Orange

Our teaching Pastor, Scott, just finished a 4 week series on the color ORANGE. I know what you're asking, what does Orange stand for.

Orange is two combined influences coming together to form one influence.

What makes the color orange? Red and Yellow, right? For purposes of this series, Red represents the home/family and yellow represents the church.

It's our journey to try to change a generation of young people to follow God. Did you know that 80% of kids, when they turn 18, turn AWAY from God. How sad is that? That's a horrible statistic. Is it just the parents responsiblity, NO. It's the entire church working with the parents. When a child is baptized, the entire congregation is asked, Will you support this family and this child and help them grow with God. And typically, the congregation answers yes. That holds the church, that holds YOU responsible to helping to change a generation.

Why am I writing about this today you ask? Well, yesterday was the final message and it hit home for Chris and I.

http://www.sonrisechurch.info/campus-messages/fort-wayne-campus/

Yesterday, we were told to imagine the end for our children. Imagine them graduating from high school and entering college. Imagine them sitting in their dorm room after you've said goodbye. What do you expect of them? How do you want them to act?

Create a rhythm. This is where Chris and I really need to work. We aren't perfect parents, we're not a perfect family. The concept doesn't exsist. If we don't take the time now for Matthew, he'll be a statistic.

Israel, remember this! The Lord and the Lord alone- is our God. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Write them on the door posts of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Did you see what the scripture said about our children. OUR children. Teach them...Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Impress upon them these commands. Create a rhythm with your child. Take the opportunities to talk to your child about the Lord.

Chris and I, we took for granted the fact that Matthew was in a christian school. We left the responsiblity up to the school to make sure Matthew was feed the scripture. It wasn't just their job to do this.

In order for Matthew to overcome the statistics and for that 80% to be lowered, parents have to create a rhythm with their children. They have to take the time to talk to their children.

Chris and I, we took this to heart. We've started the wheels in motion. Yesterday, we took the time over dinner to talk about God. We talked about morals and what God expects from us.

It felt good. It felt right. I felt like we were making good choices as parents. Yes, Matthew knows that you should Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul. and with all your strength. He knows this. He knows that prayer is important. We've made sure that he has gone to church and that he was baptized. I don't think Chris and I have done a bad job on making sure Matthew has been "feed" the scripture but we have fallen short. We've tried to lead by example but as parents tend to do, but we've not always made the best choices.

I feel blessed to have found a church in Fort Wayne that fulfills my needs not only as a christian but also as a parent. I feel blessed to know that I have a support system in my church to help make sure that Matthew stays on the right path. I feel blessed that I am a child of God and that no matter what obstacles in parenting I may endure, God will always be there to help me keep on the right path.

While this series was only 4 weeks, it will be remembered as a way to live our life.

Two combined influences, Red and Yellow, to create one influence, ORANGE. I can live Orange, my family can live Orange. We can live Orange for Matthew.