Daly Focus Blog
Tomorrow millions of families around the world will tune in to watch the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
There’s something special about the Olympics, isn’t there? Cheering on the United States – or whatever your “home” country is – adds a welcomed, unique layer to the thrill of sports.
It’s also interesting to “meet” the athletes and learn their amazing stories. So many of them have overcome seemingly impossible odds to compete in the Games.
The movie “Bad Moms” opened this past weekend in the number two slot, taking in $23.8 million. And despite the bad language and wild antics, the film delivers a lesson… to dads. I’ll leave you with Plugged In’s Paul Asay to share what he learned when he watched “Bad Moms” — so you won’t have to.
And I’d love to hear from you — what summer movie (in the theaters or on Netflix) can you recommend?
Conflict over finances can be hard on a marriage. In fact, research shows that couples who argue about money are nearly twice as likely to divorce as those who don’t.
The answer to that dilemma should be easy then, right? Just manage your finances better.
But a lot of couples are surprised to learn that poor money habits are only one part of their trouble. The other part is usually the marriage itself.
Money puts stress on fractures that already exist in a marriage.
Lorain had a passion for helping couples thrive in their marriages.
For 52 years, she crisscrossed the state of Oklahoma with her husband, Homer, as he preached from church to church. Along the way she came up with a succinct formula for marital happiness. Here’s her recipe for a happy marriage:
1 cup consideration
1 cup courtesy
2 cups praise
2 cups flattery carefully concealed
2 cups milk of human kindness
1 gallon faith in God and each other
1 small pinch of in-laws
1 reasonable budget
1 cup contentment
A generous dash cooperation
2 children (at least)
1 cup confidence and encouragement (for each)
1 large or several small hobbies
1 cup blindness to the other’s faults
Flavor with frequent portions of recreation and a dash of happy memories.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared my concern that America seems to be sinking to a new low in race relations. The media has highlighted in graphic detail just how fractured our culture has become.
Even in times when our country has been at its most unified, racial division has remained an unresolved schism bubbling just below the surface. In the wake of severe racial strife over the past couple of years, the “Black Lives Matter” movement emerged, only to be quickly countered by “Blue Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” groups.
“Here’s the story of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls…”
Most of you could probably finish that theme song from memory. The Brady Bunch was the quintessential television family of the early 1970’s, largely because of its wholesome, albeit simplistic, portrayal of blended families.
In the world of television sitcoms, problems are cleanly resolved by the end of each 30-minute episode. But let’s face it, rebuilding a family is rarely as simple as Mike and Carol Brady made it appear.
The only things certain in life are death and taxes.
Oh … and the fact that children are born selfish.
Straight from the womb, kids have no boundaries. They don’t care if their mom and dad are hungry, overworked, or haven’t slept in days. They’ll scream for food when they’re hungry and for a new diaper when the old one has, let’s say, fulfilled its purpose.
Fortunately, there’s nothing in that behavior for parents to worry about because that’s the means God has given infants to have their needs met and to survive.
The differences that nearly ended their marriage were woven into their DNA.
By his own admission, he grew up a pampered Hollywood child actor. She was from a hard-working middle class family in upstate New York and later became an actress herself.
The external pressures they faced were immense as well. No city can exploit a couple’s differences quite like Hollywood. So when actors Kirk and Chelsea Cameron married in 1991, they committed to building a life together in a place notorious for tearing them down.
It was 2008 when my state of Colorado passed what local media dubbed a “bathroom bill.”
In the days and weeks leading up to then Gov. Bill Ritter’s signing of the controversial bill, many people were incredulous when Focus on the Family warned the bill would open bathrooms and locker rooms to the opposite sex.
“The claims that are made in this campaign are not based in fact. They are based in fear,” Gov. Ritter’s spokesperson had said.
Today I want to share with you a piece by Adam R. Holz, who works on Focus’ Plugged In team, that will hopefully help you navigate the questions and requests your kids might have about the “it” game of the moment, Pokémon Go.
You can also download our free resource, “A Quick Pokémon Guide for Parents” online. Let me know your thoughts about the game — and our guide — in the comments section!
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.
