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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
RELIGION
How to talk to adopted children about their birth parents
Focus on the Family
■ Dr. James
Dobson
Columnist
QUESTION: What
should you tell an adopt
ed child about his or
her biological parents in
“closed” adoption situa
tions? How do you answer
his tough questions about
why he wasn’t wanted,
etc?
DR. DOBSON: I’ll give you
an answer written by a Dr.
Milton Levine in a vintage
parenting book titled “Your
Child from 2 to 5,” and then
I’ll comment on his recom
Biblical prophecies may apply to conflict between Iran and Israel
Parables to Ponder
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Billy
Powell
Columnist
Iran, an ancient enemy
of Israel, is dedicated to
annihilation of the Jewish
people. This hatred was
never more evident than
recently when Iran’s
President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad called Israel
a “stinking corpse” and
threatened to “wipe it off
the face of the earth.”
These are chilling words
particularly since Iran is
dangerously close to devel
oping a nuclear bomb. Not
taking the threat lightly,
Are we slaves or are we servants of God?
Reflections
Earline
Cole
Columnist
Group discussion revolved
around “Slaves or Servants?”
The taped message implied
that we are all slaves to
either God or Satan.
As the discussion pro-
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ABOVE: Timothy Zayac points out to his mom, Laura, the
right pumpkin for him during a visit to the pumpkin patch
at Christ United Methodist Church on Russell Parkway
in Warner Robins. BELOW: Karen Comeizo with Unadilla
Head Start tries her hand at tossing bean bags.
mendation. Dr. Levine was
associate professor of pedi
atrics, New York Hospital, at
the time. He listed three pos
sible ways to tell an adopted
child about his origin, as fol
lows:
1. Tell the child his biologi
cal parents are dead.
2. State plainly that the
biological parents were
unable to care for their baby
themselves.
3. Tell the child nothing
is known about the biologi
cal parents, but that he was
secured from an agency dedi
cated to finding good homes
for babies.
Dr. Levine preferred the
first approach because “the
child who is told that his
biological parents are dead is
free to love the mother and
father he lives with. He won’t
be tormented by a haunting
obligation to search for his
Israel has vowed to destroy
Iran’s nuclear plants unless
Iran suspends its uranium
enrichment program.
In rehearsals for a long
range air attack, Israel has
conduced military exer
cises in the Mediterranean
involving one hundred F-15
and F-16 fighter planes.
The Israelis do not make
idle threats as past his
tory has demonstrated.
They warned Iraq to end
its nuclear program before
destroying its nuclear sites
in 1981. They asked Syria
to desist from its nuclear
ambitions before taking
out its nuclear reactors in
2007.
And now they have issued
the same forewarning to
Iran.
Some notable observ
ers, including former U.S.
Ambassador to the U.N.,
gressed, I silently pondered
the possibility of Christians
being slaves to God.
Slavery, as portrayed from
past history reflects an
undesirable life-style.
The slave, as we have
learned, performed manda
tory services.
The life of a slave
is visualized as one
of drudgery and fear.
Perhaps some felt secure in
the care of their masters.
Perhaps some were loyal out
of love and respect.
Perhaps the speaker was
thinking upon slavery as
biological parents when he’s
grown.”
He continued, “Since the
possibility of losing one’s
parents is one of childhood’s
greatest fears, it is true that
the youngster who is told
that his biological parents
are dead may feel that all
parents, including his second
set, are pretty impermanent.
Nevertheless, I feel that in
the long run the child will
find it easier to adjust to
death than to abandonment.
To tell a youngster that his
parents gave him up because
they were unable to take care
of him is to present him with
a complete rejection. He can
not comprehend the circum
stances, which might lead to
such an act. But an unwhole
some view of himself as an
unwanted object, not worth
fighting to keep, might be
established.”
John Bolton, predict that
Israel will attack Iran
before inauguration of the
new U.S. President on 20
January 2009. Should
Israel attack, it wants the
full support of the United
States.
Since it is uncertain how
the next President, either
Obama or McCain, will
respond, Israel feels com
pelled to initiate the strike
before Bush leaves office.
President Bush has
hinted he will support
Israel. In a recent address
before Israel’s parliament,
he stated, “America stands
with Israel in firmly oppos
ing Iran’s nuclear ambi
tions, and that the leading
sponsor of terrorism cannot
be allowed to posses the
world’s deadliest weapon.”
To reach Iran, Israel
must fly its aircraft across
being “a human being who
is owned as property by
another and is absolutely
subject to his will.”
As Christians, we belong
to God and are absolutely
subject to His will.
In obeying His will,
we are identified with
Him. To disobey His will,
we identify with Satan.
One translation of Romans
1:1 refers to Paul as a
“slave.”
However, Paul refers to
himself as a “servant” of
Christ in the King James
Version of The Bible.
Dr. Don Adams to speak
at Perry UMC Prime Time
luncheon
Dr. Don Adams, son-in
law of Dr. and Mrs. Billy
Key, and Superintendent of
the Valdosta District of the
Southe Georgia Conference,
will present the program at
the Perry United Methodist
Church Prime Time
Luncheon on Nov. 6 at noon.
Adams will present a
monologue of the Rev. John
Wesley in full costume, shar
ing Wesley’s experience in
Ministries
■ Supt. David A. Taylor, Pastor
Order Of Services
Sunday School at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship 11:30 a.m.
■ Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study at 7:00 p.m.
■J New Bethel Mission COGIC
■ Supt. David A. Taylor, Coordinator
W New Perry Hotel Conference Room, Perry, GA
Thursday Bible Study at 7:30 p.m.
Come Worship With Us
Contact 478-953-6676
300 Ferguson Street, Warner Babins, BA 31093
I disagree with Dr. Levine
at this point. I am unwilling
to lie to my child about any
thing. I would not tell him
that his natural parents were
dead if that were not true.
Sooner or later, he will learn
that he has been misled,
which could undermine our
relationship and bring the
entire adoption story under
suspicion.
Instead, I would be inclined
to tell the child that very little
is known about his biological
parents. Several inoffensive
and vague possibilities could
be offered to him, such as,
“We can only guess at the
reasons the man and woman
could not raise you. They
may have been extremely
poor and were unable to give
you the care you needed;
or maybe the woman was
sick; or she may not have
had a home. We just don’t
Iraqi=2 Oair space, con
trolled by the U.S. Such an
attack will turn the Middle
East into a fireball.
In retribution, Iran can
be expected to counterat
tack Israel, viciously attack
Jewish settlements through
out the world, and dramati
cally increase the violence
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Further, the potential
would be great for a ter
rorist attack on the U.S.
homeland. Oil will become
a strategic interest as Iran
attempts to seize control of
the Persian Gulf through
which 20 to 40 percent of
Middle East oil is shipped.
If this occurs, oil could
skyrocket to S3OO a barrel
and gasoline to 8 to 10 dol
lars a gallon.
Alarming parallels exist
in the prophecies of Ezekiel
to what is happening in the
Servant, as defined in
Webster’s dictionary, is “one
who is ardently devoted to
another’s cause.
With servanthood
come freedoms not expe
rienced by the slave.
Slave or Servant?
I choose to see myself
in the role as a servant to
Christ, finding encourage
ment in Psalms 100, “Serve
the Lord with gladness”
(verse 2a)... “For the Lord is
good; his mercy is everlast
ing; and his truth endureth
to all generations.” (verse
5)
Georgia and how it led to
the birth of a spiritual move
ment that eventually became
the Methodist Church in
America.
Reservations must be
made by 9 a.m., Nov. 4, by
calling the church office at
987-1852. The cost of the
lunch is $5.
If cancellation is not made
by the deadline, the payment
of $5 is due.
know. But there is one thing
we do know. She must have
loved you very, very much
- enough to give you life and
to make sure you were raised
in a loving home where you
would be taken care of. We’re
so thankful that the Lord led
her to let us raise you.”
QUESTION: I under
stand your emphasis on
a child being taught to
respect the authority of
his or her parents but
doesn’t that coin have
two sides? Don’t parents
have an equal responsi
bility to show respect for
their children?
DR. DOBSON: They cer
tainly do! The self-concept
of a child is extremely frag
ile and it must be handled
with great care. A youngster
should live in complete safety
at home, never being belit
tled or embarrassed deliber
Middle East today. Ezekiel,
chapters 38-39, according to
Bible scholars, portends a
precursor war to the Battle
of Armageddon that will
be waged by a coalition of
nations led by Russia.
According to Ezekiel 38: 2,
Magog is the chief aggressor
nation who will lead Iran
and other Muslim nations
into battle against Israel.
Magog will be led by Gog.
Bible exegetes interpret
Magog to be Russia and
Upcoming
church events
Fall Festival at First Baptist
First Baptist Church of Centerville at 108 Church
Street is hosting a Fall Festival Oct. 30 from 6-8 p.m.
in the gym. There will be games, rides, candy, food and
safe fun!
Grovanla UMC hosts festival
Grovania United Methodist Church in Grovania,
along with the Elko and Snow United Methodist
Churches, are having a fall festival/bazaar on Nov. 8
at the old school house in Grovania. There will be a
variety of items for sale such as home made baked
goods; canned goods; frozen casseroles, soup and chili;
a Christmas room with beautiful wreaths and arrange
ments; and antiques and treasures from Grandma’s
attic. In addition we will have grilled chicken plates
(1/2 chicken, slaw, baked beans, bread, cookie for $6),
smoked Boston Butts and boiled p-nuts.
Warner Robins Aglow meets
Warner Robins Aglow International is meeting Nov.
12 at 10: 30 a.m. at Christ Chapel at 2288 Moody Road
in Warner Robins. Lunch afterwards at “ My Fathers
Place.
SmtuMtei y • UtaMfMmMuuf •
478-988-2448
740 Main Street
Perry GA 31069
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www.sewingbees.com
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168976
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008
"Let the spirit move you"
ately, never punished in front
of friends, never ridiculed in
a way that is hurtful. His
strong feelings and requests,
even if foolish, should be
considered and responded to
politely. He should feel that
his parents “really do care
about me.” My point is that
respect is the critical ingre
dient in all human relation
ships, and just as parents
should insist on receiving
it from their children, they
are obligated to model it in
return.
Dr. Dobson is founder and
chairman of the board of the
nonprofit organization Focus
on the Family, Colorado
Springs, CO 80995(www.
family.org). Questions
and answers are excerpt
ed from “Solid Answers”
and “Bringing Up Boys,”
both published by Tyndale
House.
Gog to be none other than
the angel-prince of hell, the
Devil himself.
Since Russia is helping
Iran build a network of
reactors capable of produc
ing weapons grade fission
able material, and since
Iran and Israel are virtually
looking at each other down
the gun barrel, we may be
witnessing the build-up for
a battle that could change
the course of human his
tory.
1812 O.S. 41N.
Perry, GA
987-1112
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[69305
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