Several weeks ago I wrote about discouragement—the condition in which one finds it difficult to move toward a worthy goal for fear it may not be accomplished as hoped. In that column I discussed ways of helping our children to overcome discouragement. But as a...
Ruth and I had been relishing in our first empty-nest experience for the past few months. This past weekend the nest was anything but empty. For the first time in six years all of our children and grandchildren were together. Just a couple of years ago...
Alvin Price, Child Development teacher at BYU-Idaho South (that school in Provo) was fond of saying, “If you want to raise street-smart kids, don’t interfere when your kids fight with each other.” That was troubling advice for a student with two active little boys who were...
One-third of Utah marriages include children from a former marriage or relationship, according to a recent report. That means that one-third of that state’s new families are “blended families”. While I don’t know the statistics for our own state and area I dare say it...
Some time ago my son, Tyler, introduced me to “Honest Trailers” on YouTube, silly reviews of popular films. Last night I saw the clip for the 1990 Christmas comedy “Home Alone” and it hit me—this week Tyler will move out, and Ruth and I will...
Last week I read a book, a whole book. (Pause for applause.) Okay, I’m not the veracious and speedy reader that my wife, Ruth, and daughter, Marissa, are. I pretty much stick to professional articles and only dive into an actual book if I anticipate getting some...
Just yesterday a young man stopped me in the hallway to ask about the effects of media on family life and how children develop. I did not hesitate to state that the media we consume and encourage within our homes has tremendous influence. For years social...
This is a letter to the executives at PixL, a television network with which I recently became familiar. I have a bone to pick with them. I understand they are based in Dallas, but I’m sure they get the Standard-Journal. Who doesn’t? To Whom It May...
If you are interested in reading about Kevin Durant’s contributions to the game of basketball, you might want to skip this article and turn to the next section of the paper. But if you are interested in true heroism—doing something brave and admirable in the...
“Can ye be angry and not sin?” asked Paul rhetorically. “Let not the sun go down on your wrath; neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26, 27; JST) The apostle counseled the Christians in Ephesus to go to great lengths to avoid being angry, and...