Dan Gould

Tag: Parenting

  • Sunday AM Remix – 5.15.11

    Another strong weekend at FBC Harvester as we continued with week 3 of our “Parent Trapped” series. In this series we are addressing Biblical Wisdom for Popular Pitfalls. If you are like me, this series has been very helpful and encouraging!!! Understanding that NOTHING impacts my kids life more than the relationship that they have with mom and dad causes me to want to be the best parent I can be. And I am sure it does the same for you. Here are my notes from todays topic: What Parents Wish Their Children Knew.

    PARENT TRAPPED
    “What Parents Wish their Children Knew”
    Selected Scriptures

    “Whatever you do gain understanding . . .” Proverbs 2:2

    WHAT PARENTS WOULD LIKE TO SAY . . .

    1. TO ALL THEIR CHILDREN.

    ➢ “I’m not an EXPERT; this is on the JOB TRAINING.”

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

    * Parenting is by trial and error – you the kids are on trial and we the parents will make the errors.

    ➢ “When I say ‘NO’ there is usually a better ‘YES’ ahead.”

    * Parents long to say yes, but there are times that they must say no! – side note – saying no to the right things can be difficult, but our role as parents are to shape our kids in a way that protects, strengthens, and develops their character!

    * The #1 rule in Parenting: Keep the child ALIVE!

    ➢ “I’m not trying to TIE YOU DOWN; I’m trying to LAUNCH YOU OUT.”

    “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. . .” Psalm 127:4-5a (NKJV)

    * Once the warrior/archer launches the arrow, he or she cannot change it’s direction!
    * As parents, we need to be shaping and molding aiming our kids to hit the target, A personal relationship with Jesus!
    * An Arrow can go places the warrior cannot go!
    * We have an opportunity to send our kids places we can never go!

    2. TO THEIR ELEMENTARY CHILDREN.

    ➢ “You NEED Jesus!”

    “Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”
    Mark 16:16 (NLT)

    * We don’t graduate from the Gospel … we live in it!

    “Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, ‘Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.’” Luke 18:16 (NLT)

    * Many times for kids that grow up in the church, the benchmark of their faith is their baptism.

    ➢ “If you learn to OBEY NOW you can avoid some MAJOR PAIN in the future.”

    “Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.” Colossians 3:20 (NLT)

    “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV)

    “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15 (NKJV)

    3. TO THEIR TEENAGE CHILDREN.

    ➢ “Your PURITY is so important.”

    “Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.” Proverbs 20:11 (NLT)

    “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11 (NLT)

    * 4 reasons to remain pure

    ** Sin always leaves a scar
    ** When choosing to Sin, there is no guarantee you’ll be able to stop later on in life
    ** Sin produces wasted opportunities
    ** Sin produces a Life filled with regret

    ➢ “Your ATTITUDE is as important as your ACTIONS.”

    * If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you attitude should be different!

    “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)

    4. TO THEIR ADULT CHILDREN.

    ➢ “Let’s have an ONGOING RELATIONSHIP”

    “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)

    ➢ “Be faithful TO THE LORD.”

    “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.” 3 John 1:4 (NLT)

    If you missed today, I highly encourage you to watch this weeks message by clicking here and then make plans to join us next week at FBC Harvester. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us here!

    We are really excited about this series and cant wait to see what God will do next as we learn to survive and thrive as Parents and raise our kids in the type of Home they really need!

  • One More for Jesus!

    Josiah and I have been reading the Bible together before he goes to bed each night for quite sometime now. We have made it through the Old Testament and just started the New Testament. The last couple of nights have been on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Tonight, the passage was from Acts 1 when Jesus ascends to Heaven. As Josiah and I talked about the lesson, we talked about Heaven and who gets to go to Heaven. We talked about what keeps people from heaven. He knows that sin keeps people from Heaven (We’ve talked about sin for awhile and he knows what sin is). So when I told him that sin keeps us from God and if we don’t have Jesus in our heart we can’t go to Heaven, He understood it. He asked if I (me) died would I go to Heaven and I said yes because I have asked Jesus into my heart and He forgave me of my sin. And because I have done that, when I die, I get to go to Heaven. After I said this, I asked him, “What happens to people that don’t ask Jesus into their heart?” He said with a gulp, “they go to Hell.” I asked, “Why do they go to Hell?” He said, “Because Jesus hasn’t taken away their sins.”

    At this point my heart began to race. I asked Josiah, “Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins? He said, “I want too but I don’t know how!” So innocent. I said, “All you have to do is pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins. If I pray with you, do you want to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins?” He said, “Yes!” So needless to say, we called Stephanie into the room, of coarse Jackson followed, and as a family we prayed together and Josiah asked Jesus to come into his heart and forgive him for his sins. As a dad, this the moment you pray for and as a pastor/dad you try not to rush, but tonight I am proud to proclaim we have one more for Jesus in the Gould Family! Josiah asked Jesus into his heart!

  • Oh To Be A Kid

    Today I took Josiah to the dentist! In between appointments we grabbed a quick bite to eat at McDonald’s. Watching Joe play with a huge smile on his face was the highlight of the morning!

    As I sat at the dentist office, that mental picture of Joe looking down at me saying, “Daddy” with a huge smile on his face will forever be etched in my memory and on my heart!

    It made me think back to when I was a kid. Life was much easier. As a kid the biggest stress-or in my life were rainy days that kept me from playing outside or my friends not being able to play outside with me!

    Life is much different now! Even though kids are expensive (if it’s not the hospital with one, it’s the dentist with the other) they are well worth it. Everyday my boys remind me of the important things in life. They seem to always find something to make themselves happy or make us laugh. They trust and give so much not expecting anything in return. They get excited by the small things that many times are overlooked! They don’t know a stranger and are so accepting of others!

    Oh to be a kid again! Wouldn’t it be nice?

  • Ephesains 6

    “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” v. 4 (NLT)

    Being a Father is both fun and challenging.  I am learning as my boys grow they are picking up all the good and bad qualities that I show off in front of them.  The challenge as they develop is to lovingly teach them the way they should act.  How I do this has big returns in the way they respond.  For example, right now Josiah is starting to lie.  We are in the process of teaching him why he/we shouldn’t lie.  It’s a process that if we aren’t careful we could totally miss the opportunity to teach him this in a loving way and something he will struggle with his whole life.  My role as a dad has huge impacts on my boys.  Realizing this early will save me from heartache later.

    Something to think about:  When it comes to the way you interact with your kids, do you spend more time building them up or tearing them down?  Here’s what I mean, are you always pointing out things they are doing wrong or encouraging them in the things they are doing right?  I was encouraged and challenged yesterday by this thought.  As parents we should spend 90% of our time building our kids up and 10% of our time correcting behavior.

    It’s a great challenge that may seem unreasonable at first, but what do you have to lose if it does not work?

    Today, if you’re a dad, try to spend some extra time with your kids.  Encourage them by telling them the good things you see going on in their life.  Example, Josiah is only 4 but I try to encourage him daily with Words of Life.  Give it a try, it will bless you and them and bring your relationship closer.

  • Warmness = Wagon Ride, Gilling, and Family Fun

    We had some warm weather yesterday and the family tried to take advantage of it the best we could.  While grilling some steaks the boys and I played in the back yard  One of their new favorite things to do is ride in the wagon.  So, I strapped Jackson in, he like to bail mid ride and the seat belts keep him safe and contained, and pulled them around the yard.  Even though the scenery never changed we had a lot of fun.  The highlight for me was seeing Josiah pull Jackson around the yard and hearing Jackson say cheese every time he went past me! Here are some pic of our wagon ride.

  • Josiah aka Womanizer

    So, today was valentine party day at MDO where Josiah goes to school.  On Tuesday Night Stephanie had Josiah put his name on all of his classmates Valentine cards.  As he was filling them out he asked if he could give one to Dani “his girlfriend”.  Dani was the girl that Joe played with all last year.  They were in the same class but this year they are not.  So this morning, he went to the other class and gave her the Valentine present that he had picked out for her.  Her eyes got real big when she saw him and saw the little heart shaped box of chocolates, Josiah got ready to walk away and she gave him a hug! It was a proud moment for the Gould boys.  Josiah was on cloud 9 and I was so proud of him!

    When I picked him up, Dani came into his classroom and gave him a special valentine.  Again it ended with a hug.  At this age it really cute and so innocent . . . I just hope I am not training him to be the womanizer that Brittany Spears describes in her song but a young man that will treat girls and women like a daughter of the King.

    Here are some pics of him putting his classmates gifts together!

  • Jackson Update #8 from Home

    Jackson is doing much better.  He is still congested and coughs but is now eating and playing like normal.  Stephanie and I are still uneasy at night when it’s time for bed.  Jackson coughs more and has a hard time spitting it out or swallowing the mucus. (I know that’s gross) However, I do believe we have made the turn to recovery.

    On another note, our neurologist has increased is medication.  We are in the process of switching from depakote to keppra.  Stephanie and I feel that the levels of these 2 meds were too low and that’s why he had a seizure on Saturday.  Hopefully we will get those levels balanced and not have as many seizures.  That’s the whole point of switching medication.  Please pray with us in this direction.

    Thanks so much for the prayers and taking this journey with us.  I will keep you posted if things get worse!

  • Jackson Update #7 from Home

    We are glad to be home with Jackson, but I must admit last night I was questioning whether we made the right decision to come home or not.  Jackson is really congested.  He now has mucus in his nose that has to be suctioned several times throughout the day.  He has been so couped up for the last couple of days that he runs around the house like a wild man even though you can tell he doesn’t feel good.  I couldn’t imagine trying to contain or entertain him like this in the Hospital.

    We had a scare last night when he got a little choked up from the mucus right before we were going to bed.  He tried to cough it out but couldn’t.  I think he swallowed most of it, you could tell he was scared by the look on his face.  The good news is after that, the night went pretty good.  In fact, Jackson is still sleeping now, praise Jesus.

    We will keep you posted on how he is doing.  I am hoping today is a turning point like Tuesday was.  Thanks again for all the prayers and support you have shown us and Jackson!

  • Jackson Update #6 from HOME!

    We are home!!!!  But . . . Not out of the dark.  Jackson has RSV and is really congested.  The doctors told us we could stay another night, and they would watch him and suction his nose, or we could suction his nose at home on our own.  Since he didn’t need O2 or an IV anymore and because he was taking fluids, we were free to make the decision.  So here we are, at home doing the thing he hates, sucking the snot out of his nose.  Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery!!!

    Stephanie and I are excited to sleep in our own bed tonight but I’m sure we will be sleeping with one eye open to make sure Jackson is okay!

  • Jackson Update #5 Childrens Medical Dallas

    Jackson had a better day yesterday and a good night last night.  They have taken him off of his O2 and IV and he hasn’t had a fever since late yesterday morning either! So the countdown is on for our release.  He is drinking well but not eating solids to well, so I don’t know if that will keep us here or not.  So we are praying that he eats so we can go home!!!!

    Stephanie and I have conquered the pull out chair we are shutting our eyes on.  It’s not really sleep since we wake up with Jackson and nurses several times a night.