family Archives

I Had to Turn it Off

The disturbing video of Texas judge William Adams whipping his then 16-year-old daughter quickly went viral last week, with several million views and climbing. Have you seen it? I had the unfortunate experience of watching an excerpt the other day.

I was sickened at the sight.

My heart breaks for this young woman, Hillary Adams (now 23) who posted the video, allegedly to get back at her father. He is (or was) running for re-election. Naturally people want to know if officials are going to charge Judge Adams with child abuse.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, kids, news, parenting November 9, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Burned Biscuits

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain,” wrote the late Dale Carnegie, “but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.” Let me ask you: What is the spirit like in your home and around your table?

The origin of the following story is unknown, but the moral is clear – and convicting.

BURNED BISCUITS

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage November 8, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Seven Billion

My friend and colleague, Glenn Stanton, is Director of Global Family Formation Studies here at Focus on the Family. With news of the world’s population topping seven billion people this past Monday, some commentators have been expressing concern, suggesting that the world is reaching its tipping point. In response, Glenn offered a succinct and insightful analysis of the situation. I am pleased to share it with you:

A fact: Christians don’t see people as accidents or problems.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, news November 3, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Should Boys Be Allowed in the Girl Scouts?

Perhaps you’ve heard about Felisha Archuleta of Denver. For the last few months she’s been trying to sign her 7-year-old son up to join the Girl Scouts.

Why?

“I consider Bobby to be born in the wrong body,” Ms. Archuleta told a Denver television station.

According to the story, Bobby acts and feels like a girl even though he’s a boy. Not surprisingly the application for admission was originally denied, citing the fact that, well, it’s called the Girl Scouts.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, kids, news November 2, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Gender Development: A Fork in the Road?

According to a news report, a lesbian couple in San Francisco have started giving their 11-year-old son hormone blockers in an attempt to delay the onset of puberty.

Why?

Because when the boy was 3 years old he told them he was a girl. He holds this belief to this day and the hormone blockers administered by his two mothers are intended to put his sexual development on hold until he can decide who he really is.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, family, kids, news October 19, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why Baseball Is More Than Just a Sport

I realize that not everyone loves baseball. In fact, I’m sure some of you don’t even care for it, preferring other sports – or no sport at all. But stick with me here, because with the start of the World Series tonight in St. Louis, I’m reminded that baseball is more than just a sport.

It’s even more than just a game.

My childhood is full of some tough memories. Memories of a broken home, broken promises and dreams that just didn’t come true.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family October 19, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Dan Wheldon Didn’t Come Home

It is a difficult sight to see, flames bursting from a crushed Indy racing car, tires flying through the air, vehicle upon vehicle slamming one into another.

To watch a crash in which a man dies is a horrific thing. It’s just not supposed to happen this way. Racing is safe, we’re told, even safer than driving our car through our neighborhood on the way to the mall. But yesterday in Las Vegas something went wrong, and terribly so.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, family, news October 17, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Chris Christie and the Nebraska Farmer

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made an interesting remark the other day. I wonder if you heard it? During a press conference announcing his decision to not seek the presidency in 2012 he said:

We got a FedEx over the weekend, at home, from a farmer in Nebraska, to my children. Asking my children to sit me down and tell me that it was OK to miss their games, their concerts and their events, because my country needed me more, and if they did that, they would be remembered in the history books as the people who changed the course of our country’s history.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, pastors October 6, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Your “Federal Family”

President Ronald Reagan used to joke that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

It was one of his classic tongue-in-cheek references, but memorable because it contained a grain of truth.

Well, according to a recent report, some officials are taking his faux warning to heart.

A review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website suggests that the term “government” is out and the phrase “federal family” is in.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, policy September 13, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Celebrating Our Silver Anniversary

We were married on August 24, 1986, a sun drenched day in Santa Ana, California. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years, a full quarter-century!

I first met Jean Stephens in 1985 at a wedding in California. People often say that weddings are great places to meet people (for good reason!), but at the time I wasn’t interested in finding a girlfriend. Honest! I had recently returned from a year in Japan and graduated from college.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage August 25, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura