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

[HerNameIsBuffy]

10 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I honestly don't remember having to be asked to close the door during the winter. During the summer, with the air conditioning yes, but not during the winter. Most kids to prefer to be indoors during the winter.

My mother would have preferred you as a child.  I'd leave the door open waiting for the dogs to do their business and if the house felt warm I'd open a window...with the heat on.  "I can't afford to heat the whole neighborhood" was her mantra.

I had absolutely no respect for her utility budget.  (I feel bad about it now.)

[browngrl]

" the barrage of worldly influences that storm the hearts of children in this age, especially things they are told they can’t live without. Social media of all types, addictive music, dopamine-pumping entertainments, and computer games make TV and movies look like toddler toys in comparison. If that wasn’t enough, friends from church promote them so that every “normal” (worldly?) Christian young person MUST have them. " (bolding and italics mine - the rest is Steve)

Makes me suspect some (or maybe even most) of the Maxwell's have started to allow music and/or computer games and/or tv/movies. I also suspect that Steve is not happy that church members opened his children's eyes to  ways to live other than Steve's. He's clearly (IMO) bitter and angry and I suspect he chooses passive aggressive ways to deal with it all. I wonder if Teri is bearing the brunt of his negativity or if she is stewing right along with him.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

9 minutes ago, browngrl said:

" the barrage of worldly influences that storm the hearts of children in this age, especially things they are told they can’t live without. Social media of all types, addictive music, dopamine-pumping entertainments, and computer games make TV and movies look like toddler toys in comparison. If that wasn’t enough, friends from church promote them so that every “normal” (worldly?) Christian young person MUST have them. " (bolding and italics mine - the rest is Steve)

Makes me suspect some (or maybe even most) of the Maxwell's have started to allow music and/or computer games and/or tv/movies. I also suspect that Steve is not happy that church members opened his children's eyes to  ways to live other than Steve's. He's clearly (IMO) bitter and angry and I suspect he chooses passive aggressive ways to deal with it all. I wonder if Teri is bearing the brunt of his negativity or if she is stewing right along with him.

From what I hear even great relationships can have an adjustment period when a couple becomes empty nesters.  In a family as enmeshed as the Maxwells the change was much more dramatic.

I wonder what their new dynamic is like.  I doubt they're dancing naked after cleaning the ceiling fans, but I wonder if it's calmer or even more strained with just the two of them home.

[Black Aliss]

On 1/15/2022 at 7:57 AM, HerNameIsBuffy said:

On 1/15/2022 at 6:27 AM, Cults-r-us said:

I wonder if Steve would benefit from an antidepressant.

Or anti-anxiety.

Definitely an enema

[loveisadream]

On 1/26/2022 at 6:39 AM, Bluebirdbluebell said:

This sums up how Steve feels. I'm confused by the biblical citation. The 119th Psalm isn't 165 verses long. 

It's 176 verses long

[SPHASH]

Steve is still bitching about entertainment, video games, and sports in his latest Seriously email.

[Botkinetti]

Realistically though what else does he have in his life ?

His daughters no longer live in his house and I think his sons have stopped or moderated his perfect way of living. I think he is bored out of his skull and has no idea how to fill his days.

[anjulibai]

A lot of his bitching is about violence. Dude, have you read the Bible? 

[fundiefan]

Where does the bible say god hates those who love violence? Is Stevie projecting again?

[HerNameIsBuffy]

20 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Where does the bible say god hates those who love violence? Is Stevie projecting again?

For an allegedly loving God he sure hates a lot of people, according to Steve.

[Alisamer]

"God is a loving father creator! Who hates the majority of his children for various reasons and intends to send them into eternal torment in hell. And if you accidentally break one of his obscure rules he'll send you there too! But he'll be sad about it."

That's what I think the understanding of God is, for most fundamentalist Christians. 

[smittykins]

“God doesn’t send you to Hell, you send yourself there because of your actions/not believing in Jesus.”

[Bassett Lady]

I am in the middle of this horrible snow/ice storm. I made a pickup order of groceries earlier in the week and included some “storm food.” I bought canned soups that are easy to heat up over a sterno stove, crackers, peanut butter, and such similar comfort foods. Thankfully, we have kept our electricity on for this storm, so we haven’t needed to break out the camp stove. 
 

All of that is to get around to the fact that I bought animal crackers for the first time in a long time. I was eating them as my afternoon snack today and noticed that a serving size was a whopping 16 cookies, for only 120 calories. 
 

If Steve is limiting animal crackers to two per adult that is a 15 calorie snack. What a control freak. 

I ate my luxurious 16 cookies and washed it down with some oat milk. I felt positively wild! 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

4 hours ago, Bassett Lady said:

I am in the middle of this horrible snow/ice storm. I made a pickup order of groceries earlier in the week and included some “storm food.” I bought canned soups that are easy to heat up over a sterno stove, crackers, peanut butter, and such similar comfort foods. Thankfully, we have kept our electricity on for this storm, so we haven’t needed to break out the camp stove. 
 

All of that is to get around to the fact that I bought animal crackers for the first time in a long time. I was eating them as my afternoon snack today and noticed that a serving size was a whopping 16 cookies, for only 120 calories. 
 

If Steve is limiting animal crackers to two per adult that is a 15 calorie snack. What a control freak. 

I ate my luxurious 16 cookies and washed it down with some oat milk. I felt positively wild! 

The animal cracker thing is more myth than reality. 

It did happen once. It was Steve's birthday and it seems to have been right after he was first diagnosed with cardiovascular problems. It's unclear how long Steve's diet lasted that time, but they went to eating more desserts later on.

When I started reading, the Maxwells ate sweets on special occasions and possibly more than that. Teri doesn't drink Pepsi, but other adults seem to be drinking soda. 

Steve was diagnosed later with more severe cardiovascular problems. He had blockages in his arteries. He went on a crazy diet again although I don't remember any animal crackers. He and Teri went vegetarian/vegan and the girls were put on modified version with limited meat intake. I like to think that that's what caused the girls to find more independence and leave. His diet was not effective by itself and he had to go on medication to deal with blood pressure. They have somewhat relaxed the diet since then.

[Coconut Flan]

He was trying to avoid statins, but ended up on them anyway so they then relaxed the diet.  Poor Terri was looking a bit gaunt.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously, Dad? is called The Mission and it's from February 16, 2022. 

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Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the mission He was on, were always at the front of His thoughts, even when He was young. “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49)? 

Examples:
o “Wither I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:21).
o “But He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him” (John 8:26).
o “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” John 8:28
o “For I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

Okay we start out with a strong thesis and some evidence to back it up. So far so good, although John 8:21 doesn't seems to relate to the topic. Without context, it could mean just about anything. 

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My Brothers, how would you answer these questions? 
o “What is your driving purpose in life?” 
o “What consumes you?” 

I'm sure we can think of many funny answers.  A lot of people aren't consumed by anything.

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Next even more important, what would your wife, children, and friends say they believe your driving purpose is and what consumes your thoughts? Ask them. 

Who is the target audience for this column? They're men with kids, but are they old or young? I thought this was for dads with young kids.  A lot of your readers' kids are too young for this conversation. The wives may be too meek to tell you anything you don't want to hear. The husbands are supposed to be leaders of the family. That leaves the friends. It must be time for Man Camp!

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“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (John 16:24). Are we following? If not, as long as we have breath, there is still time.

Oh, he doesn't say it out right, but he thinks our purpose should be to follow Jesus. 

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“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). 

It makes sense to end with this verse. I like this ending, because there are so many men who claim to follow God and do bad things (for example, Bill Gothard). 

In general, this column was a fine sermon, but not necessarily relevant to only men who are fathers. Also last week's Seriously, Dad? is missing from the articles on the blog. 

[anjulibai]

Did they email last week's Seriously Dad out?

[Hane]

I just got home from the funeral of my friend’s father, who died at the age of 90. We heard stories about his love of playing music, building things, making art, and opening his home to all the kids in the neighborhood. One of these kids, whom he taught to play the guitar, grew up to be the cheerful, friendly priest who conducted the service. It felt like the opposite of how Stevehovah’s funeral will be.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

31 minutes ago, Hane said:

I just got home from the funeral of my friend’s father, who died at the age of 90. We heard stories about his love of playing music, building things, making art, and opening his home to all the kids in the neighborhood. One of these kids, whom he taught to play the guitar, grew up to be the cheerful, friendly priest who conducted the service. It felt like the opposite of how Stevehovah’s funeral will be.

What would really amaze Steve is that it sounds like the father encouraged his kids in secular pursuits (playing music, making art, etc.) and yet one of the kids grew up to be a priest. It sounds like you might be able to do secular things and still be religious. (And yes, I know Steve has issues with Catholics.)

On the other hand, there are plenty of priests who would give Steve a run for his money.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously, Dad? is called Fine For Weather and it's from February 23, 2022. 

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Fine For Weather

Here in Kansas the weather is quite flakey. The temperature can vary greatly day-to-day, regardless of the season. On Monday the high was 69, and on Wednesday we’ll see a low of 6 degrees. 

Part of that is probably climate change, Steve. 

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Great variability may be fine for weather, but if that describes someone spiritually or their closeness with the Lord Jesus, that isn’t good. Likely you have known professors of faith in Christ who were “flying high” one day, and then the next time you see them they had “crashed.” Possibly, that could describe some readers as well. May I encourage you, that isn’t good, or normal, and it doesn’t have to be like that. 

Jesus was their drug of choice? I wouldn't consider Steve to be someone who has a healthy relationship with his faith.  It's too all consuming.

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First, be sure that you have saving faith in Christ. Our salvation is dependent on Him alone, not of works. Works follow salvation. We trust in Jesus’ shed blood on the cross for the covering of our sins. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

I think works are important, but I also understand how both doctrines can be corrupted. Either doctrine can sometimes seem to give people a pass on their sins. Or people struggle of "worthiness". Although most problematic Christians I know tend to fall into "God made me perfect and you need to be more like me." (That goes for both salvation and the works crowd.)

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Be careful not to rely on your how you feel. Emotions can follow circumstances. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Why do I get the sense Steve is going after the Pentecostal/Charismatic crowd? They have a reputation for  feelings-based faith. 

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Keep/obey His Word. “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

I didn't immediately know what Steve meant by "Quench not the spirit".  It sounds like a soda ad. It also sounds like you let your creative juices flow. Apparently it means by following God, it allows the Holy Spirit into the person's life.  It reminds me of unblocking the chakras. 

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Don’t give your time to the things of the world. They will pull you down. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Yep. We've heard this before.

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Feed daily on His Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). 

This is also not new.

These are more straight sermons than advice columns. There is also nothing about this that is specifically for dads or men. Why not just put this on the main blog for everyone to read? I get originally it was for dads and that the main blog was about the family. They haven't made a new blog post for almost 6 months so maybe it's time to move the "dad" column up front. 

[SPHASH]

Steve tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2021

[fundiefan]

23 hours ago, SPHASH said:

Steve tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2021

Where did you hear that?

[SPHASH]

4 hours ago, fundiefan said:

Where did you hear that?

It was at the bottom of his Seriously email.  He missed a conference last year because of it.

Edited February 24, 2022 by SPHASH

[FiveAcres]

4 minutes ago, SPHASH said:

It was at the bottom of his Seriously email.  He missed a conference last year because of it.

At least he (apparently) isolated so good on him.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

This week's Seriously, Dad? is from March 2, 2022 and it's called Powerful 8 Year Old. 

This one is terrible.

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I had lunch with someone who rejects any belief in Jesus. We discussed how he came to that position. It was a sad story involving being around many stale church services and religious, hypocritical people who “persuaded” him to never want anything to do with God. 

Yes, hypocrisy is a real problem for many churches in the modern era. I have heard many an atheist or ex-church member say the hypocrisy drove them out. I even had problems with hypocrisy in the Catholic Church, which in part led me to leave.

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There was one noteworthy story that would be helpful for us. Years ago an eight-year-old relative was visiting him, and the topic turned to belief in Jesus. He told her that he didn’t believe in Jesus. At which point her face “turned upside down,” and she began weeping. She pleaded with him to trust Jesus, and when he declined, she began sobbing and sobbing. This went on for quite a while to where he finally promised her he would go to church a few times to learn more. After all these years, the mental picture, as he told me of her love and concern for him and her uncontrollable sobbing brought him to tears. 

 This story is very sad and sick. That child's parents raised her not to respect others beliefs, but to condemn and believe God would condemn them too. I feel bad for this little girl if she was sobbing over this. 

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Sharing Christ with others out of obedience is better than not sharing.

Sometimes it's best to keep it to yourself. Sharing is only the right decision if someone wants you to share with them.

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However, having love and a broken heart for the one you are sharing with cuts to the heart. 

A combination of love-bombing and guilt-tripping!! 🤢

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I’m sure you know I’m not saying we must sob over the lost we know but may our hearts be broken like Paul’s was for salvation for the Jews.

Something about this quote highlights how anti-Semitic this whole pushing people into Christianity is. If your church thinks Jews have to convert to go to heaven, they're anti-Semitic. 

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As long as one has breath, there is still time to repent.

 The Mormons have a whole thing about baptizing dead people. I was just learning they faced controversy in the '90s over baptizing Jewish dead people (living relatives and Jewish leaders spoke out).  Also who says they need to repent. 

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Are you sharing Christ?

No, unless someone asks. To do otherwise is mean.

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“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart” (Romans 9:1-2). 

This is the start of a chapter where Paul criticizes Jewish people for not believing in God. I'm surprised Steve went with this verse versus the more conspicuous verses towards the end.

In general:

• I didn't like this one. I don't like the idea of pressuring someone into your religious beliefs. This can easily turn to bigotry and discrimination.
• This had nothing to do with dads/men/husbands. Why not make this a blog post for men and women to read?
• What agnostic person is meeting with Steve? (See the beginning)Why would an agnostic meet with Steve?