Daly Focus Blog
Have you ever wished you could get away from it all?
Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city may sound like a refreshing, simpler way of life, but it’s actually a lot of work.
A few years ago, author Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, decided to move to a mountain home they’d bought. It was a tough challenge. Kathi was not “ourdoorsy” or resourceful and did not feel equipped to become a homesteader.
Some people believe scientific truth is the only truth, meaning we should only believe in tangible things that we can see and touch.
But truth is more sophisticated than that. Lots of things are true even though we can’t physically touch or observe them. Like our thoughts and ideas. Or what about truth that is so meaningful we need stories to communicate them? Stories in the Bible, for example, are true in a deeply profound way that apply to everyone everywhere in every generation.
Few things in life are as good as we think they are.
Believe it or not, there’s even a scientific term for that phenomenon. It’s called the Better-Than-Average Effect. In short, our tendency is to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to.
We don’t sing as well as we think we do.
We don’t eat or exercise as healthy as we should.
We minimize our addictions.
We downplay our depression.
We believe that our marriages are healthier than they are.
Dementia is one of the most difficult medical issues that families face today. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Each year, 16 million people provide nearly 17 billion hours of unpaid care for family and friends with dementia.
If someone you love has received a troubling diagnosis, I’d like to offer some helpful advice for making the journey as smooth and meaningful as possible.
First, seek out sound medical advice. There is no cure for dementia, but medications and treatments can minimize its effects and slow down its progression.
How big is your marriage’s “joy gap”?
Dr. Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey, authors of the book The 4 Habits of Joy-Filled Marriages, describe a “joy gap” as the length of time between moments of joy. If you apply that unit of measurement to your marriage, how long has it been? Days? Weeks? Months?
Your joy gap can be especially lengthy if you’re waiting for your circumstances to change on their own, for your spouse to make you joyful, or for God to zap you with joy.
And just like that, the new year is off and running! It’s hard to believe we’ve already turned the calendar over to January, and another year is before us. But time marches on. And that’s why we need to make every moment count.
Of course, that’s what new year’s resolutions are all about, right? This is traditionally the time when we think about areas of our lives that need changing over the next twelve months, like losing weight or saving money.
Digital technology is good in many ways and can serve our families well. But when does tech become too much?
Here’s an eye-opening stat for you: research shows that children spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on their phones every day! That’s even more troubling when you consider that other studies show a connection between technology use and rising levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in children and teens.
The question is, “What should parents do about technology, especially since it has become integral to how we manage our lives?”
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “How to Take Your Family Through a Digital Fast,” I’m talking with author Molly DeFrank about how parents can reset technological boundaries and behaviors for their children.
Did you know that the tallest sand castle ever built was as high as a six story building? In 2021, an international team of sculptors spent three and a half weeks shaping 5,000 tons of sand into a castle 70 feet high.
Some of the bystanders wondered, “Why invest all of that time, money, and hard work into something that the wind and the waves will eventually sweep away?”
That’s a good question for you and me to answer as well.
In 1984, Bill Goodrich attended a Christmas Eve service at his church. A choir of cognitively impaired adults from local group homes sang Christmas carols. The people around Bill thought their performance was beautiful, but Bill was troubled. A new Christian at the time, he spent the rest of the service asking the Lord why He allowed some people to suffer the way they do.
What about the people he’d met in nursing homes, for example?
As the old saying goes, “You can choose your friends but not your family.” You discover how true that is during the holidays. Spending time with family members who see the world differently than you do can be stressful.
To fill this season with joy and peace instead of frustration and conflict, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:
First, try these three magical words: “Tell me more.” Argumentative people are less likely to escalate if they feel heard.
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.
