To Forbid or NOT To Forbid???

To Forbid or NOT to Forbid

I am in a serious quandary guys. I need some advice.

My adopted dad lives on the 7 acres attached to our 7 acres, so the kids can just run across the pasture and go see Grandpa. They LOVE going over there. He plays lots of games with them; Scrabble, Dominoes, cards..He taught them all to play Chess and Cribbage. And he loves watching movies with them. All things he did when I as a kid also.

So what is my problem right?

Unfortunately, he also has NO respect for my husband and I as the PARENTS. I don't allow my kids to drink soda (except on special occasions) but I said they could have ONE soda when they go over to Grandpa's. I told HIM this as well. Then the kids come home and tell me (Thank God, they still like to share everything with me) that they had 2 or 3 while over there.

He also lets them watch movies he KNOWS I don't approve of, but the worst part isn't even that he continually ignores our rules for our children.

The WORST part is that he setting a horrible example for them by showing them it's ok to be disrespectful to us and NOT follow our rules by saying things like "oh your mom is just being silly, here have another soda"  or  " your mom is just overreacting, this movie is fine"  or "oh I know you like this movie but we can't watch it cause your mom is overreacting again"

And THEN, when the kids DO tell me and I have a talk with my dad (YET AGAIN), he always tries to turn it around and say oh well THEY said it was ok. To which I reply, but I already told YOU that it wasn't.

And the next time the kids go over there, he jumps all over them for being 'tattle tales', so much so that when they DO tell me stuff now, they beg me not to call Grandpa or they will get in trouble. And I also very clearly remember what his temper is like. Thank God, he is not NEARLY as bad as he was when I was a kid, and if he EVER actually hit my kids, there wouldn't be any hesitation on whether or not I would forbid it...but..

I KNOW the kids LOVE their Grandpa. And I KNOW that he loves them too. Of that I have no doubt. And I would HATE to have to forbid my children from seeing their Grandpa (besides the fact that, that once again..makes ME the bad guy) but I am at my WIT'S END!!!

Am I supposed to just let this go?? Allow him to completely disregard my rules for my children and completely disrespect me and my husband in front of the children????

HELP!

Too Busy??

Everyone, myself included, needs to be reminded of where their priorties should lie. I know just how easy it is to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. To tell the kids, "Not now, I have to finish the laundry, or clean the kitchen, or cook, or whatever it is I am doing at that moment"

Although I am sure this isnt exactly how it happened, I believe this has some definite truth to it.

Heres hoping it at least makes you think...

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church."

"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."

"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Savior."

"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."

"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.." 

"This is what I want you to do," said the devil: "Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their Day!"

"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he Answered.

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."

"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."

"Keep them from spending time with their children."

"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice."

"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive."

"To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays Non-biblical music constantly."

"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."

"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."

"Invade their driving moments with billboards."

"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.."

"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives."

"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."

"Give them headaches too!"

"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere."

"That will fragment their families quickly!"

"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas."

"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about His resurrection and power over sin and death."

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."

"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."

"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."

"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."

"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus."

"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."

 

"It will work!" "It will work!"

 

It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?

 

You be the judge!!!!! 

Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?