Tag Archives: family
Happy birthday young lady
Today my daughter turns 16. This is one of those significant birthdays, at least in America, ever since Neil Sedaka sang “Happy Birthday Sweet 16.” I remember the day of my daughter Bethany’s birth quite well. Mainly because it was … Continue reading
Posted in Family life, Gratitude, Laughter, Making life count, Observations
Tagged 16, 16 years old, Bethany, birthday, daughter, family, Neil Sedaka, Neil Sedaka song, significant
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Are we doing as God wants with our parents?
Talked with a friend today about a rarity in family life that wasn’t a rarity a generation or so ago: children seeing their parents interact regularly and often with grandparents. Both of us have had the rare privilege and challenge … Continue reading
Posted in Family life, God's will, Personal growth, The church, Values and priorities
Tagged 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy 5, assisted living, children, Christmas, family, grandparent, grandparents, parent, parents, widow, widows
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Am I a grace conduit or a grace substitute?
Parents should be a source of grace for their kids. We ought to be vessels who God can pour his love and truth through into the lives of our children. But I wonder sometimes if I haven’t tried to be a grace substitute. Continue reading
Posted in Family life, God's will, Identity, Interior life, Personal growth, Society
Tagged change, children, family, grace, grace conduit, grace substitute, grieving, negative emotions, parenting, peace
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Laughing with Jim & Lisa Jinkins
Humor as a defense mechanism? Humor as a status maker? Oh yeah, remember those golden (or not-so-golden) days of your own “Wonder Years”. Jim Jinkins, animator extraordinaire, shares memories of humor as a way to navigate elemetary and junior high school. Then his wife shares her own take on not taking yourself too seriously. Great stuff. Continue reading
Posted in Family life, Interior life, Values and priorities
Tagged Doug, elementary school, family, humor, humorous, ice cream, Jim Jinkins, junior high, laughing at yourself, laughs, marriage, milk, PB&J Otter, Pinky Dinky Doo, spit-take, surviving
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What Do Kids Really Want?
This just in: kids want to spend time with their families. I’m glad that’s finally settled.To anyone with a biblical worldview or who cares even the slightest about children, the answer to this question did not require a poll by the Associated Press or MTV. However, in our poll-numbers-determine-morality culture, these little Q&As of the general public provide external confirmation of what we know is true anyway.
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Posted in Family life, Society, Values and priorities
Tagged Associated Press, Bowling Alone, children, conversation, family, family conversation, family dinner, family vacation, free time, Kentucky Fried Chicken Family Dinner Survey, long weekend, MTV, play time, state park, time with families, University of Michigan study, unplug, unstructured kids time, what kids want
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Springing into a new phase of life
I can’t believe it’s been two months since I’ve written here. Well, time has flown around my part of the world, from snow on the ground to birds chirping, flowers blooming and trees budding. Spring is a time of change. One of the biggest changes for my family was the passing of our dog, Molly, back in April.
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Posted in Family life
Tagged all dogs go to heaven, Bethany, birds chirping, cancer, change, companion, David, dog, family, Family life, flowers blooming, God's direction, golden retriever, good family dogs, Mark, Molly, mom, new dog, spring, springtime, vet
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