Michael Jackson

I can’t say we were ever big fans of Michael Jackson, even in his glory years growing up. We enjoyed Weird Al Yankavich’s renditions of “Bad” and “Beat It” more than the actual songs Jackson put out. Having him pass brings to mind what a following he had, and what a fanatical presence he had in our generation. The generation of most parents today.

We spoke at the Christian Home Educators of Colorado a week ago on two topics. The first was our regular “Cheaper by the Dozen” talk on how to be frugal and fruitful. That talk was rehearsed, interesting, fun. It was a safe talk.

The second talk was “Love in the House.” Sure, we wrote the book two years ago, but we had yet to speak in a formal public setting on the most important (in our opinion) issue facing families today: LOVE. Or the lack of it. We spoke for 60 minutes on two settings of love and how parents (especially those in the home school community) are failing to place love in the center of them: marriages and raising children.

There were some people sobbing through the talk. Like, uncontrollably sobbing. We emphasized the need (that’s NEED, not option) for married couples’ mutual submission to one another. We both spoke to parents and those children (everyone could relate) that “got under their skin.” Our talk reminded people that they had dreadful relational challenges in their lives. These are opportunities to let love in. In several situations, love is the only hope parents have.

But back to Michael Jackson, one of seven children. I haven’t been really into the media frenzy, but my daughter, Cynthia, suggested I read Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s take (see his article here). I have enjoyed Shmuley’s writings (particularly his book Face Your Fear). Apparently he had a friendship with Michael Jackson and counseled him for several years. Shmuley quotes Michael Jackson:

“I think all my success and fame, and I have wanted it, I have wanted it because I wanted to be loved. That’s all. That’s the real truth. I wanted people to love me, truly love me, because I never really felt loved. I said I know I have an ability. Maybe if I sharpened my craft, maybe people will love me more. I just wanted to be loved…”

Michael Jackson now joins John Lennon as a deceased rock star who died singing about love yet never really knowing it. The number of critics crying foul over Jackson’s hypocrisy are stacked to the ceiling. They point at his molestation charges (not conviction), his obsession with his face, his addiction to prescription drugs. All of these things are ugly consequences of a life overwhelmed with worldly fame and fortune, but so empty of God’s love.

It would be too easy to condemn Michael Jackson for missing the mark on love, so don’t add me onto the list of stone-throwers. For a moment, hold your judgment and ask this question: “Are we singing about love?” Don’t blow this one off. LOVE IS IT, and if we’re not singing love—in all who we are and in all we do, especially in our marriages and in our families—the music we make in our lives are loud noises, just gongs and clanging cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1).

This is heavy stuff, apparently the heavy stuff Shmuley claimed was the real problem with Michael Jackson. He had not love. Couples at CHEC shared with us their stuggles in their marriages and with their children. There were genuine tears of sorrow from several people who were met with the reality that their lives were absent of love.

We home-schoolers are real good at building up the image of our homes and flaunt about how great we are. Our kids excel far above the national average and are getting such better education than the common folk. Our talk on love was nicely placed (PTL) in one of the most popular home school conferences in the nation.

One of the more convicting parts of the talk was off-script:

“We entertain ourselves when we visit churches or their Web sites or their book stores. If love is truly the most excellent way as Scripture says, I wonder how many sermons are preached on love, or how many books on love they are selling. Most of the time there is not one. Our churches are speaking on a whole host of other things, but not on love.”

Perhaps…because of the church’s empty message of love, we are faced with a popular culture who cry out the for real thing.

The rock stars and Hollywood–twisted as their message may be–are attempting to articulate love. Churches treat love like window dressing, like feel-good fluff, expendable discussion points much less important than more meaty topics like theology, or truth, or you-fill-in-the-blank. Who is coming closer to hitting the mark?

Michael Jackson asked Shmuley the right question. He at least aimed at the right target. He did (at least at that point of his life) understand that love was “the most excellent way” (1 Corninthians 12:31), the Greatest Commandment, one where “all the laws of the prophets hang on these.”

So Wendy and I will keep preaching this message of love. It is overwhelming at times, feeling like we are mere students of love and of each other. But there are few message bearers out there that are singing of the most excellent way.

It has been such a long time since we posted last, nearly a month. We were limited in our Internet access while on vacation (not such a bad thing, really), so we enjoyed traveling from Wisconsin (our last post) to Minnesota to South Dakota to home. Here’s a rundown:

• Spoke in Elk River on “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Got a chance to connect with the Bjorkmans…great people.
• Visits at my folk’s in Royalton. I reconnected with my best friend from high school, Travis Glanzer. It had been over 15 years!
• Reconnecting with my sister, Kate, and her family in Tenstrike. Helped put the dock in with Jerry and his son at Birch Haven Resort. The waders leaked and we got very cold.
• Spent a few days with our friends, the Heppners, in Warroad, a stone’s throw from Canada. We visited the Wm. Marvin Visitor Center. Wow, what a museum! A must-see if you ever make it up there.
• Spent an entire day with Mennonites for a field day of track in Black Duck. More great people. The Jeubs left a few quarts of blood for the local flock of mosquitoes.
• Traveled to Yankton, SD, to spend time with dear friends, the Leets. Spent the whole day water skiing at Louis & Clark State Park. I got up on one ski on my first try! Hadn’t tried that since the mid-90’s. Still got it in me. (I lasted about 5 minutes, and I think I’m still soar in some spots.)

Once we returned, we got right to work on several things. One, we remodeled our kitchen. We had a good friend do much of the work while we were gone. The remodel is one that is totally practical: it opens up our living area and kitchen area considerably. I will try to find time to post on this and how we did this remodel at a fraction of the cost of a typical remodel. You’ll find it interesting.

I am bringing Cynthia and Lydia to South Carolina on Friday to compete at the NCFCA National Tournament. We will have a booth for Training Minds Ministry, so this is a business trip for me. Cynthia qualified in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Lydia in Original Oratory. They would appreciate your prayers!

Wendy and I really covet your prayers, too. I am flying home early from Nationals to join Wendy for the Christian Home Educators of Colorado Conference, one of the largest conferences in the nation. We’re speaking on two subjects: (1) Cheaper by the Dozen and (2) Love in the House. The first we’ve done several times, but the second is challenging.

Sure, we wrote the book, but we haven’t spoken on it yet. God is weighing on our hearts to get very direct in several ways. We have a burning conviction in us to speak out more about the importance of “love in the house”–in our marriages, dealing with our children, with our extended family, in our churches and neighborhooods.

We’ve got so many valuable things to say about LOVE, but our time is extremely limited from now till then. As I type I’m thinking, “Why are you writing this blog posting? You’ve got work to do!”

I believe in the power of prayer, and Wendy and I ask you to pray for the Jeubs. We need clarity, courage, obedience, and a servant’s heart for the next couple weeks. We really appreciate it!

We stayed at a campground in Southern Wisconsin last weekend. Wendy’s mother and brother, Tod, live in Burlington, so we popped the outfitter’s tent and enjoyed family. Tod’s children (2) had a blast with their Jeub cousins (13).

This campground had about a half-dozen playground areas. Monkey bars, swing sets, etc. What did the kids spend most of their time doing? Making their own swing out of an old camping rope and a metal bar. Nearly the entire day was spent making the most interesting swinging contraptions.

This caused me to ponder two things that are on our hearts a lot lately. First, creativity. The kids find more value in the play they create than the play that is created for them. Sure, playgrounds are fun, but how much more fun for the children was a rope and worthless bar? They created it themselves, and that was 90% of the fun.

Second, hard work. The kids really worked hard. They had to throw the bar over high oak branches, getting stuck several times. Hours were spent setting the swing up. Hard work, but rewarding to say the least. As Teddy Roosevelt said, “The best prize that life has to offer is working hard at work worth doing.”

We’re now in Minnesota at my folks’ place. Wendy and I are speaking tonight in Elk River on “Cheaper by the Dozen: Economic principles for living frugal and fruitful lives.” Creativity and hard work are two principles of life that aren’t spoken of much anymore. They really should.

We’re leaving for our big 2-week trip to Minnesota tomorrow. What a zoo it has been these past couple weeks. Today will be extremely busy packing, so I woke up early this morning to prepare for the business aspect of our Minnesota trip: Heppner’s Legacy Homeschool Resource Workshop, “Cheaper by the Dozen.”

If you can make it, do so! We’re building on our 2007 presentation “Cheaper by the Baker’s Dozen” and providing more entrepreneurial ideas for families. Plus Lydia will give her award-winning presentation “Creativity in Family” which she will give at NCFCA Nationals in June.

This presentation will be a cozy group (capped at 24 people, space still available), so Wendy and I are looking forward to really connecting with the couples there. This presentation may sound sort of stale, only about money, but it weaves a most profound principle and is extremely convicting. Here’s the principle: God has a fruitful plan for your family, and finances should not get in the way of that.

This begs the question, “How can I do it?” This economy is at a standstill, and the more I see Washington’s foolish responses, the more skeptical I become. The present is daunting, and the future looks bleak. “You don’t know the position I’m in, Jeub,” I can hear someone say. “Things are really, really tough.”

You’re right, I don’t know the position you’re in, but God does, and Wendy and I stand to testify how God has lead us through tough economic times. We have developed a handful of principles to financial stewardship (largely from years of trial and error) that have paid the greatest dividends over the years. Life is good–and it always has been, in both tight and loose times–and the principles we share should bring freedom and wealth to your family.

So, I hope you can make it. If not, we will be giving the same talk at the Christian Home Educators of Colorado Conference in June. We hope to have a new book out for CHEC, Frugal & Fruitful Living, but there are several elements that need to come into place to make that happen. For now, try to make it to either event, especially if you are feeling the crunch of this current poor economy.

Wendy’s newest book Love in a Diet is being exclusively sold here (it is not available anywhere yet). It is also at a 20% savings PLUS a free sampler of her and Cynthia’s cookbook, set to release very soon. Really, folks, now is the time to buy this book. Here is some initial feedback…

I got your book. I sat down and immediately read it. Now we are reading it as a family each night. I am surprised that my kids are now writing down everything they eat. Ya’ll keep spitting those books out so my family has something good to read;)

Debbie

I just received your book Love in a Diet and I LOVE it! Finally a book written to real people who want to eat great AND lose weight.

In Christ, Ellen

I got my book early this afternoon and read it before dinner (thankfully I had something easy to prepare for dinner!) What a great book! Well done (thanks for keeping it short and to the point too!) You are an inspiration and I look forward to pluggin’ away at this. I have about 30 lbs to lose (ideally, 20 would be a great place to get to also!). I look forward to implementing your 8 steps as well as the other things you suggest.

Jen S.

And here’s a comment on the FREE SAMPLER that comes with your order of Love in a Diet…

I just wanted to email you to let you know we went camping over the weekend.  Saturday we had a potluck.  I made the “Birthday Bash Beans” from the recipe sampler I had gotten.  Everyone just raved about the beans.  In fact when we got together for lunch on Sunday, everyone requested that I bring over any of the leftover beans from the night before.  Even a couple of the guys, who are farmers, had seconds.  Made me feel very good – thanks to Wendy & Cynthia!! My hats off to you.

Jill Wonick

$11.96 (reg. $14.95)
20% off ONLY on JeubFamily.com
Ships 1st Class or Priority Mail
All preorders receive FREE Love in the Kitchen Vol. 2 sampler

Wendy and I have been incredibly busy these past few weeks, as you can see from our lack of posting. Of course, getting Wendy’s Love in a Diet to market has been all-consuming, and the girls’ (Cynthia and Wendy) second edition to Love in the Kitchen Cookbook is now wrapping up. There is more to pulling recipes together than you might think! I hope to have pre-order information up this afternoon.

Anyway, there are a few big news items that you’d like to hear! First, Wendy and I will be speaking in Elk River, Minnesota, on May 19 at Heppner Legacy Bookstore (click for information). This won’t be a huge event, nice and cozy for a small group of people who can make the trip. Wendy and I will be talking on two subjects, “Love in the House” and “Cheaper by the Dozen”, the same two talks we’ll be giving at the CHEC conference the month later. If you can make it, register with the bookstore and reserve a seat. Seating is limited to only 24 (like I said, nice and cozy).

The 2nd news event is huge-o-mongo! For shame that I haven’t posted about this. Both Cynthia and Lydia qualified to NCFCA Nationals at our Region 3 tournament (see results)! Cynthia was rumored to be one of the tournament surprises, her first year in Lincoln-Douglas debate. I wasn’t surprised, though. She credits her work in extemporaneous speaking (also first year) as the extra training she needed to pull ahead in her debate skills, and she and I worked particularly hard training her for this event. She went 4-2 in prelims and was knocked out in quarter-finals by the debater who won the tournament. Pictured here is a cross-examination between Cynthia and her old team-debate partner, Matthew Erickson. They had both wanted to meet each other at previous tournaments, but weren’t ever matched up. They got their chance at Regionals, and Cynthia clocked him won the ballot.

Lydia (pictured presenting for a 3-judge panel) has a very nice Original Oratory that attempts to articulate her large family life. She has worked hard to try to show how creativity makes its impact in the Jeub family…and can in any family. Funny, she watched most of Cynthia’s rounds and flowed the debates. She’s convinced she’ll be doing debate next year (she’s been sort of dragging her feet). Both girls are off to Nationals in June! They’re flying to South Carolina; we’re not making the big vacation trip out of it like we did last year.

The 3rd news event is bitter-sweet: we sold our bus! That’s right, the same bus that was featured on “Kids by the Dozen,” the bus that brought us on several camping trips into the mountains, the bus that broke down in New Mexico and made for a great story in the introduction of our bestselling book Love in the House. Ah, the memories. But that is what we cherish, the memories, not so much the bus itself. To be honest, the bus was getting too small for our family (no lie!) and we’ve preferred the outfitter’s tent over the bus in the last few big trips.

The bus’s new home is in Alabama, purchased from a family who saw our show and fell in love with the bus. A three-generation representation flew into Denver and I picked them up to drive them to their new RV. It was very cool to get to know Adam I, Adam II and Adam III. Their entire purpose of buying the bus is to have a vehicle to visit family who, unfortunately, need to live apart from each other for a time being. Adam II has four daughters and one son, the perfect amount to fill the bus with new memories and adventure. The Jeubs couldn’t be happier to pass on the bus to such a good family. Check out their blog here.

Thanks for the memories, bus! We’ll miss you!

So, that’s the big news lately! We’re super busy right now, and I had to get up at 4:00 am to pound this post out. Order Wendy’s book Love in a Diet if you haven’t already. It is a great book that we hope to speak into the hearts of moms out there. And, if you can, link to the book’s order page from your blogs. We’d appreciate the business. Blessings to you and yours! -Chris

As I sit and hold my new baby boy Zechariah, I am reminded of how quickly babies grow and change! Before long Zechariah will stretch out and grow into a crawler and toddler. Right now I am so enjoying his little squeaks and big yawns. He is so soft and warm. I love holding him and snuggling him in my arms.

Yesterday, I took 10 of my children to the local pool. We had the baby with us of course. There I was with my 3 week old, putting on my swim suit and thinking this is more then a little embarrassing. I still have some ‘baby fat’ to lose.

However, I smiled to myself knowing that this is so temporary. I have already started applying the principles in my book to my life. Because of that I take comfort in knowing that this to shall pass. I was good throughout my pregnancy and keep up with the healthy principles in my book. Because of that I do not have as far to go this time as I have in the past.

Here is a picture of me from not too long ago (had to dig one up of me NOT pregnant) alongside a 9-year-old photo of me at the Grand Canyon. The baby I’m holding in this picture is Tabitha. I have come a long way, and I can’t wait to share the book with all of you! I am in better shape at 3 weeks postpartum then I was then with a toddler.

The book is ready for order now, fresh off the press. I can’t wait till you read this book!

$11.96 (reg. $14.95)
20% off ONLY on JeubFamily.com
Ships 1st Class or Priority Mail
All preorders receive FREE Love in the Kitchen Vol. 2 sampler

We just got cover art back from the publisher. Wendy’s diet book, titled Love in a Diet, is due out May 1, and preorders will be available soon. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are carrying the book, but this website will have a special deal for you. Here’s the back-cover text:

Wendy Jeub’s figure is slim, her face glows, she’s healthy and youthful. And she’s a mother of 15 children.

How does she look so good? This is one of Wendy’s most common questions, and here’s the book that explains how.

Wendy’s personal journey isn’t one of a weight specialist or abs-builder who has never known an aging mom’s struggle to keep her figure. Ordinary people can apply Wendy’s straight-forward fundamentals to stay healthy and keep the weight off.

If weight or health has been your personal trial, Love in a Diet will encourage, uplift and motivate you as you grow to appreciate Wendy’s easy-to-apply principles for dieting and healthy living.

Wendy is pretty excited about this book. Steve Isaac from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In Online was the lead editor to the work, smoothing out Wendy’s writing and making for a great read. I made final touches for the publishing company (Monument Publishing) and helped put the cover together. This book, I believe, is going to be a real helpful book for moms.

The attention grabber at the top of the back cover reads: “Over 40 with 15 children, you wouldn’t think she’d look so good.” Heh, if that doesn’t sell books, I don’t know what will!

Stay tuned…ordering information coming very soon.