Daly Focus Blog
Henri Nouwen once said, “The greatest trap in life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from … self-rejection.”
Henri is right. Self-rejection is dangerous.
It usually begins as a message communicated to us by others. But over time it becomes a lie that weaves itself into our lives and infects every relationship we’re in, including our relationship with God.
Do you remember how hard it was to wait for Christmas when you were a kid?
I’m reminded of that every year at about this time as I watch the excitement in my two boys, Trent and Troy, grow over the holiday season. But their giddiness reminds me of something else as well.
The wealth is in the waiting!
You see, I’ve realized it’s the waiting that makes Christmas feel so special. Obviously, kids look forward to ripping the paper off gifts to discover what’s inside.
The news reports coming out of Aleppo, a city in northern Syria, are impossible to ignore.
Syria’s civil war has been waged in this ancient city for the past four years, marking one of the longest sieges in modern warfare. And while the details of the struggle may be difficult to understand, one thing is certain: the residents of Aleppo are paying a horrific price.
There are reports by the United Nations that Aleppo, which contains the country’s largest population of Christians, is seeing many atrocities being committed “against a large number of civilians.”
There are reports of “barrel bombs” being indiscriminately dropped from aircraft.
We’ve all got a love style.
It started forming back in childhood when your mom and dad connected with you emotionally, listened to you share your feelings, and made you understand that you mattered.
Or maybe they didn’t.
For good or for bad, the relational experiences of our early years form the roots for how – or even if – we emotionally attach to others.
Ideally, we’ll have an abundance of positive moments that enable us to become what Milan and Kay Yerkovich call “secure connectors.” Jesus was the personification of that love style.
Not many families are considered a “dynasty.”
And only one is credited with building a “Duck Dynasty.”
But I guess that’s the way you’d expect a family like the Robertsons to be characterized. After all, the family patriarch, Phil Robertson, turned down an opportunity for a professional football career because it would interfere with duck hunting season.
They’ve also built a highly successful duck call business, have starred in a record-breaking cable television series for several years now, and the men of the family are all well-known for wearing beards that have become something of a cultural icon.
Are we willing to take a break from our own happiness to minister to broken people, even during the holiday season?
One man did.
His name is Eric Schmitt-Matzen, and chances are you might have caught a bit of his story.
His tale happened several weeks ago, when a terminally ill young boy was nearing the end of his battle. This little 5-year-old knew he was going to miss Christmas. And he wanted to see Santa Claus.
Today I want to share some sad news, and to remember a good man.
Fred Stobaugh, the elderly widower whose love song for his wife of 75 years went viral in 2013, passed away on Nov. 23.
“Oh Sweet Lorraine” eventually made Fred the oldest person to appear on the Billboard’s Hot 100 – and even helped save marriages in the process. Truly, the love he had for his wife was inspiring.
I want to honor Fred today, as well as his sweet Lorraine, by re-running the original post I first shared three years ago.
I’m not sure which is harder to believe: The fact that Christmas is right around the corner, or that the school year is nearly half over.
My boys, Trent and Troy, are ready for Christmas break. They’re hanging in there with school, but they’ll need some encouragement to get through the final stretch until summer.
Until then, there’s a lot of studying and homework to do, which can be stressful on students and parents alike. If you’re feeling the mid-year crunch, I think our radio program today and tomorrow will be a big help to you.
I don’t cook dinner very often. I think Jean prefers it that way. Her degree is in bio-chemistry. Not only is she smart, but she naturally thinks in terms of precision. Recipes are to be followed. If the instructions call for one cup of flour, she’ll measure exactly one cup. She’ll even use a knife to scrape off the excess, so the amount is perfect. I’ve even seen her add more if it’s not quite full.
Our society needs heroes.
In fact, I think it’s how God has wired us.
The human spirit is nourished by witnessing men and women who answer the call of God upon their lives and overcome amazing obstacles with unwavering faith.
I think this is partly why Jesus took on human nature and lived among us. God didn’t abandon us to figure life out on our own or leave us the Bible as a sterile rule sheet to follow.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
