family Archives

Funny Things Kids Say

Happy New Year!

A colleague recently tacked up a sign above his door here at Focus that serves as a good motto for 2011:

Live Well (Philippians 1:27-28), Love Much (John 13:34-35), Laugh Often (Proverbs 17:22)

There is so much to say about each of these, but if laughter is truly good medicine, I thought I’d start the year by sharing something sweet – and comical, with you.

Riley is five years old. His father is on our team here at Focus, and he and his wife have made a habit of recording some of the more memorable comments the little tyke makes, especially at bedtime.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids January 5, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

I Like Keith Fitzhugh

You’ve never heard of him?

Neither had I until I heard what he did.

Keith Fitzhugh is a conductor for the Northern Southern Railroad just outside of Atlanta. He is 24 years old.

Prior to joining the railroad, Keith played football for Mississippi State and then chased his dream of playing in the NFL for the better part of two years. He spent time with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens, but never secured a steady spot on any roster.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, family, pop culture December 13, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Just Show Up!

The actor Woody Allen once wryly observed that “eighty percent of success is showing up.”

Would you agree?

I shared Dave’s story on Tuesday. He is a very successful business executive and found himself struggling with maintaining a healthy work and life balance. By God’s grace he happened to connect with our ministry at a very critical point in his life. He made some key adjustments. As a result, Dave was there when his son needed him most.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage December 9, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why We’re Here

I want to tell you a story.

What follows is an example of how the sacrificial funds invested in the Lord’s ministry called Focus on the Family manifest themselves in the lives of those who live far beyond our walls here in Colorado Springs.

I want to tell you a story about a father and his son.

The dad’s name is Dave, and his college-aged boy goes by Pete.

Dave is a great father who, along his wife, Wendy, regularly and deliberately invest in the lives of their children.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage December 7, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Long Walk

In the midst of your shopping, decorating, card writing and the cooking and baking – before you get frazzled and frayed in the days leading up to Christmas – I want to share an old story with you. In the telling, I pray you might allow it to influence your decisions and activities these next few weeks.

Some time ago there was an American missionary living in a very tiny African village. The young woman was a teacher who labored alongside the natives.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, family December 3, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

To Grandmother’s House We Go!

We’re headed to California today, to spend Thanksgiving with Jean’s mom and dad, and give Trent and Troy some much appreciated and cherished time with Grandma and Grandpa.

Fortunately, there’s no snow here in Colorado Springs or in Denver to slow departure – but west of here the mountains are getting blitzed with a heavy storm and gusty winds. The powder junkies should be in their glory – if they can make it up the interstate to the slopes.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, family, staff November 24, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Thanks Be to Our Gracious God

In this week’s On Faith blog, the Washington Post’s Sally Quinn posed the following question to me and my fellow panelists:

In October 1789, President George Washington declared his support for a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.”

Do you have a Thanksgiving blessing or prayer? What are you grateful for?

Here is how I responded:

It’s customary in our family to ask this very important question each year, and everybody usually groans and thinks it a chore.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family November 23, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is Marriage Going Out of Style?

On Thursday, USA Today published a story highlighting new research from the Pew Center claiming marriage to be obsolete.

A gross exaggeration?

You think?

Christianity Today very graciously invited a response and just published it in today’s online edition.

I would welcome your thoughts and reaction.

To view the piece as it appears in CT, please click here or simply continue reading below…

Marriage in Obsolescence

Why recent headlines on marriage don’t do the new Pew survey justice.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, marriage November 19, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Black and White Problems

Bob Herbert is a respected and decorated opinion columnist for The New York Times. On the paper’s website he’s referred to as a journalist known for his “fearless articulation of unpopular truths.”

This past Monday Mr. Herbert lived up to his billing when he opined about the heartbreaking state of the African-American family.

The veteran columnist served up a one-two punch. After noting that black boys and girls are three times more likely to live in single-parent households than white children and twice as likely to have a parent without a full-time job, he dove directly into the heart of the crisis:

The first and most important step (to fix the problem) would be a major effort to begin knitting the black family back together.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, husband, news November 18, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Stepmothers

Would it surprise you to learn there are approximately 15 million stepmothers in America today?

On yesterday and today’s Focus on the Family radio program, we’ve gathered a panel of stepmoms to talk about it. All of these women are willing to share candidly about the joys and challenges of inheriting the privilege of motherhood.

Their stories are inspiring. Their testimonies are encouraging. I hope you’ll tune in.

I recently came across a touching poem that beautifully and poignantly tries to answer the question, “What is a stepmother?” Its author is intimately familiar with the topic.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, wife November 16, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura