I confess; I’m a porcupine…at least sometimes. The average porcupine has about 30,000 sharp quills that it raises up and shoots into another animal, or person, when it feels threatened or gets angry. Like a porcupine, when one of my trigger points is pulled, I can get pretty prickly, ornery and downright cranky.  One of those trigger points is unmet expectations. When I build up crazy high expectations for myself...

Men, will you take one simple action for the good of your child today? I’m Mark Merrill with today’s Family Minute. The action I’d like you to take will strengthen the bond you share with your child, help your child do better academically, and make you a hero. What is it? Start an All Pro Dad’s Day chapter at your child’s school. Simply go to AllProDadsDay.com and click on the How to Start a Chapter link for the...

Every couple experiences rough patches, but not every couple reacts the same.  Some give up, while others work to survive.  So if you and your spouse are ready to move from a season of difficulty to a season of joy, here are 5 game-changers to have a great marriage.  First, stop comparing your marriage to an unrealistic standard.  Understand that no matter how happy other couples seem on the surface, there’s no...

In marriage, there are two people and two sides to every story.  When it comes to affairs, both spouses can often point to things that led to the infidelity.  The person having the affair cannot justify it…it’s never a good thing…but there may be some things that pushed them in that direction.  Here are some ways to push your spouse toward an affair.  First, don’t really listen.  Be sure to glance down at your...

When we think about what’s valuable to us, we often think about material things… our home, car, investment portfolio. We think about business success. We think about getting praise… getting the credit… all temporary things. But we should value relationships above results, the process above the product, what’s “God-made” above what’s “man-made,” serving others above being served, giving others credit above...

You pour everything you’ve got—your time, emotions, energy—into raising your kids, but you aren’t seeing any return on your investment.  As your kids move into the teen years, you may even begin to see a “dip” in your parenting portfolio.  But don’t lose heart. Remember that parenting is a long-term investment. So don’t look at the day to day returns which will fluctuate, but take a long term approach. You may not...

Do you remember leaving the hospital with your first child? You may have thought, “what do I do now?” As you’ve continued your parenting journey you may have also thought, “Am I even doing this right?” Well, there is no instruction manual that comes with our kids.  There’s no scientific check-up to determine if you’re being a good parent.  But there are some things to consider. First, check where you’re spending...