Family and Home Archives

The Secret to Easier Family Meals

Do you ever get into a “chicken rut?”

That’s how a colleague of mine described her cooking routine – a repeated use of chicken in the kitchen, night after night, much like the myriad of ways the character “Bubba” in Forrest Gump cooked shrimp.

It’s understandable to find yourself in a cooking rut. Families are busy. It’s tough to find time for meal planning, grocery list building and recipe finding when parents also have to take kids to soccer practice and youth group as well as help with the night’s homework.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting, promos April 23, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Looking for a Good Movie to Watch?

If you’re looking for a film to watch in the theater, I’d like to suggest the award-winning movie “Not Today,” currently out in theaters.

Powerfully moving, “Not Today” highlights the real problem of human trafficking taking place in India through the eyes of Caden, a rich American 20-year-old young man, who travels to India with friends. While there, he a meets a father forced to sell his young daughter, Annika. The movie chronicles how Caden and the father team up to rescue Annika.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, parenting, pop culture, pro-life April 22, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Not to Get a Job

A colleague recently came across a funny website I thought you’d enjoy. It listed some hilarious mistakes people made on their résumés. Here are a few highlights:

“Skills: Strong work ethic, attention to detail, team player, self-motivated, attention to detail.”

“I have a demonstrated ability in multi-tasting.”

“Graduated in 1882.”

“Took a career break to renovate my horse.”

“My work ethics are impeachable.”

“I consistently tanked as top sales producer for new accounts.”

“Dear sir or madman…”

“Skills: I can type without lokng at thekeyboard.”

“Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store.”

One woman sent in her résumé and cover letter without deleting a friend’s edits, including such comments as, “I don’t think you want to say this about yourself here.”

The whole job interview process can be stressful, can’t it?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: humor April 18, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Great New Book

Brad Lomenick is a good friend of mine and he just released a new book this week. It’s titled THE CATALYST LEADER.

In the book Brad shares eight essentials for becoming a change maker – a leader who has the potential to dramatically impact the world for the sake of the Kingdom. I highly recommend this book to those who are passionate about the calling God has placed on their lives.

To give you a better sense of Brad and the book, here are two questions recently posed to him:

Q: What is the Catalyst Leader about?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith April 17, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

10 Reasons Kids Leave the Church

Of all the hats I wear in life, the one I enjoy most may be that of “dad.”

As much fun as Trent, Troy, and I have together, whether it’s camping or just throwing the ball around, not a day goes by that I don’t give serious thought to how my wife, Jean, and I are leading them spiritually. In the grand scheme of things, we only a have a short window to help them build a solid biblical foundation before they launch out on their own.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting April 17, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Thoughts on “42”

Growing up in Southern California in the 1960s and ‘70s, the Los Angeles Dodgers were my team. I can still hear the poetic Vin Scully calling the games on the radio. (Pictured below) His play-by-play was the soundtrack of my summers. Vin’s voice was a steady bright spot throughout my dysfunctional childhood. It was predictable, too, a quality I longed for in my life.

Attending Dodger games was a real and rare treat; my first game was a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, pop culture April 12, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Six Things You Should Know About Edith Schaeffer

Edith Schaeffer, the wife of the late Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer, died a little over a week ago. She was 98.

Simply put, Mrs. Schaeffer was a remarkable woman. She lived in a turbulent time and ministered to thousands alongside her talented husband. The daughter of Chinese missionaries, Edith met Francis at a church event on a summer Sunday evening in 1932. From that day forward they were partners in both life and ministry.

Books have been written about Francis, a man who was brave and bold.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage, news, parenting April 8, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Secret Parents Don’t Want their Kids to Know

Children, please turn away from the computer.

Here’s the secret: moms and dads aren’t perfect.

Sometimes we hurt our kids’ feelings with the things we say, often without even knowing it.

Authors Tim and Darcy Kimmel wanted to be sure to deal with any resentment their actions caused, so they did something brave. They created a safe opportunity for their children to be completely candid and to point out areas where mom and dad weren’t “practicing what they preached.”

It worked like this:

And this is how “What’s Your Beef?” nights began at the Kimmel home.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: discipline, kids, parenting April 5, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

8 Lessons from the World’s Happiest Couples

The May edition of Reader’s Digest features a breezy article titled “Is Your Marriage Normal or Nuts?”

Don’t answer just yet.

But within the piece is a short list detailing eight lessons from the “World’s Happiest Couples.” I’d like to share them with you and ask if you might add to it:

1. Kindness Helps

74 percent of couples who said they were happy give each other back rubs.

2. It’s Not Necessarily about the Looks

20 percent of the happiest partners say they’re not physically attracted to their spouse.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, intimacy, marriage, wife April 4, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Get a Great Idea

Have you ever wondered where great ideas come from? The simple answer to that question is, of course, people. But why do some people get them and others don’t?

If you ask me, God is constantly planting thoughts in our minds, or permitting us to cross paths with someone who will inevitably trigger a thought or do something that sets off the spark of creative energy inside of us. But what about those seemingly “dull days” when you’re feeling tired and uninspired?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment April 2, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura