Life

A Chasing After The Wind?

“The enemy is within the gates,” writes Chuck Colson in Against the Night. “I believe that we do face a crisis in Western culture, and that it presents the greatest threat to civilization since the barbarians invaded Rome,” he says, and a quick read of the news at large may show that he is right. Just two months ago Facebook, Apple and Google were in the news, not for pushing another product, but a plan — one that some people view as “sinister,” if not “deeply disturbing.” They are offering to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs. Yes, […]

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Raising Kids in an Upside Down World

In Disney’s third installment of “The Pirates of the Caribbean” series “At Worlds End,” the pirates of the ocean blue are faced with an unpredictable dilemma in which their ship is flipped upside down. Their world is flipped and seems normal until a pirate figures it out. Parenting in today’s world feels much like the pirates of the Caribbean must have felt as parents navigate their kids in a world that is completely upside down compared to the world that God originally designed and the world in which believers will one day live. It’s a daunting task helping our children […]

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Wives: Are You a Gift or a Burden?

Marriage is not a word. It’s a life sentence. Is this how your husband feels about your marriage? Are you unknowingly destroying your husband and killing your marriage? According to an article by Katelyn Carmen on FamilyShare.com, there are five ways to do exactly that. As you take this inventory, consider how these relate to God’s command for wives to respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:33) and how they relate to God’s design for men as protectors and providers. Further, don’t get distracted with “what about me” feelings. It will be the husband’s turn next month. This month is about your […]

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The Common Core: Solution or Intrusion?

What is “The Common Core” and how will your child be affected by it? The Common Core is a K-12 English (language arts) and mathematics minimum academic standards set of benchmarks meant for all students in the US with an emphasis on preparing for college or career.   The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers appointed a commission to develop these standards in 2008. The 2008 report, “Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education” asserts, “…because benchmarking is also-and most critically about improving policy, states must take the lead.” Therefore adoption and […]

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Geocaching – A Family Hobby for the New Year

Looking for an idea for a hobby for the New Year that will provide an activity for the family, promote physical exercise outdoors and be a fun way to get your kids away from their video games and new electronic devices? Then you are ready to discover Geocaching. Geocaching is an outdoor game using hand-held global positioning systems (GPS) devices. It’s an inexpensive, interactive high-tech treasure hunt that’s a great way to learn geography. Participants use location coordinates to find caches. Some caches are easy to find; others are more difficult. The biggest reward is the thrill of the search […]

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Is My Example Good Enough?

A new mother wrote to me last week worried about whether she will be a good enough example to her child as he grows up. I remember entering into parenthood terrified myself. I hadn’t always walked with Jesus, and I believed in “bad kid karma.” You know, when your mother says to you, “I hope when you grow up you get a daughter JUST LIKE YOU.” I had been a tough kid, so I thought my odds were pretty good that my daughter would turn out to be just like me — a challenge to say the least. I strived […]

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The Year of Lists: things to know and do for a successful 2015

I think this was the year of lists. It seems like every other email or blog post was a list of how to do something or achieve success in a certain area of life or business. I am not talking about the long standing top 10 lists of best hotel, restaurant, places to visit or even David Letterman’s top 10; those are good to know. I am talking about lists to live by like “5 things to achieve financial success,” “7 keys to a better life,” “3 daily deeds to make your life amazing” or “5 things to be #1 […]

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Cultivating Hope in the Midst of Depression

As Christians we are told at Christmas that this should be the happiest time of the year — a time of joy with grateful family, colleagues and friends. Yet, for some of us this is sadly not the case. In my work with Christians in a private practice and then in my ministry I began to see that the Holidays can be a significant increase in depression. One North American survey reported that 45% of respondents dreaded the festive season. One very blue Christmas I reflect back on one Christmas that was filled with depression, sadness and feeling very isolated […]

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Step Back in Time at Bethlehem Revisited

First United Methodist Church of Coral Springs invites you to step back in time to Bethlehem Revisited, a living interactive recreation of the town of Bethlehem as it may have appeared 2,000 years ago. This five-day family-friendly event begins Friday, December 12th and will close on Tuesday, December 16. On week nights, you can enter the city between 7 and 9 p.m. with entrance an hour earlier on Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. The historic recreation includes a walled city utilizing more than 30,500 square feet of lumber. While awaiting entrance into the city gate, visitors may encounter Roman […]

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Surviving the Holidays Financially

Christmas is the time of year to have fun while enjoying the holiday with family and friends. However, the magic can also be extinguished by the mad rush of stressful shopping, vacation planning and other obligations. It’s no wonder that the holiday season is actually one of the most stressful times, especially from a financial perspective. Smart spending and creating a Christmas budget can reduce the financial burden and alleviate some of that unwanted stress.  It’s way too easy to get caught up in the shopping mania of this season and find yourself in a freshly dug hole in January. […]

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