Columnist.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's the hallmark question of childhood. We ask wide-eyed little kids, expecting answers like "pilot," "astronaut" or "firefighter." It's not a bad question, but when it's the only one we ask, kids end up believing their identity belongs to their occupation. The real question we should be leading our children to consider is not *what*, but *who* do you want to become? The difference is subtle, but extremely significant. And so it is for us too. It's important for you to consider if the work you do defines who you are; or, if the person you are defines how you behave in the various roles of your life.
Darkness fell across the land and the man they thought would be their savior cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Soon after, he breathed his last. The people standing at the foot of the cross beat their breasts and stumbled away. From a distance, his mother and friends watched in silent despair. His disciples were broken in spirit -- no doubt confused, hurting and angry. They had followed this man for years, left their work and their families for him. They thought he would change everything. But in the course of one day, all of their hopes were dashed.
Anxious and somber faces greet me as I step into the crowded waiting room. A sense of dread fills the air. Men and women sit silently, clutching folders and envelopes, stacks of papers and piles of files. The fear in the air is so thick you can almost cut it with a knife. I join the morbid group as I slump into the nearest empty chair and wait for my turn to see....the ACCOUNTANT! It's tax time, and even though we go through the same depressing ritual year-after-year, it just doesn't get any easier. If I think about it too long, I get really ticked off.
My youngest is getting married in less than two months. Although we are deep in the midst of wedding plans and to-do lists, she still manages to spend a good chunk of time every day dreaming about her first home with her soon-to-be hubby. How will they decorate? How will they use their budget? How will they entertain guests? She is incredibly enthusiastic about it, too. You would think the endless list of things to think about would be exhausting, but instead, the wealth of possibilities gives her loads of energy. I think there is something important to learn from her young, idealistic nature.
The dishwasher is broken again. Your to-do list is growing. The bills need to be paid, the kids need this and that, your work deadline is fast approaching and you're in desperate need of a good night's sleep. Life is a constant battle for your attention. There just doesn't seem to be enough. There's not enough time, not enough energy, not enough money, not enough focus, not enough of you to go around. And it's a vicious cycle. When you can't recharge your batteries, you move slower, and items on your to-do list pile up faster. You lose sight of God. You know he is there -- somewhere -- waiting, but everything is swirling around you and when you reach for him, you come up empty. Even when you pull out your Bible, the words seem flat and you can't bring yourself to focus. It would be easier if he would just make everything stop and come meet you where you are. If only he would *reveal* himself.
Life is busy: the phone keeps ringing, the kids need attention. Meanwhile, someone's at the door, the dog is barking, there are bills to be paid, a deadline at work... but where is the time for God? He doesn't pound on the door like the neighborhood children, or stand beside your desk and interrupt while you're working, or call during dinner like the phone solicitors. No, He patiently waits for *us* to call on *Him*.
Even if you weren't one of the 28.2 million Americans watching the 2014 Grammys last month, you probably caught wind of the controversy over Beyoncé's raunchy performance of her song "Drunk in Love," featuring her husband Jay-Z. Perhaps it was her lingerie-like outfit or her chair dancing or the part where Jay-Z grasped her rear, but this was one of those moments when parents find themselves putting their hands over their children's eyes -- or flipping to another channel. Beyoncé, a mother of a 2-year old, raked in tons of media attention for that performance. Some of the publicity was negative. The Daily Mail quoted many parents who expressed their disappointment via Twitter: "It's a sad day when our kids can't even watch the Grammys." Forbes noted that Beyoncé, a self-claimed feminist, "could have used her power to show that a woman doesn't need to be a stripper to succeed."
Rhythm is life giving. We function according to days, weeks, months and years. We celebrate anniversaries and birthdays, dread tax time and look forward to time off. The cycles we go through help us move forward and stay in sync with the people around us. They increase both our productivity and our enjoyment of life, and they are essential to the health of our society. We see this truth throughout the natural world as well. Our calendars and timetables are based on seasons and phases, the perfectly predictable movement of our planet and moon through space.
Amidst the freezing temperatures across the country, Spring Break plans are well underway. And, unless your head has been in the sand or the clouds for the last few years, we all know what the typical college, or even high school, spring break entails. So many of our sons and daughters get swept up into wild parties and regrettable decisions. The culture tells them that drinking and "hooking up" are the best ways to make memories and unwind from the stress of school. Instead, many of them end up with broken hearts.
Remember the recent IRS scandal? The IRS admitted to improperly targeting conservative and libertarian organizations, individuals and their families. And not just groups involved in the political process - they even targeted the family counseling radio show, FamilyTalk, on whose board of directors I serve. Yet, President Obama told Bill O'Reilly in an interview (Bill is one of the best searchers for the truth on the planet, btw) that there is "not even a smidgen of corruption" in the IRS. Now the IRS is proposing regulations to make its illegal efforts to silence conservatives an official part of regulatory code.
President Obama recently warned Americans that too many members of our society never climb the ladder to success -- they're defeated before they even begin. When children have no future, it poses "a fundamental threat to the American Dream, our way of life, and what we stand for around the globe." He actually got that right.
Imagine your sweet daughter, barely into puberty, coming home from school and showing you a photograph she took with her phone of a sex poster at school; a poster that lists the many ways people "express their sexual feelings," including "grinding," "anal sex", "oral sex", and just about everything else you can think of. And imagine, even further, that the school district representative, when asked about the poster, shrugs and says it is part of a health and science curriculum that "aligns with national standards" of sexuality education.
Equal protection under the law for preborn human beings is headed our way -- and from the work of a surprising demographic: adults under 30. A 28-year old dynamo working on college campuses across the nation, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, exemplifies why hers is the "pro-life generation", and why they will be successful.
A Colorado family experienced a frightening surprise last week when their toddler, for no apparent reason, became groggy and unable to walk. A trip to the local emergency room found the cause: the child had eaten a cookie from the ground outside the family's apartment. Only this was no ordinary cookie. It had been laced with THC, the mind-altering chemical in marijuana, and wreaked havoc on the two-year old's system. Thankfully, she's now recovered.
Christianity is the most inclusive religion the world has ever known. Despite the "bad" rap -- both earned and unearned -- that Christianity often gets as a religion that is reserved for only "church" people, or Western people, or whatever -- the Bible makes it crystal clear that true Christianity, when preached like Jesus preached, is the "big tent" of all faiths.
*What do *Duck Dynasty* and Christmas have in common?* *Duck Dynasty*, the most-watched cable television show of all time, is a cultural phenomenon. The reality show follows the lives of the Robertson clan, a Louisiana family that made a fortune developing and selling duck calls and hunting products. The members of the *Duck Dynasty* are not only unlikely millionaires but also unlikely TV stars -- from their shaggy beards to hippy-style clothing to sincere Christian faith. But their plainspoken ways and outspoken beliefs have generated a tremendous following.
For decades Dr. James Dobson has been the voice of strong families, vibrant faith, and conscientious citizenship. His personal integrity and strong commitment to help families raise Godly children is legendary. Millions have relied on his sage advice and sound wisdom, broadcast on radio stations across the country, first through the *Focus on the Family* ministry he founded, and now through his new ministry (on whose board of directors I serve), "Family Talk". And of course, his unrelenting defense of pre-born children is well-known -- and backed up over the years by his support for women in crisis pregnancies and for adoption ministries, as well as his personal compassion towards those in need.
Amazon made headlines recently for its futuristic plans to use drones to deliver packages. Whatever you may think of a sky full of flying delivery machines, Amazon's innovation is a sign of a bigger trend: the 24/7 business world. Amazon seems bent on changing the business cycle -- or at least the delivery cycle -- to an 'always-on' model. In fact, it has already struck a deal with the U.S. Postal Service to deliver packages on Sundays in some metropolitan locations.
I confess. I'm a bargain-hunter with the best of them. Why spend a dollar more when a better price is just across the mall or on the next website? I'd easily trade an extra few minutes in line (or online) for the best price on a gift that's just perfect for someone I really love. So, apparently, would millions of other people.
