We have created a few excellent tools to help your family begin to focus
on the significance and meaning of Easter. It won't be long before your kids are inundated with thoughts of bunnies and eggs, so it's better to roll
out some truth as early as possible. Click the link below for more...
As we have rolled out this new site, we have been looking for ways to make the most of INFO and to introduce people to helpful content. One way I have done that is to look back over the past few years of traffic to determine which posts were the most popular with readers. With that data in hand, I have created a collection of our "Top Ten Most Popular Posts," accessible from a link at the top right corner of the blog. Check it out and see what you have missed. As always, I would love to hear your comments.
Read MoreMy favorite Bible is pink. Not very manly, I know. It used to be a rich maroon color, but that was when my parents gave it to me when I was in college. It turns out that if you keep a Bible around for 25 years, it will fade. And maroon becomes pink. I could get a new one, but I like the fact that I have a quarter-century worth of notes and scribbles in the margins. So for the foreseeable future, I'm packing a pink Bible. Revoke my man card if you must.
A few days ago, I came across Psalm 139. Verses 23-24 say this: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." In the margin beside this verse I had written - many years ago and in blue ink - the following words in all caps: "DAILY PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE." I can't remember when I wrote this or why. But whatever the occasion, I think it was a moment of brilliance.
Read MorePHOTOBOMB. Foe-tow-bom (verb) - to drop in a photo unexpectedly...to hop in a picture right before it is taken. (Definition from the Urban Dictionary) Sticking your face into a photo where it does not belong has long been a practice of your prank-minded friends. Now we finally have a name for it...
Read MoreJenifer is a far better parent
than I am. She is consistent, intentional, and present. She strikes a
terrific balance of grace and truth that faithfully emulates our God.
And she has this one thing that she does that I think is absolutely
brilliant.
She occasionally offers our kids a "do-over."
Read MoreIf I could recommend a magic pill that you could give your kids now that would give them twice the chance of having a lasting marriage someday, would you make them take it?
Of course you would.
With the divorce rate being what it is, wise parents with any foresight at all want to prepare their kids for long-term relational success. After all, you have seen the pain and hardship in the dissolved marriages around you. You want to give your kids the best possible shot at a life-long marriage...
Read MoreIf you are like many (cultured) Americans, Downton Abbey has become must see TV on Sunday nights. If you have been keeping up, this post will be meaningful to you. If you have been choosing Jersey Shore over Masterpiece Classics, then it might not. I promise to offer a meaningful examination of Snookie’s relationships on another post. Or perhaps not.
In watching Downton for the past few years, I’m wondering if I’m the only person to notice that the evolution of the show has not been dissimilar to the evolution of a marriage. We fell in love during season one, we managed conflict (including a world war) during season two, and we learned how to fight, endure, and find some good in the midst of bad situations in season three. Obviously, we have witnessed an over-abundance of....
After maintaining essentially the same look for I.N.F.O. for Families for the past four years, the time has finally come for an update. We're still working out a few bugs, but my hat goes off to my friend Andy Knight for helping this thing to look a whole lot better. We hope that the new and improved I.N.F.O. makes it easier for you to access the content you are looking for.
I thought I would provide an explanation of some of the changes you might notice. If you are currently reading this via email or in RSS, I encourage you to visit the blog directly. You should be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to click the "Read More" link below for more details.
Read MoreThis is a post well-suited to the imperfect and normal parent in all of us...the parent who regularly feels like a failure while everyone else has it going on.
I came across a post on MSN that includes several common True Parenting Confessions.
You'll probably recognize a few. The one about using "TV as a
Babysitter" or the honest confession that you might occasionally miss
your life before kids are jarringly honest.
This SuperBowl commercial was funny and well-made, but it demonstrates just how cowardly many parents are. We are afraid to tell our kids the truth about something that God made to be awesome.
Read MoreIt's always interesting when God uses a commercial to inspire a blog post. Have you seen this Volkswagen ad? If you haven't, you need to. I think it's Super Bowl Sunday caliber material...
Read MoreIt was sunny in Atlanta today for the first time in what feels like several weeks. We've had enough cold, wet, miserable winter weather to make me yearn for someplace warm and sunny. Jenifer and I even went to a tropical-feeling restaurant last night called Bahama Breeze in a fruitless attempt to experience the vibe of the islands. While it was nice to be alone with Jen for a few hours, our escape didn't work. It was still cold and wet when we went outside. Boo.
Read MoreThis clip is making the rounds on Facebook and it absolutely amazing. Given that most of what Oprah espouses on her shows and network is the typical "all roads lead to God" nonsense, this is truly refreshing. Rick Warren tees it up pretty nice but Nick Vujicic brings the truth.
Read MoreSee the impact of adultery on a family by heading to your local movie theater. It's cheaper than a divorce attorney!
I think my favorite, most treasured moment from Lindsey's wedding last summer was the father/daughter dance. This is odd, since everyone who knows me knows that I have absolutely no dance skills. Zero. What I DO have is the honor of having three daughters: Lindsey (the bride), Emilie (the teenager), and Maddie Kate (the preschooler). I have always loved the wonderfully tear-jerking song "Cinderella," but we had an "a-ha" moment about three months before Lindsey's June wedding. After dinner one night, Emilie pointed out that I have three daughters that fit perfectly into the three verses of Steven Curtis Chapman's song. As I played the tune on my phone as we did the dishes, I found myself crying like a baby. I knew we were on to something.
Read MoreIt is a common sight in the fall and early winter, yet here in the south it always stirs something powerful in us. A huge stadium filled with screaming college students, all passionate about the same thing: a win for their side. They shout with joy and sing their songs when there is victory. They cry tears and and look on in horror when there is defeat. The emotion they feel is real, even life-changing.
Read MoreGod has given Jenifer and me a strong conviction to speak to parents
about becoming more deliberate in helping their kids to navigate their sexuality. We put together a four-hour teaching plan a
few years ago and had the chance to teach it to several hundred parents
at Johnson Ferry. We recently streamlined it down to a little more than
an hour. You can listen to it here...
Earlier in the year, FamilyLife posted a great list of Fifteen Things Wives Should Stop Doing. I linked to it on INFO and got some great responses. I even suggested that a list of things that men should stop doing was needed. Dave Boehi at FamilyLife has finally heard my cry.
Read MoreWe need a little perspective on at least a few things related to the lure of consumerism.
Read MoreWe are on the verge of launching what I feel is the most significant thing I have done in more than twenty-five years of pastoral ministry. The countdown starts now.
Read More
