For this week’s Family Movie Night, we watched another Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical – ‘Oklahoma!’ Having built up all my expectations off The Sound of Music and The King and I, this experience was not those. Or at a minimum, Oklahoma! is not The Sound of Music. For some idea of what I mean, check out this page for the 1955…More
Category Archives: Parenting
American Truck Simulator
My son Daniel recently talked me into playing American Truck Simulator with him on our computers, and I have to admit that this is a fun little game. Yesterday morning before going to work, I had saved up enough money to buy my first big rig. And as of last night before bed I had…More
The King and I
For this weekend’s family movie night, we watched The King and I (1956). Starring Yul Brynner as King Mongkut of Siam and Deborah Kerr as Anna Leonowens, this classic musical was another standby for me growing up. Lauren and the kids never having seen it before, they now can say they have seen it. And…More
A Nation of Suicidal Children
One of the things that was prophesied concerning John the Baptist was that in calling Israel to repentance and heralding the arrival of the promised Messiah, he would turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children. In our day, entirely too much talk of suicidal children is relevant and necessary. But the reason…More
John the Baptist in The Greatest Story Ever Told
Our family movie night this week featured the 1965 classic, The Greatest Story Ever Told. Featuring Max von Sydow as Jesus and Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, this film was one of my favorites growing up. Yes, the actor playing Jesus has funny hair. My son Eli was quick to point that out. But I…More
How To Contend Without Being Contentious
Whether potential threats to faithful Christian life and thought come from inside or outside the church – how does one go about contending for the faith without being contentious? It is too easy to confront bad attitudes with other bad attitudes. But when we counter falsehoods with other falsehoods, or respond inappropriately to inappropriateness, we…More
Concerning Eminently Relatable Hobbits
On Saturdays in our house, my wife typically makes homemade pizza and the kids and I watch a movie. This gives me a chance to expose my children to culturally enriching experiences, and to spend time with them. And it also gives Lauren some peace and quiet to work on sewing or school planning or…More
Readers Are Leaders
Among the people I trust and respect most, Paul David Tripp’s book Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church comes highly recommended. So I started listening to that one on Audible yesterday, and I am about halfway through it now. But I will confess to being wary. Please take no offense if you can only…More
Neighborhood Bullies & Their Parents
This past weekend, I had to talk with the parents of two boys in particular who were knocking over my kids’ bikes, then cursing at and threating my sons when an objection was raised.
Let me tell you how we deal with neighborhood bullies and their parents.More
Whether It Is Better To Be Kind or Right
Is it better to be kind or to be right? My wife posed a great question to our family at the dinner table on Saturday. After collecting our kids’ insightful answers, I weighed in on this poignant dilemma.More