Heart Touchers - Parents Aren't Perfect

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{Heart4Teens.com} *Parents Aren't Perfect?*

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If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting:

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http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories

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Over 85,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!

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Parents Aren't Perfect?

By Wayne Rice

Okay, I know this doesn't come as any big surprise, but it's worth mentioning anyway. It's also worth remembering next time your parents don't do the right thing or say the right thing or can't even figure out what the right thing is. Sometimes they blow it. They make mistakes. After all, they don't really know what they're doing. Professional parents just don't exist. Parents are on-the-job learners, and they frequently make mistakes. They probably won't admit this to you, but it's true.

When you were born, you didn't come with an instruction manual. Sure, parenting books can help (your folks probably have a few of them), but not one of them contains information on how to parent you. That's because before you were born, no one like you ever existed on the face of the earth. God created you with your own blend of personality traits, gifts, talents, abilities, and special needs that nobody else ever had. And as every retired parent knows, what works with one child doesn't always work with another. So whether you were your parents' first child or their fifteenth, they still had to figure out how to parent you.

And you know what? They're still at it. That's because as you get older, you continue to change. Every day your parents have to figure out how to be good parents for you based on who you are and who you're becoming. Some teenagers require more discipline and control, and others require less. Some need more love and attention while others need less. There's no science to this--it has to be done by trial and error. That's why parents sometimes make mistakes.

I know I made my share of mistakes as a parent. I said no to my kids when I should have said yes. I said yes when I should have said no. I didn't listen to them when I should have, and I didn't talk to them when I should have. Sometimes I was too strict. Other times I was too lenient. The problem with being a parent is you really don't know what you're doing until after you've done it. Even then, it takes a few years to realize what you did wrong or did right.

Don't hold your parents to a standard of perfection you can't even keep yourself. They do the best they can. You should realize that you have a lot to do with how successful your parents are. You can help them not make so many mistakes. If you can make life easier for them, there's a pretty good chance life will be easier for you. As I said earlier, parents generally learn how to parent from their kids. Parents with problem kids seem to be problem parents. Parents with good kids seem to be good parents. See, you have a lot more power to impact your family than you may realize.

Parents aren't perfect, of course. They won't always do the right thing. Your parents may disappoint you from time to time, and you'll wonder why they can't be more consistent, more reasonable, more trustworthy, or more like the parents of somebody else you know. But parent envy only makes things worse. Your parents are human, and they're probably the only parents you'll ever get. In their own inept way, they're doing the best they can. They need your understanding, forgiveness, cooperation, and love--in spite of all their mistakes.

Taken from "Read This Book or You're Grounded" by Wayne Rice, copyright 2003, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/250498

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Let's Go Surfing Dude!

Can We Trust The Bible? - Is the Bible God's infallible Word or is it an outdated book written by ancient men? Click on the link below to find answers to many of your questions about the Bible!

http://www.heart4teens.com/bible

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Thought For The Day:

"The ultimate measure of a person is not where he stands in moments
of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge
and controversy." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Verse for the Day:

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." --Proverbs 24:10

Teen's Thought For The Day:

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: Take it, or leave it."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"A Dad is a person who has replaced the currency in his wallet with snapshots
of his family."

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." --Vince Lombardi

Deep Thought For The Day:

"No piece of paper can be folded more than 7 times."

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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
www.Heart4Teens.com

Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 25 other inspirational books.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

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ALL-STAR Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI

If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.)

All-Stars: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights! Open to all youth grades 9-12.

The Outlet: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights in the Multi-Purpose Room! Open to all youth grades 6-8.

Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.

Upcoming Topics:

New Series! Life Hurts, God Heals

Sunday June 25 -- Special Performance by Coinanea!

Sunday July 2 -- All-Star Cook-Out! Invite Your Friends

Sunday July 9 -- Depend on Christ (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 3)

Sunday July 16 -- Honestly Examine and Confess (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 4)

Sunday July 23 -- Embrace God's Way (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 5)

Sunday July 30 -- Ask For Forgiveness (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 6)

Sunday August 6 -- Live for God One Day at a Time (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 7)

Sunday August 13 -- No All-Stars! All Church Picnic at Rockport Pool!

Sunday August 20 -- Senior Sunday! Join us as we honor our departing seniors!

Sunday August 27 -- Share What You've Experienced (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 8)

Sunday September 3 -- Back to School Kick-Off!

Sunday September 10 -- Making the Most of Your School Year

Sunday September 17 -- No All-Stars due to the Fall Retreat!

The Truth Project is Coming! Stay tuned for more details!

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Guys Only and Gals Only Small Groups!
(June - August)

We are starting something new this summer! We will be having a Guys Only bible study and a Gals Only bible study!

Guys Only (Jr. High and Sr. High guys) Led by Pastor Michael
6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (June through End of August)
Meet in the sanctuary at church

This Week: June 21 -- Your Inner Self "How You Define You"

Gals Only (Jr. High and Sr. High) Led by Paula Marsden
6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (June through the end of August)
Meet in the nursery at church to study the book "Authentic Beauty"

This Week: June 21 -- "Essence of a Set-Apart Woman"

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Teen Community Groups

6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (September though May)

These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Jr. High age meets at Kent and Rachel Martin's house: 1324 E. Racine St. (Call 373-0886 if you have any questions!)

High School age meets at Matt and Kristi Kauffman's house: 4339 Fox Hills (Call 758-1243 if you have any questions!)

Xtreme Teens

Xtreme Teens meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 PM all year round at the Powers' house. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. Admission into Xtreme Teens is on a case by case basis. Contact Pastor Michael for more details!