How Do You Find Your Way Through Grief?
Grief is something we all experience. How can those grieving methodically use Bible principles to get back on the path to healing without bitterness?
How Parental is Our Parenting?
We are losing our grip. Really. There is a battle for our children raging before us and we are losing it miserably. Raising children does not at all look like it once did a few generations ago. Back then, parents were expected to control their households and children were expected to grow up within that control. You might argue that such an arrangement was a little rigid. Perhaps. Now children and their feelings have become the idols of their parents' lives and those parents dutifully bow before and serve the desires, hormones and natural immaturity their children display. You might say that such an arrangement is a little - a lot - permissive. Absolutely! So, what do we do about it? How do we think, act and respond to our present parenting crisis? How do we swim upstream against the current of pitiful parenting and grab hold of and apply principles of powerful parenting?
What Would You Want Your Grandchildren to Know?
What kind of legacy are you leaving your children, and if you don't have children, what kind of example are you leaving your friends and family? Can you do better? Have you ever thought about what it takes to make a beautiful character that will be remembered for the ages?
Do Children Really Need Discipline?
Raising children is different than it used to be. Somehow or other the lines between parents and children have become blurred. Somehow or other the very idea of firm discipline has become associated with beatings and abuse. Somehow or other our children’s feelings have become the foundation for our parental actions and responses. What happened to parents unequivocally “ruling the roost?” Is that now wrong? What happened to parents being authoritative and firm? Is that now wrong? What happened to the clear lines of right and wrong being the solid foundation for parental decision making? Is that now wrong? Have we begun to approach the point where we assign so many rights to children that we as parents are inherently wrong? What do children need and how are we supposed to know what they need and how to give it to them?
Our Children: Will They Ever Grow Up?
For many, one of the most exciting events in life is the birth of a child. Once they are born, we really begin to understand how fragile, innocent and utterly dependent they are. If not completely cared for on a round-the-clock basis, they have little chance in life. As they grow it dawns on us that their physical dependence gives way to emotional and life skills dependence, so we must continue to rise to the challenge of parenting in an ever-changing way. At some point, the plan is for them to stand, think, act and live on their own. This is, or should be the victory of parenthood! Folks, something is really wrong...many of our children are not learning this independence! Where did we go wrong?
What About Divorce?
As Christians, we all have a sense of the sanctity of marriage. We all know that it is supposed to be ‘til death do us part, yet we also experience about as high a rate of divorce as the rest of our society. Does Jesus give us solid guidelines for marriage and divorce? Should Christians be involved in “no fault” divorces? Do you really have to stay married even if you are not happy? Stay with us as we look into this difficult, sensitive and very relevant matter!
What Rights and Privacy Should Children Have?
Children are people too! Yes they are, but what does that really mean in terms of raising them? After all, they are children, and the object is for them to become adults...real, full fledged, mature, contributory adults! As a parent, is it our responsibility to walk them to that destination or do they instinctively know how to get there on their own? Could it be that parents are just in the way? What does the Bible say? Is the Bible right for our generation? Stay with us!
What Hope Can There Be in the Face of Such Tragedy?
Here we are just a few days before Christmas 2012. This is a time when there is usually a magic in the air, an excitement for friends, family and good cheer. Usually, that is the case – but not this year. No, not this year. Something happened, and as a result the giddy joy is gone. We have suffered a great loss. A few short days ago, an unimaginable crime was committed and 27 people, 20 of them 6-and 7-year old children, had their lives taken from them, brutally and without mercy. Today we honor their memory and recognize the pain of their grief-stricken families and friends. Today we also search to find how the hope of the true meaning of Christmas can give us – all of us - strength to cope, strength to stand, and strength to begin to move forward.
What Can We Learn From Kids?
Summer vacation, graduation and the long lazy days of summer. For many, this is a time to spend more time with family – the question is do we as adults ever take time to observe and learn from the kids in and around our lives? What do they teach us about life? About choices? Innocence? Ourselves? Jesus’ own words indicate that we are to become like children to gain entrance to the kingdom! What does that mean? Stay with us as we open up what promises to be an informative and delightful conversation about children and the incredible lessons we can learn from them!
Are Children People Too?
Children – they are so sweet, adorable and predictable when they are infants – their needs are obvious and so caring for them takes an obvious path. Then something happens – they start to grow and develop a personality, a temperament, and preferences and suddenly what was once predictable now becomes more of a mystery and an adventure. So, what rights do children have? What rights do parents have? How do you know what kind of discipline should be used? How do you know where to set limits and boundaries? Stay with us as we discuss children, rights, discipline and the Bible!