Family by God&#039;s Design

Your Nose Is Growing…& Your Brain Is Declining

Remember what the Blue Fairy told Pinocchio? She said, “A lie keeps growing and growing until it’s as plain as the nose on your face.” A research team from University College London recently observed that a lie also results in a declining response in our brains (Read more in How Lying Takes Our Brain Down...

Honor

character honesty parenting teach trust

November 5, 2016

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Are You Robbing Your Child?

I noticed it first at Kennywood, a local amusement park near my home. A young boy (I would guess 6- or 7-years-old) stood in line with his father while waiting for a ride. The boy was desperately trying to gain his father’s attention. He hung on his father’s arm, pulled his father’s shirt, called out...

Family Shepherds Honor

family fun night family intimacy parent child relationship parenting technology

October 31, 2016

Happy Wife, Happy Life…& The Rest of the Story!

A recent study of 1,981 middle age heterosexual couples supports the saying, “happy wife, happy life” plus more! What could be more? Well, it’s not just about wives. “Happy husband, happy life.” “Happy wife, happy life.” They’re both true! A happy spouse contributes a healthier life over time. In fact, the principal investigator of this...

Celebration Honor

connection emotions gratitude marriage service

October 22, 2016

Marriage Compelled By the Love of Christ

I recently had the opportunity to speak on marriage with a local congregation during their worship service. The passage for the morning was Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “For the love of Christ compels us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who...

Grace Honor

acceptance giving love marriage sacrifice

October 10, 2016

If You Really Want HAPPY Kids…

Popular culture encourages us to be kind to ourselves, give ourselves a pat on the back and reward ourselves for a job well done. While this advice may hold some merit, it will not make us happy. Quite the opposite, research reveals that being kind to others makes us happy. As the author of one...

Family Shepherds Honor

emotional health happiness kindness

October 8, 2016

Improve Your Sex Life…BEFORE You Hit the Sheets

Kevin Leman published a book entitled Sex Begins in the Kitchen. (Read the review here.) It’s not really a book about sex. But, it does make an important point about sex—if you want to enjoy sexual intimacy with your spouse, start preparing outside the bedroom. I mean way outside the bedroom. In fact, the most...

Celebration Honor

admiration connection emotions intimacy love responsiveness sexual intimacy

October 1, 2016

Nurture Your Child’s Attention Span

I love to watch parents interact with their children. Over time, I have observed at least three ways parent tend to interact with their children. The parent points out a toy or some object in an effort to direct their child to play with that particular object. If you watch closely, you’ll see their child’s...

Family Shepherds Honor

attention healthy development parent child relationship play

September 17, 2016

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Saved From the Tyranny of the Family Label

Growing up in a family we often find ourselves socialized into particular roles. Family members get “pigeon-holed” as the scapegoat, the smart one, the trouble-maker, the helper, the athlete, etc. Those labels shape how we think. When we are treated like a helper, we grow to think of ourselves as a helper. When constantly treated...

Grace Honor

acceptance emotional health family intimacy healthy development label

September 12, 2016

In Family It’s Survival of the Contented

Cornell University recently completed an interesting study about the “evolutionary advantage” of a positive attitude. They were able to simulate 40 generations of people while looking at the impact of attitude on survival. (Read a review here.) The results suggested that those who survived for multiple generations: Attached more importance to long-term happiness than to...