Parenting
Postpartum Reflections of a Struggling, Surviving, and Saved Mother
Julie Straseske, LCSW Nestled among the many comforting promises in scripture is one of my favorites: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”...
Postpartum Reflections of a Struggling, Surviving, and Saved Mother
Julie Straseske, LCSW Nestled among the many comforting promises in scripture is one of my favorites: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”...
Focus // Women’s Bible Study
Study Passage: 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the...
Embryo Adoption
What is Embryo Adoption? When couples use in vitro fertilization to achieve pregnancy, they will often have embryos remaining after they complete their family. One option available to them is to donate those embryos to another couple. Embryo adoption allows the family...
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Servant-Leadership in the Family [3-Part Series for Christian Fathers] // Bible Study
Bible Study [3-Part Series for Christian Fathers]: Servant-Leadership in the Family - Part 1 [Student's Guide] This is a 3-part Bible study series for fathers. In this series, we will examine what God says in his Word about a father's role in the family, how a father...
It Begins with Ants in the Pants – A Look at Christian Parenting
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, CLR The late humorist and author, Erma Bombeck, once wrote: "The inside of a house of worship must be the most confusing place ever to a child. There's water that you can't play with, books without pictures, and mysterious...
Today’s Media: Parental Discernment
Mr. Timothy Snyder dis-cern-ment [noun]: keenly selective judgment, good taste and judgment "Parents, it's 11:00 P.M. ... Do you know where your children are?" Are you old enough to remember local television stations broadcasting this public service announcement every...
Shepherding Your Teens to Adulthood
Mark Clifford Brunner Teen dating? Perhaps, it's time to assign these words to the dustbin of outmoded phrases. At least, if most 15 year-olds had their way, they would be happy never to hear these words again. We "get together" or "hang out." "Dating? What does that...
Would You Like to Go to a Movie?
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Solomon Wrote (Ecclesiastes 1:9): "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." I think of this passage often as I counsel families facing...
Q&A on Genetic Testing of Preborn Children
QUESTION: Is genetic testing of preborn children acceptable for Christians? ANSWER: The answer to your question requires some clarification, because there are many variables that come into consideration. Some parents are concerned about a genetic disease that could be...
Drifting: A Look at Parenting and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. Mom’s pinched face and fidgeting fingers catch my attention as I pass her sitting on a...
Hug Your Mother: A Look at Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is second in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. When Dad died, my husband and I invited my mother, who had Alzheimer’s, to live with us...
How Can I Be A Caregiver?: A Look at Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. I love my Lord, and I love solitude. But now the Lord was asking me to bring my mother –...
Alzheimer’s Became a Blessing? – A Look at Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is fourth in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. When asked what I most feared, I always answered: “Having my mother need to live with us, or...
Treasured: A Look at Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is fifth in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. Mom has lived in a nursing home since her Alzheimer’s progressed to the point that she forgot...
The Shepherd Restores a Soul: A Look at Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Disease
Linda Lawrence Editor’s Note: This is the sixth and final installment in a series of articles written by Ms. Linda Lawrence that addresses the challenges and blessings in caring for an aging parent. My mother was like a lost lamb, struggling with Alzheimer’s but...
The Vaccination Quandary
Almost immediately after birth, the subject of vaccinations arises. Today, a multitude of vaccinations are available for a variety of illnesses. Along with those vaccinations come questions of safety, side effects, necessity, and the origins of the vaccine. Christian...
Father in Alcohol Recovery Gives Perspective to Those With Other Addictions
John Cook, Marriage and Family Counselor at Wisconsin Lutheran Christian Counseling, Milwaukee, WI A father in recovery writes to his wife and children. His perspective can be applied to those involved with other addictions. To My Family, Whom I Love... I know that...
The Crisis of Fatherhood: Has It Become a Biological Burden?
What does it take to be a father today? Biologically, it simply takes fertilizing an egg. Practically, being a father is so much more! Advances in reproductive technology are robbing fathers of an awesome responsibility and privilege. We cannot deny that God has...
Family Values
Rev. Gary P. Baumler "God sets the lonely in families." (Psalm 68:6) We have the challenge to promote the family and help build solid Christian families in our midst. Here is one inescapable fact: We all come from a family. We all were born of a mother and sired by a...
Caution: Bumps Ahead (Preparing for Adolescence)
James Dobson, Ph.D. A team of doctors decided to conduct an experiment to study the ways in which group pressure influences young people. To accomplish this, they invited 10 teenagers into a room and told them they were going to evaluate their "perception" in order to...
Sharing the Facts of Life
Pastor James A. Aderman I trusted him when he told me, "I love you." He trusted me when I said the same. We trusted our emotions when they said, "It's OK. Show each other how much you care." When our relationship died, so did part of me. Even now as I relive the...
Choosing a Doctor Who Shares Your Faith
Janet C. Lindemann, M.D. In a Christian doctor-patient relationship, faith is the common bond. How good it is for patient and doctor to share the same faith. I love caring for patients of my own church - so many barriers are removed. When a woman in her early forties...
When Dad Hits Mom
Victor Vieth, Assistant County Attorney, Cottonwood County, MN Seven suggestions to make your congregation safe for victims of domestic violence. In my career as a prosecutor, I have worked with hundreds of victims of domestic violence. I have seen the toll that...
Children in Church: Trial-by-Diaper
Rachel Mendell One woman encourages those who brave the terrors of worship with children. I look around and count babies, and I feel a little envy. My youngest is four now. I look around and see the young, fussy children struggling to stay still in church, and I am...
WANTED: A Truly Beautiful Wife
Pastor Mark A. Paustian What to look for when choosing the woman you want to marry. I married the most beautiful woman I ever met. She was charming and funny, lively and loved by all. Her greatest personal gifts were with children -- an excellent sign. And her face I...
Children Belong in Church
Laurie Biedenbender Is the sound of children disturbing or delightful? How children and adults benefit from children attending worship. "I wonder if it's worth it to bring him to church at all." Steve Bilitz, family ministry director at Christ, North St. Paul, Minn.,...
Two Halves of a Complementary Whole
Professor Mary L. Heins, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, WI What our God-given gender differences are and how understanding them can help you communicate better with the opposite sex. We don't have to read very far into Genesis before we learn that God created...
Breaking The Silence of Adam
Mark Clifford Brunner The Bible says that life is precious and that it needs to be guarded and held as sacred. The Lord told Noah: "And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting... And from each man I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow...
‘Til Death Us Do Part
Armin J. Panning Marriage has been instituted by God, and he continues to regulate it. The dream of many a young girl is to be a June bride. For reasons not entirely clear, June remains a popular wedding month. A couple's wedding is -- and rightly should be -- a big...
Parenting When Your Child Goes Down the Wrong Path
Susan Bondow When Things Go Wrong: What to do, and not to do, when your child goes down the wrong path. David and Dennis are brothers. They share the same Mom and Dad and grew up in the same household, but that is where the similarities stop. David is an above-average...
Sympathy: Feeling With Others, Not For Them
Pastor Fredric E. Piepenbrink When we sympathize with others, we are led into action, following Jesus' command to love one another as he loved us. "Sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery," wrote Edward Gibbon. In contrast to this "cold" tendency in human...
Our Marriage Mechanic
Pastor James Aderman Determining, "Who's to blame?" requires spouses to be on opposing teams. Husbands and wives become teammates when they ask, "What exactly is wrong, and how do we fix it?" "You're late. We started supper without you." Ice-sickled words. I heard...
Empty Nesting Is for the Birds
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources This issue of Clearly Caring is arriving in the mail between Mothers Day and Fathers Day two really big family holidays. My writing assignment for this commentary came to me the morning after my...
The Purity Ring
Michael and Judith Hayes Most little girls dream of the day they will meet their Prince Charming. A young woman begins preparing to meet the real love of her life when she is still harboring her Barbie dolls, dress-up clothes and pop beads in her closet or old toy...
Today’s Media: Righteous Indignation
Mr. Tim Snyder Righteous indignation. You know the feeling. You find something so offensive you start to seethe inside. It’s a jumbled mix of emotions and souls are at stake. You hate the sin and at the same time feel compelled to speak the truth in love. When was the...
The Joy of Being a Christian Mother
Bonnie L. Wasser The kids tell me there are certain statements I make with definite regularity: "Whoever washed the dishes, get back down here!" "What happened to all of the food I bought yesterday?" They have even dared to suggest that I make a list, number each...
Is He the One?
Laurie Biedenbender Mom gives advice on what to look for when searching for "Mr. Right." Dear Daughter, Since you were a tiny baby, I've prayed for you: that you grow in your love for Jesus, that you find your niche in the body of Christ, that you stay healthy, and...
Keep ‘Em Talkin’ – A Look at Family Communication
Thad Jahns, M.S. Cutting wood was never my favorite thing to do. After all, there were better things for a pre-teen boy to do on a Saturday afternoontelevision shows to watch, friends to hang out with, midday naps to take. What a waste of a perfectly good weekend! Not...
Ways to Handle Peer Pressure
Walk away from a bad/dangerous situation Make the decision for yourself as to what you do Think ahead about the outcome of your actions --- can you live with the consequences? Avoid those people who might lead you to do things you don't want to do Hang with friends...
The Father and Issues of Life and Death // Bible Study
When abortion is marketed to the general public its advocates emphasize the autonomous right of the woman to make this decision. Society has so bought into that notion that in 1976 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the father of the child has virtually no say about a...
The Value of Self-Esteem
Pastor Rolfe F. Westendorf We want to reject the misuse and the distortions of self-esteem, not waste the value that the concept provides. Some years ago, social scientists recognized what most have known for a long time people who are confident in their abilities...
The Value of a Thanksgiving Tradition
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Thanksgiving is a great time of year for my family. First of all, it takes place in the fall. There is something warm and inviting about the colors of fall and the beauty of the trees as their leaves...
A Model Family – Lessons Learned about an Adoptees Reunion with Her Birth Parents
Larissa Fasthorse I was brought to my parents’ home when I was 11 months old. My birth father delivered me to the house, and my birth mother was already long gone. After he left, my parents say they sat and stared at me. They were desperate to hold and love the child...
Adopted by My Parents… and God
Rev. Paul Prange Before a couple adopts a child, they may wonder how to tell the child that he or she is adopted. Do you wait until you think the child can understand the concept? What words do you use to explain it to a young person? The Adoption Connection in...
Living Large in Your Christian Home Life
By Mr. Tim Snyder, Media Services Coordinator for Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, WI Living Large – To live an extravagant or self-indulgent lifestyle. (Dictionary.com) Is your family living large? I'm not talking about a life of luxury. This is about a...
The Legacy of Love
Mrs. Lynn Klammer One of the simplest, yet most profound, interactions I ever had with another human being came during the afternoon of an otherwise uneventful day. I had only been married for about a year, and my mother-in-law had just – as she did countless times...
My Son, Maxwell
By Lisa Van Drese My son, Maxwell, was born on April 6, 2011. He was diagnosed with Down syndrome (DS) when he was two days old. I have since learned that Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition involving all or part of a third copy of...
Sarah’s Story – A Look at a New Beginning After a Crisis Pregnancy
It was the day of my 18th birthday that I found out I was pregnant. At a time when I should have been young and hopeful and happy and free, I was terrified and lonely and angry and sad. And I felt that I had aged ten years overnight. It took me several weeks to tell...
Calling All Parents! – A Look at Christian Parenting
Thad Jahns, M.S. Certain moments in life profoundly change us. Such moments redefine who we are and why we exist. For me, one such instance began on a warm, sunny day in July of 1994. That was the day that God alerted me to my special calling in life. God didn't speak...
Should I Baptize My Baby?
Christian Life Resources Why Baptize Babies? The Bible doesn’t tell us anywhere how old a person must be at the time of baptism. Jesus commanded us to baptize "all nations" (Matthew 28:19) and doesn’t make any mention of an individual’s age. The jailer at Philippi and...
How You Can Parent Your Teen
Gerald F. Kastens, former administrator of the Commission on Youth Discipleship Nine tips you can use to strengthen your family. Twenty years ago, being a father seemed rather easy--challenging, but not terribly complicated. Fairly regular devotions, rules about...
How to Raise Godly Daughters
Mrs. Laurie Biedenbender Tips to help you raise a unique Christian women Raising godly daughters today is like flying a kite in a hurricane. The mighty winds of the world keep battering against us. Looking for examples Read the teen mags' headlines: "How to Flirt with...
Helping Your Teen Say No to Sex
Josh D. McDowell Dear Mr. McDowell, Having premarital sex was the most horrifying experience of my life. It wasn't at all the emotionally satisfying experience the world deceived me into believing. I felt as lf my insides were being exposed and my heart left...
Divorce is Not an Option
Rev. Walter F. Beckmann I just finished reading a book my family gave me for Christmas -- Tom Brokaw's best seller, The Greatest Generation. It's a series of interviews with members of that generation called to fight World War II. My family knew I'd appreciate that...
We Live Together as a Family
Rev. David J. Valleskey, Former President of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI We Live Together as a Family... To the Glory of God As a family, the first thing we do is love one another. We were not a family. We have become a family -- by the grace of God. Now...
‘From Generation to Generation’ – Parents Nurturing Their Children’s Faith
Laurie Biedenbender We're always passing the baton of faith -- sharing the promise -- to the next generation. It's been compared to a relay race. The most critical moment is when both runners are in the passing zone, and the baton is firmly placed in the hand of the...
Behind Every Athlete
Dan Peterson A friend of mine once said that coaching is teaching children to be the best they can be. Setting the Focus In both the public and private school settings, I have found an enormous advantage to coach athletes in Lutheran schools where I have the ability...
Lessons from the Lawnmower – A Look at Parenting
Mr. Thad Jahns I have to admit it. I am one of those guys who takes great pride in keeping his lawn in pristine condition. Not that it is a total obsession with me. I don’t religiously follow the feeding schedule as outlined on the back of the fertilizer bag. Nor do I...
Competing to Get Ahead
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources "They eat their young" is one phrase used to explain the ruthless nature of some people as they strive to get ahead in the world. Parents remind their children that it is a dog-eat-dog world" out...
My Wife, the Multi-Parent
Captain LeRoy Kiecker Being deployed is hard on the family. Like almost everyone deployed, I left behind family members, including my wife and two small boys, ages two and almost five. My wife and I often discuss which of the two of us has more difficulties while I’m...
A Family Tradition of Pro-Life Activism
Traditions create treasured practices in families. They tend to play a very important role in creating family ties and give family members special memories to carry throughout life and are passed on to the next generation. Here is a family tradition I’d like to share...
The Internet Predator
Pop Quiz: Where is your child safer? a) Walking alone down a dark alley in a rough part of town late at night. b) Sitting at home on their phone, tablet, or computer in the middle of the day. The obvious answer seems to be b—but in reality, it may be just as...
A Glimpse at a Blended Family
Let's talk about blended families. A blended family is what occurs when a man and woman marry, and one or both bring with them children from a previous marriage or relationship. They come with their own set of challenges and that is the focus of this article. I know...
Parenting Tips
Raising a child brings countless benefits, and many parents report that it is the most rewarding job they ever have. However, parenting also presents unique and very stressful situations which can be difficult to properly deal with. It can often be difficult to...
Q&A on Questionable Clothing
QUESTION: Many of my daughter’s friends are wearing outfits that I feel are inappropriate. I am very disappointed that my daughter is now wearing some of the same styles. How can I address this with her so she understands the seriousness of her decisions? ANSWER: You...
A Culture of Caring | A Look at Teaching Children to Care for Others
Tim Snyder, Media Services Coordinator, Wisconsin Lutheran College It's been more than one year since "Mrs. Marge" sold her home and moved in with her son. "Mrs. Marge," an elderly widow who lived alone, used to be our next-door neighbor. Her son would come by on a...
A Product of Their Upbringing – A Look at Children’s Values Reflective of Parents’ Attitudes
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” This proverb is quoted twice in Scripture (Jeremiah 9:14 and Ezekiel 16:44). It is modernized in such phrases as, “He is a...
Baby Talk – Teaching Children About the Value of Life as a Gift from God
Mr. Tim Snyder “Can you believe it? The Smith’s are pregnant again!” “That makes five. What are they thinking!?” “I know. They can barely take care of the ones they already have.” Does this conversation sound familiar? Perhaps you have been part of a similar...
Heaven Talk: A Parent’s Discussion about Death with Their Child
Many mothers and fathers who will do almost anything to avoid discussing death with their children. Perhaps they fear upsetting them, or worse, leaving them emotionally scarred. It can even be argued that an even more powerful deterrent is the simple truth that they...
Q&A on Aging Parents and Resistance to Living with Their Children
Q: My husband and I have talked about caring for our parents when they are unable to care for themselves. We have offered that they stay with us in our home rather than move to an assisted living facility, but they seem unwilling. In fact, they don’t even want to talk...
Bridging the Generations
"No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet." - Author Unknown There is probably no image more heartwarming than a beaming grandmother tenderly holding her newborn grandchild. Equally appealing is the picture of a...
Making the Most of Family Time
Rev. James A. Aderman Expect that friends will not understand that you won't play softball every Tuesday night, in order to be at home with the kids. "I just don't have the time," I sighed in exasperation. "I dearly want to be a good father to my daughters, but...
Family Traditions That Cherish Life
Wonderful aromas are wafting in from the kitchen. A juicy turkey continues to roast in the oven, and the spicy scent of a baked pumpkin pie still lingers in the air. In the living room, the lights are dimmed, and the glow of the Christmas tree and the flicker of the...
Profound Thoughts About Mothers
A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42) Some mothers...
Q&A on Abstinence/Teaching Teens about Birth Control
QUESTION: I’ve heard that teen pregnancy rates have increased. Is it time to teach our kids about birth control? ANSWER: The teen birth rate has been on a steep decline since the early 1990s. Yet, teaching about birth control is not the solution. Abstinence is still...
Is There a Place Within Christian Marriage to Use Birth Control?
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources Yes, but an explanation is in order. God is the author of human life (Deuteronomy 32:39), and man is a steward, caretaker, and guardian of human life (Genesis 9:5). A Christian may decide when to...
The Things I Have Learned – A Mom’s Look at the Potential of a Child with Down Syndrome
By Lisa Van Drese The things I have learned in the last four years are not written in any book. My son has taught me a world I never would have known without him. It is a world in which every person is celebrated for their strengths – rather than their weaknesses. It...
The Complexities of Charlie Gard
By Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director of Christian Life Resources Background Charlie Gard was born in England on August 4, 2016, to Chris Gard and Connie Yates. A few weeks after his birth Charlie was diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS),...
