Family by God&#039;s Design

Easing Transitions: A Lesson From College Transition

Transitions are rough. Some more than others, but all transitions can arouse stress and anxiety, loneliness and even sadness. Perhaps one of the most difficult transitions is the transition into college. A study in Social and Personality Compass suggests a great way to smooth out the transition into college. Although the study specifically dealt with...

Family Shepherds Grace

kindness stress management transition

January 7, 2025

The Complaint Vs. Compliment Rumble

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” I’m not hunting flies, but this saying is also true when it comes to healthy marriages. Well, I don’t mean the “honey & vinegar thing.” I mean the meaning rings true. You know, compliments (honey) strengthen marriages better than vinegar (complaints). ...

Honor

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January 6, 2025

A Doubly Pleasurable Reward for Parents

Parents want their children to experience happiness. Still we, as parents, must ask ourselves: what really makes our children happy? Is it simply getting what they want? Or is there something more to their happiness? If we believe that children only experience happiness when they get what they want or obtain their personal desire, we...

Family Shepherds

discipline kindness moral development parenting parenting myths

December 30, 2024

Respect by the Baker’s Dozen

We were given an “echo” for Christmas. After we set it up, we started asking it to play certain styles of music. My family laughed because I added “please” to my requests. Although it may not fit for the “echo,” politeness generally flows from respect, a “due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions...

Grace Honor

listening patience politeness respect trust

December 28, 2024

Don’t Be Fooled, Teens Want to Talk

The media often stereotypes teens as sullen and not wanting to talk to adults… avoiding meaningful conversations with adults 24/7/365 days a year. By twisting information to fit this stereotype, we (the adults in their lives) avoid responsibility for our part in a teen’s lack of interaction with us; and we begin to interpret a...

Family Shepherds Honor

communication curiosity parent child relationship responsiveness

December 23, 2024

Too Much…Again

I’ve done it again. It happens…and I hate it every time it does. It doesn’t just impact me either. It involves my whole family as well. On the flip side, the good side, it does present the opportunity for me to reassess and start again. In fact, this is a good time of year to...

Celebration Honor

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December 21, 2024

Practice the Radical Generosity of Christmas

Christmas teaches many lessons. One of my favorite lessons is the lesson of radical generosity. Every Christmas we celebrate the “Child born to us and the Son given to us” (Isaiah 9:6), an amazing act of generosity. That act of generosity becomes even more radical when we recognize it was prophesied generations ago as a...

Celebration Grace Honor

attention availability christmas family intimacy gifts serve time

December 16, 2024

Having a Child in Love

Mary must have been so overwhelmed as that first Christmas day approached. Met by an angel and “favored of God.” Witnessing an aged Elizabeth give birth and a mute Zacharias sing a song of praise. Traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem while 8-9 months pregnant because the occupying government demanded a census. While in the overcrowded...

Celebration Family Shepherds

change hope love parent values

December 14, 2024

An Invitation

Families benefit from phrases that begin with “Let us…” or “Let’s….” “Let us” offers an invitation to engage with one another, to do something together. It is an invitation to a deeper relationship. Sometimes the invitation accompanies fun. Sometimes the invitation comes with work. Even if the invitation suggests a work activity, it implies that...