I had the opportunity recently to meet with President Bush in Dallas—a wonderful experience, to be sure. He’s a good man, and I enjoyed my time with him immensely.
Two Tributes to Dr. James Dobson
Many of you are familiar with the excellent work of Michael Farris and the Home School Legal Defense Association [HSLDA]. Back in March of 1983 when Michael and his colleague, Michael Smith, founded the fledgling organization, homeschooling was pretty much a foreign concept to most Americans.
The history books are full of wildly successful people who have received their formal education at home (John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Agatha Christie, to name just a few), nor is it uncommon today to hear about a high-profile individual whose parents have opted to educate them outside of the traditional system, many for religious reasons.
Thank You, Lenny!
Everyone I meet has a story to tell. Each of us has an unique background; no two journeys are alike. Some of our stories rival a fairytale. If that’s your experience, rejoice. If your story involves a closely-knit extended family, the kind which, like a scene out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, gets together and has a great time over the holidays, you are indeed blessed.
If you’ve read my memoir, FINDING HOME, you know about the disappointments and hardships which defined my childhood—from a murder outside of my bedroom window when I was eight, to the death of my mother when I was nine, only to be orphaned a few years later—not to mention much of my family tree remains shrouded in mystery.
Help for Those Without a Job
It’s Labor Day, a federal holiday with roots to the labor disputes in Canada back in the 1870’s. The first celebration of Labor Day in the United States took place on the streets of New York City, September 5, 1882. The tradition of taking time to rest and enjoy picnics, parades, backyard barbeques, and fireworks continues to this day—with one sobering difference.
This year the dark cloud of soaring unemployment hovers over the country. When the United States Labor Department released unemployment figures last month, the news was as stunning as it was disheartening.
Twitter Me This
Guess who started Twittering?
I realize some will say I’ve gone over to the Dark Side (see Confessions of a non-Twitterite in Boundless). Nevertheless, for better or worse I’ve decided to give Twitter a try—at least for now. If you’re unfamiliar with the social networking service known as Twitter, here’s the skinny.
At the age of 30, Jack Dorsey, a software designer in St. Louis, had a desire to know what his friends were doing throughout the day without necessarily calling or emailing each of them.
Three Million and Counting
About two decades ago, Dr. Dobson shared a dilemma regarding the number of visitors visiting our offices with Ed and Elsa Prince, friends of Focus on the Family. While Dr. Dobson was delighted that so many constituents wanted to touch base with us in person, it was somewhat difficult to get work done. After all, we had no formal space in which to properly greet these guests.
Ed and Elsa Prince were thoughtful and kind enough to suggest they would like to help with that problem by building a Visitor Center and bookstore on our Colorado Springs campus, a place where guests could come and experience firsthand the Focus story.
More Families Like the Obamas
Several months ago, during the news conference at which Dr. Dobson announced he was stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Focus on the Family, the media were on hand in full force. I was there to support him in that watershed moment. After Dr. Dobson was finished with his remarks, I had a few minutes to speak with the reporters who had come to our campus.
The first question I received was this: ”How does this move change the future of Focus?” I said that the media is often critical over our efforts in the public square which can, at times, overshadow our core mission, namely, strengthening marriage and families.
Focus on the World
When Dr. Dobson recorded his first 15-minute radio broadcast some thirty years ago, he had a hunch there might be an audience in the U.S. for insight into marriage and parenting issues. Never in his wildest dreams did he envision a day when his advice would be broadcast around the world. Today, Focus on the Family is heard from Alabama to Albania, California to the Congo, and New Jersey to Papua New Guinea. In fact, some version of a Focus program is heard in 149 countries in 26 languages!
Focus Prepares for 2009
I’ve been working at Focus on the Family since March of 1989. At the time I joined the staff, there were some 600+ employees. In order to meet the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing families around the world, we’ve grown to more than 1,200 dedicated team members. As Dr. Dobson has said numerous times, he never dreamed thirty years ago that his weekly 15-minute radio broadcast entitled, Let’s Get Acquainted would have flourished in such extraordinary ways today.
Six Months to Live
Last week I was speaking to a group of Focus on the Family friends in Michigan. At the end of most events I have the time to linger with the guests. I enjoy getting to meet and spend one-on-one time listening to their stories.
Among those in attendance was a women named Glenda who came over to shake my hand. Glenda told me how her husband, Fred, had read my autobiography Finding Home almost exactly one year ago to the day.
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