How To Train Your Dragon - Review

I may sound heated. I'm not. :-D These are my honest thoughts- take them with a grain of salt and a gallon of Scripture- may they be found edifying. I know many like this film- I don't. Here's why.

I have heard rave reviews of this film. I have heard that they (Dreamworks) at last took Pixar to task.

As my generation says- epic fail. As I say- Pixar is safe in its animative supremacy.

I wasn't disappointed, because from what I had read already I came with low expectations.

The story was good. It was the stereotypical characters that ruined it for me.

The worldview was horrid- feminazi girl, women fighting, crude jokes, almost-cursing, and much deeper and more insiduous issues- for example, the younger generation of vikings speak with an American accent- the older generation, a Scottish. The older generation look like vikings, the new generation, like American punks. Accident? I don't think so.

How To Train Your Dragon was full of dangerous worldview clichés that occur over and over in modern films- here come a few:

-Parents wrong, kids right
-Boy stupid, clumsy, effeminate, coward, but right in the end - I'm all for him using his mind to make up for his lack of muscle and take dominion over God's creatures, but why continue to reinforce the stereotype of teenagers being strong and stupid OR weak and smart? And yes, he was brave, in a way. They can't get away from God's Order.
-Girl heartthrob, brave, strong, manly
-Bad dad who apologizes in the end - kid apologizes too, but was right all along, and was totally cool in his rebellion
-Heartthrob girl and clutzy boy kiss in the end- or, rather, she kisses him and he stands dazed and amazed
-All the kids are rebellious jerks, especially the main character. Disobeys. Again. And. Again. But he's funny while he's doing it, so that's all OK, right?
-Depressing credits (what's with the fad???)

BUT. The music was great and the overall quality was impressive.

2 of 5, not recommended unless you want to study sound design or film scoring.

Now, that sounds like I couldn't stand the film. Such is not the case. It was a fun ride, and there were some very funny parts. There was even some real Viking manliness modeled in the beginning, though they turn out wrong in the end... a fun film, a good use of a classic story structure, but, sadly, full of unnecessary and dangerous worldview clichés.

How much more powerful and fresh would the film have been if the son, a brave, strong young man in his own right, discovered this secret about dragons, told his father, and then the father and son set out together to find out the whole truth and set to right the fighting between dragons and humans?

(SPOILER- though, as an afterthought, I appreciated that the kid lost his foot in the end. A touch of realism, originality, and non-cliché-always-perfectly-happy ending.)

Biblical Principles of Physical Fitness

I like to work out. Well, sometimes I don't like to. I certainly like to be one who has worked out.

But it's more than just my preference. In taking Scripture to all areas of life, I believe that one area that is often overlooked is the area of physical fitness.

So, the question- "Should Christians be 'in shape'?"

I shall give some Biblical principles. Scripture doesn't say "Thou shalt do 100 push-ups daily," so I shall not say so either.

First, a few counterpoints need to be addressed:

"Doesn't 1 Tim. 4:6-9 say that we don't need to worry about this?"
No. Godliness is certainly MORE important. However, since spiritual and physical health are intertwined, and in the context of all of Scripture, this certainly doesn't mean that we should give no consideration to the state of our bodies.

"What if a person can't exercise?"
In that case, obviously, it is The LORD's Will for them to be in the condition they are, and their application of these principles, which they still should apply, may nevertheless be in very different ways than the physically healthy person. If they can't, they can't! (Welcome to the tautology club.)

However, that is usually not the case.

Here are 8 Biblical principles which apply in this realm.

1. Self-Control- 1 Cor. 9:24-27 - We must be self-controlled, and one way to practice this is through physical discipline- working out, or working hard.
2. Good Stewardship- Lk. 19:11 - We are called to be good stewards of what God has given us- how would that not include our bodies?
3. Protection of the Innocent- Neh. 4:14 - We, especially as men, should be ready to protect our families. To be weak and impotent physically- or even just "out of shape"- will certainly affect our ability to do this.
4. The Relationship of Body and Soul- We don't believe that the soul and body are entirely separate, but rather that they are connected- and, to some degree or another, as goes one, so goes the other. So, when we apply the principle of Self-Control to the body, we also discipline the soul- and vice-versa.
5. Readiness to Obey- 1 Pet. 5:8 - We will be better able to do whatever God calls us to. "The best of my ability" becomes better.
6. Multi-generational Vision- Taking better care of our bodies will, LORD willing, allow for longer, healthier lives of vision-impartation. How wonderful would it be for four generations of men to be elk hunting together? Ultimately, of course, God is sovereign over death- but man is responsible for what he does with the life that God has given him.
7. Strength as Glory- Pr. 20:29 - This applies specifically to young men, but I don't think it too much of a stretch to apply it to men in general. Physical strength should certainly NOT be a source of identity or ungodly pride. However, God has designed men to be strong. It is good, it is right, when we are. We should be proud of this in the right sense, and cultivate manly strength.
8. Testimony to the Lost- 2 Cor. 5:20 - As ambassadors for Christ, what kind of testimony is it to the world when we are unhealthy? Is that good representation of The King Whom we serve?

And some practical points:

• Gluttony is bad. (Pr. 23:21, 28:7) We ought to eat "only what we need, lest we have it in excess and vomit it". Feasting to The LORD is good (as is fasting, both at proper times), but gluttony is not.
• "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable." (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:23) It's not a sin to eat Dunkin' Donuts. But is it profitable? (And, honestly, I think for people like me it IS profitable to, every once in a while, have a DD or shake from Chik-Fil-A- as a reminder that it is indeed lawful.)
• Our bodies were designed to be used. Until recent times, they were. Now, we need to find a way to use them.

A Biblical Vision for Homeschooling

Culled from an outline I wrote for Dad and my talk last Saturday with the Mi Casa homeschool group.

The Christian Worldview is the necessary ingredient for proper homeschooling.

1. What is Biblical Worldview?
⁃ By "Biblical" I mean "according to The Bible," or subject to The Word of God. Submitting to God and His Word as The Standard of Truth- and Truth Itself. By "Worldview" I simply mean the way we view the world- the set of presuppositions by which we interpret everything else. So by "Biblical Worldview" I mean that we have aligned our presuppositions with God's Word so that we see things as God sees them. This we do to the best of our ability, very imperfectly of course, and only by The Grace of God.

2. Why Biblical Worldview?
⁃ Without a Biblical Worldview, Proper Learning Can't Happen "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge...." Proverb 1:7a, NAS A Biblical Worldview is foundational to all learning. The knowledge of God is more important than any other study- and is also foundational to all other studies.
⁃ Facts - Truth = Who Cares? Biblical Worldview gives reason for life. Trying to teach facts without a Biblical Worldview framework is not only unBiblical, as stated above, but is also impractical and nonsensical. An understanding of facts without an understanding of God are easily reduced to meaninglessness by the simple questions "So what?" and "Who cares?" Without a vision for the future, for why we do what we do, learning is a bore, a chore, a trophy, or, at best, something we do to "excel"- as an end goal in itself. However, when we look at wisdom and knowledge as a treasure (Pr. 8:19), a testimony to The Glory, Wisdom, Creativity, and very Existence of God (Ps. 19, Rom. 1:20), and also simply as a practical way to be skillful in our work (Ps 22:29, 1 Tim. 5:8), it takes on new meaning, worth, and value. Facts and Truth are two different things, and to blend them seamlessly we need to realize that Christ is The Creator of facts and The Source and Person of Truth.
⁃ Most Importantly, God Commands It All throughout Scripture we see that God Himself is The Fount of all good things (Jas. 1), and specifically of Wisdom and Knowledge (Proverbs). We are commanded as fathers and fathers-to-be to train our children in the "nurture and admonition of The LORD" (Eph. 6:4) and exhorted that the "fear of the LORD is the beginning" of knowledge and wisdom. If there were no other reason, the fact the God's Word commands it is evidence enough that we should be giving our families instruction specifically in Biblical Worldview and also in the light of Biblical Worldview when it comes to any other subject. More on that in Point 2.
⁃ Illustration The illustrations for this point can be drawn from many areas of my life personally. I'll pick two- physical exercise and piano practice. Sometimes I enjoy doing these things. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I fail to do them at all. But knowing why I do these things- ah, now that adds another dimension to it. I'm not exercising to look buff. I'm not practicing to get "WOW" from the audience (at least I shouldn't be...). I do these things for The Glory of God. I want to be strong so that I can obey Him better. So that I can protect and provide for my family. I learn music so that I can, again, provide for a family one day, and so that I can make excellent art also. God is Worthy of my best- and my best can always get better. It's not a matter of what I want to do. It's a matter of what I need to do- therefore I want to do it.
⁃ Application How to apply this to leading our families will be addressed more in Point 2, but applying the simple knowledge of the fact that we need Biblical Worldview in our homeschooling is also important. We must get used to seeing everything as God's. Films we watch, books we read, things we study- in "school-time" and out of it- must no longer simply be facts. We must realize, and as husbands and fathers and brothers, men of the house, take the lead in showing that these things are not neutral. These seemingly innocent things must be actively and consistently brought into subjection to our Theology and to The Word of God. We must be diligent to "take every thought captive" (2 Cor. 10:5). It won't just happen.

3. How Biblical Worldview?
⁃ And While We're Dreaming... Theories and philosophies and doctrines and ideas aren't just nice things, they're important things. However, if we never take these ideas and doctrines and apply them to our day-to-day lives, it is reduced to mere talk- however profitable the subject matter may be (Pr. 14:23). There are two specific ways of applying Biblical Worldview to homeschooling that I want to address- one being blatant application, didactic teaching of Biblical Truth, the other being the more vague but very important need to see everything through The Eyes of God, as it were.
⁃ Specific Instruction "Family Worship" is a very important ingredient of The Christian Home. Children need to be brought up in an environment that explicitly worships The God of The Bible- and teaches His Word (Deut. 6). Family Worship, a gathering together of the family for prayer, singing, and doctrinal instruction, is a crucial part of that environment. More on how to apply that in a moment. But theological instruction isn't limited to an hour of time where the family comes together and does their theological penance. No, the picture painted in Deuteronomy 6 is even more intimate and spontaneous. We can teach children in The Fear of The LORD by reciting Scripture while tucking them into bed, singing Godly songs as we go throughout the house, stopping our work and theirs for a moment to talk about The Glory of God in what we're doing, or a myriad of other things.
⁃ Teaching "In Light Of This" While in the application I described above, we are building Biblical Worldview, now we're looking at applying worldview. All instruction, all teaching, all knowledge, must be taught in the fear of God. This is one of the major Biblical reasons for homeschooling. Not only is homeschooling simply Biblical in itself- Deuteronomy 6- but it also allows for the fulfillment of Biblical commands and exhortations. Also, everything must be interpreted in the fear of God.
⁃ Illustration I teach piano lessons. Sometimes I get questions about why music works the way it does. Why does a certain pattern of notes make a Major Scale? The simple answer that I give is that "that's how God made it!"
⁃ Application
⁃ The laws of nature are what they are because they are The Laws of Nature's God. "Why does 2+2=4?" "Because that's how God made it, Johnny."
⁃ Give children a time to do their devotions- read their Bible, pray, memorize Scripture- it's a good habit to start young!
⁃ Do family worship. There's plenty of resources that can be used for these, and it can be as basic as coming together for 15 minutes every day, singing a hymn, reading a Proverb, and talking about what it means. If you'd be interested in getting other supplementary resources- a catechism is very useful, and there are many good books- we have some that we'd be glad to recommend.
⁃ When watching movies or reading books, pause and talk about things- "Was what that little boy did very honoring to his father?" "Now when that man said 'believe in yourself,' was that a Biblical thing to say?" "See how the character in this book is obeying God by defending his family?"
⁃ Be a lover of God and His Works. Let your children see that Dad or Brother doesn't just keep his religion in Church on Sunday. Pray with your kids, memorize Scripture with them, talk theology with them. It is excellent training for a young person to be able to hold deep discussions with adults.

States' Rights - If the Founders saw the Fed

The United States of America was founded slightly over 200 years ago. In the temporal space of those 200 years, much has changed. Technology has advanced, wars have been fought, generations have come and gone, and worldviews and perceptions of Truth have shifted greatly. If the men who founded these United States could visit their progeny today, there would be many things that would astonish them. Some things would no doubt please them. Overall, however, they would be disappointed. This great republican experiment of theirs has forsaken their vision. Corruption and abuse of power now permeate the American political sphere. The founding fathers wrote the United States Constitution to limit the federal government. As the Constitution itself says, "all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people." Thomas Jefferson, after quoting this, continues to say that "To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power, [no] longer susceptible of any definition." The founding fathers would be saddened to see that the federal government, contrary to their intent, is now its own entity, not only no longer subject to the states, but encroaching upon them.

When the federal government tries to pass "hate crimes" legislation, it is far overstepping its constitutional bounds. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government given the jurisdiction over the speech, let alone the thoughts of American citizens. To the contrary, the oft-quoted First Amendment ensures the right of the people to speak freely. If there was to be a law against "hate speech," it should certainly not be a federal law. This is not an area of power given to the federal government, therefore it remains in the province of the States and the people. Furthermore, The Law of God as expressed in The Old Testament only justifies punishment for specific physical crimes. Since the Founding Fathers came from a distinctly Biblical point of view, this is an important consideration. That the Founding Fathers came from this worldview is made clear by Patrick Henry, when he says that "It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ." Therefore, The Holy Bible may be seen as a very informative document into the minds of America's forefathers. From both a Biblical and a constitutional perspective, the federal government has no place in legislating against "hate crimes." It would sadden the founders to see this establishment try.

The "healthcare reform" that may soon be mandated to the American people is another example of a top-heavy federal government that is violating the rights of the people and the jurisdiction of the states. While the brutally abused welfare clause of the Constitution might be used to justify this heinous legislation, an honest reading of that same document as a whole, bearing in mind the spirit and history of the times, shows that the "nanny-state" was not our founders' intent. Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist No. 32, stresses that "…the State governments would clearly retain all the rights of sovereignty which they before had, and which were not, by that act, EXCLUSIVELY delegated to the United States." The United States are nowhere granted any power in the Constitution even remotely respecting something like healthcare, and to by mandate force the people to subscribe to this "care" is far more blatantly tyrannous. Furthermore, while this welfare clause might at first glance seem to relate to the health of the citizens of the States, the welfare clause specifically applies to the States themselves. Combine this with the Biblical principle that government's role is to bear the sword, and not to give charity, and it becomes clear that the founders would not approve of the federal healthcare legislation that is being planned today.

The founders would also be displeased with the way that the concept of the militia has been almost entirely erased from the modern American's vocabulary, while all of the nation's military might is centralized and under federal control. The Second Amendment to the United States constitution not only makes clear that the people have a right to keep and bear arms, but also that a "well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State," is an important protection of that and other rights. Yet this necessary ingredient to the security of a free state is not in any way practiced today. Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, defines the militia as "The body of soldiers in a state enrolled for discipline, but not engaged in actual service except in emergencies…." This militia structure would give the States much more power, and would put weight behind the demands of the several states. A centralized, federal, standing military is arguably unconstitutional, but it is not arguable that it gives the few in Washington much power, and more so when the States are so rendered impotent by not having an armed and enlightened citizenry. This would not please the founders.

Because of these and many other grievances committed by the federal government against the states and the people, the founding fathers would be disappointed, were they to visit the United States today. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for the freedom of their children. Surely they would be displeased to see that their children had apathetically or ignorantly given away to the federal government the liberties that these men worked so hard to ensure. O America, take heed. May the blood and toil of our fathers not be wasted on their sons.

Self-Esteem

Biblical "self-esteem" gives man value without giving him a reason to be proud. God is Big, I am small. I have value, not because I am good- I am wicked! - but because a Great God has created me in His Image, chosen me from the foundations of the earth, and bought me with The Blood of His Son.

Atheism does the opposite. The atheistic worldview gives man no inherent value, being only a product of chance, but also gives man reason to be sinfully proud of whatever he can accomplish.

And this bit of worldview is crucial for the debate on the sanctity of life.

On Love

Deuteronomy 11:1 is my text: "You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments."

According to culture Americana, "love" is a gooey emotion that happens when a handsome young man and a pretty young woman lock eyes. That's why we can fall into it, 'cuz it's liquid and gooey.

Think about our phrases:

• Fell in love
• Love at first sight
• Have feelings for
• Young love
• I can't love [some person]

While this emotional aspect is an important effect of love, it is not love itself. God here COMMANDS us (in the Deuteronomy text) to love Him. But how are we to force ourselves to feel emotional "love"? I don't know. Our emotions should be subject to God too. But it starts with a choice (which we can only make by God's Grace). It should effect the emotions, but it shouldn't be solely an emotional thrill. Else how do we love our spouse, or our children, if we wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Indeed, sometimes we must love in spite of our emotions. As they said so well in the film Fireproof- my paraphrase- "you can't follow your heart. You've got to lead your heart."

The Sister's Role towards her Brother

Treat Him like the Man You Want Him to Become
Be the Kind of Woman you want Him to Look For
From G. A. Hudelson

“It is better to live in a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” (Pr. 25:24, NASB)

It has been said that a woman has the (figurative) power to make a man or to cut him in half. This isn’t talking about decapitation- it is talking about the truth that woman, created to help man, can fulfill that role gloriously and result in encouraging and helping her man to heights beyond his wildest dreams. However, she can also become a weight on his wings, and hinder him from doing what he should have done as well as he could have done it.

A sister can do much to encourage her brother to become a Godly man. It will not all be verbal- in fact, most of it will be by her actions, which “speak louder than words.”

Sisters, if you are quick to quarrel with your brother, you will make it difficult for him to act as he should. You need to model by your actions things that you would be pleased to see in your brother’s wife, and you wouldn’t want him to marry a whiny woman who would argue with every decision he made, would you? Then you need to show him what a godly, submissive, woman looks like. Show him what he should admire. When he asks you to get something for him, then do it gladly! Or if your parents already have you doing something else, then lovingly say something like “Daddy already had me doing this- may I finish?” or “I’m sorry, but Mom told me to do this- if you can wait a minute, I’ll be right there.”

Don’t be argumentative. If it’s a little thing, something that’s not important, then just give it away. Jesus Himself said that “it is better to give than to receive.” You just “seek first The Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.” That will bring more joy than fighting over the little things, even if you win. I believe it was Harvey Newcomb, in his excellent book How to be a Lady, who encourages us, but specifically young women, to take a moment in the middle of our fighting with one another and ask ourselves: “Will this matter in the great span of eternity?”
Now ask yourself this: by being an argumentative, grating sister, what are you teaching your brother? You are teaching him that women are not pleasant or loveable, that they are to be avoided, shamed, defeated in combat of the mind, if not physical struggle. If you shame your brother by showing off that you know more than he does, remember- you are teaching him that he needs to strengthen himself to defeat you. He will jump at the chance to prove himself better than you. Mind, I am not saying that he will be right in so doing- but if he doesn’t have the strength of character to withstand your misconduct, he will likely resort to that. Remember, though- I am not speaking to him. I’m speaking to you. Don’t take that sentence to say that he is the problem- “if only he would man up and treat me like he should”- no, but take the plank out of your eye, and let him be, if God so wills it, “won without a word” by your conduct.

If, however, you are a submissive, gentle, quiet- not reclusive, but quiet- sister, what are you teaching your brother? You are teaching him that women are pleasant and loveable, that they are to be protected, cherished, defended from any enemy. If you build your brother up, not only by complimenting him, but by speaking well of him to others, by bragging on him, so to speak, you are showing him that you are not his enemy, but that you love him, and you are not ashamed of him. My sisters do this all the time, so I speak from experience when I say that it tells your brother that you know you like him and you want others to know it too.

Mind, I don’t mean for you to lie about how good your brother is- but find the things that you can praise him for. I also am not encouraging flattery. Speak the truth in love. Encourage your brother, and build him up. By doing this, you are teaching him that he should strengthen himself to protect you. He will jump at the chance to prove himself ready to do his duty as your brother.
Which do you want for a brother? And which do you want for yourself? For while it is ultimately his responsibility to walk with God humbly, it will be much harder for him to do this if you, every time he climbs nearer to Christ, pull him down to your level again with a temptation to quarrel. You will make it much easier for him to take his place if you gladly take yours.

So how can you practice a gentle and quiet spirit? My Dad and I once went to a meeting discussing a new policy that a city legislature was considering. One of my sisters also came with us. Dad and I both got up and spoke in front of the council- my sister didn’t. But by simply sitting quietly and contentedly in the back of the room, she spoke volumes about what true, godly womanhood looks like. She modeled for all those people there the beauty of following God’s Ways.

So don’t take every opportunity to speak that comes your way. Practice sitting and listening. You will learn a lot that way. It has been said that God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we talk. Even more importantly, Scripture exhorts us to be “quick to listen” and “slow to speak.” That is a very good thing to practice for sisters AND brothers.
Be very careful to treat your brother like a man. Obviously, he is probably not fully grown and mature (though he may be, depending on your situation). Regardless of whether he is or isn’t, don’t let the fact that he is your brother cause you to treat him with contempt, as familiarity often does. Treat him like the man you want him to become. Don’t expect perfection- that bears repeating!- do NOT expect perfection from your brother. But humbly encourage him to and let him be the man. You can do this by looking for times when you can purposefully submit to him- let him take the lead. Follow him gladly. Do this in the little things. Let him be the fearless captain of the expedition exploring the backyard, rather than insisting that the caravan goes your way. Obviously this can only go so far, especially with older sisters who must watch over their younger siblings. Yet Godly habits can and should be modeled in day-to-day play. Another example- when you play with your brother, are you usually pretending to be enemies? Or does your brother practice protecting you? And do you practice letting him protect you? That is what you want your brother to do when he’s grown up, right? So encourage him to do it now. If your brother takes advantage of your submission, he is wrong to do so. But remember Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, and how God told her to submit to her cruel mistress. Even in that situation, remember to focus on the log in your own eye first, and do what is right. God has put your father in your life to protect you- if your brother does wrong, God will vindicate the innocent! You just make sure you are innocent! So ask yourself- does your brother feel like he’s pulling teeth every time he asks you to do something for him? Or is he afraid to ask you, knowing that you will get angry? Do you treat him like a pest or a friend, a tyrannous ogre or a respected and honorable king? When you are talking to your friends and your brother comes up beside you, do you look disgusted with him or happy and proud of him? Practice your role of helping now, and rejoice in it! Remember how the Proverb 31 woman represents her husband well. He is not ashamed to sit in the city gates with the elders of the land. Make sure that you also do this with your brother.

By treating your brother as a man, I also mean that you should not pamper him. Especially older sisters- don’t teach your brother that every time he scrapes his knee he needs to come crying to momma or sissy. Don’t tell him to get down every time he gets somewhere a bit dangerous. While I’m not advocating letting him do things that are foolish, let him train himself for manhood- bloody knees and bruised foreheads are part of the process. Let him fall off the swing. Maybe you knew it was coming- maybe he did too. Obviously, if he was one year old, you wouldn’t let him fall off the swing- but if he’s old enough to understand what falling is, and if the swing is reasonably near the ground, and he wants to balance on the moving swing on one foot while punching the air with both hands, let him go for it! Let him push his limits and do dirty, bloody, sweaty things. Just because you as a girl wouldn’t enjoy it or even think of doing it, don’t make a girl out of your brother. If he fails at what he was attempting, maybe he’ll learn from it and not do it again- or maybe he’ll try again until he conquers. That can be a very good thing, and one you should encourage. I’m not advocating barbarous or boorish (vulgar, lowly, common) manhood. I am advocating men who are Strong and Courageous- and your role as a sister in fostering that is valuable beyond words.

So remember that when you interact with your brother, you are practicing right now how you will act as an adult. Don’t think that your family is hard to get along with, but no one else is. No, everyone is sinful. God has given you a great opportunity to grow now, in your home, instead of being thrust out into the world and realizing that it is not as perfect as it may seem. Take that opportunity and praise The LORD for it! And remember that your brother is being raised into a man- a prophet, a priest, a king- so use this precious time that you have to invest in him. When you touch him, you touch the future. Your calling is glorious. Rejoice in it, and play your part in encouraging your brother to become a man of God. This will help both of you to grow exponentially, and it makes family life a joy and a beauty. It also will refine you into a more virtuous, Godly woman- one who models what her brother needs to look for in a wife one day. My Dad rightly says, “One of the greatest compliments a young lady can have is when her brother refuses to court a girl because she’s ‘not like my sisters!’”