Family
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The Power and Progression of Prejudice
Last night I preached a sermon that wasn’t easy to present. The subject matter was that of prejudice, and the difficulty in preaching such a sermon is that no one likes to think that they struggle with that problem, but we all have (and probably do) toward some group of people. The sermon came from Acts 22, where Paul is giving a defense before a Jewish audience. He is rehearsing his religious life, and the crowd is listening in total silence (v.2). That is, until… Verse 22 begins with this sentence: “Up to this word they listened to him.” What word? “Gentiles” (v.21). This group was so prejudice against Gentiles…
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[Infographic] What I Want My Children to Be
Today’s post is my first attempt at an infographic. It isn’t very fancy, but it comes straight from my heart. Enjoy it, and share it. What I Want My Children to Be In other words, Faithful | Infographics
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What I Want My Son to Become (In Spite of What Culture Says)
Last weekend, we braved “Tax-Free Weekend” at Wal-Mart to buy school supplies for the kids. Actually, we survived this experienced, which is a small accomplishment in itself. As Leah was looking at her list for the kids, she wanted each child to select a 3-ring binder as an “extra” notebook, just to keep loose papers in. She had in mind a cool notebook with a nice design for each child. Mary Carol immediately spotted a pink and green design. It was colorful and loud, so she knew it was hers. Then it was time for Turner to select his. So we looked… and looked… and looked. Even the workers could…
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When I Learned How Much a Daughter Needs Her Daddy
She is 7 years old, and will be in the 2nd grade in just over a month. I have held her since just minutes after she was born, and now I watch her ride her bike all over our street. It won’t seem like but a few blinks and she’ll be driving a car down the street. There is something special about that connection between a daughter and her daddy. Of course, Mary Carol has the greatest model of “lady-hood” that any little girl could ever hope to have, but she is maturing in her own way, too. She loves her mommy, but it is already obvious that Mary Carol…
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How Christians Can Destroy Traditional Marriage Without Supporting Gay Marriage
Yesterday, we looked at how some of the language used by those in favor of gay marriage betrays at least part of their agenda. However, gay marriage is not the only issue we need to consider. And those who support homosexual marriage are not the only people we need to think about, either. It is possible that Christians can (and, in part, have) led us to this point in our nation. Now, before you get too angry, take a look at the title of this post again. I am not saying that you support gay marriage. I would venture to say that 90% of our regular readers (if not nearly…
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It’s Not (Only) About Loving Homosexual Unions
There can be no doubt that one of the issues of our time is homosexuality, and the twin issue of gay marriage. As our Supreme Court is preparing to give a ruling any day now on this issue, our nation stands at a precipice many of us never thought we would see. In fact, historically, our nation would be the first to sanction homosexual marriage. After defining “conjugal” marriage as that between a man and a woman, Girgis, Anderson, and George write, But history also shows that hostility to homosexually inclined people could not possibly have given rise to the conjugal view. The philosophical and legal principle that only coitus…
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A Tribute to Homemakers
“What do you do all day?” “I’d be bored stiff if I stayed home all day.” “Must be nice to be able to watch TV all the time.” It is 2013. We are well into the 21st Century. The idea of a woman wanting to be a homemaker seems, to many, like something from a bygone era. A woman who stays at home, either as a wife or as a mom, is sometimes treated like a sort of living museum exhibit. Now, before going on, let me say that it is not sinful for a woman to work outside the home. So long as her primary focus is on glorifying…
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50 Ways to Encourage Anyone Anywhere at Any Time
People need encouragement, but sometimes we over-think things. Encouraging people does not have to take a ton of time or a lot of money. Instead, here are 50 ways you can encourage nearly anyone at any time. Enjoy the list, then add your own suggestions in the comments. 1. Make a phone call out of the blue. 2. Smile 3. Give a sincere compliment (no flattery allowed!) 4. Make a small donation to their favorite charity, school, etc. 5. Praise their children/grandchildren/parents 6. Invite them over for dinner 7. Send a small floral arrangement…just because 8. Find a chore that needs to be done and just do it 9. Leave…
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Don’t Hide Death from Your Children
I still remember the conversation. When we lived in Haleyville, funerals were an event. You didn’t plan to just “run into” a funeral visitation, because you were going to be in line. People showed up in droves. At this service, I was standing in one of those visitation lines and talking to the folks around me. In front of me was a young lady whom we knew very well. At the time, she was about 15 years old, and we were just talking about school and life in general. Finally, after about 5 minutes of talking, she just said, “This is the first time I’ve ever been in a funeral…
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Hiding in Plain Sight
The report out of Cleveland late Monday night was staggering, but joyfully so. As more and more people began to get familiar with the specifics of the story, there was an interesting mix of bliss and horror. After all, how could someone possibly not be found for 10 years when they were right in a populous neighborhood? The families of the victims had every right to think these three young ladies were dead. Stories like this draw me in. I am amazed when someone who has been lost, especially for an extended period of time, is found. It always makes me feel good for the families. But there is something…
