, but this one is a must read for all men.

1. The Bible

Still the best selling book in the world and the only book I never get tired of reading. This one is a must read!

So here are 10 books that have greatly affected my life in a positive way. What are some that make your top 10 list?

Labels: General, Top Ten List

Labels: Top Ten List

1. You can get cleaned up, dressed and be gone in under 20 minutes.


2. You can go to the restroom without 15 of your friends.


3. When you dress, you only have to pick between two pair of shoes.


4. Taking a shower only involves a bar of green deodorant soap.


5. If you show up to a social event wearing the same shirt as another man ... that's cool!


6. You never have to read an instruction manual.


7. You're never lost.


8. When it comes to accessorizing with your clothes, you have only two choices: brown belt or black belt.


9. All phone conversations are under 1 minute.


10. You only need one small bag for a week long trip.

Can you think of any others?

Labels: Top Ten List

1. You really can't remember if it was Moses or Noah that took the animals on the ark.



2. You fall for the old preacher's joke, "Turn in your bibles to the book of Hezekiah," when there really is no book of Hezekiah.



3. You think the old saying "cleanliness is next to godliness" is actually a verse in the Bible.



4. The preacher announces the sermon is from Genesis and you have to check the table of contents.



5. You think Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego are 3 of the 31 ice cream flavors at Baskin Robins.



6. You're just sure that "Do not dance" and "Do not gamble" are two of the ten commandments.



7. You notice that your bible that you've had for the past twenty years still feels and smells new.



8. You think Hercules was an Old Testament judge.



9. You believe absolutely everything that the newspaper and television says, but you question the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible.



10. You say, "So that's where it's been," when your discover your bible in the same box as your old high school year books.

Labels: Bible, Top Ten List

Labels: Top Ten List

1. Healthy churches talk about Jesus all the time. Their main focus isn't their building, their budget or their bottom line, it's Jesus. They don't have gimmicks, they have Jesus. He's at the center of everything they do and teach.
   


2. Healthy churches communicate clearly. The key to success in real estate is location, location, location. The key to success in most all the areas of the church is communication, communication, communication. Use bulletins, newsletters, handouts, email and websites to communicate. You cannot over communicate your visions, goals and plans.
   


3. Healthy churches involve people. Healthy churches don't have 10% of the people doing 90% of the work. You've got to incorporate and involve people. Let them know they are needed.
   


4. Healthy churches use the Bible. It's the best book ever. It's full of answers for people's lives. To use something other than the bible is stupid. Don't tell me that if you teach from the bible, people won't come - nothing is further from the truth.
   


5. Healthy churches put a BIG focus on children. Children are the future. You cannot put to much emphasis on the youth and children. VBS, bible classes, youth functions and youth ministers are all valuable assets in reaching, teaching and raising youth.
   


6. Healthy churches teach the Bible in a way people can understand. A lesson taught or preached without any application is a great mistake. People must be challenged. People need practical lessons that will help in their daily lives. God didn't make the bible difficult, so you don't need to either.
   


7. Healthy churches open their arms and lives to others. Healthy churches know that there are times when physical needs are more important than spiritual needs. As they old saying goes, "People don't care about what you know, till they know how much you care." The church not just about learning Christianity it's about LIVING Christianity.
   


8. Healthy churches are actively involved in outreach. One of the traits of a healthy church is they are always looking for ways to reach out to the lost around them. Their mission is to share the good news. And they remind themselves regularly, "To keep the main thing, the main thing."
   


9. Healthy churches have leaders who lead. Churches will take on the personality of the leadership. If the leadership is passive and unwilling to set an example the above mentioned things ... the church will follow. But when a leadership stands up and goes to work, you watch, so will the church.
   


10. Healthy churches have an atmosphere where people will want to bring their unchurched friends. I don't know how many times I've heard in the past, "The last place I wanted to bring my friend was to church, because I knew the preacher would say something to embarrass them or me." How sad. The church needs to be a safe environment where people know I can bring my family or friend without them getting their "hides nailed to the wall."

Here's 10 traits of a healthy church ... What can you think of that I missed?

Labels: Church, Top Ten List

Labels: Preachers, Top Ten List

1. If you consider the church roll the Lambs book of Life.
   


2. If you're disgusted by the moral filth that is playing out of your own VCR/DVD player.



3. If you think Christianity is about rules rather than relationship.



4. If you think any church that has experienced growth must be watering down the Gospel.



5. If you rebuke the visiting preacher for not wearing a tie when he was in the pulpit.



6. If you won't let your kids watch "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" because there's a witch in the movie.



7. If you only see what is wrong in others and never what is right.



8. If you feel it's your spiritual job to "fix" other people, because you only see what's wrong in others and never what's right. If you're so obsessed with traditions and religion that you miss that it's all about Jesus.



9. If you accept only the KJV as authorized because it's the version that Paul & Silas carried.



10. If you're more concerned with who's waiting on the table and what they're wearing, than focusing on the sacrifice & death of Jesus Christ.

What can you add to this list?

Labels: Hypocrites, Top Ten List

2. Tell them there is a dress code, that they need a tie, need to wear pants, need to take off their cap or need to dress up more.

3. Let them hear you gripe about everything from the sermon, to the song leader, to the song selection.

4. Don't ask them if there is any thing they need or if there is anything you can pray about for them.

5. Have the preacher not be prepared.

6. Sing only old slow songs and do it with no life, feeling, heart or meaning. You know like, "Tis so sweet to rust in Jesus."

7. Have the preacher preach about why everyone else is going to hell. And have him name names if he can.

8. Embarrass them by calling to much attention to them. You know, make the stand up and do the wave or wear party hats.

9. Completely ignore them like they are not there. Don't greet them, welcome them or say hello to them.

10. Have a worship service that morning that has only a funeral type atmosphere. We're not there to celebrate anything, unless you count the resurrection, your salvation, your hope, your blessings, your ...

* So, what are some other ones I missed?

Labels: Top Ten List

• CRIME: Even after controlling for family background variables such as mother's education level, race, family income, and number of siblings, as well as neighborhood variables such as unemployment rates and median income, boys who grew up outside of intact marriages were, on average, more than twice as likely as other boys to end up in jail.


• DRUGS & ALCOHOL: Even after controlling for the effects of gender, age, race-ethnicity, family income, and residential mobility, teens in single-parent and stepparent families were 2 times more likely to use illegal drugs compared to teens in intact, two-parent married families.


• EDUCATION: Even after controlling for differences in income, children who were born out of wedlock and either remained in a single-parent family or whose mother subsequently married had significantly poorer math and reading scores and lower levels of academic performance than children from continuously married households.


• POVERTY: Single-parent families are five times as likely to be poor as married-couple families. In 1999, 6.3 percent of married-couple families with children were living in poverty, compared to 31.8 percent of single-parent families with children.

I ran across this Top 10 List on www.fatherhood.org:

How to Be A Better Dad...

1. Respect Your Children's Mother: One of the best things a father can do for his children is to respect their mother. If you are married, keep your marriage strong and vital. If you're not married, it is still important to respect and support the mother of your children. A father and mother who respect each other, and let their children know it, provide a secure environment for them. When children see their parents respecting each other, they are more likely to feel that they are also accepted and respected.


2. Spend Time with Your Children: How a father spends his time tells his children what's important to him. If you always seem to busy for your children, they will feel neglected no matter what you say. Treasuring children often means sacrificing other things, but it is essential to spend time with your children. Kids grow up so quickly. Missed opportunities are forever lost.


3. Earn the Right to Be Heard: All too often the only time a father speaks to his children is when they have done something wrong. That's why so many children cringe when their mother says, "Your father wants to talk with you." Begin talking with your kids when they are very young so that difficult subjects will be easier to handle as they get older. Take time and listen to their ideas and problems.


4. Discipline with Love: All children need guidance and discipline, not as punishment, but to set reasonable limits. Remind your children of the consequences of their actions and provide meaningful rewards for desirable behavior. Fathers who discipline in a calm and fair manner show love for their children.


5. Be a Role Model: Fathers are role models to their kids whether they realize it or not. A girl who spends time with a loving father grows up knowing she deserves to be treated with respect by boys, and what to look for in a husband. Fathers can teach sons what is important in life by demonstrating honesty, humility and responsibility. "All the world's a stage..." and a father plays one of the most vital roles.


6. Be a Teacher: Too many fathers think teaching is something others do. But a father who teaches his children about right and wrong, and encourages them to do their best, will see his children make good choices. Involved fathers use everyday examples to help their children learn the basic lessons of life.


7. Eat Together as a Family: Sharing a meal together (breakfast, lunch or dinner) can be an important part of healthy family life. In addition to providing some structure in a busy day, it gives kids the chance to talk about what they are doing and want to do. It is also a good time for fathers to listen and give advice. Most importantly, it is a time for families to be together each day.


8. Read to Your Children: In a world where television often dominates the lives of children, it is important that fathers make the effort to read to their children. Children learn best by doing and reading, as well as seeing and hearing. Begin reading to your children when they are very young. When they are older encourage them to read on their own. Instilling your children with a love for reading is one of the best ways to ensure they will have a lifetime of personal and career growth.


9. Show Affection: Children need the security that comes from knowing they are wanted, accepted and loved by their family. Parents, especially fathers, need to feel both comfortable and willing to hug their children. Showing affection everyday is the best way to let your children know that you love them.


10. Realize that a Father's Job Is Never Done: Even after children are grown and ready to leave home, they will still look to their fathers for wisdom and advice. Whether it's continued schooling, a new job or a wedding, fathers continue to play an essential part in the lives of their children as they grow and, perhaps, marry and build their own families.

Just to sum it all up... "Be a Dad!"

Labels: Dads, Fathers, Parenting, Top Ten List