Having too many rules is just another way of saying: “I don’t trust anybody to love me.” “I’ll never forget my father’s funeral. It was tragic beyond words. Several people came to our family church to say goodbye to Bill. He had been a dutiful member of our community and responsible breadwinner of our family. …
Are parents really in charge of their families today? Most parents would say, “Of course we are!” The more honest answer is, “Probably not.” Popular media, peer culture and our very own beloved children themselves often run our families today. Don’t get me wrong. We parents really do love our children. It’s just that we …
A clear and committed message is essential to help our youth through the web of peer pressure and stress that is part of growing up in America. It’s pretty basic, really. Kids drink to change the way they feel. They succumb to peer pressure. They’re stressed out, and a few hits of pot or a …
Oh you just wouldn’t believe all the heartache Bob and I have had over our daughter’s wedding! We were shocked when our darling Debbie, who is 30, told us that she didn’t want to have her dad walk her down the aisle, she didn’t want any flowers to recognize special relatives including my mother who …
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? — Mark 8:36 If you’re a parent, you’ve heard it all before. First it’s the Mozart tapes you have to buy for your developing baby in the womb so your little Johnnie or Mary will be months …
Unfortunately many good parents these days overdo it with their kids. They make their children their whole lives and neglect their own identities and marital well-being. It’s as if they have no other identity other than being a parent. Their overzealousness and striving for perfection is somewhat understandable. The world is so threatening and complex …
Nothing tugs at the heartstrings of parents more than knowing that our children are suffering from ways we’ve harmed them. Such awareness may feel unbearable for any of us to endure. Most of us would rather deny the full extent of how we’ve affected our children if we want to live with any sense of …
Staying emotionally connected to your teen is essential both for you and for your adolescent. It may feel impossible at times but it is a crucial relationship task. A deep dark secret of adolescence is that being a teenager is often a lonely time, more than anyone cares to admit. The necessary loss of a …
In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller tells a powerful story he calls, “How Jason Saved His Family.” After returning from Los Angeles, where he took part in a storytelling workshop, Don got together with his friend, Jason, and learned of some trouble Jason and his wife were having with …
Our children will not go to hell in a hand basket if we occasionally spoil them. All of us could use a little pampering and a day off work from time to time. Children who are given excess attention and protection are at least getting the message that they’re loved. Unfortunately that’s only half the …
