Nobody likes to be nipped at all the time. Just ask our German Wirehair, Ezra. We got a yellow Labrador puppy a few weeks ago, and she will not stop biting, jumping on, and hounding poor ol’ Ez. (Click on file below to see a short video of Ezra’s new life.) Nipping at your spouse isn’t a great strategy for marriage, either. Couples that bite, jump on, and hound one another have toxic, energy-depleting marriages. When I meet with a... Read more
A friend recently asked a question that many of us are asking these days. He wrote: “I’m torn between two ideas: ‘Lance Armstrong is the greatest fraud in the history of sport’ AND ‘Look at all the lives he’s saved with his Livestrong foundation.’ Does the end justify the means?” To ask the question, “does the end justify the means?” admits that something ethically, morally, or legally wrong took place. The question is moot if the means were morally acceptable.... Read more
“I don’t look at my pension…it’s not as big as yours.” – President Obama I enjoy debates, but that comment last night irks me on many levels. We are in big trouble as a nation when we attach significance, worth, and sense of superiority to being either rich or poor. The Prosperity Gospel (God wants you to give you more wealth than others have) is venom spit from the mouth of the snake. But so is Liberation Theology (God... Read more
Should I defend our nation against foreign terror, or should I surf the web for porn? Unfortunately, according to a Bloomberg report, this is a question some employees at the United States defense headquarters are asking. (Click this link to read the full Bloomberg report) Executive Director John James Jr. wrote a memo that states that various government employees and contractors were “engaging in inappropriate use of the MDA [Missile Defense Agency] network.” He wrote, “Specifically, there have been instances... Read more
If you like to hunt and fish, you’ve got to admire a politician who approaches a debate like he approaches a morning in a treestand. Let me just say, if I were a whitetail or a politician…I wouldn’t want to wander into Ryan’s territory. Henry David Thoreau wrote: “There is a period in the history of the individual, as of the race, when the hunters are the ‘best men,’ as the Algonquins called them. We cannot but pity the boy... Read more
I’d rather have a homemade loaf of bread from my neighbor than a loaf of whole grain Wonder bread from the Government. One type of care has a federal stamp on it. The other has a heart beating within it. We talk about whether we want “big government” or “small government” as if we’re talking about what carpet to put in our living room. But the issue could not be more personal. I realize that government controlled social programs are... Read more
What do you feel like doing? Ask me that question, and at any given moment, I might answer it in a hundred different ways. Early in the morning, I might feel like locking my door, grabbing 8-10 of my favorite books, and putting my phone on “Do Not Disturb” for three hours. Ask me again about noon, and I’m likely to feel like eating lunch and then inviting the nap fairy to sprinkle her magic dust over my nostrils. Who... Read more
We all want to be on a team. Some team. Any team. If it happens to be an amazing team…well, that’s a phenomenal bonus. The main thing is that we end up somewhere, with some group of people, all wearing the same jersey, and all working toward the same goal. If you’re not on a team, I’ve got some exciting news for you – you can be on one within the hour, and all it takes is buying a t-shirt.... Read more
I eat this stuff up. I get juiced when a major secular publication such as The Wall Street Journal leans toward an aspect of biblical truth. The issue? Character. And, according to The Wall Street Journal’s Paul Tough, it turns out it really does count. For several generations now the focus of parenting in America has been on cognitive development. The idea has been that if our children can simply develop their powers of reason and intellect they will have... Read more
I’m blaming it on stress. Our family took in a 9-week old yellow Labrador Retriever this week, and I’m attributing our decision to a study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). A research team from VCU found that a great way to handle daily anxiety is by taking your dog to work with you. Less stress & more cuteness…who in their pet-loving-right-mind wouldn’t want that? (more…) Read more
Cedars and Sandhills
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