Early Years
Preparing Your Child for School
Raise Them Well Personal Maturity Train the young in the way they should go;even when old, they will not swerve from it (proverbs 22:6). Sending a child back to school a decade or two ago was much easier than it is today. Back then, parents worried about buying the right supplies and getting the kids into…
Read MoreIs Your Family Important to You?
Raising a family in the way of love requires conscious effort on behalf of parents. Parents show how important their family is to them by the amount of energy and attention they put into their family’s development. This month’s reflection question asks parents to reflect on how their actions reflect the importance of their family to them.
Read MoreThe 8th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
I can remember it like it happened yesterday and not 40 years ago. My 10-year-old brother was hiding under a table in the basement. He had his hands over his ears and his eyes were squeezed shut. I climbed under the table with him, placing my hand on his knee. He lifted his head in…
Read MoreThe 7th Commandment – Justice & Human Dignity
When I tried to foresee what challenges my wife and I would face as parents, I never imagined that one of them would be stealing. To me, “Do not steal” was such a basic Commandment – sort of like “Do not kill.” Only really bad people committed these sins – or people with major psychological…
Read MoreWhat Makes Being a Parent Difficult?
I have a few friends who just had babies. They are veteran mothers, welcoming their fourth or fifth babies. But the wonder and awe and joy is still evident in them as if the little bundle they carry is their very first. It’s great to share their joy and excitement. When you are preparing for…
Read MoreA Great Virtue for the New Year
A friend and I were discussing the fallout from last year. I admitted to him that I caught myself saying, “I don’t know what or who to believe anymore,” nearly every week. He agreed that discerning the truth was a daunting task made more difficult because people seemed to make decisions based on how they…
Read MoreNo One Likes Name Calling
Click Here to Download the Printable Version in PDF Format It is fair to say that public discourse – the way we talk to each other – has dropped to an all-time low. A quick check of most Twitter feeds, Facebook posts or trending YouTube videos will reveal multiple examples of foul language, cursing and…
Read MoreThe Heart of the 4th Commandment: Do What Love Asks
You’ve been there, right? Your kids are not complying to a simple request that you’ve made. You don’t want to yell or berate or lose your temper. So you do the countdown – one, two, three… You hope that counting will move your kids to get to business. If it works and they do meet…
Read MoreLonganimity: Patience for the Long Haul
Our culture is broiling with anger and turmoil. Pandemic, lockdown, riots, and political vitriol surrounding presidential elections are making us irritated, frustrated, and angry. We could all use a greater strengthening of this month’s virtue: longanimity. Also known as “long-suffering,” longanimity refers to patience over a long period of time. The word literally means “long-souled” and is closely related to the term magnanimity, which means “great-souled.” Being willing to put up with suffering and frustration, especially out of love for others, is one way we express the greatness of Christlike love. In our parenting, longanimity means playing the long game, putting up with current challenges in order to help your children become who God created to be. Learn more about this powerful virtue in this month’s “Circle of Virtue” article.
Read MoreThe 5th Commandment; Do No Harm
Do you assume that keeping the 5th Commandment is easy because you’d never commit cold-blooded murder? Well, Jesus challenges us to live this Commandment on a deeper level, valuing each person’s life and dignity. This month’s article shows you how to keep the 5th Commandment even when you start feeling resentful or angry toward your children, and how you can model the virtue of meekness so your children can learn how to value others as well!
Read More