California’s Newly Poor Push Social Services Network to Brink

By Vivien Lou Chen

Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) — In California’s Contra Costa County, 40,000 families are applying for just 350 affordable-housing vouchers. Church-operated pantries are running out of food. Crisis calls have more than doubled in the city of Antioch, where the Family Stress Center occupies the site of a former bank.

California’s Newly Poor Push Social Services to Brink

Drought to cut off federal water to California farmers

Feb 20, 4:36 PM (ET)

By GARANCE BURKE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Federal water managers said Friday that they plan to cut off water, at least temporarily, to thousands of California farms as a result of the deepening drought gripping the state.

Water to possibly be cut off to California Farmers

Newly Poor swell lines at US food banks

Newly Poor Swell lines at US food banks

By Julie Bosman Published: February 19, 2009

MORRISTOWN, New Jersey: Cindy Dreeszen and her husband live in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. They have steady jobs, his at a movie theater and hers at a government office. Together, they earn about $55,000 a year.

Journey of a Strong-Willed Child

Journey of a Strong-Willed Child

Kendra Smiley gives wonderful insight to her and her son, Dr. Aaron Smiley’s relationship and journey parenting him, a strong-willed child. Being the mother of seven myself, I definitely can relate.  She opens with a personal story about Aaron and his older brother, Mathew, which gives insight right away to the possibility that the parents, John and Kendra, will be facing some strong challenges to raising this young man who is in their eyes, strong-willed.  On page 16, they reference that most strong willed children are predominately male. I would agree and disagree with that statement because I do have two of my three girls that are strong-willed and being a pastor’s wife of a local church body, many strong-willed children are girls as well. For the most part, I would agree, boys take the reign of being strong willed.

The authors do a wonderful job of incorporating Scripture dealing with our responsibility as parents throughout the book and I personally love as well the reflections of the father. My husband has a lot of thoughts on this subject because he has done a wonderful job parenting our strong-willed children as well and John Smiley offers affirmation and authority of the raising of his sons. Chapter two of the book has a very clear heading to the chapter on “Avoiding the Discipline Detour”. I tried to detour that myself as a young mom and failed miserably. Once I applied discipline properly, the outcome was exceptional.  Kendra makes a very wise statement and that is “Number one, you must pick your battles wisely” and that is so very true. My husband and I have learned that we have God’s laws which brings us to saving grace and we have house “rules” that our children must live by in our home which could change for them later as they establish theirs. Eric and I have had to learn which are the most important and work with that in mind as well as what is truly important to us as parents and for the lives of our children.

The attention to detail in this book was actually very good. I was not sure by the childish writing on the cover that it would be as detailed as it was and the concepts linked together very well. Chapter four, page 61, the statement that was made, “A child who is disciplined will develop better self-discipline, an attribute that is vital to mature adult behavior, ” was great. This is what drove us to focus on proper discipline ourselves as parents no matter what personality, or whether strong-willed or compliant but proper discipline to help us build and guide our children into adulthood has sincerely paid off.

I highly recommend this book for greater understanding in dealing with a child that seems to be very strong willed. Bless the family as they endeavor to help support their children in raising grandchildren.

Michelle Hensley

For more on Kendra Smiley visit  Kendra Smiley

Juanita Bynum Throws a 50th Birthday Party Bash for Herself

Juanita throws a party for herself

Is God in any of this? In our sin, we bring shame to the gospel of Christ…..