Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — As I wrote about last Wednesday, all of us are born with the capacity to develop eight intelligences. Our Creator generously creates us with each, but relies on parents and others to awaken each part of the brain in children. The summer is perfect for this. The earlier they’re awakened, the better. It’s more likely that they’ll become strengths. Creating “crystallizing experiences” to spark the birth of intelligences is a privilege. Last Wednesday, I explained four ways to do this: create new experiences, attend cultural events, go exploring, and engage in discussions. Let’s look at four … [Read more...]
Four Awakening Strategies for Multiple Intelligences
June 5, 2013 by · 1 Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — All of us are born with a capacity to develop all eight smarts. Although it’s never too late to awaken them, the earlier they’re awakened, the better. It’s a greater likelihood they’ll develop as strengths. Let me share four awakening strategies, in no particular order. We want to create “crystallizing experiences,” a term coined by Dr. Thomas Armstrong. These are turning points that spark the birth of an intelligence. Next Wednesday, I’ll share four more. As you’ll see, it doesn’t have to take a lot of work. The summer is a perfect time to make time for these. Create new … [Read more...]
Letting Go to Steward Better
April 15, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Joey came to my home to cut off the dead limb from a tree in my front yard. I noticed it dying this winter as bark occasionally fell off. I wanted the limb cut off mostly so it wouldn’t break off in one of our frequent wind and thunderstorms. Of course, it was a bit ugly, too, as compared to the rest of the tree. I was concerned a disease might have caused the limb to die. I was relieved to learn that wasn’t the case. (Apparently when fruitless mulberry trees reach a certain age, limbs often begin to die.) Joey told me cutting the limb off was wise because the tree was still expending energy to that limb. By getting … [Read more...]
Jesus Erased our “Certificate of Debt”
March 27, 2013 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. — We’re going to take a week off from the series about individual smarts. Rather, I’d like to share a beautiful example of involving people’s picture-smart and body-smart intelligences when wanting them to grasp a point. In the past weeks, I explained much about being body smart here and picture smart here. Last Sunday, my Pastor Dr. Stephen Lowrie, taught from Colossians 2:8-15. He titled his message “Nailed to the Cross.” During his entire message, in the center of the sanctuary, on the floor, was a large cross with a brief message nailed to it. This immediately engaged our picture-smart … [Read more...]
For God So “Dvu”-d The World
March 25, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Love is on my mind. It’s Easter week. That makes it “love week” for me. It’s better than Valentine’s love, birthday love, and even wedding love because it’s about God’s love. I’m grateful I know and believe in the love sacrifice God made on our behalf. Our behalf. Ours. He sent His Son to take our sin upon Himself so we’d be forever free from the death penalty. I hope you know Him and believe. Please read what follows. It’s written by Bob Creson of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. Titled, “God so ‘dvu’-d the World…” it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read about love. I’m glad … [Read more...]
Explaining Our Smarts Part 4 – Music Smart
March 13, 2013 by · 1 Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — We determine how strong people’s intelligences are by looking at both how much interest they have and how much ability they demonstrate. Both are essential for an intelligence to be strong. Interest in music is high in our culture. Just look at the number of iPods in use, the number of people who have downloaded music to their phones, and the number of iTunes accounts accessed regularly. But, not all the people listening to music have music smart as a strength. Are they interested in a variety of musical styles, are they open to discovering new styles and musicians, and do they remember music … [Read more...]
Secure, Content, Healthy
March 11, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — “He actually called me ‘Fresh Meat’.” I leaned forward and asked, “Seriously? He said that!?” “I know! Can you believe it? So many guys today don’t even hide their intentions. They know I’m newly divorced and they make terrible assumptions.” I asked, “What are you going to do?” Without hesitation, my friend explained why she thought men like this were “so sad.” While sharing, it’s almost as if she had my book, Finding Authentic Hope and Wholeness: Five Questions That Could Change Your Life, in front of her. She confidently declared, “I’m not that kind of woman. I never was. I … [Read more...]
Just Watch and Listen
February 25, 2013 by · 1 Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — On the way to the grocery store, a friend’s son asked if they could rent a movie from the Red Box he knew was outside the store. After thinking about their schedule, she decided it was okay. After parking the car, my friend and her son waited behind a girl she estimated to be 14 or 15. When this girl realized the Red Box did not have the movie she wanted to rent, she loudly proclaimed, “I hate my life!!!” and stormed off to a parked car. My friend heard her complain bitterly to the driver, actually trying to place blame on her for choosing such a “stupid Red Box.” Have you ever wondered how to determine … [Read more...]
Thought Provoking Discussion Starters #53: Pictures Encapsulate Ideas
February 22, 2013 by · 7 Comments
Every Friday, I’ll post thought provoking discussion starters. — Is representing ideas in pictures easy or hard for you? Some people do it naturally, without even thinking about it. The way I describe it is pictures just jump into their head. For some people, like me, words do the jumping. For a new product we’re creating at Celebrate Kids, Inc., we’d like a picture to represent five different important concepts. Maybe you can help us. You’ll recognize these as the five core needs if you read my blog on Mondays. What picture would you choose to represent Security? Identity? Belonging? Purpose? Competence? I’d love to know. Please comment below. … [Read more...]
New Series: Explaining Our Smarts Part 1 – Word Smart
February 20, 2013 by · 7 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — I’ve been blogging about multiple intelligences for a long time because I believe in the value of this Model, but I’ve rarely devoted a post to just one smart to more fully explain it. I believe I’ll start a series of those today. Reading all 8 posts will provide you with a nice understanding of the entire model. Dr. Howard Gardner is responsible for having discovered that we each have eight intelligences. One of those is linguistic intelligence. Dr. Gardner’s former colleague, Dr. Tom Armstrong, uses more accessible terms that I also prefer, partly because I enjoy teaching children about these. … [Read more...]
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