Using modern news or buzz worthy pieces is a great way to engage your kids in discussions about faith at home. 

Black and blue or gold and white? The great debate has become a part of our evening news, water cooler conversations, and blowing up Facebook news feeds. The funny thing to me is that people are passionate about this. I mean, really passionate. Color is color. It is what it is, right?

How can we prepare our kids for the day when someone wants to argue passionately that there are no moral absolutes? That the way I see things may very greatly from the way you see things? One dress.....two opinions.....one faith........lots of interpretations. 

Get the ball rolling: 
Show everyone the picture (they've probably already seen it). Ask everyone to share what color they believe the dress to be. 
Ask "how is it possible that I see gold and white and you see black and blue?" 
Ask "How could a person get to the bottom of what color this dress really is?" 
(For a great explanation about this visual mystery visit this web site) 

"People will challenge your faith at some point. Someday someone will be passionately trying to explain your faith away. Whether it's views on homosexuality, abortion, or that there are many paths that lead to heaven. It's important that you know where to go when looking to determine the truth." 

"How can you always know the truth about who God is and what He thinks about things?"  

God's Word. God's Word will NEVER discount itself. Throughout each chapter and verse, we can see the steady hand of God that is always at work, and never changes. He doesn't intend to keep himself a mystery. He wants us to know who He is. We discover the truth about who He is by getting into The Word.
 
It's ok to not have all of the answers. Just get the ball rolling. Get them talking about something that is relevant. Faith discussions don't just have to happen in Sunday School. 

For the record, I see gold and white. Don't try to convince me it's not. :) To read about the science behind this phenomenon, click here.

Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity to talk to your kids about love, dating, and godly relationships. Remember, the first voice a kid hears on any matter is the loudest. Purpose to be the loudest when it comes to how your child grows up dreaming/thinking about their future romantic relationships. 

Want to help your kids quantify what a healthy relationship should be in one question? Use this...in each relationship you are involved in the other person must love Jesus more than he/she loves you. If he/she doesn't, he/she will never REALLY know how to love you the way God designed. 

Here are five questions that you could use this weekend to promote discussion. 
1. What is the purpose of dating? (The purpose of dating is actually to discover whether or not someone is marriage material. It's only in the last couple of generations that "dating" has taken on a casual meaning) 
2. What do you think God's purpose for marriage is? 
3. For daughters.... In "Six Ways to Keep The Little in Your Girl" author Dannah Gresh talks about allowing your daughter to dream about her prince. Talk with your daughter about what CHARACTER traits she thinks are admirable in a future spouse. It may be hard for her to really grasp the importance of godly character in a mate. Talk about how things like honesty, integrity, and compassion are traits that could make/break a relationship. 
4. If God was the one who designed marriage, what sorts of things do you think are important to him as part of a healthy marriage? 
5. Challenge your kids to think of a current pop song that ISN'T about love. It will prove difficult. Ask them to think about how pop/country music will influence their views on love/relationships. Talk to to them about how people are in love with the idea of being in love. Talk about what their future might look like if God had plans for them to remain single? 

Taking a completely different turn.......
Ask kids to think about practical ways they could demonstrate the love of Jesus over Valentine's Day weekend. 

How does serving others show that we are in love with Jesus? 

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're well aware of the hoopla surrounding the movie release of "Fifty Shades of Grey."  It's everywhere. 

Make no doubt about it, movies like "Fifty Shades" do have an impact upon our culture...and culture, influences our kids. 

One positive outcome from "Fifty Shades" is the opportunity that it provides you to enter into conversations with your kids regarding God's design for sex. Don't shy away from this opportunity. Embrace it.

If you think that your kids aren't hearing about the movie, think again. Teen girls are planning to see the movie to "learn tips." Parents, now is the time to talk. When kids reach a certain age and our opinions carry less weight, ask questions. 

Here are some to get the ball rolling: 
1. What sorts of things have you heard about the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey?" 

2. What do you think about sexual acts being depicted in a movie? This movie is pornographic. Pornography has been proven to leave long-lasting, negative impacts upon the human mind. Knowing that, why are so many people drawn to see this movie/read the book?  
 
3. This movie demonstrates violent sexual acts against women. How do you feel about that? Knowing that God's design for marriage and a sexual relationship is that there is mutual respect for one another, how do you think kids/parents should approach the depiction of a sexual relationship involving violence? 

4. Lots of kids may be using this movie as a way to "learn" more about sex. I know it may seem awkward at times, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you to ask questions. I will do my best to be honest with you. There are lots of kids who don't have that at home. How might seeing this movie "educate" them in ways that are counter to what God says about a sexual relationship between a husband and wife? 

Being intentional as a parent is tough. Do the tough work. Have the tough conversations. This movie isn't going away. Talk about it with your kids. Teach them what it means to live as a Christian in a godless society. 

 Tell me how it goes. What sorts of questions did you ask? Have you already talked about it? What was the outcome?