tested and proven
We live in an age of testing. The food we eat, the medicine we take, and the toys our children play with have all been rigorously tested before being sold to us. This helps us to be assured of their safety, quality, functionality, usability, and reliability.
perfect harmony
Amy Chua’s 7-year-old daughter Lulu was struggling to master a difficult piece of classical piano music. When she gave up, her mother ordered her back to the piano, threatening to dispose of the little girl’s dolls’ house if the piece wasn’t perfect by the next day. The threats continued: no lunch, dinner, or holiday presents—and no birthday parties for several…
perfect parents
I don’t know what else I can do!” my exasperated friend sulked. “I set high standards for my kids and hold them accountable for their actions, and all they do is hate me. What did I do to deserve this?” He noted how he has always been “hard” (his word) on his son so that he would do great things.…
roaches are forever
For a $10 donation to the Wildlife Conservation Society, you can name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after someone you love. This fund-raising event for a New York City zoo targets sweethearts who want to pay tribute to the long-standing nature of their love. The zoo claims that the cockroach symbolizes resourcefulness and resiliency, and says, “Flowers wilt. Chocolates melt. Roaches…
who am i?
Today I asked God. “Who am I?” He quickly replied, “You are my child.” “Father, why does love hurt sometimes?” He answered, “My child, love causes no pain. It is the flesh that prevents you from experiencing the pure nature of love. It’s what you see and your selfish desires that open the door for the distortion of love. If…
good fruit
My 12-year-old son’s teacher asked his class what age they would like to be. Most of his friends shared that they preferred the freedom that came with being older, but my son said he wanted to be 9 again because his classmates were kinder then and swore less. I winced a little for his end of innocence, and I pondered…
face-to-face
Throughout the day, my husband and I text each other. Some texts consist of requests for information or reminders of a to-do list. Oftentimes, though, a brief message conveying our love does wonders to boost our sense of closeness in an otherwise busy day. A quick text, however, can only accentuate what has already been formed in the larger context…
the angry voice
The other day I was fixing supper and my youngest came into the kitchen to tell me something that her big sister had done to her. She came in explaining in her poor-pitiful-me voice that her big sister was using my "angry voice" and was acting like she was her momma.
What? My children, my little precious bundles of joy recognize that…
you are loved
A counselor was conducting a family therapy session with the parents of a teenager who had been caught using drugs. The parents excused their daughter’s drug use, saying that it was no big deal and just a phase that most teenagers go through. After a while the counselor told the parents to leave the room and, turning to the daughter,…
covenant eyes
A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2006 revealed that children who watch media with high levels of sexual content tend to be more sexually promiscuous. Researchers studied 1,017 adolescents, ages 12 to 14, over a period of 2 years. During that time, the teenagers were tracked as they took in varying amounts of sexual content in…
prepare for action
As a chaplain for athletes competing in the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, one night I stayed out particularly late serving at the figure skating venue. Cold and exhausted, I finally headed back to my room at 1:00 a.m. On the way, I was shocked when several members of the USA Men’s Hockey Team walked by—boasting about the partying they were…
the way
I always assumed that Isaiah 30:21 had something to do with directions. My understanding was, if I stood at a crossroads and veered one way or the other, the Holy Spirit would let me know if I was going the right way. God would alert me if I was heading into trouble or beginning to venture outside of His will.…
restrained
Since my nephew’s birthday is 11 days before mine, we often celebrate together. This year we decided to do something different, so the extended family— grandparents included—went to eat pizza and play laser tag. At one point, I inadvertently fired my laser gun at one of my own team members, thinking he was a spy. Somehow missing the point that…
God's perplexing answers
My best friend’s mother just passed away. In an attempt to cheer my friend up, I brought her to a scenic spot in Singapore where we could watch the sunset. But upon arriving at my chosen location, I saw that the sky was overcast. The weather, it seemed, was as gloomy as our feelings. I wondered: God, why didn’t You…
possible
A benefit of being a teacher, I know that Thanksgiving vacation is always an anticipated respite from the routine of waking early, grading papers, and planning lessons.
What I hadn’t planned for was the impending disagreements that would arise from our two children being home in close quarters with extra time. No matter how much I tried to reason with…
