Daly Focus Blog
Have you noticed how, every year, Christmas seems to edge out Thanksgiving more and more? It’s now par for the course to see Pilgrim decorations living side-by-side with Santas on store shelves.
A U.K. researcher confirmed the trend: He found people start thinking about Christmas in August.
Isn’t that something?
Why would that be?
Perhaps people are yearning for Christmas. They’re yearning for the warmth and joy and happy memories.
Deep down, though, we’re longing for a Savior.
Many of us strive for excellence. But for other folks, excellence isn’t good enough. They want perfection. As noble as that goal sounds, it’s actually a very unhealthy way to live.
Oh, sure, perfectionists look great on the outside. Just ask today’s broadcast guests Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. Self-acknowledged perfectionists, they’ll tell you they tend to work harder than everyone around them, excel at most things they try, and appear confident. But underneath that polished exterior is a fragile self-image.
Glenn Stanton’s new book, “Loving My (LGBT) Neighbor: Being Friends in Grace and Truth,” is an important read. I was honored to write the foreword to the book, which I want to share with you today. -JD
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Not long ago, Glenn Stanton invited Jonathan Rauch, a noted author, journalist and gay rights advocate, to address members of our team at Focus on the Family. Glenn and Jonathan have been friends for some time despite representing opposite ends of the spectrum in the national debate over homosexuality.
By now you likely know that South Carolina’s Tim Scott has become the first African-American Republican from the South to be elected to the United States Senate since Reconstruction.
Logic dictates that he won the seat because more people voted for him than voted for his opponent.
But there’s more to the story.
Isn’t there always?
How Tim got to the night of November 4th is a tale almost too good to be true.
But it isn’t.
Let the spinning begin.
Pundits and analysts from both sides of the political spectrum are deciphering, interpreting and calculating the impact of last night’s mid-term elections. Our own public policy analysts were up late into the night closely watching the returns from across the country.
What’s our take?
I’ve lived long enough and seen enough to subscribe to the old adage that rarely is anything as good as you hope for – or as bad as you fear.
Peanuts creator Charles Schulz made a habit of dispensing advice through the mouths of cartoon characters, especially the blanket-carrying Linus van Pelt.
Like any offering of counsel, some of it is to be heeded and some of it is not.
“There are three things you must never discuss with people,” the comic strip’s philosopher/theologian once said, “religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.”
Since we regularly wade into the first two topics anyway, we might as well go for broke and address the latter.
Two weeks ago, Brittany Maynard’s op-ed, “My right to die with dignity at 29,” ran on CNN.com. In it, she shared about her diagnosis of brain cancer just a year into her marriage. Doctors told her she had only six months to live.
I can’t imagine receiving such a diagnosis at age 29. My heart breaks for this young woman and her family.
After talking with doctors and her family, she declined palliative care.
There are only 57 days until Christmas.
If your kids are like most, they’ve already given some thought to what they’d like to see under the tree.
But have they thought about what they’d like to give?
It’s an important question to ask. The natural tendency to focus on presents can make it challenging for kids to remember and understand that the season revolves around a Savior who said “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
VeggieTales’ “Beauty and the Beet” debuted last week, and Focus is coming alongside “Bob the Tomato” and “Larry the Cucumber” to help parents teach their kids a lesson in unconditional love.
Amidst the usual vegetable hijinks, jokes, and a new Silly Song, children will see how Mirabelle, the lead singer of her family’s up-and-coming band, chooses to show love and kindness to Mr. Beet, the grumpy manager of the run-down resort where they’re stuck.
Entertainment with a purpose
Since its start in 1993, VeggieTales has lived up to its theme song’s promise: “there’s never-ever-ever-ever-ever been a show like VeggieTales!” Not only do the fun stories appeal to both children and parents, they impart meaningful life lessons and Biblical values to viewers young and old alike.
Do you struggle wondering if you measure up as a parent?
Perhaps you see other families from the outside, and it’s like watching a highlight reel. Their children don’t squabble, the parents never have a disagreement, and life seems perfect.
But is it really?
Every family has its challenges.
Just ask Franklin Graham, the son of Billy and Ruth Graham.
If the Lord would bless any family with model children, it would be the Grahams, right?
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.
