I hope you have enjoyed a relatively restful summer of fun and family. I say ‘relatively’ because sometimes it seems we need to get back to work, back into a routine to recover from time spent on vacation. That may be the reason dads and moms so look forward to school starting back up – a regular schedule helps all get back into a normal flow of things and maybe even get some rest.
Restful is not the way I would describe summer. ...read on
It is a beautiful thing to watch, music in motion as the runner comes around the bend with baton in hand, readies for the exchange with his teammate running the next leg of the race and successfully passes the baton firmly and confidently. When it goes well, it is beautiful. When it does not, it is ugly.
Life is a relay – when it is run well, it is beautiful; when it is not, the clank of batons is heard throughout society:
The men were in the mountains for a week of fun, fellowship and Bible study. The first day included an acclamation hike for those traveling from sea-level to the 10,000 foot plus elevation at Camp Como, Colorado. The balance of the week allotted time to fish; a day to hike the Decalibron – four 14,000+ peaks on one 8-mile journey; a day-trip into Breckenridge; and a day of white-water rafting. A High Country Adventure indeed.
In her article, “Masculine Dads Raise Confident Daughters” (WSJ-7/21/18), Ms. Shrier said, “My father never let me get away with self-pity, never allowed me to win an argument with tears and never hid that he had high expectations of me. He admired smarts less than grit, found surface beauty less enchanting than charm. The woman he admired most was our mother. … His example has been on my mind these days with all this talk about ‘toxic masculinity’ and the proper ways to raise boys so that they don’t become sexual predators.”
She went on to say, “Femininity and masculinity are ...read on
They had not said more than a couple of words to each other in quite a while. He knew his daughter would go through a stage when she would connect more with her mother than him but even that connection was strained of late. When challenged to ask his daughter out on a date as part of a study for dads he was participating in, he respectfully declined.
As dads move through the seasons of fathering: ‘Teacher’ – ages 0 – 10; ‘Coach’ – ages 10 – 20; and ‘Counselor’ – ages 20+, staying connected takes ...read on
Twelve years of basic education. Then it may be trade school or some on-the-job training. Other options include further education to secure an Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Science or other advanced degrees that may help prepare you for the workforce. The lofty goal for this system is a productive citizenry that will meet the needs of society.
The breakdown of the system is in the basic training piece ...read on
Forty tents and over 100 dads with kids gathered for an ‘Overnight at the Cross’. Hotdogs were grilled, games were played, a devotion time was shared, bottle-rockets built by father-child pairs were launched, s’mores were roasted and good fun was had by all. What was initiated a number of years ago by the Dads of Sagemont has become a semi-annual occurrence that gives dads a fun, easy-to-plug-in-to activity to do with their kids.
To PASS the BATON well to the next generation, dads need to be encouraged on the journey and ...read on
There is not a more dreaded sound during a relay race than the clank of a baton hitting the ground after an unsuccessful exchange. Just ask Tyson Gay or Lauryn Williams, both runners on the receiving end of failed exchanges in the 4X100 men’s and women’s relay races respectively during the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.
The runner with the baton has the eyes and the receiving runner presents the target for the baton. The exchange is simple … until it is not. It was not that August night in Beijing ten years ago. Today, dads have the eyes ...read on
He was spending a few weeks with his uncle, a father-figure in his life. During the visit an opportunity was presented to join his uncle’s Scout troop for a 10-day backpacking trip on Isle Royale National Park. It was the first time the young city-boy had spent any time in the wilderness. It was also a first to have so much one-on-one time with his uncle. They talked about everything from the moose and wolves of Isle Royale to what it meant to be a man, husband and father. The impact he had ...read on
The command is to: Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. – Exodus 20:12. This is the commandment with a promise. It bridges the first commandments to the last; it bridges the spiritual relationship with God to the physical relationships with others; and it bridges faith from one generation to the next.
I encourage you to accept a 3-point challenge to Honor Your Father:
I hope you have enjoyed a relatively restful summer of fun and family. I say ‘relatively’ because sometimes it seems we need to get back to work, back into a routine to recover from time spent on vacation. That may be the reason dads and moms so look forward to school starting back up – a regular schedule helps all get back into a normal flow of things and maybe even get some rest.
It is a beautiful thing to watch, music in motion as the runner comes around the bend with baton in hand, readies for the exchange with his teammate running the next leg of the race and successfully passes the baton firmly and confidently. When it goes well, it is beautiful. When it does not, it is ugly.
The men were in the mountains for a week of fun, fellowship and Bible study. The first day included an acclamation hike for those traveling from sea-level to the 10,000 foot plus elevation at Camp Como, Colorado. The balance of the week allotted time to fish; a day to hike the Decalibron – four 14,000+ peaks on one 8-mile journey; a day-trip into Breckenridge; and a day of white-water rafting. A High Country Adventure indeed.
In her article, “Masculine Dads Raise Confident Daughters” (
They had not said more than a couple of words to each other in quite a while. He knew his daughter would go through a stage when she would connect more with her mother than him but even that connection was strained of late. When challenged to ask his daughter out on a date as part of a study for dads he was participating in, he respectfully declined.
Twelve years of basic education. Then it may be trade school or some on-the-job training. Other options include further education to secure an Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Science or other advanced degrees that may help prepare you for the workforce. The lofty goal for this system is a productive citizenry that will meet the needs of society.
Forty tents and over 100 dads with kids gathered for an ‘Overnight at the Cross’. Hotdogs were grilled, games were played, a devotion time was shared, bottle-rockets built by father-child pairs were launched, s’mores were roasted and good fun was had by all. What was initiated a number of years ago by the Dads of Sagemont has become a semi-annual occurrence that gives dads a fun, easy-to-plug-in-to activity to do with their kids.
There is not a more dreaded sound during a relay race than the clank of a baton hitting the ground after an unsuccessful exchange. Just ask Tyson Gay or Lauryn Williams, both runners on the receiving end of failed exchanges in the 4X100 men’s and women’s relay races respectively during the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.
He was spending a few weeks with his uncle, a father-figure in his life. During the visit an opportunity was presented to join his uncle’s Scout troop for a 10-day backpacking trip on Isle Royale National Park. It was the first time the young city-boy had spent any time in the wilderness. It was also a first to have so much one-on-one time with his uncle. They talked about everything from the moose and wolves of Isle Royale to what it meant to be a man, husband and father. The impact he had 
The command is to: 
