Family by God&#039;s Design

What Your Kids (and You) Really Want!

Walt Mueller of CPYU (see CPYU blogs here) recently posted this 2-minute-42 second video from IKEA. It communicates such an important message for families that I wanted to post it as well. As the holiday season approaches, this video serves as a crucial reminder of what our children really desire. As one comment notes, parents...

Celebration Family Shepherds

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October 10, 2015

Pope Francis on Family: A Factory or A Nursery

Pope Francis made several important and insightful statements about the family during his unscripted remarks made “from the heart.” You can read several of these comments in the Catholic Herald or the New York Times. I would like to take a moment and expand upon one of his statements…and, if it I may be so bold, modify...

Family Shepherds Honor

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October 5, 2015

Enjoy Parenting (or not) With These 9 Tips

Do you enjoy parenting? I do…most of the time anyway. There are times I’d like to throw in the towel; but overall, I really enjoy parenting. My kids are in the process of “leaving the nest” and I’m going to miss having them at home to parent. As they prepare to leave, I have thought...

Celebration

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September 28, 2015

Laughter is No Laughing Matter for Families

Laughter is an amazing medicine. This is not new information. In fact, one ancient Hebrew proverb states that “a cheerful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22). Laughter is like medicine, not only to the soul but to the whole person. Consider these “medicinal benefits” of laughter: Laughter decreases the secretion of stress hormones in the...

Celebration

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September 19, 2015

The Wisdom of Annie

Remember Annie, the incurable optimist who looked toward a better tomorrow and gleefully sang “You’re never fully dressed without a smile”? Well, she’s right. We need to put on a smile before we greet our families. There is a magic in your smile that will brighten your spouse’s day and your children’s lives. Your smile...

Celebration Grace

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September 12, 2015

The Mighty Power of Kindness for Families

In this time we call our own and in a home very near to our hearts, there rages an epic battle for the families we call our own. This battle rages between those principalities that wield great power in their efforts to tear the family apart and those in the resistance who quietly, on a...

Celebration Grace Honor

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September 7, 2015

What I Learned at Family Camp, 2015

My family and I just returned from our annual trip to Family Camp at Camp Christian. Once again, Jim and Terry Jones organized a wonderful weekend of relaxation, fun, and worship. We enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and making new friends. This year, Tim Jones was our speaker. Tim and his wife, Lisa, minister through...

Celebration Honor

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September 5, 2015

My Spouse an Angel? 4 Ways to Make it True

One of my Facebook friends posted this pic. I love the proverb written on it: “If a man expects a woman to be an angel in his life, he must first create heaven for her…angels don’t live in hell.” I don’t know about you, but I want to live with an angel. So, I have...

Honor

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August 29, 2015

The Power of Sorry

“Sorry” is an important word for a strong family. We all make mistakes. We all say and do things, accidentally or intentionally, that hurt other family members from time to time. Sorry helps bring restoration. I came across a quote that offers a tremendous summary of saying “sorry.” It not only shows how saying sorry...