We’re sitting at dinner with our oldest son and his family. Five-year-old Reuel wants to know which movies I’ve seen. “Have you seen Planes?” he asks. “Yes, I have,” I reply. “How about Planes 2?” “I’m not sure, but I think so.” “Have you seen Cars 2?” “No, I don’t think I’ve seen Cars 2.” “Yes, you have!” Reu says gleefully. “There are two cars right there on your driveway!” Stand-up comedy, Kindergarten style. I’m glad my grandson is developing his sense of humor, but I’m even more grateful for the way his parents develop his character (and that of his Continue Reading

Tired after a stressful day at work, my brother Wil walked through the front door to greet his wife and little girl. As Kathy finished dinner preparations, little Rachael’s negative behavior began to escalate. Wil thought about how to deal with this. Should he offer his daughter loving attention? Should he correct her? In a flash of inspiration, he walked over to his wife, put his arms around her, and held her for a long moment. Almost immediately, their little girl settled down. Here's what that incident years ago illustrated:  When children know that Mom and Dad are doing Continue Reading

You want to teach your daughter generosity and kindness, so you have her pick out a Christmas gift at the store for her little brother. Since she only has five dollars in her piggy bank, you go ahead and pay for the Tonka truck she chooses. Maybe this scenario is not imaginary for you. Maybe all you have to do is change up “boy” or “girl,” and you've been there. I totally get that parents want to instill generosity in their children and nurture love between siblings. After all, Jesus said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” --Acts 20:35 So we encourage our children Continue Reading

My teenage son was not a happy camper. Danny had committed himself to helping with our church's remodel project, but I wasn't able to drive him into town that evening. Silently fuming, Danny disappeared into the makeshift garage on the other side of our property. A couple of hours later, I wandered out there to see how he was doing. To my surprise, our humble garage had experienced  transformation. Camping gear, tools, car and garden supplies....everything was neatly organized and inventoried. Nearly rendered speechless, I thanked Danny and commended him for his excellent choice.  Continue Reading