Daly Focus Blog
Are we willing to take a break from our own happiness to minister to broken people, even during the holiday season?
One man did.
His name is Eric Schmitt-Matzen, and chances are you might have caught a bit of his story.
His tale happened several weeks ago, when a terminally ill young boy was nearing the end of his battle. This little 5-year-old knew he was going to miss Christmas. And he wanted to see Santa Claus.
Today I want to share some sad news, and to remember a good man.
Fred Stobaugh, the elderly widower whose love song for his wife of 75 years went viral in 2013, passed away on Nov. 23.
“Oh Sweet Lorraine” eventually made Fred the oldest person to appear on the Billboard’s Hot 100 – and even helped save marriages in the process. Truly, the love he had for his wife was inspiring.
I want to honor Fred today, as well as his sweet Lorraine, by re-running the original post I first shared three years ago.
I’m not sure which is harder to believe: The fact that Christmas is right around the corner, or that the school year is nearly half over.
My boys, Trent and Troy, are ready for Christmas break. They’re hanging in there with school, but they’ll need some encouragement to get through the final stretch until summer.
Until then, there’s a lot of studying and homework to do, which can be stressful on students and parents alike. If you’re feeling the mid-year crunch, I think our radio program today and tomorrow will be a big help to you.
I don’t cook dinner very often. I think Jean prefers it that way. Her degree is in bio-chemistry. Not only is she smart, but she naturally thinks in terms of precision. Recipes are to be followed. If the instructions call for one cup of flour, she’ll measure exactly one cup. She’ll even use a knife to scrape off the excess, so the amount is perfect. I’ve even seen her add more if it’s not quite full.
Our society needs heroes.
In fact, I think it’s how God has wired us.
The human spirit is nourished by witnessing men and women who answer the call of God upon their lives and overcome amazing obstacles with unwavering faith.
I think this is partly why Jesus took on human nature and lived among us. God didn’t abandon us to figure life out on our own or leave us the Bible as a sterile rule sheet to follow.
If you’re a fan of home improvement shows, it’s hard not to love Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of the hit HGTV reality program “Fixer Upper.”
The couple has taken the television world by storm since the show first aired in 2013. And while they’re talented home renovators and savvy businesspeople, those aren’t the main reasons for their popularity.
Fans will happily tell you there’s something different about the Gaineses. They’re kind, funny, and devoted to their four young children.
Every week, nearly 6 million listeners tune in to the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast. It’s still humbling for me to realize that so many people invite Focus – and, by extension, me as the program’s host – into their lives.
We love our listeners, and appreciate the feedback you give us. Whether you contact us by phone, email or on social media, we review every single opinion, comment and testimony, and we share it with relevant staff.
A father who visited psychologist Michael Anderson’s counseling office illustrates the shift in thinking many moms and dads need to make in their parenting.
The father said, “You wouldn’t believe what my daughter has become. In the last 90 days, she’s changed completely. She’ll do anything her friends tell her to do. She’s smoking. She’s drinking. She’s shoplifting.”
Michael asked him, “What was she like 90 days ago?”
“She was an A-student. She was in the church youth group and would do anything we told her to do.”
That wording caught Michael’s ear.
No matter how strong your faith, the death of a spouse can rattle it. That’s how deeply a heart can be broken. The richer the love, the worse the suffering.
Tricia and Robb’s love was like that, thanks to God’s grace and a lot of hard work. Early on in their marriage, Tricia felt ungrateful for Robb. Over time, her ingratitude grew into openly criticizing him. His quirks and idiosyncrasies, once so charming, became irritating.
But Tricia and Robb got to work and built a strong and fulfilling marriage.
By now you may have heard that the actress Florence Henderson died last week on Thanksgiving Day. She was best known as Carol Brady, the “lovely lady … who met this fellow” on the iconic 1970s sitcom “The Brady Bunch.”
The show wasn’t a ratings hit during its initial run, but “The Brady Bunch” found its niche when it first aired in syndication in 1975. It’s been on the air ever since.
Some of that success is undoubtedly due to Henderson’s take on the family matriarch, which made Mrs.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
