faith Archives

Fill in the Blank: All I Want for Christmas…

It’s been called the “Paradox of Christmas,” the fact that the Creator of heaven and earth gave up what He had so that we might receive what we need.

It’s in this ultimate selfless act that we find the origin of exchanging gifts between loved ones and friends. We try and find that perfect gift to communicate our affection for each other. In many circles the tradition has been trivialized and commercialized, but this is why we give – to be reminded that God so generously gave us the gift of His Son on that first Christmas.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 19, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Frank Pastore: One of God’s Good Men

When a good friend dies, especially under tragic circumstances, the mind tends to wander with a degree of wistfulness. We think back to moments now frozen in time, to memorable conversations, funny stories or meals together.

In the midst of all that joy at the time we didn’t think of sorrow, we didn’t think of the brevity of it all, the temporal nature of life.

Why would we? Yet, it was Solomon who once wrote that even in laughter the heart may ache – and all joy ends in grief (Proverbs 14:13).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith December 18, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

In Thy Dark Streets Shineth, The Everlasting Light

As we find and pray our way through this school shooting in Connecticut, it’s helpful to hold tight to traditions and yes, to remember the words of Phillips Brooks:

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by:
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

At the time he wrote those words, Bishop Brooks was the rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If You Want Happy Kids, Do This

Forget the luxury vacation or the latest electronic gadget. If you want your child to be happy simply spend time with them, so confirms the Global Kids Happiness Index.

Over 4,000 children between the ages of 6-12 years old in 12 countries were surveyed. Here is what they revealed:

According to TMSW’s research, the most important sources of kids’ happiness, across almost all countries, are family and friends. “Play” consistently ranked third among sources of happiness.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 13, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How God Uses Our Tears

T. Dewitt Talmage (pictured below) was a well-known Brooklyn, New York preacher in the late 1800’s. He died in 1902. He once preached a message titled, “The Ministry of Tears.” It speaks powerfully to the reality of grief, but is also laced with an enormous spirit of hope.

He is basically trying to answer this great question: “What’s the use of our tears?”

Here are a few choice lines:

Why, when a family is put together, not have them all stay, or if they must be transplanted to make other homes, then have them all live?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 7, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Should Angus T. Jones Remain on “Two and a Half Men”?

Labeling a popular sitcom as “filth” is hardly news, unless the critique comes from one of its own stars.

Angus T. Jones plays the role of “Jake Harper” in the CBS program, “Two and a Half Men.” The 19-year-old actor created a firestorm this past Monday when he acknowledged that as a new Christian he’s grown disgusted with his participation in the program.

“I’m on ‘Two and a Half Men’ and I don’t want to be on it,” he told the Forerunner Chronicles, a media outlet which is part of an Alabama-based Church.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture November 27, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

When Sport Imitates Life

I’ve never met him, but he strikes me as the kind of guy I’d love to have as my neighbor.

His name is Ed Anzalone. New York football fans know him as “Fireman Ed,” and he’s been enthusiastically leading chants at New York Jets games for years. With his distinctive green and white New York City fire helmet, and sitting on the shoulders of a friend, nobody does a better job at firing up a crowd than big Ed.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture November 26, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Give Back Friday

No, that’s not a typo.

For the past 40 years we’ve been calling today “Black Friday” – a term coined to reflect the date when stores would financially move from red (loss) to black (profit). Back when accounting records were actually kept by hand, the books were tallied with black and red pens.

I am in no position, nor do I have any desire, to criticize retail establishments for hyping today and trying to turn a profit.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, finances November 22, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Thanksgiving

The Desolate Wilderness

A chronicle of the Pilgrims’ arrival at Plymouth, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton.

Here beginneth the chronicle of those memorable circumstances of the year 1620, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton, keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford, sometime governor thereof:

So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, faith, family November 22, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO: Now Thank We All Our God

This classic, soaring hymn was written in the mid-1600s by a German minister named Martin Rinkart. His ministry began at a church in Eilenburg, just as the Thirty Year War began. The town soon became overpopulated and disease ridden with many taking refuge in the pastor’s house. A deadly plaque swept through the village, killing 8,000 people including Rinkart’s wife. At one point, the beleaguered minister was conducting 50 funerals per day.

Yet, in the midst of it all, Martin Rinkart wrote this hymn, originally designed to be used for grace before dinner.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family November 20, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura