A few years ago, I counseled a family that was about to break apart. One core issue was that the husband/father was domineering. He wanted to be “in the know” on everything. He’d call his children on their cell phones every 15 minutes when they were out to make sure they were where they said they’d be. And he’d check his wife’s receipts, look at her email, and monitor her Facebook. The presence of this man loomed over the lives... Read more
“Would you tell me about your dad?” That’s one of my favorite questions to ask another person. Few inquiries surface strong feelings quicker. I’ve had people respond by turning fifty shades of red. Some have sobbed with disappointment. Others have come alive inside, smiling ear to ear as they tell me stories of the strength and compassion of their “old man.” I’ve never had anyone respond weakly to that question. I love the response that Tim Harris gave to NPR... Read more
“O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.” – Psalm 104:24 (NLT) Jamie and I sat outside on our back patio one evening last week and watched a variety of birds visit our feeder. We also have a broken water spigot below the kitchen window that is creating a bird bath (and likely foundation damage). I also put up a picture of our... Read more
As we approach Father’s Day, here are a few thoughts on the importance of being an active, engaged dad during the “in the home years.” We never get them back. Excerpt from “Man on the Run” by Zeke Pipher The Most Important Quarter A man may get seventy, perhaps eighty years, on this earth before his last sunset. The time that our children live under our roof, needing us to wrestle, tickle, discipline, snuggle, bait hooks, and do the hundred... Read more
“Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” Winston Churchill made that comment on August 20, 1940 about the Royal Air Force, yet it perfectly applies to all the men and women who fought and died to protect America. Our country first celebrated Memorial Day on May 30, 1868. It was initially designed to honor Union soldiers who died in the Civil War – southern states started observing the day after WWI, when the holiday was... Read more
“Did you hear that children my age probably died in that tornado today, Daddy?” Those were the first words out of my eight-year-old daughter’s mouth when I got home from work last night. I can’t imagine what it must be like to grow up in a day so filled with tragedy AND instant media coverage. When I was eight, I felt stressed about parent-teacher conferences, a bully at my school named Curtis, and selling Babe Ruth candy bars to raise... Read more
Who doesn’t want sex to be as exciting and pleasurable as possible? Critics of Tim Tebow, The Jonas Brothers, and Lolo Jones poke fun of these celebrities for their desire to remain virgins until they get married. They treat this plan for making the most out of sex and marriage as the most ridiculous, antiquated strategy imaginable. The idea they offer as a better alternative? Play around, test the waters, and figure out what works and what doesn’t before getting... Read more
I have a new favorite running back. He may not bench 350-lbs. or run the 40-yard dash in less than 5 seconds…but he’s strong, courageous, and carries the ball with class. He’s never fumbled. He’s never been penalized. And, most impressive, he averages 69-yards-per-carry. His name is Jack Hoffman, and he’s 7-years old. Here’s the video of Jack’s touchdown from the Spring Game: Jack Hoffman’s Story: On April 22, 2011 Jack Hoffman, a little bike-riding, fish-catching, Husker-football-watching boy from... Read more
This group makes me want to buy a Harley-Davidson and fill my closet with leather. Big, bad dudes all dressed up and ready to…protect children. Talk about an important & urgent cause! A report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds in our country. Approximately 3 million reports are filed every year in the U.S. These 3 million reports add up to about 6 million victims under the age of 18. These statistics, as shocking as they are,... Read more
Excerpt from Man on the Run: Dreaming is easy. The challenge lies in choosing the best dreams. In Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald recounts a conversation he had with his father. “Years ago my father suggested that one of the great tests of human character is found in making critical choices of selection and rejection amidst all of the opportunities that lurk in life’s path. ‘Your challenge,’ he told me, ‘will not be in separating out the good from... Read more
Cedars and Sandhills
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