Family by God&#039;s Design

A “Very Good Indeed” Relationship

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good indeed.” The earth, the sky, the waters, the birds, the fish, the animals, the people…it was “very good indeed.” Not only was each aspect of creation individually “very good indeed,” but how each part interacted with and related to every other part was...

Celebration

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July 6, 2024

The Work of Children…and Adults

Fred Rogers is credited with saying, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” I agree. Alison Gopnik also agrees. She reviews research in her book The Gardner and the Carpenter which suggests: Review that...

Celebration Family Shepherds

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June 29, 2024

To Grow, Teach Your Younger Self

College age (the late teens and early twenties) has become a time of rapid transition and change. Many young adults may have more addresses during this time of life than they did from birth through high school. Along with different addresses are different roommates and different neighborhood experiences. They also experience a changing, developing sense...

Celebration Family Shepherds

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June 22, 2024

The Success of the “Good Enough Parent”

Donald Winnicott, a British pediatrician, coined the term “good enough mother” in the 1950’s. Today, however, many parents fear that “good enough” just isn’t good enough. They strive to become the “perfect parent.” But becoming a “perfect parent” just isn’t possible. In fact, striving to become the “perfect parent” will backfire and create even more...

Celebration Family Shepherds

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June 17, 2024

Marriage Advice from Couples Married 40+ Years

Maintaining a healthy, happy marriage can prove challenging in a world focused on self, personal career, instant gratification, and “me.” It actually requires a shift in focus. This begs the question: what is the “secret” of a healthy, happy marriage? That’s what researchers asked 180 couples who had enjoyed a healthy, 40-plus year marriage. Here...

Celebration Honor

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May 25, 2024

Give a Shout Out for Marriage

Marriage gets a bad rap at times. For instance, reality TV and sitcoms offer a very strange and twisted idea of romantic relationships. Many give marriage gets a bad rap. But marriage is great, even fantastic. I realize that some people fear marriage because they have witnessed marriages that have ended in divorce. However, the...

Celebration Honor

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May 18, 2024

2%, 3%, or 10%?

If I were to ask you which of these three factors—demographics (age, gender, socioeconomic status), financial difficulty, or marital satisfaction—would have the greatest impact on a person’s mental health score, what would you say? Obviously, all three have an impact, but which would have the greatest impact? A study published on February 14, 2024, in...

Celebration

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May 13, 2024

To Find Love, Find Purpose

“Looking for love in all the wrong places” seems an all-too-common practice today. I meet with many single people (teens, young adults, divorced adults, widow/widowers) who struggle to meet someone with whom they can develop a long-term, loving relationship. They often lack one key ingredient for a successful search: a sense of purpose. At least...

Celebration

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May 11, 2024

5 Practices to Keep Your Marriage Thriving

It’s an older study now (2012) but insightful all the same. It offers five practices that can strengthen your marriage. If you want to build a strong, healthy marriage, make sure you keep these 5 practices in the forefront of your relationship. These five practices will strengthen your marriage and keep it healthy for a...