In the News...

Fewer Teen Moms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics show that the teen birthrate in the United States declined by 30 percent over the past decade (source: Births: Final Data for 2002, from CDC's National Center for Health).

Still, teen abortion rates are high, and sexually transmitted diseases are rampant. But it seems that more and more teens are choosing abstinence, avoiding the emotional, physical and spiritual scars that come from sexual activity outside of marriage, and are saving sex for the safety and sanctity of marriage. "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body" (1 Corinthians 6:18, New International Version).

School's in—at Home
An increasing number of American families—at least 850,000 children nationwide—are being schooled at home, up from 360,000 a decade ago, according to the U.S. Education Department. Some do so because of shortcomings in public education or concerns over social trends. More women are abandoning careers to stay home with their children. And many families yearn for a less frantic schedule and more time together.

The top three motivations for homeschooling in the survey were the prospect of a better education (49 percent), religious beliefs (38 percent) and a poor learning environment in the schools (26 percent) (source: The New York Times, Nov. 10, 2003).

Gay Marriage Breeds Confusion
The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 4 that full, equal marriage rights for gay couples (not just "civil unions," which are recognized in the state of Vermont), must be allowed according to their reading of the state constitution. The ruling paved the way for the first official same-sex marriages in the United States, beginning in mid-May, according to the Associated Press. (Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands already recognize same-sex marriages.) But on the very same day, a New York Times article reported that the Ohio State Legislature voted on Feb. 3 to ban same-sex unions. Ohio is the 38th state to officially prohibit same-sex unions.

The Associated Press, in a separate article the same day, reported on two women who were united in a "civil union" in Vermont in March 2002, but are now seeking a divorce in Iowa where they live. As of press time, the Iowa Supreme Court is trying to figure out if a divorce can be granted to a couple that, well, isn't married, according to Iowa law.

Iowa "recognizes only a man and a woman in a marriage, and that would also mean that a judge could not dissolve a marriage between a same-sex couple," said Neil Schuerer, a state senator.

All this confusion could be eliminated if we simply held with God's definition of marriage. In the beginning, He made man and woman to be united as "one flesh" in marriage (Genesis 2:24). Those struggling to overcome same-sex attraction and live according to God's laws can request a free subscription to Anchor: A Publication of Hope for Christians Struggling With Homosexuality by visiting its Web site at www.anchorhelp.com.

Study Says Sleep Essential for Creativity
A recent German study is considered the first hard evidence to show that creativity and problem-solving abilities are linked to adequate sleep, scientists say. This is good news for overtired workers and students—sleep often is the best medicine.

Scientists at the University of Luebeck in Germany found that volunteers taking a simple math test after eight hours of sleep were three times more likely than sleep-deprived participants to figure out a hidden rule for converting the numbers into the right answer. Researchers concluded that sleep makes a huge difference in mental performance. The results "give us good reason to fully respect our periods of sleep—especially given the current trend to recklessly curtail them," they said. Findings were reported in the journal Nature (source: Associated Press, Jan. 21, 2004).

Overwork, anxiety and fears often keep us from sound sleep. But having faith in God and keeping our priorities straight can help us keep our lives in balance. "Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:1-2).