Seriously Steve 3: Relaxing His Grip as He Prepares to Turn 70?

[Jana814]

25 minutes ago, MomJeans said:

Steve is that old guy in church who loudly complains about the children around him to embarrass their parents, and who has to tell the Pastor that the Pastor missed an important part of his sermon.  

Jeremiah 9:23 Steve.  I know you visit here.

 

I can definitely see him doing this. I bet this could be part of the reason why he wanted to start the nursing home church. He got to control everything. 

[smittykins]

Back when my church had young children attending regularly, they would hand out “children’s bulletins” with coloring pages and puzzles based on that week’s Gospel reading.

[FloraDoraDolly]

There's also this thing called Sunday school, where kids can learn about Jesus and the Bible at a level that they can understand. A five-year-old shouldn't be expected to sit still and listen to a sermon that is aimed at adults. And the adults in church surely don't want their pastor dumbing down the sermons so that the average five-year-old can understand them.

[MomJeans]

I can't find it, but I could swear the Maxwells were anti-Sunday school.  (too much fun, no doubt.)

[Hane]

1 hour ago, FloraDoraDolly said:

There's also this thing called Sunday school, where kids can learn about Jesus and the Bible at a level that they can understand. A five-year-old shouldn't be expected to sit still and listen to a sermon that is aimed at adults. And the adults in church surely don't want their pastor dumbing down the sermons so that the average five-year-old can understand them.

When my (UU) church had a large number of kids, the beginning of the service was intergenerational, then the kids would go off to their religious ed classes. Everyone would come back together for coffee hour.

[JermajestyDuggar]

5 hours ago, smittykins said:

Back when my church had young children attending regularly, they would hand out “children’s bulletins” with coloring pages and puzzles based on that week’s Gospel reading.

Ah yes. My cousins and I would play hangman on those sheets. Steve would have had a conniption fit had he seen that. 

[bluelady]

16 hours ago, Hane said:

When my (UU) church had a large number of kids, the beginning of the service was intergenerational, then the kids would go off to their religious ed classes. Everyone would come back together for coffee hour.

This is how our church (the United Church of Canada) handled it.  Ten or fifteen minutes together, then the minister told a children's story and then the kids went off to Sunday school. I don't go to church anymore but I assume the practice remains the same

 

[Hane]

@bluelady, there’s a lot of overlap between UU and UCC practices, in large part because the Unitarian Church was an offshoot of the United Church of Christ (Congregational).

[fundiefan]

Today's "article" is schmoozing for sales of Teri's books. 

And the greatest thing Stevie boy can say about his wife is that she homeschooled for 30 years. 

Such deep, emotional bonds they must share. Not. 

[Jana814]

I’m not surprised Steve wrote about Teri the way he did. He never saw her as a equal in anything. He has such a big ego & this proves it. 

[ClareDeLune]

1 hour ago, fundiefan said:

Today's "article" is schmoozing for sales of Teri's books. 

And the greatest thing Stevie boy can say about his wife is that she homeschooled for 30 years. 

Such deep, emotional bonds they must share. Not. 

Haha Teri now ranks "next to my salvation" for Steve!  I think he is schmoozing for continued dinners and back rubs now everyone has left the compound and Teri is all he has left 😂😂😂

[HereComesTreble]

Steve’s rebuking of little kids in church acting like little kids in church is contrary to Jesus’ teachings.

From Mark 10:

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

[Hane]

@HereComesTreble, in my old Catholic church, that’s exactly the argument my pastor used in favor of letting the little ones attend the church nursery instead of having to sit through Mass. He said in one sermon, “Remember: Jesus taught the adults. He *played with* the kids.”

[Jana814]

Steve doesn’t expect kids to act like kids. I think even before they did the nursing home church he wouldn’t allow his kids to go to kids services. My temple has had children programs during services for years.  Parents don’t want to subject their kids to a long sermon & the clergy know that. Actually up until the late 1970’s my temple didn’t allow a kid under 13 in the main sanctuary. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Jana814

[danvillebelle]

2 hours ago, HereComesTreble said:

Steve’s rebuking of little kids in church acting like little kids in church is contrary to Jesus’ teachings.

From Mark 10:

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

I'm not Orthodox any longer, but I always appreciated the way our original parish handled kids being kids:  let them, period.  The priests could preach a sermon through any external noise without batting an eye.

St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai & San Francisco said "a church whose walls do not bear the crying of children is not a church."

[Howl]

Some relatives invited us to a service years ago, I can't remember the reason.  The pastor gathered the children at the front and gave a little lesson for them that the kids just didn't get, and his humorous attitude was "Ya win some and ya lose some."  Then the kids went off to Sunday school or whatever fun thing they did.  The service then went along and even the sermon was relatively short and to the point. We sang some hymns and then everybody adjourned to EAT in the Fellowship Hall. 

But back to Steve. He's a small, frightened curmudgeonly man living in an emotional straight jacket.  Thankfully, everyone but Teri has now managed to escape.  Maybe Teri will make the most of it and hang in there until Steve falls off his perch and then swill TWO Pepsis after the funeral. 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Howl

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously Dad? is called "How Bright Are You?" It sounds humorous. It's dated Wednesday November 17, 2021. 

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Do you ever walk around the house turning off lights that have been left on? I think that is part of having a family and being the one who is responsible for the light bill. What a waste of light when it doesn’t benefit anyone.

This is a classic old man thing to say. Now say "Hey you kids, get off my lawn."

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However, might that be true of many of us brothers in our neighborhoods? God has made our families to be the light of Christ to those who live near us. Are we being light to our neighbors? “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

I both appreciate and feel sorry for Steve's neighbors that he considers them brothers (his brothers from other mothers!). I also wonder how Steve is a light to his neighbors; hopefully, by example only. 

Also "This Little Light of Mine" is now stuck in my head. Thanks, Steve!

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Next week I will share some possibilities. 

What are doing this week that you can't share at least one possibility? This is really short.

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“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). 

Yes, Steve Jesus wants you to love everyone. It doesn't say it's your job to change them.

[Jasmar]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:41 AM, danvillebelle said:

St. John Maximovitch

Apropos of nothing, I read this as St. John Malkovitch, and was impressed that you’d have such a hot saint. I developed a huge crush on him when Dangerous Liaisons came out in the 80s.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously, Dad? is called "What A Blessing" and it's from November 24, 2021.

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As I listened to Evidence Not Seen (by Darlene Deibler Rose) my eyes often filled with tears. Hearing what newly-wed missionaries Russell and Darlene endured to share Christ in New Guinea shredded my heart. They were driven by a fervent love for the Lord Jesus, wanting to be used as light to those in darkness. A few years after arrival on the island, Russell and Darlene were placed in separate POW camps when WW2 began. He died in his, and she somehow lived through it. 

I had never heard of these people, but Wikipedia had a little information. Rose is her second married name. She got remarried after the war. Youtube seems to have footage of her. I'm sure some people here might know more than I do.

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What efforts are we willing to expend to share Christ’s love with those around us? It is by God’s sovereign will that each of us lives where we do. We don’t have to travel thousands of miles to our mission field; we already live there. 

 Hey Steve, did you know you share Christ's love without proselytizing, and it would still be just as good. 

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Would you be willing to discuss with your wife what you might do in the coming days and make a plan to carry it out? Here are some ideas to consider:

He actually followed through from last week and came up with ideas.

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• If your family can sing, carol to your neighbors. We have done that for many years now. We only sing the first verse of an easy carol and then “We wish you a merry Christmas.” We encourage you to keep it short. (Trust me.)

I like how he acknowledges that this only works if you can sing. Bad singing doesn't people to God. Also I'm shocked they sing "'We wish you a Merry Christmas" since it doesn't mention God, Jesus, etc. Also I'm surprised Steve and Teri aren't worried about selfish, gluttonous attitudes towards figgy pudding, but they probably just do the top verse once.

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• If you want to carol and lack voices, invite others to join you. Either a family or two from church or Christian neighbors. We seek to include the “cute factor” — little kids who stand at the front of the caroling group. 

The Jill-Rod factor! Also it may not help if those kids can't sing or can't stay out long.

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• If caroling is out of your ability, what about just a casual, short, outside visit to wish them a Merry Christmas?

In this case, it's best to have a speech prepared. What if they don't celebrate Christmas?

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• Bring a gift of food whether you carol or not. Food isn’t expensive, and people love tasty treats. Some possibilities are: sweet bread, cookies, or homemade candy. We make poppyseed loaves (Poppyseed Loaf). They are delicious, and our neighbors tell us they look forward to them each year.

Food can be expensive, especially when you have a lot of little mouths to feed of your own. Not everyone like Poppyseeds. 

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With the food gift, what about giving them a card with it?

Okay again cards can be expensive, but maybe they have some lying around they can use. Or they print them for the Internet, Word, etc.

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In the card, include a personal note if you know them, and it not, a more general one where you express your desire in getting to know them. If they have had health challenges, and you have been praying for them, tell them. Offer to pray for other needs they might have. Include your name and phone number so they know you are serious.

I can't tell if this is too aggressive or not. Also they know where you live if they're neighbors. Maybe you don't need to include the phone number.

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Something done for the first time can be intimidating. However, our lives are full of activities that felt awkward the first time but in time became special. That is the way Christmas caroling to our neighbors began thirty years ago. It is now a rewarding annual family tradition that grew from the ten of us before our children began to marry, to about 30 (on a good year) of us with daughters-in-law and grandchildren. It is a delightful opportunity to show our neighbors we love them and share some encouragement in Christ. 

I'm glad you, your family, and your neighbors enjoy this. I would be interested to know if all of your neighbors feel like this. It won't work for everyone and in everyone's neighborhood.

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“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).

The point of this quote is that your kindness will set you apart, not that you have tell people your Christians. Still this is one of the better verses in the bible and a good place to end it.

[kpmom]

TBH, if the Maxwells were my neighbors I would turn the lights off and pretend not to be home to avoid their proselytizing.

Although, IIRC, they chose the caroling night just a few hours in advance, so I might have to come up with another plan on caroling night if caught by surprise.

[Jana814]

I was raised on very quiet street where the neighbors pretty much keep to themselves. I think if people came to the door singing Christmas carols someone would call the police. 

[anjulibai]

Man, Steve is sooooo unoriginal. He can't think of anything else but what he's done and enjoyed a thousand times. Everyone has to do exactly as he does. He can't come up with anything else. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously, Dad? is called "The Best Memories" and it's from December 1, 2021. I can't believe it's December already!

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What memories and appetites are you giving your children during the Christmas season? 

Memories, I get. Appetites is a weird use of that word. Maybe an appetite for peppermints?

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A  Seriously Dad wrote after last week’s email:

“I just wanted to share what my family has done for the past 15 years. We bake some homemade Christmas treats (usually cookies and/or pumpkin bread). We prepare plates for about 10 of our neighbors with treats and a hand-written Christmas card. (Most of our neighbors are “good” people who don’t proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior.). We drive around the countryside to our neighbors (We live in a rural area.). We walk up to the door caroling (We choose a Christian song vs a Santa song.).They usually invite us in for a “visit” (often around 30 minutes each). It is definitely something that we enjoy each Christmas!”

 🙄 I'm annoyed by the quotes around "good" and the need to throw shade at the neighbors. I think most cards are better with brief messages. I'm not surprised that they pick a Christian song vs. a Santa song. Yes as a former Catholic, I know Santa can be Christian, but he also often exists for people who are cultural Christians. (Cultural Christians include people who celebrate Holidays like Christmas and Easter and aren't religious.)

It goes back to what I said last week about being surprised that the Maxwells sang "We wish You a Merry Christmas".  I know: they have an appetite for figgy pudding!

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One Brother said he thought that these days many are afraid of homemade baked goods. I suppose that is possible, but if you are concerned about it, you can buy small bags of individually wrapped chocolate pieces by Lindt or Andes. Either way, I encourage you not to miss out on an opportunity to be light in your neighborhood. AND it is not only a good example for your children, but also helps develop a love in them for sharing the love of Jesus with others.  

This is actually a good suggestion in response to someone concerns. Of course, I love Lindt and Andie's chocolates.

I would prefer not to have people witness to me about Jesus. I also am not close with the neighbors. I would like to pass down some traditions of helping others.

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“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”
(2 Corinthians 5:9,10)

I wasn't sure what this bible verse meant. So I googled. The first verse 5.9 is about doing everything to serve God. The second verse is about God judging us for all our actions on Earth after death. Preparing for death has long been one of Steve's favorite themes. Good to see the old Maxwells are still in there.

[kpmom]

12 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

 Preparing for death has long been one of Steve's favorite themes. Good to see the old Maxwells are still in there.

Yup.

The two youngest daughters might be in college.  Sarah might be living on her own, and wearing jeans.  But, the same basic Maxwell beliefs are still there.  Steve hasn't changed at all.

"Appetites". 🙄  I've always disliked the way he uses that word.

[FloraDoraDolly]

"Appetites" is Steve's way of referring to things he has banned his kids from doing so they won't know what they are missing (TV, pop music, movies, sports, video games, certain toys).