My heart is heavy for friends who have lost their 22-year old daughter, Charity, to rapid, shocking cancer in the form of a brain tumor. Just headaches a week ago. With Jesus today. My heart is in my throat and I can hardly think straight. Tears cloud my vision. I can only imagine what her parents and young husband are going through. She also leaves behind an 8-month-old son, siblings, and many relatives and friends. Charity’s dad and I have 165 mutual Facebook friends. Therefore, I’ve seen probably hundreds of posts requesting prayer over the past three days as his friends reach out to their networks. Many people have updated us so he didn’t need to spend time or energy doing it. I sometimes joke that not all Facebook … [Read more...]
Thought Provoking Discussion Starters #15: The Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing
April 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Friday, I’ll post thought provoking discussion starters. — Yesterday was the 17th anniversary of the bombing in Oklahoma City. That’s hard to believe! If I wouldn’t have flown to Oklahoma for an event yesterday, I wouldn’t have remembered. We know that challenges affect people’s beliefs and attitudes, even if they’re not personally involved. Did this one influence you in any way? Why or why not? Do you know others who were affected by it much more than you were? Why do you think that is? I wonder why we remember what we remember and forget what we forget…. --- Photo credit goes to my friend Randy Thomas. Thanks Randy! … [Read more...]
Learning a Child’s “Smarts” Brings Liberation Out of Confusion
April 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — She was standing off to my right, patiently waiting for me to finish other conversations. As I walked toward her, her smile broadened to fill her face. “I came to this homeschool convention to go to all the seminars about learning disabilities because I was sure our son had at least one. Now I know he’s picture smart, body smart, and nature smart. He’s not disabled! He’s smart!” That might be when the tears began to flow. I’m not sure. I am sure that I was with a greatly relieved and deeply encouraged mom. I was humbled to be God’s messenger of hope. Children with word-smart and … [Read more...]
The Importance, and Influence, of Our Name
April 16, 2012 by · 8 Comments
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Last week, while at the homeschool convention in Memphis, I was reminded of the value of our names. We read in Isaiah 43:1 that we are called or summoned by name. Our name is important to us and can influence our identity. It can influence our security, too. And, our belonging. Would you believe our name can even influence our purpose and competence? If you’ve never told your children why you named them what you did, please share your story. Knowing is better than not knowing. Don’t assume the story wouldn’t bless them. It could increase their hope in their purpose and in their tomorrows. If you didn’t have a … [Read more...]
Thought Provoking Discussion Starters #14: It’s Friday the 13th, Do You have Paraskevidekatriaphobia?
April 13, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Friday, I’ll post thought provoking discussion starters. — It’s Friday the 13th. What feelings does this invoke? Do you have paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th)? Why or why not? Are you concerned enough about people who believe in superstitions that you’d challenge someone’s thinking? How might you go about having that conversation? … [Read more...]
People Smart + Self Smart = Influential Combination
April 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — All adults and children have the capacity to develop each of the eight smarts. Some will be stronger than others. Some may remain weak. But, we can and should use them in combinations so even weak intelligences don’t have to hold us back. One of the most interesting combinations occurs when someone has both people-smart and self-smart strengths. As I wrote in last Wednesday’s post, life can be challenging for these people and apparent inconsistencies can confuse people. Those who have people-smart strengths think best with other people. Confidence in their ideas grows when they verbalize them and … [Read more...]
Hope Does Something Medication Can’t Do
April 9, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Last Monday, I wrote about the importance of genuine hope. Over the past week, I was reminded again of hope’s value. Several times a year, I’m privileged to meet with some of our heroes who have fought the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last week, after several days of meetings, one man confidently stated, “Hope does something medication can’t do.” I was thrilled for this soldier. From Monday to Friday, I saw him sit up straighter, accept more of our affirmations, doubt less, and accept more. He relayed statements about his future with more confidence. Eye contact became easier. He smiled naturally and much … [Read more...]
The Gospel According to a Five Year Old on Good Friday
April 6, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Every Friday, I’ll post thought provoking discussion starters. — Today’s thought provoking discussion starter is a picture (full picture below.) Study it. What do you see? What thoughts are provoked? What feelings? Just before Christmas, I posted this picture drawn by the five-year-old son of friends. It blessed so many people, I thought it was appropriate to post again. His dad saw the picture and asked, “What does this mean?” His son answered, “This is Jesus lying in the manger thinking about the cross, and this is Jesus on the cross thinking about the manger.” Complete. That word comes to mind. Easter. “It is finished.” … [Read more...]
How Can We Help Children and Teens Use Their Smarts? (Part 3)
April 4, 2012 by · 2 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — As I explained in the last two posts (full list of links at the bottom of this post), we can teach children how they are smart and encourage them to be smart with their smarts by specifically affirming them when we notice them using one of their intelligences. These simple compliments – when using strategic language – have tremendous power. Let’s use them well. Compliments for our remaining two intelligences might sound like this: People smart: “You three girls work really well together because you’re people smart. That’s why you’re able to bounce ideas back and forth and play off of … [Read more...]
Genuine Hope: It’s Essential
April 2, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Hope. It’s essential. Genuine hope is best. People are looking for it. Searching. Wondering. Some people find counterfeit hope. Things that don’t last: Power that fades. Positions that lose prominence. Possessions that no longer satisfy. People who don’t last: People who lie. Who disappoint. Who don’t follow through. Who can’t be relied upon even though they said they could. Some people find despair. They’re disappointed so often by counterfeit hope they relied on for awhile that they give up. They stop looking. Believing. Wondering. Hoping. Despair becomes their companion. Without hope, people … [Read more...]
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