Most parents desire to shelter their children from discomfort, pain, and fear. Despite our efforts, there will be times when our children will experience emotional or physical distress. – Using the acronym G.R.I.T., you’ll learn four steps you can use to help children manage stress, recover from trauma and adversity, and build resilience.

Anthropologists believe that storytelling is important to human existence. We use stories to make sense of our world, find meaning, and share understanding. Fairy tales teach values, ethics, social and cultural norms and differences in an inspiring and captivating manner. Listeners learn how to imagine, problem-solve, identify with others, and practice respectful listening.

Some Christians believe fairy tales are hurtful to children and may tempt them away from their Christian faith. In fact, fairy tales provide a wonderful foundation upon which to build a Christian perspective. Consider Pinocchio, Chronicles of Narnia, or the Legends of King Arthur. J.R. Tolkien believed fairy tales to be essential for all humanity. Tolkien said stories are needed so we can see that fairy tales are fulfilled in Christianity. Both Scripture and fairy tales point to our human weakness and our need for help. We share stories not to scare our children but to demonstrate their great need for God.

As promised, here is my two-cents worth of advice to complete our 3-part discussion. This time of year, we tend to reflect and assess our lives, purpose, and impact on others. Invariably, there are people we have hurt and repairs we ought to make. Likewise, there are people who have hurt us that we ought to forgive. Forgiveness is powerful and important for the extender and the receiver. Forgiving releases both the forgiver and the forgiven from the imprisonment of resentment and negativity so that each can experience the fullness of God’s love in us and through us. I make it sound easy, don’t I? I do not mean to. In fact, extending forgiveness is exceedingly difficult…

Struggling through the stages of regret and self-blame can be beneficial. Like Scrooge, who visited Christmas past, the struggle can allow us to grow in character and clarity and understand what is important, valuable, and meaningful. Such clarity and understanding clears our mind of the heavy cloud of guilt so we can show up, see the colors of life, and intentionally move towards mending the pains of our present and past comportment.

How badly do you really want to be like Jesus?! Do you want just His benefits, or do you want to take on His nature? Because to identify with Christ, you must also identify with pain. The pain is necessary for us to access the promises God has given us.

Regret can either paralyze you or move you to action. As with almost everything, you have options. Do you have to forgive? No, you can choose not to. However, like Dr. Seuss’s famous character, The Grinch, this decision will debilitate you, weigh you down, and keep you locked into thoughts and feelings of negativity. It is much easier to hold onto regret, anger, and feelings of disappointment that match your disposition. However, hope, resilience, redemption, and renewal can spring from your decision to forgive.

If we were to review the year, there’s a lot to be negative about. There’s an ongoing pandemic that is sickening family members and putting cities in lockdowns and restrictions. There’s the aftermath of racial tension and riots that have us beckoning for not only healing but understanding for the complexity of issues that we may not understand. There’s political chaos and uncertainty as America prepares to usher in a new administration.

My father always refused the last piece of pie at Thanksgiving. If it was offered to him, he would give it to another. As a child, his way confused me and instilled wonder in me. As an adult, I’ve grown to understand my father’s self-restraint and relegation as a position of strength and humility. — Every family has traditions; sometimes they are rooted in rich meaning. What lies behind your family’s customs?

In the midst of national chaos, many of us just long for peace and normalcy. Our country is in desperate need of healing and unity. But before you can desire this, you must be bold enough to want to be different.