Fund-Raiser Obligations

This morning as I was preparing for work my daughter asked me if I’d bring some of the “Buy One, Get One” cards her charter school is selling to raise money. She has a quota to meet, and needs my help in soliciting the good folks at work.

Now this is fairly new territory for me; for so many years we’ve been a home schooling family. As such, we didn’t have fund-raisers to take to neighbors and co-workers. That said, I have been in an office environment for years, though, and have been subjected to a variety of sales approaches for discount books, popcorn, cookies, candy bars and Christmas greenery. Usually folks are pretty low-key in their marketing and sales tactics, posting a flyer or putting a brochure on their desk.

There IS a sense of obligation in some of these things, even though there’s not a rule in place for how to handle these things. The easiest transactions to complete – or ignore – are the ones in which cash is put into an envelope and the discount card or candy bar is taken by the customer. Simple, no obligation stuff. Especially awkward are those orders, in which you have to put down the quantity, the cash amount and your phone or even address – and the order form is posted in the copy room or community kitchen. Everyone then sees how cheap you are (only bought one item, just one!) or that you STILL haven’t committed…but there’s still time. That peer pressure can be difficult to ignore!

So I’m wondering if you feel obligated, guilty, pressured, bothered or perhaps totally unaffected by at-work solicitations?  Can you pass by the many offers that come your way? Do you decline all such buying opportunities? Do you have a soft spot for the school fund-raiser and buy one of everything?

How do you handle fund-raiser solicitations at work? (check all that apply)

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

School Struggles?

Reading this blog post/article about school struggles, I couldn’t help but think of our youngest, who is really having a difficult time this school year. Zane is bright, but has some behavioral issues making for a very rocky time at the nearby elementary school. The administration and teaching staff there is wonderful, but they can only do so much. Talking with my wife, I observed that the boy is trying to get out of the pressures of the classroom, but of course, we can’t let him win that battle. She agrees, and we’ll have a meeting with the school in the next couple of days to discuss an action plan.

Meantime, I’d appreciate your prayers. In the scheme of things, this is a temporary problem, but we’re calling on God to bring His presence and wisdom to bear. We need it. And maybe you can relate…let us know how Focus on the Family can help.  We have a lot of resources, and even could arrange for a counselor to give you a call.

Jim Daly on Huckabee

On Saturday, September 18, Jim Daly will talk about his new book, Stronger, on “Huckabee.”  The show will air at 8 p.m. Eastern on the Fox News Channel.

19 Years…And Counting

In late July of 1991, I was pondering a job change. I was happy with my work managing two Christian radio stations in Texas. Our circumstances were close to ideal. We lived two blocks from my wife’s sister and her family. One set of grandparents – we had one child at the time – was only twenty minutes away. We were in a good church, had some wonderful friends and loved our neighborhood.

The offer was from Focus on the Family. To accept would mean moving to Colorado and leaving all that we had known as a young family.  There’d be some tears if we took on the challenge of a new job in a new city and state. That was a lot of upheaval to consider.

A complicating factor was that we were expecting the birth of a second child at any time.

Weighing the opportunity, we sought counsel from trusted friends and after considerable prayer and thought we decided to “go for it.”

Believe it or not, within hours of making the decision, Dena went into labor. In fact, Seth was born just eight hours after I made the call to accept the offer to join the Focus broadcast team. Only six weeks later, I was in Colorado starting the new job. That was 19 years ago today, and I’m still working on broadcasts, although in a different way than when I began in 1991.

God has given me some terrific, rewarding and fulfilling work these many years. What wonderful people I’ve worked with and met! I’m a blessed man.

Dad, Are You Confident?

I recall being impressed by him. I was seated beside this fellow on a plane. His name was Chris and he was in his 30s, married with one young child and another on the way. As we talked, I asked him some questions about his own experiences and the felt needs of the other guys in his home fellowship.

His answer didn’t come as a complete surprise. He said that spiritual leadership is a major concern to him. His dad didn’t model it, he knows he needs to lead well in his home, but he doesn’t really know how to do that.

I did my best to encourage him, just one Christian father to the next. But the exchange made an impression on me because it got me thinking: This is not an isolated incident. Chris is representative of millions of other Christian dads who really and truly want what is best for their children…but they feel woefully unprepared to teach them about the most important thing of all.

Okay, Dad: Are you relating to Chris? Do you feel confident about helping your kids learn about – and more importantly – grab onto a vibrant faith? What are your concerns? What are the roadblocks to you doing something about spiritual leadership in your home today?

Help In An Unplanned Pregnancy

Here’s a touching comment we received from someone who needed Focus on the Family to help:
“I can’t thank you enough for coming alongside our family at a time when we desperately needed some help.  After learning of our teenage daughter’s unexpected pregnancy, we contacted your ministry, and you, in turn, pointed us to a Christian adoption agency in our state.  As difficult as it was to give up our first grandchild, we’re comforted to know that he’s now growing up in a healthy, godly environment.  We’re profoundly grateful for the impact you’ve had on our family, not only in this instance, but also in a few other difficult situations that have occurred during the past several years.  Thank you for your guidance, support, and encouragement.”
Click here, here, or here if you need some encouragement and hope in an unplanned pregnancy. The links take you to some online resources, including a tool to help schedule a toll-free call with a caring Christian counselor.

Passing Your Faith Along

As a follower of Christ, my relationship with God is my life’s priority. As a Christian parent, my ultimate goal in raising my children has been to introduce them to God and to help them to know and understand Him.

Let me be clear: I want well-behaved kids. I want children who are good thinkers, who have inner character, and who will eventually become men and women of integrity and compassion. I want my children to turn out well.

More than those qualities, tough, more than anything, I want them to know my God and to live a life of faith. I’ll do what it takes to help them understand and know God. There’s an urgency to do that early and often – and in the home.

Edith Schaeffer, in her book, What Is A Family?, observed that the family is

where principles are established in the midst of everyday life, where character is forged under the watchful eyes of caring parents, and most importantly, where the baton of faith is passed on to the next generation.

In the context of everyday life, through the rhythms of life’s joys and disappointments, your child will see your faith. He will notice how you handle difficulties. She will observe the way you react to pressure and stress.

Your belief in God is most effectively “caught, not taught” within the relationships and safety of family. Your child will – like it or not – tend to imitate your priorities in life, including the importance of your personal faith.

What are you doing today to model a vibrant, active faith in God?

Helping Families Thrive

I thought you’d find this note encouraging. These kind words are reflective of what many have felt about Focus on the Family over the years:

“I am at a loss for words to adequately express how much it means to my husband and me to know that there is an organization like Focus that is rooting for us.  Just today I was reading Psalm 37 and thinking about how your ministry provides ways to ‘dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.’  We have two teenagers and an 8-year-old in our household.  Adventures in Odyssey got us through the grade school years, but now our adolescents’ faith is being tested by all the entertainment options that the world offers.  Plugged In Online has become a significant compass for our family.  All three of our kids are dedicated to their walk with Christ but they still encounter challenges.  Thanks for all of your research and persistence in helping us navigate through stormy waters.”

This is exactly what we’re about: coming alongside and helping families thrive. It’s a privilege to be part of what our heavenly Father is doing at and through Focus on the Family. If you have a story, let us know, please. All to the glory of God!