I understand the signal that they think they’re putting out there: that of a loving, accepting, open-minded, ultra-civilized citizen of the world. But what is the signal they’re really sending? What is the message being received by those who either disagree with the underlying value judgments or would never think to display them in such an in-your-face manner? If you’ve taken more than three steps anywhere in suburbia, then you’ve most certainly encountered the “In this house” sign that began popping up sometime between Democrats’ fury over Trump taking the White House and their fury that he was still in office one week later. Let me get to the point…LOVE the title, LOVE the subtitle “Making Virtues, Love & Laughter a Daily Part of Your Family Life”, AND LOVE the cover design for Courtney DeFeo’s book, In This House We Will Giggle!!!! :) Therefore I was really excited to read this book. I DEFINITELY want more giggles in our home! The book takes my mind and fires up the things that are already bonking around in there, organizes them into manageable pieces for me as well as practicable pieces for children. I wish we could go right to everything but they can't practice all 12 virtues at once so we CAN work on one a month, without using the word "practice" or "work" :) As the book claims, each month's suggestions really are FUN and with materials you likely already have and zero pressure to make anything look show-worthy. It's all about the end heart result. I'm so glad it came out in November when we can so easily skip over right to Christmas - we need to work on instilling gratitude to combat all the gimmes. Here we go! Each chapter focuses on one virtue that is key for developing your child’s character. Along with insights into how this virtue plays out in the nitty-gritty of life, Courtney includes a memory verse, activity ideas, and discussion questions to reinforce that virtue throughout the month. Here you’ll find a full year of ways to draw your children closer to God through delightful antics like Family Olympics, One Fancy Feast, and Light ’Em Up.

If you’re looking for real-life ways to become a more proactive instead of reactive parent, you should read this book. Courtney DeFeo gives us personalized and practical ideas for building love and laughter into our children so we can actually develop an intentional plan for investing in them.” Lots of people think they support these values, but too often there's an asterisk," Rosen Heinz says. "Like 'oh, it's okay to be gay if you don't mention it.' We needed a statement." I get a similar feeling as I survey an ever-proliferating array of virtue-signaling lawn signage in my current neighborhood. I like when my beliefs are challenged. I see it as an opportunity to learn and grow in my understanding of the world. Last year, for example, I thought Universal Basic Income was one of the stupidest and most ill-conceived ideas on the planet. Give people money for doing nothing? Who could think this was a good idea? Rosen Heinz still proudly displays the sign outside her home. "I've wondered if it could make me a target," she says. After all, not everyone agrees with these statements. People have told her they've had their tires slashed in the driveway outside houses bearing the sign, and that homeowner associations have fought over whether it should be allowed. A friend of Rosen Heinz in Texas had a running battle with a neighbor who kept taking it down, saying it violated the HOA rules on political signage. But the HOA rules had nothing to say about flags. "So she got the biggest-ass flag you can find" with the message on it, Rosen Heinz says. The HOA had no rule against flags.Still, the sign stands as one of the more enduring legacies of Trump-era resistance. As a political credo, it is more bold and memorable than anything the Democratic party has come up with in the last four years. Whether its central message survives, or collapses into a thousand more personal versions, the sign has already done a great deal of good. We laughed our way through this book with its honest snapshot of all that comes with being a parent. We also were seriously inspired to invite our kids into a life filled with virtues. Courtney takes the guesswork out of it by giving parents creative and practical ways to seize everyday moments and make following Jesus fun!” Life seems to get in the way of fun most times. Being a mom is hard and sometimes it's just too easy to get bogged down by all the work and not have enough play. And the parable of the greengrocer reminds me that a wholesome political society — unlike the totalitarianism of which Havel wrote — does not expect its citizens to thus advertise their politics. In our recent history, heavy political signage has not corresponded with political health. Like Courtney, I want to create a home where our children experience Christ in a tangible way. The ideas in this book are practical, and the stories are relatable. You’ll come away with fresh inspiration for nurturing a faith-filled, fun-loving family.”

I think veteran character actor Tobin Bell would agree that, with the right grimace, he can be creepy-looking on his own. But surround the guy with steel dungeons, horrifying torture devices, and a weird little clown on a tricycle, and you’ve got yourself one ravenously villainous horror icon. Sure he talks a lot (even from beyond the grave), but he’s still pretty damn scary. I have to admit that upon reading the first chapter, I thought the book will not fulfill my expectances. However, as a passionate reader, I decided to move on and give an opportunity to the book, along the rest of the chapters it had to offer.Dutch character actor Rutger Hauer has played villains in lots of movies — notably Blade Runner (1982) and Nighthawks (1981) — but horror fans know that his performance as the intense, evil, and virtually unstoppable John Ryder, a serial killer who preys on the those kind enough to give him a lift, is among the man’s most disturbing work. The first was the most easily answered: "In this house" (and similar signage) has gone nationwide. An informal poll I conducted with friends around the country returned reports of the same sign proliferating in Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, Indianapolis, Boise, Santa Fe, Richmond, Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and many smaller cities, towns, and suburbs. The only friend who said she hadn't seen "In this house" lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, home of Liberty University and located in a county that voted 71 percent for Trump in 2016. The exercise above shows that the progressive creed is not miles away from biblical truth. It’s a “post-Christian” creed because it comes after, and is thoroughly marinated in, a Christian culture where truths about human equality, dignity, love, and kindness were first shaped. Is that mindset meaningfully different from ordinary politics? After all, every political movement seeks victory. Adherents of every political ideology want to grow their ranks. Every political party tries to take power from its opponents. And the signaling of yard signers seems sincerely intended to be virtuous — George, a Lutheran Christian, called his sign a "theologically-driven" effort to love his neighbors well. These are not Václav Havel's greengrocer, submissively putting up signs reflecting the dominant political ideology because if they "were to refuse, there could be trouble." Bob Mellish (Phil Daniels) and Ann Taylor (Lauren O’Neil) in This House. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian