Let the children come

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14 NIV). “You need to go upstairs and talk to Stephen. He’s really upset.” Robin informed me as she came down the steps from putting the kids to bed. She had a look of

Glad my Mom didn’t read Spock

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die” (Proverbs 23:13 NIV). “Spanking teaches children that the larger, stronger person has the power to get his way, whether or not he is in the right. Some spanked children then feel quite justified in beating up on

Hearing the heart

“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Proverbs 20:5 KJV). “What were you thinking?” I asked my middle son, Jonathan, after reading the note he brought home from school that day, banning him from the bus for two weeks. “I don’t know.” He

The sincere faith of my mothers

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5 NIV). The church of my youth had annual revival services. We would often have an evangelist come and share how God had miraculously