I’ve blogged in the past about being careful to not make our children deal with images from our past that could hurt them. If our transgressions screw-ups have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west, we must be very careful about dredging them up and making others think about them, especially our children. But…that being said, parents who walk by grace will regularly share their neediness for the help of God with their... Read more
This will be a bit like a child who never mastered finger painting trying to describe Claude Monet, but humor me for a moment. I grew up listening to Van Morrison. And I mean ALL of Van Morrison—every album he’s made since 1967 (“The Bang Masters”). My vinyl copy of “Wavelength” wore out at least a dozen diamonds on my turntable between junior high and college. Van still defines musicianship and vocal mastery for me. He understands music so well... Read more
In three months we might have a sportsman for our vice president, and that thought thrills me. But I’m aware that it confuses many. Those who don’t hunt and fish tend to struggle with those who do. A man asked me two weeks ago, “Doesn’t it bother you that your favorite sports involve taking lives?” That’s a fair question, and because a sportsman has now been thrust into the political spotlight, I’d like to present a few thoughts about this... Read more
A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. -Henry David Thoreau We finished scarfing down dinner and washing the dishes by 6:30 last night, two hours before our kids’ bedtime. What to do? What to do? We popped a huge bowl of popcorn, settled into the sofa, and then I read out loud three stories... Read more
Shame makes the world go round, but I’m starting to feel motion sickness. Shame is the emotion produced when you feel that you don’t measure up to an external standard. It usually involves feeling embarrassed over something we did wrong. Shame is certainly an appropriate feeling at times, but as the primary strategy for motivating it falls lifelessly short. Shaming as a strategy fails because it often has a de-motivating effect on us. Yet, it’s hard to turn on the... Read more
I drove a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba when I was in college. I bought it in 1989 for $1,500. It was a good first car—almost no rust, relatively low miles (70K), and as sturdy as a Sherman tank. Three years after the purchase, the engine started making a clanking noise. At first, the sound was barely perceptible and showed up only when I drove the car long distances. As time progressed, the noise became more frequent and a bit louder. I... Read more
What’s the main thing we’re passing on to our children? A conversation I had with a friend, Doug, a few weeks ago nailed me to the wall and raised an important question. Doug and I had been playing basketball with a handful of guys. After the game, he asked me if we could talk for a few minutes. We sat on the bottom step of the bleachers and talked about basketball injuries until the last guy left the gym. When... Read more
It’s strange what I remember from my childhood, and what I’ve forgotten. For example, I can’t remember a single birthday party from before I was six…but I can remember a commercial for women’s deodorant (Dry Idea, I believe) that ended with the phrase, “Never let them see you sweat.” “Never let them see you sweat”—this seems to be the mantra of many parents. A friend told me, “I want my son to grow up to see me as a someone... Read more
Do you have a work-a-holic or a hyper-hobbied man in your life? Do you want to help him find balance and purpose in life? I’ve had several people ask me what “Man on the Run” is all about…so here’s a short description: We were all made to live lives of passion & pursuit. Yet, many men often chase their pursuits to the point that they break commitments and damage relationships. When this happens wives and children are neglected, friends are... Read more
I’m particularly thankful for a blogging platform on days like today. All of us feel a complexity of emotions immediately following announcements like the one we heard this morning. Many of us wish we could climb to the tallest peak and scream out our sadness, confusion, and a dozen other raw, anxious emotions that we’re feeling. I appreciate the chance to do a little of that here. At this moment, I’m feeling intensely sad—twelve souls passed immediately into eternity this... Read more
Cedars and Sandhills
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