This isn’t the film, but it’s a “teaser”:
This film-in-progress was referenced in an Op-Doc in the New York Times called The Role of Youth. In that piece, the video filmmaker says:
This video [embedded above and sourced below] draws on ideas and material from a larger film we are making called “Teenage.” That project examines the history of youth and shows how teenagers, as we know them today, were born.
I’ve been reading a couple of books from the late 1800’s lately. They have offered me an interesting historical perspective on family dynamics.
One common, historical fallacy that I have learned thus far is that things “back in the day” were not rosy or perfect by any means and the very things that are deficient today are the things that were deficient back then. Things just haven’t just gotten worse over time, they haven’t even gotten better… they are just continually bad.
The alarms and the pleas for change often went unheard and un-practiced. Hmm? I wonder if that is how it will always be? Anyway…
Samuel Clarkson wrote a book called The Church at Home: A Plea for Family Religion (available for free @ Google Books) circa 1860.
There is a common saying we say now that seems to have been true back in 1860: More is caught than taught. Here is how Clarkson put it:
“Who does not know… that there is a teaching of the life louder than that of the lip. Children are practical logicians. They are, in their way, inductive philosophers. They will draw inferences from facts. Might not many say,
‘My father often speaks and acts as if “the one thing needful” were to make money, to gain position of worldly influence, to seek these things first – though I have heard him read in the Bible that “the kingdom of God and his righteousness” are first to be sought, and “all other things shall be added.”‘
“Is it a surprising thing that such children learn to prefer the world to God?”
It’s sounds a lot like: Do as I say, not as I do.
I wonder when we as parents will wise up, recognize the things we say (and even teach), and actually do them ourselves. Because, and we all know this, our children and those who are watching our lives, will mimic what we do, not what we say to do.
Reading this exhortation in a modern book carries some weight to it because it’s just good wisdom. Hearing this exhortation in a much older book, almost in the same way, makes these sorts of pleas much more historic and the root problems that much more sinister and deeply held.
Hmmm… I wonder what will the impetus be for us as parents to realize the error of our ways and let others (our spouses, our friends, even our enemies) hold us accountable to change how we behave into what we really believe?
Or maybe the problem is that we don’t really believe.
“Our brains and bodies need quiet time where they’re not doing anything at all.
“This doesn’t mean zoning out in front of the television for an hour and it doesn’t mean getting a full eight hours of sleep per night.
“It means setting aside time to process the events of the day, and perhaps the days before.
“It means letting your brain rid itself of all the excess thought you’ve accumulated from constantly doing.
I’ve got a stash of instant oatmeal in my office for the times when I forget my lunch and I need something quick and easy to eat. Typically I’ll grab a couple of packets, “cook” it in the microwave, then slowly eat it over the next 30 minutes while I’m doing other tasks. Then, I place the crusty remains of the oatmeal bowl in the kitchen sink and let it soak. More often than not, I would forget the bowl was there and someone would clean it up for me.
My kids have this down (at least for now). That’s why they are always asking Amanda and I the question: “Why?” They know that it doesn’t matter unless they know the reason they are doing or the function of the object in question.
Why, why, why? This question might get annoying in a blog post, but it is a vital question to entertain.
Asking the question, why, gives one purpose and intentionality. And it allows you to count the cost before hand.
This is part of a series called Patty Proverbs. When I was in college @ Multnomah University in Portland, our professor, Dr. Steve Patty, shared some proverbial leadership wisdom with his students. These are his “proverbs.”
Sometimes you want to do things in the right way, but they are just not right.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do something.
Ethics should trump pragmatics every time.
Character does matter. Success doesn’t have to come at the cost of character. If it does, then it’s not worth having success – it’s needs to be redefined.
This is part of a series called Patty Proverbs. When I was in college @ Multnomah University in Portland, our professor, Dr. Steve Patty, shared some proverbial leadership wisdom with his students. These are his “proverbs.”
I think in almost any circumstance, it is wise to lay hands on no one, than the wrong person. It takes a lot of work, insight, wisdom, and discernment to hire the right person for the job. But in almost every circumstance it is better to wait for the right person than go ahead with the wrong person.
As a children and middle school pastor, I lead an eclectic and fun group of volunteers. There have been a few instances where I have learned this proverb the hard way.
In our church overall, there are instances where I’ve seen us make too “hasty” a decision for someone to lead. I think we’ve done more things right than wrong, but from experience, I really see the importance of patience and wisdom when it comes to commissioning someone to lead.
This is part of a series called Patty Proverbs. When I was in college @ Multnomah University in Portland, our professor, Dr. Steve Patty, shared some proverbial leadership wisdom with his students. These are his “proverbs.”
At the beginning of Acts 9, Saul is a really bad dude. He is in hot pursuit of any followers of the “Way” (Christians) and has authority to put them in prison.
On his way to Damascus, Saul was blinded by a light, fell to the ground, had a conversation with Jesus, didn’t eat food for three days, met up with Ananias, and got his sight back. Then Saul started preaching about Jesus to people! They were kind of freaked out at first because the guy who had been the ultimate bad guy was now a good guy, but could they really trust him. But he was good.
God knew what he was doing. Saul, who would later be named Paul, was going to be:
“…my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15 NLT)
This story recounts how Saul/Paul met Jesus. How did you meet Jesus?
Main Street Curriculum // Year 3 // Week 35
Story Lesson (384.53kb, pdf)
Audio (10.67mb, mp3)
Video 2 (4.29.12 @ Vimeo)
Video 1 (5.3.09 @ Vimeo)
When I was in college, I was an RA (Resident Assistant) in the older men’s dormitory. I had made a decision that one of my fellow RA’s thought was incorrect and he asked to meet in order to clarify and, possibly, to change my mind.
I don’t remember the issue at hand, but I will ALWAYS remember one of the stupidest thing I’ve ever said was:
I made this for the Main Street students to go along with the story of Saul’s Conversion on the Road to Damascus in Acts 9.
source Vimeo
As leaders, we know that we fail. And in those failures we hope that those we work with are the forgiving and understanding kind of folk. We know that anyone who is successful they have had to fail their way to success.
The dark side to this “success” of sorts is this:
What is the difference between a $15 and a $30 steak? A piece of parsley.
Good idea vs. best idea. Often add something extra to it. Often the little extra things go very far.
This is the excellence principle. If things are worth doing, then do them well… or at the very least, do them increasingly well.
However, in one’s endeavor for excellence, please do not mistake the “parsley” for the steak. The steak is what sustains. The Gospel is what feeds one’s soul… not an excellent video.
Don’t lose sight of the steak in pursuit of the perfect garnish!
This is part of a series called Patty Proverbs. When I was in college @ Multnomah University in Portland, our professor, Dr. Steve Patty, shared some proverbial leadership wisdom with his students. These are his “proverbs.”