America is a diverse nation. Politically, there are small government folks and those that believe in big government. There are democrats and republicans, conservatives and liberals, right-wing and left-wing activists. Different ethnicities and religions add to the dynamic. Then there are the various media. All have an agenda and speak a unique language. Clarity across the diverse lines can be challenging.
Since our founding, man’s will in man’s strength has stirred up factions that in turn stir up confusion. Recently in the same week, we have seen ...read on
“Who are you?” That was the question Pete Townshend asked a police officer that had recognized him. Pete, guitarist and singer for the English rock band “The Who”, was in an inebriated state and the officer, whom he did not know but that knew him, saved him a night in jail. That encounter was the catalyst for the 1970’s hit song by the same title.
“Who are you?” seems a simple question to answer. Most will ...read on
How are you doing? Have you seen glimpses of God’s glory these past couple of months in what many dads have started calling ‘bonus family time’? Or has stress been high as a result of job loss or an industry taking an abnormally hard hit due to the mandatory shutdown? Prayers are lifted up as we Americans, from coast to coast begin the race reboot.
I am not suggesting that we simply reboot back to the rat race that was being run ‘BC’, Before Covid. The charge is ...read on
A group of guys were talking about the need to get in shape physically. All were past the age of forty and realized it was not going to get any easier as they approached fifty. When it came time to commit to the program agreed upon, one guy balked and said, “I am in shape - Round is a shape. I’m good.”
Are you “good”? Or, are you intentional about getting in shape? “Are you prepared ...read on
An annual tribute to my mother and encouragement to you:
She was an incredible woman. Born in 1921, she aspired to be a vocal performer. As a senior in high school, she contracted tuberculosis. Her dream to perform was no longer possible and the vocal scholarship to attend college was rescinded. She married a handsome Navy pilot just before he was deployed to the South Pacific Theater in WWII. He returned quite a different man than the one she married. Post-Traumatic Stress played a major role in the alcoholism and other challenges the marriage and family would face over the ensuing years. Ma endured ...read on
The talk has started around the process of ‘re-opening’ the country. A proposed ‘Phase 1, 2 and 3’ has been passed on to the states for their consideration to help get the wheels back under the economy. In turn, cities and counties are assessing risks at the local level and beginning to ease some of the ‘lockdown’ guidelines. What is next?
I do not envy the leaders making decisions based on ever-changing models. In contrast, dads and moms have very solid models to reference: ...read on
How are you doing? Whether able to work from home, still drawing a paycheck, or not able to work due to the shutdown of your industry, the challenge is to see the glass as half-full. One friend said, “The glass is gone!” That is the reality for some. And it is in the reality of life that God shows up.
Do you remember way back, about four or five weeks ago, when spring sports were about to start up, college basketball’s March Madness was in the air and professional baseball’s opening day was around the corner? The kids were in school and the calendar was chock-full of extra-curricular activities. No more!
In a time such as this, what deserves our focus? One dad said ...read on
Do you remember welcoming in the New Year with all the celebration and elevated expectations for business, ministry and family that went with the countdown to 2020? It seems that was over a year ago already! The year is particularly significant in the life of Faithful Fathering as it is our 20th year of ministry. Expectations were high.
Then, early in the new year, we started hearing about
Social distancing and self-isolation are terms very few had heard of just a few weeks ago. Now they are daily headlines. The encouragement early-on was to practice good hygiene and keep your distance from someone that is sick. That quickly moved to a directive for social distancing – to maintain at least a six-foot distance from other folks. Now, many parts of the country and the world are under mandatory lock-down, self-isolation in a concerted effort to inhibit the contagion.
In the sixth century BC, the contagion was ...read on