Family and Home Archives

The Ultimate Christmas Verse

It struck me the other day and in the process of thinking about it, left a pit in my stomach.

As I prayed about the ongoing heartache surrounding the school shooting in Connecticut, I thought about the fact that many of the children who appeared in Focus on the Family’s “John 3:16” advertisement that aired earlier this year are the same age as many of the victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We all love the sweetness and innocence of children and just can’t fathom any person deliberately harming one of them.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news December 21, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Life Reminds Me of This Famous Painting

The churn of the culture reminds me of Rembrandt’s famous painting, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee.

It was the legendary painter’s only seascape, and it dramatically captures the moment right before Jesus calms the turbulent waters (Mark 4:35–40). It’s an exquisite piece of art for several reasons, and an appropriate one to point to at this time in our history.

If you were to examine the painting, you would notice there are fourteen people in the boat.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith December 20, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Fill in the Blank: All I Want for Christmas…

It’s been called the “Paradox of Christmas,” the fact that the Creator of heaven and earth gave up what He had so that we might receive what we need.

It’s in this ultimate selfless act that we find the origin of exchanging gifts between loved ones and friends. We try and find that perfect gift to communicate our affection for each other. In many circles the tradition has been trivialized and commercialized, but this is why we give – to be reminded that God so generously gave us the gift of His Son on that first Christmas.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 19, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Frank Pastore: One of God’s Good Men

When a good friend dies, especially under tragic circumstances, the mind tends to wander with a degree of wistfulness. We think back to moments now frozen in time, to memorable conversations, funny stories or meals together.

In the midst of all that joy at the time we didn’t think of sorrow, we didn’t think of the brevity of it all, the temporal nature of life.

Why would we? Yet, it was Solomon who once wrote that even in laughter the heart may ache – and all joy ends in grief (Proverbs 14:13).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith December 18, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

In Thy Dark Streets Shineth, The Everlasting Light

As we find and pray our way through this school shooting in Connecticut, it’s helpful to hold tight to traditions and yes, to remember the words of Phillips Brooks:

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by:
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

At the time he wrote those words, Bishop Brooks was the rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Evil in Connecticut

Their stories will be told in the coming days, snapshots of innocence lost and lives cut short by the unspeakable and incomprehensible evil at the hands of another human being. We’re saddened and shocked, as well we should be. There is no parent in America who isn’t knocked over by the tragic news of the horrific elementary school shooting in Newton, Connecticut.

We want to cry. We want to scream. We want to hug our children tighter than we ever have before.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news December 14, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Ten Favorite Christmas Movie Quotes

This past Wednesday I asked if any of you had a favorite Christmas movie.

In my book, it’s hard to top It’s a Wonderful Life. One of the reasons that film has stood the test of time is due to the fact that we all want to know that we matter. We all want to be needed. I know some of the theology within the movie is flawed. We don’t believe that angels “earn” their wings.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment December 14, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If You Want Happy Kids, Do This

Forget the luxury vacation or the latest electronic gadget. If you want your child to be happy simply spend time with them, so confirms the Global Kids Happiness Index.

Over 4,000 children between the ages of 6-12 years old in 12 countries were surveyed. Here is what they revealed:

According to TMSW’s research, the most important sources of kids’ happiness, across almost all countries, are family and friends. “Play” consistently ranked third among sources of happiness.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 13, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO: A Christmas Sneak Peek at History Channel’s The Bible

I have a treat for you.

We’ve just received the first publicly released scenes from the upcoming History Channel series, The Bible. The ten-hour program will air on the four Sundays prior to Easter, beginning March 3, 2013, and will culminate on Easter Sunday with a special grand finale.

As we move quickly toward the celebration of Christmas in two weeks, I invite you to imagine what it would have been like to witness firsthand the wonder of that night that changed the course of the world:

I love the passion and enthusiasm that my friends Mark Burnett and Roma Downey have invested in this new series.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, pop culture December 11, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Supreme Court and Marriage

The Supreme Court’s decision today to determine whether the Constitution allows state and federal government to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman is a welcome development.

When the executive branch of the government is no longer willing to defend its own law, the final arbiter must be the highest court in the land. The case will likely be heard in March or April with a decision due at the end of June.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: homosexuality, policy, pop culture December 7, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura