The Importance of Talking with Your Child About Fire Safety

October 11, 2021September 23, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

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Healthy Living

October is Fire Safety Month and Children’s of Alabama and Safe Kids Worldwide are reminding families about fire safety and burn prevention. Among all preventable injuries, fire and burns are the fifth leading cause of death for children ages 19 and under. Every day, at least one child dies from a home fire. “Our hearts and minds are always focused on preventing fires and burns when talking with children and their families,” said Marie Crew, director of Children’s of Alabama’s Health Education and Safety Center. “We don’t want to see burns or home fires happen to any family so we are asking parents to talk to their kids about fire safety.”

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, parents are encouraged to review the following tips with their children.

Check your smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area.
Teach kids never to play with matches or lighters. Make a habit of placing these items away from young children.
Consider what a child could be thinking in an emergency. Many adults think that children will run or call for a parent during a fire or that their child will know how to escape from a burning building. But children often hide under beds or in closets, thinking they are safe. If a child accidentally started the fire, they often fear blame and punishment and do not alert an adult. They might even be scared or intimidated by the firefighters.
Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room in your house in case of a fire. Get a stopwatch and time how fast your family can escape. Designate a meeting place where everyone in the family should meet outside, away from the house, in case of a fire.
Teach children to get low and go. Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe.
Create a safety zone in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.

Children’s of Alabama and Safe Kids Worldwide believe in keeping your children safe this fall and winter. For more safety information, visit www.safekids.org. †

September 23, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Publisher’s Note

I hope you will take a moment to check out some great ways to spend your time this fall as a family by visiting our Fall Family Fun Guide at www.BirminghamChristian.com/Fall. We would love to know which activities you find to be your favorites. To say thank you for voting/completing a brief survey, we will give away a Family Four Pack of tickets to Dollywood($300 Value!). Find the survey and vote starting 10/8/21. Voting ends 10/21/21. Winner announced on Facebook 10/22/21 so be sure to LIKE our page! www.facebook.com/BirminghamChristianFamily

-Laurie Stroud Franklin

Founder, The Christian Family Publication, Inc.

www.BirminghamChristian.com

Facebook: Birmingham Christian Family

Twitter: @cfpBirmingham

Instagram: @cfpbirmingham

LinkedIn: Birmingham Christian Family

Celebrating 21 Years of Good News!

“Look to the Lord & His Strength, Seek His face always.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 (Holman Standard)

September 21, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

American Masters: Becoming Helen Keller examines one of the 20^th century’s human rights pioneers in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The new documentary rediscovers the complex life and legacy of author and activist Helen Keller (1880-1968), who was deaf and blind since childhood, exploring how she used her celebrity and wit to advocate for social justice, particularly for women, workers, people with disabilities and people living in poverty. Closing the series’ 35^th season, American Masters: Becoming Helen Keller premieres nationwide Tuesday, October 19 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Alabama Relay is a sponsor of the showing on Alabama Public Televison

American Masters tells Keller’s story through rarely seen photographs, archival film clips and interviews with historians, scholars and disability rights advocates. Narrated by author, psychotherapist and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander, the film features on-camera performances from Tony- and Emmy Award-winning actor Cherry Jones reading Keller’s writings. Actor and dancer Alexandria Wailes provides American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of Keller’s words with all other ASL interpretation by writer and rapper Warren “WAWA” Snipe. The program also features audio description by National Captioning Institute and closed captioning by VITAC.

Keller first came into public view at a young age, soon after her teacher Anne Sullivan taught her to communicate. As she progressed through her education, graduating from Radcliffe College, Keller steadily gained international attention. Though she lived until age 87, became an accomplished writer and activist, Keller continues to be immortalized as a child, such as in the U.S. Capitol with the statue of her at a water pump. She recounted this moment from her youth in her first autobiography, “The Story of My Life,” later made famous by the book’s stage and screen adaptation, “The Miracle Worker.” American Masters: Becoming Helen Keller delves beyond the mythologized disability icon to present a critical look at her rich, decades-long career and some of its controversies, including her support of socialism and her changing positions on eugenics. The film reveals little-known details of Keller’s personal life and examines her public persona and advocacy, including the progressive reforms she helped achieve. Speaking out for civil rights at great personal cost, Keller supported women’s suffrage, the NAACP, access to health care and assistive technology as a human right, and workers’ rights as a member of the Socialist Party of America and the labor union Industrial Workers of the World.

American Masters is committed to access for the documentary. The series website will have an accessible landing page for the film, including tools for changing color contrast and text size. An additional version of the film with extended audio description will also be available to stream. Marketing efforts for Becoming Helen Keller also integrate ASL, audio description and captions. †

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Church Leaders

Dr. Marc Newman is the president of Speaker for Life, a training firm that helps Christians more clearly articulate the apologetics of life. Prior to venturing into pro-life apologetics, Newman was the director of speech and debate at the University of California at Irvine. He is also the author of Contenders: A Church-Wide Strategy to Unmask Abortion, Defeat It’s Advocates, Empower Christians, and Change the World. The community is invited to hear Dr. Newman speak at the Sav-A-Life Shelby’s banquet on September 21, and area pastors are extended a special invitation to meet Dr. Newman for lunch on September 22.

Q. Dr. Newman, why is the life issue important?

A. “Life is important because the church (and all believers) are locked in a struggle with an ethic that teaches human beings do not possess an inalienable right to life. This line of thinking contracts the truth that humans bear the image of God and are created with intrinsic, objective, absolute value in comparison with other things. Instead, the new ethic insists that human beings, at best have only relative value.”

Q. What can Christians and pastors do practically to support life?

A. “First, speak up. If the church is willing to close its doors out of compassion to keep the vulnerable from COVID infection, why shouldn’t the church be willing to open its mouth out of compassion for the most vulnerable from death? Second, pray. Throughout scripture God’s people are commanded to pray for leaders, to pray for repentance, and to pray for guidance. Third, support local pregnancy centers. These agencies provide the Good News of Christ with those who are on the cusp of making decisions that not only affect the unborn but will change their lives forever.”

Q. Why should you make coming to the Sav-A-Life Shelby Banquet a priority?

A. “You will be encouraged to see others doing something to promote life. You will be given an opportunity to assist a great organization in promoting life.”

At the pastor’s event on Wednesday September 22, churches will be equipped and empowered on how they can stand for life and mobilize their congregations to get involved in the cause of life in Birmingham and beyond. The event will be from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at East 59 Café at Lee Branch. R.S.V.P by calling 205-776-1247. To sign up to attend the Sav-A-Life Banquet on September 21 at the Grand Hall at Old Mill Square in Columbiana, Ala., visit www.shelbybanquet.org.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker,

www.benbirdsong.com

August 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Best Books

We live in a fractious and contentious time, and families are not immune from the political, social, and theological tensions which have swept over our society. One of the many divisions is a consequence of younger Christians moving from conservative theology to liberal or progressive theology. When families are divided about matters of faith, the emotional and relational toll can be consuming.

This month I’m enthusiastically endorsing a book that I don’t always agree with. The reason I’m encouraging others to read Another Gospel: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers (Tyndale) is quite simple – it is a true story that can inform both theologically conservative and theologically progressive Christians to better understand not only the nature of the debate between their two worlds but also the human dimension of the debate as well. Doctrines such as the authority of scripture, the nature of the atonement and the existence of an eternal afterlife are not simply academic. What one believes about such matters makes a difference in how one lives, dreams, prays, and engages the world.

In addition to being an author, Alisa Childers is a wife, mother, and blogger. She also speaks at Christian worldview conferences.

Another Gospel is the fascinating story of a conservative woman’s encounter with progressive theology. Childers attended a progressive church for several months before deciding to return to her conservative expression of faith. The detour, although short-lived, rocked her world. It forced her to face questions she had never considered and to seek answers that were both intellectually consistent and biblically sound. It exposed weaknesses in not only her personal belief system, but also in the theological ethos in which she was raised.

Childers’ story is a cautionary biography that reveals the pitfalls and benefits of both sides of the debate between conservative and progressive Christians. There are aspects of both perspectives which should be applauded and embraced. There are aspects of both sides that should be viewed with concern. Her journey within both worlds changed her life. Interestingly, she did what very few conservatives do after being introduced to progressive theology – she came back to conservatism – albeit somewhat chastened.

In my network of friends and family, some are theologically conservative, and some are theologically progressive. Perhaps your family is the same. While their views are quite different on important matters of faith, both sides love God and take their faith seriously. I believe that both are represented within the body of Christ. May Christ our Shepherd bless conservative and progressive Christians to advance His kingdom, and may He start by bringing peace among His flock.

-Darrel Holcombe, Owner

Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts

Colonial Promenade, Alabaster

www.sanctuarychristianbooksandgifts.com

205-663-2370

August 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Best Books

Messy Hope: Help Your Child Overcome Anxiety, Depression, or Suicidal Ideation by Lori Wildenberg seeks to guide parents in giving children hope for mental health. Has your child said “I’m such a failure,” “No one cares about me,” “I haven’t felt happy for a long time,” or “I don’t want to live anymore,”? If you have heard your child utter these words, your fear for their well-being likely skyrocketed. But what can you do to help them? How can you give your child hope?

Some experts say that depression and anxiety are the new normal. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people. As parents, we cannot accept this. Many young people feel helpless and hopeless. Our kids must be equipped with more than resilience and positivity. They need hope. Hope for a future. Along with her daughter Kendra, parent and family educator Lori Wildenberg encourages you to take the practical ways offered in Messy Hope to foster necessary hope growth in your children’s hearts. This is more than a self-help book, this is your lifeline to help them overcome depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation to experience a hope-filled life.

With more than 25 years’ experience working with parents and kids in both secular and faith-based settings, author Lori Wildenberg’s philosophy is focused on developing a child’s heart and character while creating a family system that is interdependent and dependent on God.

Wildenberg, whose daughter wrestled with depression, is passionate about helping parents help their children navigate a messy life. Lori is a licensed parent and family educator, national speaker, and author or coauthor of six parenting books including Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Home and The Messy Life of Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections. Messy Hope is available wherever books are sold and NewHopePublishers.com. †

August 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Our House

It’s that time of year again to prepare your home for winter and hopefully prevent pipes bursting from any extreme cold temperatures. What steps can you take now to prepare your home? Below are 10 plumbing maintenance tips:

Outdoor faucets need to be free of leaks and drips.
Protect exterior faucets by covering them with Styrofoam or hose bibs.
Always disconnect your outdoor water hose pipes.
Any interior shut-off valves connected to outside pipes/faucets need to be turned off and outside pipes/faucet valves opened to prevent freezing.
Make sure your gutters are free of leaves and debris.
Make sure all your plumbing pipes in unheated areas are insulated.
Perform yearly maintenance on water heater by draining/flushing it (this prevents sediment buildup and rust which will lengthen the life of the water heater).
All indoor faucets and plumbing fixtures (sinks, toilets, showerheads, etc.) should be free of leaks.
Any gaps where pipes enter the home should be sealed.
Sump pumps need to be cleaned and insulated in order to prevent malfunction or freezing.

Need help preparing your home for the winter? We will be glad to help! Call Deerman Plumbing Services, LLC at 205-514-6120 to fix any leaks, insulate and pipes, and/or maintenance your water heater. We are licensed and insured, with over 30 years plumbing/gas fitting experience. †

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Director Bergman — Brookdale Dining Service Director Alan Bergman prepares to open new Bistro at Brookdale University Park located just off Lakeshore Drive. The new bistro opened August 9.

Dining Service Director, Alan Bergman, is beaming with pride as he and his team open the new Bistro on the Brookdale University Park campus. The Bistro complements the already existing Dining Room that functions like a restaurant. It provides the convenience of grabbing a healthy breakfast, lunch or gourmet coffee and also creates a space that facilitates comradery among everyone on campus. Brookdale’s Business Development Coordinator Leanne Messer explains, “This is just one example of how senior living communities continuously need to change to accommodate the changing wants and needs of older adults. Brookdale Senior Living, along with Alan, is proud to provide this opportunity for our residents, visitors and associates.” If you would like to see the Brookdale Bistro for yourself, contact Leanne at 205-613-0688 or email [email protected]. †

Brookdale Bistro Counter — Residents, associates, and guests are enjoying the smell of the Bistro’s freshly brewed coffee, toasted made to order sandwiches and daily soup selections.

Celebrating 105!

Brookdale resident Helen Demark recently celebrated her 105th birthday with cheers from her Brookdale friends, 105 plus birthday cards, cupcakes, bingo and more!

Downsizing Seminar: You Are Invited!

Chances are, you have been thinking about simplifying your life by downsizing. Let us help! It’s easier than you think. Join Brookdale University Park for a free workshop featuring tips and advice from the experts. While you are here, let us show you our community to see the types of services and amenities we can offer you. We will be here to help ease your transition so you can focus on living the life you want.

Wednesday, September 22, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Special Guest Speakers, Tara Holman and Brian Carlson, Trading Places Co-Owners and Elizabeth Daly, Keller Williams

Brookdale University Park, 400 University Park Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209

For reservations or more information call 205-870-0786.

An Invitation to Experience Brookdale

We are excited and proud to say that Brookdale University Park is open to new residents! Brookdale residents enjoy an engaging lifestyle with a selection of care options to meet changing needs. The community conveniently located off Lakeshore Drive offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Call 205-870-0786 to connect with one of our team members who would be delighted to help you plan your personal visit, www.brookdale.com.

January 12, 2022August 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Mission Makers

The couple from Georgia arrived early and stood on the porch of the Pregnancy Test Center in Vestavia waiting for the doors to open. The young lady had been through multiple miscarriages, and they were anxious to confirm she was again pregnant and to learn how to ensure the baby would be safe. The receptionist welcomed them and the two were assigned to meet with client advocates Bob and Denise, a pre-step to the medical procedure.

The next client was a confused teenager, Marie, who arrived for a pregnancy test set up by her mother. In her meeting with advocate Kay, she was quickly in tears. Kay learned that the father did not have the maturity for marriage to be a consideration, and Marie was under pressure from her mother to have an abortion. Marie was deeply concerned about ending the young life within her but felt her mother’s weight of judgment.

In the advocates’ conference room, volunteer Barbara was on the phone to follow-up with an unwed mother, Wanda, who had been to the center the previous week. A sonogram revealed she was pregnant with twins. Wanda had expressed anxiety about the pregnancy because she was alone with her children: her man was not involved. Even so, she indicated the intent to carry the two babies to term. But when Wanda answered the call, Barbara learned the expectant mother was at that moment traveling to another city to have an abortion.

Meanwhile, Bob and Denise presented information to the Georgia couple about parenting, the benefits of marriage, and the claims of Jesus Christ. Both the young lady and the young man prayed and asked Jesus into their hearts. Nurse Erin then received them into the consulting area for the pregnancy test, which was positive. Erin set up a pre-natal care appointment and provided references to doctors who could guide the couple to a safe delivery.

In the second consultation room, Marie accepted information from Kay and nurse Ruth about the risks and ramifications of abortion to take to her mother. In a later follow-up call, Kay learned her mother had agreed to support Marie’s decision even if it was not abortion. Marie courageously decided to carry the child to term and then decide on either adoption or to parent the child herself with the help of its grandmother.

Back in the counselors’ room, the drama of the real-time effort to save two babies continued. With the assistance of other advocates, Barbara convinced Wanda to exit the interstate highway, turn around, and return home to reconsider keeping the babies. With the commitment of help from the client advocates, Wanda chose life.

In a typical day, the client advocates and medical staff of the Pregnancy Test Center help their clients deal with a wide range of life defining issues. Their experiences include talking with a handsome college student, who came in to be tested for a sexually transmitted disease, about the dangers of promiscuity and his need to respect women. A male advocate helping a stressed-out professional gain confidence that he could raise the child of his pregnant girlfriend. On another day, advocates explain the love of Jesus to a transgender person.

Operating through the Pregnancy Test Center, Sav-a-Life provides a safe, friendly, and non-judgmental environment where clients can discuss their fears and concerns and receive vital information regarding their health, pregnancy, and options. Through these services, hurting individuals are shown a path to wholesome, complete and purposeful lives. As the Lord says in Ezekiel 34:16 ESV, “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Read here about specific ways you can volunteer at Sav-a-Life. Also learn more at www.savalife.org.

-Bill Norton

www.billnortonauthor.com

*Details and names have been changed to protect anonymity.

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

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Special Feature

Brenda Bush with Melinda — Brenda Bush is seen here with The Lovelady Center’s Executive Director, Melinda Megahee.

Brenda Bush was at her lowest when she arrived at The Lovelady Center (TLC). Struggling with drug addictions for most of her life, her children were eventually taken from her. She later reconnected with her daughter while still using drugs. “Never did she use or anything like that, but never did I try to correct myself,” Bush says. Sadly, just a few months after giving birth to Bush’s grandchild, her daughter became very sick and passed away. “I watched her take her last breath,” Bush remembers, adding, “Immediately, I spiraled all the way down. I was already out of control, but I completely did not care after that.”

Having experienced such tragic loss, Bush found herself at TLC looking for something- Jesus. “I asked Him [Jesus] in my room… ‘Why would you take my child?’ He said to me as clear as I’m talking to you now, ‘I gave My Son.’” Bush says that at that moment, after only being at TLC for a few weeks, something came over her. She experienced chills and began to believe that God put her daughter- with her beautiful spirit- on earth to straighten her up. “When I grasped that concept, everything seemed right. Everything seemed possible.”

Bush went through and graduated from the TLC program and found Jesus. She prayed for God to give her joy back and He answered in more ways than one. She has a great job in the Birmingham area that she loves. She even has custody of her nephew. “I lost my kids. So, to take on another child was never a thought I thought God would trust me with again,” Bush says. Having this opportunity reminds her of how good and big God truly is. “Not only did He forgive me… He gave me the opportunity to save someone’s kid that I used with.” Bush is living a new life of freedom rooted in Christ. As she reflects over her tumultuous journey to get where she is now, she says, “I’m in awe about how amazing God is and how He would save someone who was so broken.”

Founded in 2005, TLC is a faith-based drug addiction recovery treatment and prison reentry center in Birmingham. To learn more about TLC and how you can get involved, visit www.loveladycenter.org.

-Melissa Armstrong

The Importance of Talking with Your Child About Fire Safety

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