God invented marriage as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman (Gen.2:18-25). Marriage is one of the most intimate of human relationships, as a husband and wife join every aspect of their lives together for life. Getting married is easy but building a strong marriage takes time and effort. A great wedding doesn’t … Continue reading Modern Family (Pt.1): Marriage
Modern Family
A Changing Culture Just mention the word “family” in society today and you’ll get a variety of opinion and perspectives on what it is and what it should be. Changes to the family are reflected in the typical TV family. We've come a long way from Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, The Cosby … Continue reading Modern Family
Is BIGGER always Better? Beware the Relentless Pursuit of MORE
I love the story about the Harvard MBA who was in Mexico for his company. He saw a small Mexican fishing boat pulling up the dock and one solitary fisherman got out and held four huge fish on a stringer. The Harvard guy was amazed at the quality of the fish. He asked the fisherman, … Continue reading Is BIGGER always Better? Beware the Relentless Pursuit of MORE
The 10 Commandments From a Dog’s Point of View
Our daughter, Natasha, turns 20 in a few weeks. We bought her a dog, with some help from the RSPCA. He is a labrador and is a little over 2 years of age. His name is Oscar. Oscar is very cute and has a peaceful nature. While looking through a few other dog pounds with … Continue reading The 10 Commandments From a Dog’s Point of View
Stages of Life (Late Adulthood)
The pool of those living beyond 100 – the centenarians of society - is increasing in leaps and bounds (70,000 in USA in 2007 increasing to 834,000 in 2050; over 4,252 in Australia as of June, 2011, up from 203 just 40 years ago). Demographers are now starting to the number of ‘super-centenarians’ – people over the age of … Continue reading Stages of Life (Late Adulthood)
Stages of Life (Mature Adulthood)
In medieval times the Catholic worldview of the human life span was often depicted as a circle. In the centre was the image of Christ. Around this divine hub, were illustrations of the different ages of life from infancy to the grave. Each age, like a spoke, was equidistant from the hub. This suggested that every point in … Continue reading Stages of Life (Mature Adulthood)
Stages of Life (Midlife)
Like the sun sweeping through the sky, midlife (ages 35-50) is like noon-time, dividing the first and second halves of life. At the stroke of noon, the descent begins. Note that what we consider midlife, was for most of history in fact the end of life for most people. As recently as 1900, the life span of the average adult in … Continue reading Stages of Life (Midlife)
Stages of Life (Early Adulthood)
Early Adulthood (20-35 years of age) is a time of leaving the familiar world of family, parents, community, school and entering the big unknown world. It is a break with the past and a move into future. Of course, the very term "adult" is very hard to define. When do you become an adult? When … Continue reading Stages of Life (Early Adulthood)
Stages of Life (Adolescence)
Adolescence (13-19 years of age) refers to the teenage years - the hazardous passage from childhood to adulthood. One way to describe this journey is like ‘rapids’ along a river. Things may get rough for a while but if you hang on and don't panic, everything will eventually smooth out again. Physically, this is a … Continue reading Stages of Life (Adolescence)
Stages of Life (Childhood)
As we begin the new year, it is a good thing to "number our days" (Psalm 90:12) - to reflect on and give consideration to our life. Life is short and wise people live from God's perspective, understanding that what we do in time echoes into eternity. Students of human development would be aware of … Continue reading Stages of Life (Childhood)
Foster Parenting
In response to Jesus' Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, you can't help but be prompted to take action by doing something for someone in need, such as sponsoring a child or volunteering some time to community organisations who are doing good work in the community. Another excellent ministry to consider is becoming a … Continue reading Foster Parenting
Some Final Thoughts on Relationships
Over the last week or so, we have shared some thoughts and reflections on a variety of issues, including singleness, dating, marriage, parenting, family conflict, sexuality, homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Hopefully, this has been helpful, even though we haven't been able to address every possible question. I pray that these thoughts will be part of … Continue reading Some Final Thoughts on Relationships
Some Thoughts on Divorce and Remarriage
Divorce Here in Australia, 43% of first marriages end in divorce, 50% of second marriages end in divorce and 70% of subsequent marriages have the same fate. This is so sad. We can hardly imagine the heartache and pain represented by those statistics ... for everyone involved, but especially for the children. God clearly hates … Continue reading Some Thoughts on Divorce and Remarriage
Some Thoughts on Family Conflict
Relationships are built and maintained through communication. When communication breaks down, so do relationships. Consider the quality and nature of the conversation in your relationships. It creates an atmosphere. Eph. 4:29. Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that … Continue reading Some Thoughts on Family Conflict
Some Thoughts on Parenting
You can become a a father or a mother in an instant, but it takes a lifetime to learn to be a good parent. After all, kids arrive without instructions and each child is pre-wired (no 'blank slates'!) uniquely. What are some important principles for parents? Your greatest influence is who you are, not what you … Continue reading Some Thoughts on Parenting