Daly Focus Blog
Some days I feel like a pretty good dad, like I really understand my boys, and I have a good handle on this parenting thing. Then there are the other days …
Years ago, when my oldest son, Trent, was 3 or 4, he would go bananas when I tried to wash his hair in the tub. No matter how gentle I was, he’d cry and say, “Why, Daddy?”
At first, I thought his complaining was normal.
The release yesterday of the latest undercover Planned Parenthood video exposé from the Center for Medical Progress is a horrifying illustration of evil on parade in modern America. To see and hear the former president of the organization’s Medical Directors’ Council negotiate over the price of baby body parts in the hope of raising enough money to buy herself a Lamborghini leaves one mortified and speechless.
The greatness of a nation is measured by many things, but especially by how it treats the vulnerable and defenseless.
Here at Focus on the Family, we routinely receive heartbreaking messages like this one: “My spouse just told me he or she doesn’t love me, and we shouldn’t stay married. What can I do?”
If your marriage has encountered a similar problem, you may have the same question. The answer, according to counselor and author Dr. David Clarke, is to implement an aggressive strategy of “tough love” as soon as possible.
That means you have to show strength and take decisive action.
Summer is in full swing. Like many of you, my family has already enjoyed some vacation time together. It’s been wonderful to take a break from our daily responsibilities, to relax, and to connect with one another.
We’ve traveled a little, and we’ve laughed a lot. It’s been good for the soul.
In keeping with that spirit, for today’s broadcast, we thought we’d take a break from some of the serious issues we’ve talked about over the past several weeks to enjoy a little humor from our friend, comedian Ken Davis.
Is your home a lighthouse?
The purpose of a lighthouse, remember, is to shine brightly through the darkness to lead people on the open water safely to shore.
It’s no accident that sort of imagery illustrates how the Christian’s life is supposed to be. I’m sure you’ll recall Matthew 5, where Jesus says, “You are the light of the world” and then encourages us to let our “light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.”
That means a Christian’s home ought to shine with God’s love, grace, and presence and be inviting to the neighborhood around it.
I’ll bet you remember the moment your life changed.
It may have been in childhood or even when you were an adult. But someone said something to you that was hurtful. That person may not have even meant for their words to sting, but they cut you deep, and that moment changed your entire perception of yourself from that point forward.
For me, it was ninth grade. I was in my high school’s weight room, getting ready for football season.
The Center for Medical Progress released a secretly recorded video yesterday of Planned Parenthood’s top doctor describing how the organization sells the body parts of aborted preborn babies.
It’s difficult to watch:
Over lunch and wine, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, the Senior Director of Medical Services, describes how she harvests organs during the abortions she performs on babies up to 24 weeks gestational age. She explains how the procedure involves the doctors using ultrasound technology to guide their forceps:
You’re just kind of cognizant of where you put your graspers, you try to intentionally go above and below the thorax, so that, you know, we’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part.
By now you’ve heard the news: the devout Christian bakers in Oregon who declined to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony because of their faith convictions have been fined $135,000. They’ve been told to pay this week.
In light of this development, I want to share seven facts about the Sweet Cakes by Melissa case that might surprise you:
1. The case hasn’t been seen by a judge in a court of law. The authority issuing the amount?
“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise” – C.S. Lewis.
It’s a popular trend these days to raise boys into “nice guys.” Men are expected to be sweet and gentle – almost feminine – in the way they interact with the people around them. But I think that mentality is putting our families at risk. We don’t need more “nice” guys. We need strong men.
First of all, let me clarify.
Former U.S. Secretary of State and accomplished pianist Condoleezza Rice and Grammy-nominated violinist Jenny Oaks Baker recently teamed up to play a touching rendition of the favorite hymn “Amazing Grace.” I hope you enjoy.
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.
