by Shannon Popkin | Apr 3, 2012 | Faith, Fear, Holidays, Media, Teens, Wisdom
Last time, I talked about what I liked–and there’s a lot to like in the Hunger Games. But this time, I’d like to tell you what I found disturbing. I suppose it’s obvious: Rollicking festivities that include the crowd collectively leaning in to...
by Shannon Popkin | Apr 1, 2012 | Media, Teens
When considering movies, we teach our kids to ask: Does this movie celebrate God’s good intention for his creation? Or does it celebrate the Fall?Hunger Games is tricky. It portrays a void of God’s good intentions–a world where merrymaking crowds are...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 16, 2012 | Beauty, Funny, Media
I emailed my friend, Phrene, to see if she could take a couple of pictures of me after Bible study. I needed a shot of just me, and told her I could bring my camera; it would only take a few minutes. She emailed back and said sure, but she’d prefer to just use...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 6, 2012 | Media, Roles, Teens
There’s this store in the mall that is so dark, I feel like I should really get a spelunking hat before I go in again. I have the hardest time reading the price tags. The regular prices are stamped in grayish ink, but when you get to the clearance section (which...
by Shannon Popkin | Aug 9, 2011 | Friendship, Media, Parenting
My kids were three and one, the year we joined a neighborhood play group. The moms in the group would alternate hosting, and I looked forward to the weekly social interaction for both my kids and me.One week, however, my kids weren’t interacting. They were...
by Shannon Popkin | Jul 15, 2011 | Kids' Perspective, Media, Parenting, Wisdom
When Lindsay was little, we lived in Mount Pleasant, MI. All around town, there were green signs directing you toward one of our largest employers: the casino. One Sunday, Lindsay was drawing in a notebook during church. She was four, and just learning her letters...