Year end!

God has continued to bless and cause us to move forward even in these challenging economic times.  We are striving to build savvy dads by turning the hearts of the fathers to their children.  This year brought two major projects to the forefront.  Beginning Savvy Dads Conferences on a national basis and completing of our first book titled Dad Cents.

“When your kids leave home do you want them to know more about money than you did when you left home?” is the question that I love to ask dads.  I always get the same response, “sure!”   I will then follow up with the next question, “What are you doing to make that happen?”  I am usually met  with a response of I am not sure, nothing or just a blank stare.  Every dad recognizes the problem but very few are doing much to solve the problem!   My book, Dad Cents, will give dads the tools they need to teach their children the biblical principles of money.

I could fill several pages telling you about the ways God made it possible to publish this book.  Let me give you one example.  Once we decided to self publish the biggest obstacle (in my mind) would be the finances required because  getting the book to completion would require $20,000.  I began to seek the funding but also work with the editor on the content of the book.

After 6 months of little progress in finding funding, and growing weary,  I received a phone call.  The person on the other end of the phone, who had no idea of how much was needed, told me they were interested in helping finance the publishing of the book.  Much to my surprise, they asked me if I needed $20,000 to finish the book!  At the end of October I received the first books from the printer.  To God be the glory!

This year we conducted two Savvy Dads Conferences one was held in Topeka and the other in Wisconsin.  God used both conferences to remind me of the significant needs of dads.  At one of the conferences a dad and son that attended together were both impacted by what they learned from Dr. Ken Canfield.  Another attendee was out in the lobby after the second Saturday morning session and I inquired if he was liking the conference.  He told me yes and that he was going over his notes because he had already learned more than he could implement immediately!

Dad Cents is the only book of its kind which equips fathers/parents to establish biblical concepts about money into the lives of their children.  The Savvy Dads Conference features the nation’s premiere speaker on fathering.  According to Gary Smalley Ph.D. and John Trent Ph.D. “No one is speaking with as much knowledge and authority on fathering issues as Ken Canfield.”  This is where we need your help:

1. We need to get the book (Dad Cents) into the hands of dads and
2. inform churches about the possibility of hosting a Savvy Dads Conferences.

We have several opportunities during this coming year with your prayer and financial support  to make this happen.  We have been approached by a national Christian television show that proposes to feature a segment about Dad Cents and Savvy Dads.  Another opportunity is to produce a Savvy Dads video conference that could be available to any church or home in our country via the internet.

Our ministry goals for 2010 include:

1. Getting the Dad Cents book into the hands of fathers/parents
2. Finding church partners to host Savvy Dads conferences
3. To expand teaching opportunities for men via the internet

We need additional ongoing one time and monthly support but would like to expedite these projects as they would be over and above the regular budget.  To accomplish these goals will require  $20,000.  Would you help make this happen?  Please prayerfully consider a onetime, monthly, or quarterly gift to the ministry.  All gifts are tax deductable.

Burst my bubble!

Kablam! is the sound heard when a punch balloon, like the one seen in this video, explodes.  We heard this sound twice over the last two days at our house!  My oldest daughter was responsible for both balloons popping.  On accident, she successfully broke both of her sisters balloons.  She felt terrible both times the balloons exploded as she cried and was very remorseful for her actions.  I actually was watching her one of the times and they were both total accidents.  But once again, it was teaching time!

Whether or not she intended on popping the balloons, she was still responsible.  We have a family rule that if you break something, whether accidentally or on purpose, you pay to replace the item.  We believe in teaching our daughters to take responsibility for their actions.  Saturday morning we jumped in the minivan and made the short drive to Walmart.  We finally found the punching balloons (they are not in the toy department but instead are in party supplies.)  Since we had to ask for help in locating the balloons we had a Walmart associate with us as we discovered the balloons.  But as we picked up the bag of balloons it was very evident someone had taken one of the balloons.  The bag had a big hole and only three of the four balloons were still in the bag.  Fortunately for us this was the last bag in the store.

As we walked to the cash register I inquired to the Walmart associate if we  would be able to purchase the balloons for less than the $2.00 marked price since one balloon was missing.  I told her I would be willing to pay $1.00 and she accepted my offer!  Here is a copy of the receipt.

What a day!  Two lessons from one balloon popping.  As we drove home I asked our oldest daughter again why we purchased the balloons and who paid for the balloons.  She told me because she popped her sisters balloon and she paid for the balloon.  I then asked her if she would rather pay $1.00 for a balloon or $.33?  She told me $.33 and we discussed how I was able to negotiate with the employee because even though the product was not whole in our case it was acceptable.

I want to encourage you to be intentional about teaching your children biblical principles of money!

Contentment

Benjamin Franklin said “Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.”  Contentment is an interesting topic that few seem to have a grasp of.  Where is your level of contentment?