Jim Daly

The Last Survivor of World War I

When Army Corporal Frank Buckles returned from World War I in 1920, he was just another face in the crowd. Nobody stopped him to talk. He gave no interviews. He wasn’t invited to ride in any parades. He received no honors nor fanfare. In the icy cold of the January morning he simply stepped off the transport ship and slipped back into the quiet of civilian life.

What a difference 91 years can make.

Frank Buckles was laid to rest with full military honors yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery, the last surviving veteran of the “War to end all Wars.”

He was 110.

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Parent / Lover Test

On today’s Focus on the Family radio program, we’re sitting down with two friends, Dr. Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham, to discuss their excellent new book designed to help you with your marriage.

Gary and Ted are attempting to tackle a common problem. As you’ve likely discovered, raising children is rewarding but also time consuming. In the process, dedicated parents will often neglect their spouse. For many, their marriages suffer when children arrive. Could it be possible to find a healthy balance and enjoy both marriage and parenting simultaneously?

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Finding Hope in the Japanese Quake and Tsunami

To watch the news reports, read the wire stories and listen to radio updates, it’s easy to conclude that Japan is fighting for its life.

The devastation is heartbreaking. By Monday morning thousands of bodies were beginning to wash up on shore, overwhelming relief efforts. Any estimate at the death toll is a calculated guess, but it will likely be in the tens of thousands. The long range impact of the nuclear fallout is also unknown.

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Great Advice

What’s the best parenting advice you’ve ever given – or received?

When Theodore Roosevelt was a young boy he asked his father for counsel on charting a career. Here is how he remembered the incident:

He gave me a piece of advice that I have always remembered, namely, that, if I was not going to earn (much) money, I must even things up by not spending it. As he expressed it, I had to keep the fraction constant, and if I was not able to increase the numerator, then I must reduce the denominator.

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Does Facebook Cause Divorce?

Do you use Facebook?

There’s a new survey out this week suggesting that the popular social networking site is a major factor in 1 out of 5 U.S. divorces.

Are you surprised?

Before going any further, let’s be clear:

Facebook doesn’t cause divorce – people do.

But …

Over the years, the evolution of technology has always facilitated marital infidelity, at least for those so inclined. When the telephone was first invented, people were suddenly able to talk instantly with another person in a different locale.

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As Seen in The Washington Post

As many of you know, I am honored to serve as a panelist on the Washington Post’s On Faith blog. I thought I would share this week’s contribution with you.

Here is the question that was posed to me:

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions, along with a variety of health care services for women. The Virginia General Assembly last week approved legislation that requires abortion clinics to be regulated as hospitals, and providers say the stricter regulations will force many of them out of business.

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A Startling Photo

I received an email today from a Christian friend who lives in China. Attached to the note was the photo you see, which he took while walking on a busy city sidewalk.

Ironically, my friend is visiting the United States, and the photo was taken not on a Beijing street but in Washington, D.C.

The $50,000 bus billboard campaign is the work of a group called the Center for Inquiry. On their website they purport that they’re not arguing the existence of God in this ad, just His relevance in our lives.

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Charlie Sheen is My Neighbor

Admittedly, we don’t have much in common.

We were born years apart, he to parents of great means and me to parents grasping to make ends meet and an alcoholic father in search of meaning itself.

We’ve been going our separate ways ever since.

I’m happily married. He’s not. I enjoy a warm and loving relationship with my boys; the courts dictate when he sees his.

I attend church. He doesn’t. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in God.

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Bounced By BYU’s Honor Code

On the brink of March Madness, college basketball’s high season, we learn that Brigham Young University’s star forward, Brandon Davies, has been removed from the team for an “Honor Code” violation. According to last night’s Salt Lake City Tribune, Davies admitted to engaging in premarital sex.

BYU is currently ranked #3 in the nation, and the Davies suspension deals a severe blow to the Cougar’s chance at competing for a national championship.

Across the sports spectrum, from ESPN to talk radio to the blogosphere, the debate has begun:

Is it fair to kick a guy off a winning team for a violation of this nature?

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Will Christian Adoption Be Banned?

I want you to meet Eunice and Owen Johns.

Mrs. Johns, 62, and Mr. Johns, 65, live in the United Kingdom. They’ve raised four children and have been foster parents to a total of 15. By every measure they’ve done a terrific job. From the beginning of their fostering adventure, they’ve seen their noble calling rooted in Christian conviction. They have epitomized and embraced the words of James: “to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

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