Hal Young's Blog, page 41

Loading Your Rubber Band Gun

Did you order a rubber band gun from our Merry Christmas Shop? Here’s a short video with tips on how to load it.

Of course, when you see how slick these items work, you might want one for yourself …

Biblical Manhood

Feel free to share, friends! And don’t miss the lowest price of the year on Raising Real Men in our Merry Christmas Shop! 

Another Piece of the Puzzle?

We’ve been talking lately about the growing number of late-twenty-somethings we know who would like to be married, but there isn’t even a hint on the horizon. What’s up?  One article we ran across last week thinks the culture is to blame. The author suggests that women just aren’t women any more and men don’t like the change. Read it here. What do you think?

Thanksgiving Graphics

 

 

 

One of the most important things we can do to preserve our liberties and pass on our faith is to teach the next generation why they are important. Please feel free to share these images on your family friendly (only) sites – just don’t alter them and please link back to us.

A Good Thing

When we were working on our workshop on purity for boys, we were surprised at some of the research we found that says that the average age of first (and hopefully only!) marriage has gone up drastically in the last generation. For men, the median age has gone up from 22 or 23 to 28 and for women, it’s gone up from 20 or 21 to 26.

What does that have to do with purity? Well, the median age at the onset of puberty has dropped from 16 or 17 in the 1850′s to 11 or 12 now. That means that our sons and daughters are fighting the battles of purity without the help of marriage for much, much longer than previous generations, as long as 17 years or more!

We’ve been thinking a lot about why people are getting married so much later. There are probably many reasons: some young women feeling like they need to get a career off the ground before they marry, some young men lacking ambition and playing video games instead of getting out and getting settled in their careers, an increase in those going to college or graduate school (especially among women) and also, just the terrible economy. The worst reason is that the culture of marriage is dwindling in our culture. In the 60s, 80% or more of 25 to 34 year olds were married, now it’s 45% or less. This is true despite research showing that married people live longer and are happier.

What is puzzling to us is that we’re seeing the same rise in median age of marriage in the Christian and homeschool community and at least anecdotally, we’re hearing lots of young women feeling ready for marriage and asking, “Where are the guys?” Of course, the economy affects all of us, and increased levels of education pretty much do, too, but we’d hope that there would be fewer couch potato guys among the Christians!

So, what’s up in our own community? We think there are a couple of things behind it: unreasonable expectations and cultural bleedover.

When we first heard about courtship, we liked the idea from the start – don’t start pursuing a wife until you’re going to be able to support one and when you do, go about it honorably with both sets of parents involved. So far, so good, but we were surprised when we heard others advocate that a young man be so settled that he owns a house debt free. Wow. Most of the people I know didn’t own a house debt free until their fifties – that kind of precludes grandchildren! Now, in recent years, I’ve heard those views moderated, but the high expectations for young men financially have been heard loud and clear by the young men themselves. In a conversation recently with several young college men and college graduates, they expressed despair. Most were working outside their field of study and making a third what they’d expected to be making at this point. They said, “There’s no way I can approach a father about his daughter. I may not be able to for years at this rate.” I wonder if some of the girls and their fathers might actually be willing to accept a hard-working young man who just isn’t making much, but will the young men ask when they’re afraid they don’t meet the standard?

On the other hand, the cultural situation has bled over some, too. I remember when a college graduate we know said once, “Man, I hope the Lord brings the right one around soon!” Someone immediately spoke up, “Oh no! There’s plenty of time for that. Have some fun, go to graduate school, spend time on yourself first.” The speaker was a Christian, but it’s just the expected response these days. In fact, if a young man is going to be prepared to take his place as a husband and father, he needs some encouragement in that direction.

He who finds a wife finds a good thing,

And obtains favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22

Are we teaching our boys that? Are we telling them that marriage is a good thing? It’s probably not occurred to many of us. I mean, you talk to your girls about marriage and family life, you can hardly avoid it, they are playing and talking about it from the time they’re babies themselves. What about the boys, though? It just doesn’t come up that much. And, it’s going to come up less and less if we leave it to the culture.

Instead, we need to be teaching our boys that being a husband and father is a noble thing. We need to help them see that marrying, fathering children, and raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is one of the most effective ways to change the future. That through leading a family, they will be producing a new generation of warriors for Christ.

And then we need to equip them to do that. Teach them to follow Christ, and to stand alone when they must. Encourage them to be men, to be responsible, to handle independence well. Tell them them the stories of great men and teach them not to be afraid of hardship. When we were first married, we were so poor, we’d share a can of soup for lunch, but we wouldn’t trade those years for any amount of comfort. We need to help them get committed to the local church and learn to lead a family spiritually. We need to teach them to have courage and persistence – even in approaching a girl’s stern-looking father. It’s worth it. After all, we want grandchildren, don’t you?

What do you think? Do we need to be teaching our sons more about the goodness of marriage or is this late marriage a good thing?

Hal & Melanie

For more about purity & boys, get our workshop, Shining Armor: Your Son’s Battle for Purity and our book, Raising Real Men:  Surviving , Teaching and Appreciating Boys.  For more about marriage, keep your eyes pealed for our new book, My Beloved and My Friend!

 

Christian Science Fiction? Really!

I loved, loved, loved science fiction as a teen. I read everything I could get my hands on. I’ve cautioned our children away from the genre in general, though. Why? Because many, if not most science fiction authors seem motivated by trying to redo Creation in their own image without God’s Law or His presence. I hate that, because I love the adventurous side of sci fi. That’s why I was delighted to hear about something entirely different this week.

Knox’s Irregulars by J. Wesley Bush is a military action novel set a couple of hundred years from now after the discovery of faster than light propulsion. I was surprised and delighted to find the planet settled by two groups from earth – followers of a violent syncretic Asian religion and Reformed Christian believers! And it was totally believable. The events follow a young man from a politically powerful family who is on the front lines defending New Geneva from invasion. When the border units are completely wiped out except for his own, he must lead his people to safety, then figure out what is their duty. He ends up leading the Resistance after the Army pulls back too quickly for them to follow. You really just can’t imagine how entertaining this novel is as a Christian and military thriller lover.

This book avoided some of the problematic issues of science fiction – there are no aliens, all settlers are from earth, and there is no intimation that man is any other than he is – a fallen creature in need of grace. That was refreshing. There is nothing problematic at all in my opinion. One character does have a son who born out of wedlock before the book opens, but it is shown for what it is – difficult, resulting from sin, but also showing God’s grace in the mother’s love for the child. The novel’s antagonist desires to capture the heroine for his own evil purposes, but it is handled very discreetly and is not titillating or immodest at all – and he fails in that purpose entirely. Once someone uses the Lord’s name in vain, but is rebuked for it.

The characters were well-developed and likeable – or not, as the author intended. Knox, the main character struggles with his relationship with God, but finds peace through the trials at the end in a real relationship with his Savior. Other characters struggle with faith, revenge, anger, and submission. The spiritual battles are not simplistic, but are very true-to-life. I particularly like the way the character Nabil, who is motivated by hatred and revenge develops through the novel.

J. Wesley & Alexandra Bush

 

I am just delighted to find a science fiction novel that meets my standards. I have thought a lot about how that genre might be redeemed and  J. Wesley Bush does a great job of it. Sounds like he has the background for it, too: Amazon says he served as “airborne infantryman, military intelligence cryptolinguist, NGO worker, and historian. He also spent two years as a unicyclist in a circus.” You’ve got to love it! This is book you can hand your sons without a problem. And the best part? It’s free on Kindle (or Kindle for PC, if you don’t own a Kindle) at Amazon through tomorrow, the 15th. Highly Recommended.

Knox’s Irregulars, J. Wesley Bush, 2011., $11.98. Available from Amazon for $7.64 and FREE on Kindle through 11/15.

And no, Hal didn’t write this one, I did. What can I say? God made me to be the mother of many boys! ~Melanie

For more great reading suggestions, scroll down to the bottom of our Links and Lists Page.

For heroes from the past instead of the future, check out Hero Tales from American History by Theodore Roosevelt in our audiobooks with sound effects!

And check out our Merry Christmas Shop for other great ways to entertain and inspire young men!

 

We received this book free of charge as a part of a regular Kindle promotion, but the opinions are entirely our own, as you ought to know if you hang around here.  

 

Why Veterans Day?

Did you know today was Veterans Day? The day we set aside to remember and thank all those who’ve served our country in the Armed Forces. It’s those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that keep our country safe.

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th?

It’s because on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Armistice was signed that ended the hostilities of World War I. For years afterward, this day was celebrated as Armistice Day. In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks started a movement to honor all veterans on that day and in the following years, Armistice Day became Veterans Day.

Why the silk poppies?

During World War I, Canadian physician Lt Colonel John McCrae wrote a poem remembering a friend who’d died in battle and thinking about the poppies growing on his grave – the poppies were about the only thing that would grow in the war torn soil. This poem inspired people to wear red poppies in remembrance of those who fought.

In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Wow, when I read that this week I can’t help thinking about our Founding Fathers and their  battle for our liberties. Will we take up the torch of freedom and pass it on to our children – and to others? Let’s do all we can to educate everyone we know about the principles that have made this country what it is. Veterans Day would be a good start.

Thank you to all who have served in the military of this country to preserve our freedoms. May God bless you.

(And thanks for serving, too, Hal! ~Melanie)

I Found 18 Reasons

We have some friends who are staunch third-party advocates. “Democrat or Republican, there’s not a bit of difference between them,” they say. We disagree, and strenuously, but ignore that for now. If you’re disappointed in the choices available in the presidential race–and we probably all feel that at one time or another–there’s more in play than The Big Prize.

The ballot in our district includes more than 18 elections, from president on down to three seats on our town council (our booming metropolis is home to 12,000 on a good day).

Why should we be concerned about these “small” races?

Because Andrew Jackson started as a district judge in Tennessee
Grover Cleveland was the sheriff of Erie County, New York
Calvin Coolidge was mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts
Harry S Truman was first elected as a county court judge in Missouri

Or the state legislature?

George Washington first served in the Virginia House of Burgesses.
So did Thomas Jefferson.
Abraham Lincoln was an Illinois state representative.
Theodore Roosevelt was first elected as a New York state Assemblyman.
Franklin D. Roosevelt served in the New York state Senate.
Barack Obama began in the Illinois state Senate.

Other state offices?

Millard Fillmore was New York state comptroller
Warren G. Harding was lieutenant governor of Ohio
Bill Clinton was Arkansas attorney general

Several governors (20), Congressmen (19) , and U.S. Senators (16) eventually served in the White House, too.

In fact, only three presidents held no prior political office – retired Generals Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. (There is an interesting list here.)

If you don’t like your choices for president, think seriously about the choices you make down the ballot. Those offices are important today, and those races will shape the choices your children have for president, governor, or Congress down the road.  You might look at your county council or district attorney’s race and decide, “No presidential prospects there!” –and statistically speaking, you’re probably right—but remember those are the kind of men and women who end up on candidate search committees, platform committees, and nomination votes.

Small races are important–don’t ignore them. Please, go vote.

(And while you’re there, please go ahead and vote for the presidential candidate you believe most likely to lead our country in the right direction!)

Will Your Son Write The Great American Novel?

Here’s a great way to get him interested — National Novel Writing Month!

NaNoWriMo is a simple challenge — can you pour out 50,000 words in the month of November? (Or if you’re a younger writer, make it a smaller target — The Great Gatsby was only about 26,000 words).

How much is that?  Estimate about two pages per thousand words (more if there’s lots of paragraph breaks and dialogue).

The organizers admit that writing at a breakneck pace is simply meant to get the story out of your head and onto paper. Then, if you like what you’ve started, you can begin revising and editing. The goal is to get off the starting line and actually begin writing — perfection can come later!

We have friends (a mother and the kids too!) who have done NaNoWriMo every year for several years. Before we wrote Raising Real Men, I dabbled a bit with it (and may one day finish the 15,000-words or so under that belt). Two of our sons have done it, too , and had a great time — why not check it out?  You may be surprised how many people around you are secret writers — over 200,000 a year!

Where We’ll Be In November

Monday 11/5 – Glen Allen, Va. 

“Walk In Truth” Home Educators (WIT)

Mom’s Fellowship Meeting, 7 p.m.

Staples Mill Road Baptist Church

10101 Staples Mill Road

Thursday 11/8 – Richmond, Va.

Homeschoolers At Grove

Main Sanctuary, 6:30 p.m.

Grove Avenue Baptist Church

8701 Ridge Road

Sunday 11/25 – Garner, N.C.

Southwest Wake Christian Assembly

Regular Sunday Worship Service, 9:30 a.m.

Meeting at Wake Christian Academy, Building D

Franklin Pierce Road (off Simkins Road)