Mi Choza De Nipa

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY , Today , 23-May-2008 edition   Helping Your Kids Stay Tidy By Dr Bill Maier   How would you describe your children’s rooms? A: Dust-free environment. B: Controlled chaos. C: Toxic Waste Dump.   If you answered B or C , chances are your kids need a crash course in organisation.   Because ultimately , being neat is more a matter of order than it is cleanliness.   There’s a lot you can do to help your kids stay organised.   Begin by helping them set up a filing system for their schoolwork and personal papers. It is amazing what a small file cabinet can do for a cluttered room.   Teach them to track their schedule on a calendar or daytimer.   Milk crates make great storage units for toys and magazines , and they stack easily.   It is hard to keep a room neat when you don’t have a place for everything.   You may be surpr...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY , Today , 22-May-2008 edition   How to Build a Strong Marriage By Dr Bill Maier   Do me a favour. Look around and locate something that’s green.   If you’re in the car , you may see a green light or a green car. Whatever the case , I’ll bet you didn’t have much trouble , did you?   My good friends , Les and Leslie Parrott , often use that experiment in their seminars , and their point is , it’s not hard to find something if you’re looking for it. They explain that that’s true in marriages as well.   Everyone has flaws , and couples often tend to look for the bad in each other. If you think your spouse is lazy , you’ll find yourself looking for actions that prove your point. If you think they’re deceitful , you’ll find ways not to trust them. Whatever you have in your mind , you’ll find evidence to support i...

The World’s Most Famous Billiard Player! Ever!  

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 21-May-2008 edition   No Place to Hide By Dr Bill Maier   The best thing about marriage is also the worst thing about marriage!   Most people agree that the best thing about marriage is intimacy. Marriage brings about in a couple a physical and emotional bond that transcends any other type of relationship. It’s a wonderful thing to get to share the deepest parts of yourself with another person.   But intimacy can also be scary. Robert Louis Stevenson said: “By marrying, you have willfully introduced a witness into your life.”   Well, he knew what he was talking about! When two people commit themselves to a marriage relationship, it doesn’t take long to realise how exhausting it can be. Suddenly, our flaws and inconsistencies are exposed and there’s no place to hide!   True intimacy may feel uncomfortable, but it’s what a marriag...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY , Today , 20-may-2008 edition   Overcoming Fears By Dr Bill Maier   Just because fears are irrational , does not mean they are not real – at least to the person who has to deal with them.   People who struggle with fear often understand how irrational their worries are , but that does not solve the problem.   Some fears fall into the category of phobias , and often it takes a professional to help work through them.   But most fears can be dealt with by simply training ourselves to think and act differently.   Begin by learning to take charge of your feelings. Understand that feelings can be uncomfortable , but they cannot hurt you. Although you cannot control your emotions , you can control how you react to them.   Next , learn to recognise your triggers. Steering clear of stressful situations is often the best way to overcome them. Many fearful peopl...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 16-May-2008 edition   Of Birds And Nests By Dr James Dobson   One of the most difficult passages in life occurs when a child grows up and leaves home. As parents, we should look for opportunities to prepare our kids and ourselves for this important transition.   I remember an occasion when our children were young. A little bird had built its nest in a rose bush in our backyard and our kids were fascinated by the baby birds. I warned them to keep their distance.   But one day, Danae got a little too close and frightened the birds, causing them to jump out of the nest. We tried putting them back, but just as soon as we did, they would jump out and run again.   I used the experience to teach Danae a very valuable lesson. I told her: “You see, Danae, once you’ve jumped out of our nest and seen the adult world, you will never again feel the same way about living her...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 15-May-2008 edition   A Father’s Influence By Dr James Dobson   Some years ago, a greeting card company decided to do something special for Mother’s Day. They set up a table in a federal prison, inviting any inmate who so desired to send a free card to his mother.   The lines were so long that they had to make another trip to the factory for more cards. Due to the success of the event, they decided to do the same thing on Father’s Day. Only this time, not one prisoner felt the need to send a card to Dad and many had no idea even who their fathers were.   Contrast that story with a conversation I once had with a man named Bill Haughton, who was president of a large construction firm.   I asked him: “When you are thinking of hiring an employee – especially a man – what do you look for?”   He said, “I look primarily at the ...