Price of Service

Like you, I know many family members, neighbors and friends who have served in the U.S. military. Most of them have survived relatively unscathed by the years aboard ships, in the trenches, in the air. Some did not.

Recently, a friend’s son experienced a close call with an IED. A Marine serving in the middle east, he was usually the machine gunner on a Humvee. That’s a pretty dangerous place. One day, though, he was on a foot patrol when an explosion knocked him out and did some damage. He wasn’t as badly wounded by the bomb as one of his buddies, but this soldier did take acquire some shrapnel that will remain embedded in his legs for the rest of his days, and his hearing was affected. Still, despite such an attack, he is back on duty and serving courageously. Read about him here.

Others are not so fortunate. Many, of course, do not come back home alive. Some are severely maimed by combat. There are those, too, who don’t have visible scars from the fighting, but are nonetheless wounded. They have been emotionally scarred, and the impact of the stresses and memories they carry are real and lasting.

It was an honor to be in the presence of some soldiers who shared candidly about their difficulties in coping with their military tours. Our guests for three days told of the pressures, the dangers, the effects of being in the line of fire.

We owe it to the brave men and women who loyally serve in our military to become educated about post traumatic stress disorder, because every one of them will come home with scenes, sounds and experiences burned into their being. Many will return with injuries that are apparent. Some will be scarred in ways we can’t see. They all need our support, understanding and love.

Autism in the News

I’ve talked on-air a bit about our son, who is a precious little fellow. He has autism, and we’ve caught it early. That has helped us become informed about the range of treatment approaches, and is surely contributing to his very good progress.

Some days the autism seems more manageable, others it presents some real parenting challenges. Regardless of the present circumstances, we continue to have hope for a bright future for this boy.

Pertaining to autism, there was an iteresting story in the news today about early detection.

Two new clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will help pediatricians recognize autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) earlier and guide families to effective interventions, which will ultimately improve the lives of children with ASDs and their families.

For details on the new guidelines, and to see a list of signs that could indicate a child has autism, go here.

Every parent needs to pay close attention to the development of their child. Believe me, if there is anything unusual happening, you’ll want to know about that as early as possible.

A Little Perspective

A little perspective is a good thing. As a parent, I am constantly (it seems) trying to help my children to see life through a broader lens. They seem far too focused on their own little world. Without some perspective, they can miss the fact that they are blessed beyond belief. They enjoy opportunities materially, emotionally, and spiritually that much of the world cannot imagine.

Of course, in writing that short paragraph, I am struck by my own shortcomings in this part of life. I whine and moan at times, forgetting that God has richly blessed me and I have no reason to complain. Frankly, I need some perspective, too!

With a personal testimony similar in some ways to Joni’s, in this series Eva Whittington Self describes how her faith has helped her deal with the emotional and physical challenges of being paralyzed.

Listen in, and get some perspective for the day.

Blocked Goals

Why do you get angry? How do you deal with frustration? What happens when you can’t get your way? Simple questions, but a bit uncomfortable to really answer because that requires some rather serious introspection and honesty. Few of us want to go there - it is painful to confront my inner self and all my shortcomings.

In my early 20s I participated in a small group at church, and we watched a video presentation by Dr. Larry Crabb. One of the statements he made in that series has stuck in my mind ever since, and it related to how I handle life when my plans are interupted. “Blocked goals, especially when we think them necessary for our survival, generate anger.” In essence, the idea is that when I get angry it may well be because an obstacle got in the way of accomplishing one or more goals.

At times when my anger has flared up, I’ve tried to thoughtfully consider why that emotional response is happening. What’s behind that flare-up? At those times it can also help to gain a bit of perspective on life, see things through a different lens.

Today’s Focus on the Family program has one man’s story of blocked goals, and they were serious health issues at a time of life when, for most of us, the future seems brightest. This man had every reason to become bitter and angry. If facing the same kind of circumstances, many people would shake their fist at God and challenge His goodness and sovereignty. Not this young man…no, he found something else besides the pain and anger to concentrate on.

If you are struggling with difficulties in your life, you’ve got to hear Dan Miller’s fascinating and inspirational account of overcoming adversity. It’ll help put some perspective on and encouragement for what you might be experiencing.

Off-Balance?

Raise your hand if you have ever felt overwhelmed by life. Keep it up if you are having that sinking feeling even today. C’mon, be honest. You are running faster than you want. You are losing track of details. You are tired.

I’m not sure how life got so fast. For our family, I guess part of it is having six children and all the attendant activities and responsibilities. Life in the U.S. is just this way - a blistering pace for everyone. Part of it is just that we have many obligations and interests that keep us moving more often than not.

At times I want the world to stop. At other times I wonder why, with all the privileges and opportunities, am I discontent?

Dr. Richard Swenson is a man I admire greatly. He seems at such peace. He has made decisions to simplify his life. He isn’t (as far as I can tell) subject to a helter-skelter pace for life. And he doesn’t produce guilt as he shares some of his “secrets of success” in this important broadcast series.

One of his approaches to making life more manageable: get rid of some of that wardrobe, and make it easier to pick out a shirt. I adopted that idea and now only wear blue or white dress shirts for work. I know that sounds boring, but it makes finding a matching tie pretty simple and also speeds up my morning routine. Not earth-shaking, I know, but still, this is one of the better decisions I’ve made over the years. I am grateful to Dr. Swenson for this bit of advice.

If you are off-balance in life, wanting practical ideas about making change, find some solutions in these programs.

Hormones…Have Enough?

The other day at the dinner table I mentioned the use of hormone treatment to reduce menopausal discomforts and difficulties. I know this sounds like a real mismatch for mealtime conversation, but there was a context for the subject, so I took advantage recent knowledge I gained through the daily broadcast.

After explaining to the children the physiology involved, and that supplementing certain hormones is a good thing for many women, my oldest son offered an insightful question.

Stop the story for a moment…

Today’s broadcast is very informative, especially for folks in their 40s…approaching that time of life when things change more rapidly than we want. Our guest has extensive knowledge of the research and the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapies to improve life in the physical and emotional realms - and relationally, as well.

Back to the story…

In light of watching his mom and one or more sisters exhibit certain PMS-related symptoms, my son was a bit baffled about this whole hormone replacement thing.

“And just WHY would a woman want even MORE hormones?”

Hmmm…he does have a point. Wouldn’t it be a good thing for those dreaded hormones to be gone for good? Why in the world would a woman want MORE hormones?

Humor aside, this is a very important program . As Dr. Dobson points out, menopause does affect the entire family. More info here.

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