entertainment Archives

The Mother of All Moments

It could have been a scene straight out of central casting.

When injuries and motherhood caused highly acclaimed Belgian tennis sensation Kim Clijsters to retire from the sport in 2007, many of the pundits assumed she was just another star to have fizzled and faded away all too soon. Sadly, such is the usual trajectory of professional athletes. Of those who actually enjoy their moment in the sun, the time is almost always brief. High profile comebacks often produce headlines, but rarely do they result in historic championships.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, news, pop culture September 14, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Watch The Great American Panel Tonight

This is a big media day for me. I’ll be a guest on the “Hannity” show tonight on the Fox News Channel, 9 p.m. EDT. I’ll be one of the three participants in The Great American Panel. Sean likes to interact with a group representing a variety of ideological beliefs—so be prepared for lively exchange as we discuss the news of the day.

Also scheduled to appear on the panel are John Fund, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and Penny Lee, a Democratic strategist.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, news September 3, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Three Million and Counting

About two decades ago, Dr. Dobson shared a dilemma regarding the number of visitors visiting our offices with Ed and Elsa Prince, friends of Focus on the Family. While Dr. Dobson was delighted that so many constituents wanted to touch base with us in person, it was somewhat difficult to get work done. After all, we had no formal space in which to properly greet these guests.

Ed and Elsa Prince were thoughtful and kind enough to suggest they would like to help with that problem by building a Visitor Center and bookstore on our Colorado Springs campus, a place where guests could come and experience firsthand the Focus story.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: entertainment, events, staff July 18, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Thanks, Coach!

The official start to the football season is several months away, but I’ve got football on my mind probably because I just had the privilege of spending some time with Jim Zorn, NFL head coach of the Washington Redskins. Jim was hired by the Redskins franchise shortly after legendary head coach Joe Gibbs retired in January of 2008. Jim’s been a long time friend of Focus on the Family and, I might add, his daughter graduated from our Focus on the Family Institute.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture May 25, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Friends in Low Places

Michael Vick was released from prison today. At the time Michael’s story first broke back in April of 2007, there was an aspect of his situation that caught my attention: the power of friends and the need for strong accountability. Who can forget the tragic tale of Michael Vick, one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL.

At age 24, Vick was offered a ten-year, $100+ million dollar contract. His inspiring performances for the Atlanta Falcon’s propelled him to the top of the game.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, news, pop culture May 20, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

From Supermarket to Super Bowl

Next Sunday is Super Bowl XLIII, the most watched football event of the year. And I’m bummed. I’ll be in Australia on business. Due to the time zone differences, I’ll probably miss the Pittsburgh Steelers going head-to-head with the Arizona Cardinals for the NFL World Championship. For a number of reasons I think it’ll be quite the game. Clearly the underdog, Arizona is hungry for the win–this isthe first time the Cardinals have made it to the big game.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, events, faith, news January 26, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Watching What We Watch

You don’t need me to tell you that the temperatures are dropping and the sun setting earlier now that Daylight Savings time has kicked in. And, I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that with colder temps and darkness settling much earlier, our kids have less incentive to remain outdoors to play. Which, of course, means they’re now spending more time in the house.

Why, then, am I stating the obvious?

Because as we head into the winter, house-bound kids will spend more time watching television than engaging in outdoor activities.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, kids, parenting November 13, 2008 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Fireproof is Red Hot in Theaters

In 2006, Alex Kendrick and his brother Stephen, both members of Sherwood Baptist church, wrote and produced Facing the Giants, their second family-friendly independent film. While the production values were on par for a low budget film, viewers were drawn to it’s message of faith and trusting God to do the impossible–both professionally and personally.

Last weekend Alex and Stephen, with the help of a few hundred volunteers from church, returned to the big screen with their third independent film, Fireproof.While Giants tackled winning on the football field, Fireproof addresses those who are struggling to win at their marriage.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, marriage, pop culture, promos September 29, 2008 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Slouching Toward Labor Day

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of summer. I, for one, am not quite ready to say goodbye to the sights and sounds of the baseball games, backyard cookouts, and camping trips I’ve enjoyed under the watchful eye of the hot summer sun. I know, I know. The kids are settling back into the routine of school while the retailers around here are ramping up for Halloween. Still, a part of me is in no hurry to close the books on summer.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, parenting August 29, 2008 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Field of Dreams

Last week I had the chance to do something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a kid. Sorry if I gush just a bit. You see, I got to watch a baseball game at Boston’s legendary Fenway Park. What a thrill to sit just five rows behind the home team’s dugout. So many great baseball players made history on the field that stretched out in front of me–including Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, and Carl Yastrzemski.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, friendship July 21, 2008 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura