Daly Focus Blog
By the time kids enter middle school, their march toward independence is well under way.
But let’s face it – it can be a confusing time for parents.
When a child spreads his wings, it can feel like he’s turning his back on you instead. But that’s not really the case. Your middle schooler needs you as much as he always has.
In some ways, more.
He just needs you in a different way than he did in his formative years.
As we’ve been sharing with you for the past week, our friend Steven Curtis Chapman has released a powerful new song – “Glorious Unfolding”!
If you haven’t heard it yet (or seen the accompanying video), I’d encourage you to take a moment right now to enjoy it. I believe you’ll be moved as you pause and consider the larger story God is telling through your life.
Steven based his lyrics on Jeremiah 29:11: “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to give you hope and a future.’”
At times, God’s story will lift us to glorious mountaintops.
When people experience tragedy, “Why?” is probably the most common question they ask.
Can you relate?
Maybe that’s because trauma shakes our lives to the core, leaving us so disoriented and confused that nothing seems to make sense. It’s only natural, then, that we wonder, “Why me?” or “Why did this have to happen?”
It was a question Lindsey O’Connor’s family had to wrestle with after she experienced complications post childbirth and slipped into a lengthy coma.
When you ask couples which household issues influence the success of a marriage, things like kids and finances usually rise to the top.
But did you know that chores rank third on that list?!
How can something as simple as housework fuel conflict in a marriage?
Rather easily it turns out. As we all know, life gets busy. Not long after the “I do’s,” couples tend to get focused on (or maybe I should say, “distracted by”) the household tasks they care about, while forgetting the burdens their spouse is carrying.
Although he struck many of us as something of a curmudgeon, I enjoyed watching and reading Andy Rooney over the years.
Mr. Rooney lived a long and colorful life before passing away at the age of 92. Many of his newspaper columns were compiled into various books. The following essay that I’m going to excerpt, “What Every Kid Should Have Growing Up,” comes from one of his best-selling works titled Sweet and Sour.
Reading over this list, I have to admit that I wish I had all these things growing up.
It’s up to parents to show their family how to live a healthy lifestyle. But as you’ve probably discovered, that can be easier said than done. The labels on packages can be tricky. And just how many grams of fat and carbs should be in our diet anyway?
If you’re wondering how to help your family make good food choices, we hope you’ll join us this week for our three-day broadcast series titled, “Sound Advice on Healthy Eating,” with our guest, registered dietician David Meinz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNQKAF9LdB8
Giving is down and key ministries are at risk. You can help by showing your support at www.focusonthefamily.com/summer2014.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I enjoy highlighting the abundance of research that pops up in support of families. The reason is simple: Well-designed studies affirm again and again that God’s blueprint for healthy families can be trusted, regardless of which way the winds of culture may blow.
Take, for example, a recent article by Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Executive Director and Senior Fellow at Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.
Although not everybody has the luxury of enjoying a summer vacation, the season invariably lends itself to setting aside some time to read a good book. If you’re looking to pick one up, our online resource center is packed with exciting and entertaining titles.
Whatever your taste, I think you’ll find a title to your liking.
If you’re more inclined to invest in the classics (including some modern ones), the following list should be helpful to you.
Summer is officially here, and along with it traditionally comes a season when many families take time to vacation and be together to rest, regroup and have some fun.
I say “traditionally” because such vacations may be becoming increasingly rare.
There are no legally mandated paid holidays in the United States, but many businesses and organizations do offer their workers paid time off as part of their compensation package.
However, do you know that Americans leave as many as 175 million available vacation days unused in the typical year?
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.
