When I first started dating my wife, her family [affectionately] decided I was like the family dog—I ate all the leftovers. I love leftovers. Some foods just taste better as leftovers, like spaghetti or soup. Also, some meals are best prepared with leftovers in mind. It’s easier to make a big roast beef and have...

Celebration Honor

July 28, 2012

Becoming Your Child’s Royal Subject

by John Salmon

Do you ever feel like your children are the ones in charge? Like you are their royal subject? In some ways, our children do hold a great deal of power. From the day our little prince or princess is born, they begin to shape our life. We sleep when she sleeps, eat when she eats,...

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Grace Honor

empathy listen parent child relationship

July 21, 2012

Book Review: Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married

by John Salmon

Gary Chapman, author of the 5 Love Languages series, hit another homerun for relationship success with his book Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married. In this book, Chapman shares lessons he learned while helping couples for over 35 years as well as from his own experience. Written for those who are dating...

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Book Reviews

marriage premarriage resource

July 21, 2012

Stop Apologizing & Bear Fruit

by John Salmon

Have you ever apologized and felt like it didn’t help? I have. In fact, I think it does no good to keep on apologizing over and over again, especially when you know what you did was wrong… especially when you know you need to apologize. Perhaps you missed your child’s game because you took a...

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Grace Honor

apology consequences forgiveness generosity sacrifice

July 21, 2012

Parents: Sowing & Reaping

by John Salmon

“You reap what you sow.” I was thinking about this ancient saying the other day. We often tell our children to be careful what they sow because it will come back around to them in the reaping. In other words, there are natural consequences to our actions—a good lesson for our children to learn. But,...

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Family Shepherds

character consequences parenting role model

July 13, 2012

Book Review: Why Marriages Succeed or Fail

by John Salmon

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail…And How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman, PhD John Gottman, professor and researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle, began studying couples and relationships in the 1970s. In this book, he shares what he has learned over years of research in the “love lab.” He brings couples...

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Book Reviews

connection intimacy marriage resource

July 13, 2012

Preventing Anxiety & Insecurity in Children

by John Salmon

Check out this amazing quote: “In our half-century of international research, we’ve not found any other class of experience that has as strong and consistent an effect on personality and personality development as does the experience of rejection, especially by parents in childhood.” Ronald Rohner of the University of Connecticut made this statement after reviewing...

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Family Shepherds

acceptance anxiety attention availability laugh parenting play security time

July 13, 2012

A Superhero’s Gadget For Your Family

by John Salmon

Did you ever notice that superheroes have the greatest gadgets? Think about it: Thor has a Hammer; Wonder Woman the Golden Lasso; Captain America his Shield; Spiderman the web shooter; Batman has too many gadgets to mention (whatever you need in any situation, including his “Batarang”); Ghost Rider has an enchanted chain; Green Lantern his...

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Celebration Honor

communication connection encouragement family relationships intimacy

July 7, 2012

The Chick-fil-A Family Interaction Model

by John Salmon

Don’t you love Chick-fil-A? I like the spicy chicken sandwich…and the original chicken sandwich…and the grilled chicken sandwich…and the breakfast burrito (sausage—my apologies to the cow)…and….Well, you get the point. But, you know what I like best about Chick-fil-A? It doesn’t matter how complicated the order, how many times I change my order, or how...

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Honor

family bank of honor family relationships politeness power of words

July 7, 2012

Parenting Preschoolers, Marshmallows, & Success

by John Salmon

What does parenting preschoolers, eating marshmallows, and success have in common? Apparently a lot. Daniel Goleman describes a fascinating study involving preschoolers and marshmallows. A researcher engaged a 4-to-6-year-old in play. After a short time, he told the child he had an errand to run. He plopped a marshmallow on the table and said, “If...

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Family Shepherds

accountability autonomy competence father mother parent child relationship parenting

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Don’t Leave Your Family the Leftovers

Becoming Your Child’s Royal Subject

Book Review: Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married

Stop Apologizing & Bear Fruit

Parents: Sowing & Reaping

Book Review: Why Marriages Succeed or Fail

Preventing Anxiety & Insecurity in Children

A Superhero’s Gadget For Your Family

The Chick-fil-A Family Interaction Model

Parenting Preschoolers, Marshmallows, & Success