Book of the Week: Raising a Modern-Day Knight

Knight-boyI finished reading Robert Lewis’ Raising a Modern-Day Knight this week.  Lewis is the author of the Men’s Fraternity curriculum that has really impacted the men in our church.  I highly recommend this book to anyone raising boys!

Lewis teaches that most people have a poor definition of manhood in our society.  As fathers, our responsibility is not only to teach our boys what it means to be men, but to actually affirm that and call out the man in our sons.  He uses a lot of symbolism from medieval knighthood practices.  You may or may not copy his ideas, but what I walked away with most of all is that boys don’t become men by accident.  And they also remember what we celebrate and invest in.

He incorporates family crests, weekend ceremonies, and a whole lot of creativity.  He has some great theological and biblical teaching on manhood.  Coupling these two together makes a quick and idea-spurring read.

Top 5 ideas:

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What’s Your Family’s Motto?

I’ve finally finished a book this week that I’ve skimmed a bunch.  It’s Raising a Modern-Day Knight by Robert Lewis.  The goal of the book is a father’s role in guiding his son to authentic manhood.

In it Lewis has some great points, but he uses a lot of symbolism tied to medieval knighthood ceremonies.  One of the things he utilizes with his sons is the family crest.  The family crest was put on shields or artwork and was the “logo” for the family.  It was a symbol of what the family stood for.  In his book, he shares how he has used the crest at different rites of passages for his sons (in a frame, in a ring, etc.).

I looked up the Agnew family crest and this is what it looks like:

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Happy 3rd Birthday, Obadiah!

A wise son brings joy to his father… -Proverbs 10:1

Happy birthday, Obadiah!  One of our greatest joys is being your parents!  We have so many reasons to celebrate today.  You are an absolute joy.

We love you for so many reasons.  Here are just to name a few:

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Family Resemblance

1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.
(1 John 3:1-3, HCSB)

Family Resemblance

As a young boy, I would often hear from someone how one of my features resembled either my mother or my father. Some people could actually tell I was their child even if they had never met me. Now as a father, I always enjoy hearing from people who they think our boys look like. Sometimes I have left a room to have someone tell my wife, “I won’t tell your husband this cause I don’t want to offend him, but your children look just like you.” I always laugh at that. I’m not upset if my children look like their mother (I did choose to marry her, you know?).

It’s a fact of life: children share family resemblance with their parents. It might be the way they look, the way they talk, or they way they behave, but children often resemble their parents.

As children of God, we are called to do the same!

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I Forget My Son Is Black Until We Are in Public

I don’t how to say this in a politically correct way, so I’ll just say it how I see it: I forget my son is black until we are in public. I’m not exaggerating.  I’m not trying to be spiritual.  It’s just the way it is.  When I go home at 5:00 today, I will …

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Happy Birthday Amanda!

Today is Amanda’s birthday.  Everyday I am more and more amazed at how blessed I am to have such an extraordinary wife in my life! Next to Jesus, she is the greatest gift I could ever ask for in this life.  She is a treasure, she is my bride, and she is my closest friend. …

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Adoption FAQ #2: “Are the Children There…Black?”

It’s time to answer another adoption FAQ.  I have been encouraged by the comments when we announced we were adopting, and I already answered the question concerning “why Ethiopia,” but today it’s time to answer another repeated question Amanda and I have received: “Are the children there…black?” I love getting that question.  Yes, the children …

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Marrying a Spouse, Inheriting In-Laws

Scripture: (Gen. 2:23-25) 23 And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called woman, for she was taken from man. 24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. …

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Vacation Time

It is long overdue. I am very tired.  It is vacation time. We are not going anywhere for the whole week.  We are going to make some special trips and do some special things, but most importantly, I am going to enjoy this: I’ve scheduled some blog posts this week while I am away, so …

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What’s Big in the Works?

A lot of exciting stuff is going on in my world right now.  Very exciting times with some things coming to a close and other things just beginning.  Thought I’d give you an update on some of them: Light at the End of the Seminary Tunnel – My approved draft of my dissertation is due …

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