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Parallel Worlds - Part 3 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Brian Smeltzer   
Friday, 19 June 2009 19:25
Here we go… part 3.

A few weeks ago, I was watching Supernanny. Of course, I watch it because I learn how to deal with my high-energy daughter Makenna. It’s actually been helpful on many occasions. Anyway, there was this family in England that gave their 4 year old a bottle and ground the regular food to a pulp and still fed it to their two and a half year olds… I was shocked. The parents said that the kids just couldn’t eat food unless it was all blended. That they couldn’t handle it.
Last Updated on Friday, 19 June 2009 19:26
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Parallel Worlds - Part 2 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Brian Smeltzer   
Friday, 19 June 2009 19:15
I’ve begun to realize how similar infants and toddlers are to teens.  It may seem strange but in part one I talked about loving them and how they don’t always know it or love back.  Talking with my wife today, I realized another one.  Makenna (my 21 month old) is having a really tough time understanding the difference between “no” and “wait”  Whenever we tell her to wait she gets just as upset as she does when we tell her no.  Youth do the exact same thing.  It’s just with more important things.  Makenna hears us say wait but doesn’t understand why she can’t just do it right now.  Her mental capacity isn’t to the point of comprehending these things.  It’s the same with youth.  There are lots of things that youth need to wait for but they hear wait as “no”.  Whether movies, alcohol, physicality in relationships, clothes, dating… the list goes on and on.  Having gone through the stage already, we understand the value of waiting.  As I tried to explain why Makenna couldn’t have a snack before a meal, I realized that she looked at me with the “Are you still talking?” face.  She didn’t care or know how to understand what I was saying.
Last Updated on Sunday, 21 June 2009 19:14
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Pagan Christianity PDF Print E-mail
Written by Brian Smeltzer   
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 04:47

Pagan Christianity

Here’s a few facts about how some of our current traditions in church originated. They come from the book Pagan Christianity and I think do a good job of provoking thought as to why we do what we do. What would things look like if we took these standards out? Could we still do ministry? Would we be as effective? It’s an interesting conversation to have.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 February 2010 01:09
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Parallel Worlds - Part 1 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Brian Smeltzer   
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 04:14
I’m having my second kid sometime between now and noon on Tuesday. If it doesn’t happen before Tuesday, we have to be at the hospital at 5:30am so she can be induced. I’m sitting here, thinking about life and love as my wife is eating some Mexican thing and having contractions because she heard once again that peppers and spice will get that thing into the real world. And I digress… it got me thinking about love. Strange I know, but when the wife is pregnant, I’m allowed to have random thoughts that seem significant but really probably aren’t. I remember thinking before Makenna was born that loving a newborn can be a lot like loving a teen. I don’t mean for this to oversimplify youth or make a categorical statement but could it be that they are actually very similar when it comes to love?
Last Updated on Friday, 19 June 2009 19:24
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Tragedy as an opportunity for faith PDF Print E-mail
Written by Brian Smeltzer   
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 04:04
With the 10 year anniversary of the Columbine Massacre just about a week and a half ago, I was curious to see what was being said about youth and faith at that point in time and how it still resonates now. I ran across an article on www.youthandreligion.org to share with you.

Kenda Creasy Dean comments on the response youth had to the Cassie Bernall story. She was the young woman shot after professing her faith. It spread from email and the internet before the media was able to report it. What stood out to teens wasn’t that she said yes but that she was a martyr. Someone just like them was able to look at a gunman and say what she knew was true.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 February 2010 01:08
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