Posts by Francine & Byron Pirola
Unplanned Blessings
Not all pregnancies happen in the best circumstances yet sometimes there is unexpected joy in the unplanned. Planned Parenthood (PP) is the largest provider of abortion in USA and receives millions in government subsidies. It has been in the news of late following a series of expose videos taken by undercover actors posing as agents…
Read MoreAnd baby makes three… or not
The big family planning issue for most couples used to be how to avoid unexpected pregnancies. As more couples marry later in life, increasingly this is shifting to be how to achieve the number of pregnancies they desire. In our last column, we discussed the ‘Goldilocks’ principle as it relates to the optimum age to…
Read MoreWhen should Goldilocks marry?
Almost everyone has an opinion about the optimum age to marry – usually heavily influenced by their own happy or unfortunate history. But what does the research tell us? A recent study by Nicholas Wolfinger (USA) and reported in the Institute of Family Studies (here) challenges the common perception that divorce incidence decreases with age…
Read MoreLove Overcomes F.O.M.O.
In our previous column, we talked about FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and the harm it does to relationships, especially among young adults who can so easily be diverted from pursuing enduring values and life ambitions by the fear that their peers are having more momentary fun than they are. Of course, it’s not just…
Read MoreThe Hidden Cost of a Fear Driven Lifestyle
Have you heard of FOMO? It stands for ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ and it’s an epidemic in our culture. Many parents fall into the FOMO trap wanting their child to experience every possible opportunity that might give them a competitive advantage over their peers. Not only does it make childhood hectic and stressful, young people…
Read MoreA Second Look at First Sight
So we’ve watched the third and fourth episode of Marriage at First Sight. For those unfamiliar with the series, it’s a reality TV program where participants agree to live as husband and wife for one month with a person matched to them by science. Each of the four couples meet for the first time at…
Read MoreMarriage at First Sigh
That’s one very big, long sigh. As in ‘here we go again in unreality TV’. Today we took the plunge and sat through the first two episodes of Marriage at First Sight (Channel 9). By all means watch them if you want, or be kind to yourself and just read the synopsis (here). For those…
Read MoreAccessing Supernatural Powers
Jesus promised his disciples to send the Holy Spirit. Two thousand years later, the Holy Spirit is still channelling grace into the hearts of believers. Graham and Jenn were not doing very well. Despite his sincere regret and apology, when Jenn discovered Graham’s sexual indiscretion with a work colleague, she reacted with her own sexual…
Read MoreChoosing to Love
Mothers Day Reflection If there is one thing that makes motherhood so worth celebrating, it’s a mother’s capacity for love for her children. Whether it’s her willingness to give over her body to nourish a newborn, her patience with the endless ‘but why’ questions of a toddler, or the testing rebellion of a teenager, mothers…
Read MoreThe Soul Mate Quest
Chasing ‘Happily Ever After’ It sounds so romantic: ‘Destiny’ has each of us perfectly matched with someone with whom we will form an instant rapport. All we need to do is find that special someone and bliss will surely follow. All our heartache, all our problems will be history as we lose ourselves in the…
Read More