Daly Focus Blog
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Do you remember people saying that when you were a child? How old were you when you realized that it wasn’t true? Words can hurt.
That’s a good reminder if you’re part of a family whose members like to joke around with each other. Channeled properly, friendly teasing can be both healthy and bonding. Laughter is contagious. It brings people together by diffusing arguments and smoothing out differences.
Being a parent is the most natural thing in the world in many ways. But there’s a lot to learn as well. At Focus on the Family, we routinely hear from parents who struggle with how and when to discipline their child. If you have questions in that area, keep a few basics in mind.
First, make sure your child understands the rules before you discipline him. If Junior hasn’t been told ahead of time a particular behavior is wrong, cut him some slack.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian message.
But that doesn’t make forgiveness easy.
Forgiveness is difficult because we often confuse “forgiving” with “excusing.” Forgiveness never excuses the wrongs against us or waters down the awful nature of an offense. It doesn’t pretend that something didn’t happen. Forgiveness acknowledges the ugliness of the sin, no matter how dark, then sets us free, not the other person. Forgiveness releases our heart, heals our pain, and allows us to move forward through life in peace.
Two statues are erected outside the entrance to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Though completely different, each one conveys wisdom about building a better future.
The first statue is titled “Past.” It’s a sculpture of an old man staring back through time. He’s holding a closed book, representing history. The past is over. It’s unchangeable. But carved into the statue’s base is a paraphrase from Confucius that reads, “Study the past.” That is, remember the past and learn from it.
When it comes to instilling character in children, the most important characteristic we can model is resilience – overcoming struggles and difficulties.
As the apostle Paul writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).
Resilience is a mindset. It’s a process of adapting in the face of significant stress. With resilience, challenges become opportunities to learn and mature.
Joining me on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Unsung Hero: How Our Mother Made a Difference” are three siblings from the Smallbone family.
Rebecca St. James is a successful Christian solo artist who has recorded 10 studio albums, winning one Grammy Award and three Dove Awards. She also co-hosts our podcast called Practice Makes Parent, along with our Vice President of Parenting and Youth, Dr. Danny Huerta.
Also with us are Rebecca’s brothers Luke and Joel, who have won multiple Grammy and Dove Awards as the contemporary music group For King & Country.
What you say and what somebody hears are often two different things, which can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
Your kids can learn that lesson and have a good time doing it if they’ll tune in to a special edition of our Focus on the Family Broadcast featuring an episode of Adventures in Odyssey called “War of the Words.”
If you’re new to Focus on the Family, Adventures in Odyssey is a radio drama for children (click here for more information).
In set 16 of the That the World May Know series, titled “Cultures in Conflict,” Bible teacher Ray Vander Laan leads viewers on a journey to where the Apostle Paul founded the church in Corinth and preached in Athens, Greece on Mars Hill. Ray highlights Paul’s tremendous ability to share God’s truth in a way the culture of his day could understand.
For example, at one of the most important structures in Corinth – a temple dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing – Paul communicated God’s truth by taking advantage of a popular custom.
You and I have never met, but I already believe one thing about you is true: you’re capable of more than you think. I also believe this: you won’t discover how strong you are until you’re tested.
An unusual example of that is seven-year-old Chase Poust. On a weekend boating trip with his dad, he and his four-year-old sister, Abigail, jumped overboard for a swim. Dad had anchored off-shore at a slow point in the river, but the current was stronger than anyone realized.
What “season” is it for your marriage? Is it summer because things between you and your spouse are sizzling? Or is it winter because things feel a bit chilly?
Like many couples, when Jean and I first got married, we enjoyed being together every chance we could. In those early years, it was easy for us to think, “We’ll always feel this way.”
However, we soon discovered that relationships are like the weather – they change.
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.
