I like to say that the goal for my children is heaven, not Harvard (which is a great thing, since none of my dear kids seems destined for the latter!). Of course, if they go through Harvard on their way to heaven, that's wonderful. Yet if they get to Harvard—at the expense of heaven—boy, have I failed them.

When I speak of heaven, I'm not just talking about a "ticket" to everlasting life. Rather, I'm referring to my desire for the grace, power, love, and forgiveness of Christ to break into my children's hearts here and now, making them fit for God's purposes today.

Ask any Christian parent, and he or she will probably say the goal for their kids is the same—heaven. The question then becomes, which I also must ask myself, how are we actually living? Would an outsider who doesn't know anything about us look in on our lives and say, "Yep, that family's mission in life is heaven"—or would he say "Harvard"?

Let's be clear—there are a whole lot of times I wouldn't ...