How To Be A Great Kid Series

· Selfishness because it creates what Medved calls "the syndrome of entitlement"—the sense that we’re all entitled to "ceaseless arrays of ecstatic pleasures"—just like the characters on "Friends" or "Ally McBeal." Programs like these teach that if some aspects of our lives—like our responsibilities at home, chores, mundane things—are not endlessly exciting, we ought to replace them. That’s why families fall apart cuz it is not as exciting as an episode of “Survivor” or tantalizing and exotic as a movie like “Out of Africa”

To create an atmosphere of obedience, a culture of obedience, we need to begin to use our God-given brains and not turn it off when we watch TV programs. Ask questions. Don’t let your brains go to mush, or be a zombie. Are u blindly accept that the X-files message that the truth is out there, in fact the truth is that that show will be canned after this season. Or is your life based on truth of Christ? See His obedience that goes for long-term gain. See His sacrifice that will bring lasting peace for the world. See His cross, which tells of delayed gratification, to create a heaven for us, where sin and evil is eradicated forever. See the truth that will set u free. Listen well to God’s definition of obedience… it is an obedience of chosen love, that is optimistic giving hope, delays gratification, goes for long-term redemptive gain not short-term happiness.

Some years ago, Erma Bombeck printed a piece about having the meanness

parents in all the world. It went something like this:

I had the meanest parents in all the world. When I was seven years old they

dared to spank me just because I told them I would not do what they asked me

to do to help around the house. My friend next door never got spanked. He

didn’t have to help at home. He had nice parents.

I had the meanest parents. I had to eat all my broccoli and carrots before

they would ever let me have dessert. My friend next door never had to eat

vegetables. He had fast food brought in with burgers and shakes and brownies

with all kinds of ice cream.

I had the meanest parents. They made me go to church every Sunday as long as

I lived under their roof, sit there in that boring worship service. My

friend next door could do as he pleased. He never went to church. Sunday was

a fun day for him.

I had the meanest parents. They made me work for my allowance. I had to get

a job helping an elderly old man with chores around his house. My friend

next door never had to do anything and he was given four times as much

allowance as I could ever earn. He had nice parents.

I had the meanest parents. When I turned sixteen, they made me earn points

before I could drive the family car. My friend next door was given a brand

new luxury automobile. My folks had bought an old jalopy for me to get back

and forth to school, but you think I’d drive that hunk of junk and park it

beside those Jeep Wagoneers, BMWs, Buicks and Mercedes? My friend had it

made.

Or so I once thought, but, when we reached age thirty, I had a change in