Much had been accomplished – high school graduation, college education, good career, money in the bank, pretty wife and wonderful kids. The pressure was on to perform in the job but he could handle it. The travel was excessive but he could handle it. Church attendance was intermittent but he could handle it. When the pastor challenged him to read the Bible, he thought he could handle it.
Fireside chats were the staple of a presidency and of a generation. Families would gather around the radio for FDR’s periodic evening addresses to the nation. A couple times during a given week they might sit by the box to “watch” a baseball game - The announcers were that colorful. In the 1960’s televisions began to infiltrate the home and families would gather around the new box to watch “Gunsmoke” or another popular show together. As televisions became more affordable and networks expanded to offer a variety of entertainment, family members split off to watch their favorite shows. Today there is an average of 2.2 televisions per home with 65% of homes having at least three sets. The television rarely pulls families together today.
The advent of the personal computer in the 1970’s introduced another new box but this one ...read on
“In the beginning I was your daughter, your pride and joy, and you were my dad. There were no complications. Five years passed. I stole the role of your shadow, trailing behind you wherever you went, … Ten years passed. I slowly began to wander away from your embrace, … Fifteen years passed. I experienced the sounds of angry shouting … Sometimes I wish I could go back twelve years or so, so I could be your pride and joy again. …” (audio file - relating). As dads it can be a challenge to stay engaged, to relate well with our daughters and sons as they mature.
How is the TCC process going for you? “T” is for ...read on
A buddy of mine used the “Driver in a Box” program that equips parents to teach their kids how to drive. It was perfect for him because he was having trouble scheduling time to be with his daughter and he figured it would at least provide some windshield time with her. They started off slow, driving around in a parking lot and gradually moved up to driving in the neighborhood. A few weeks into the program they were to venture out onto country roads and spend some time on the interstate highway. The final phase a couple of months in had them driving in the city. The program took about four months and they both really enjoyed the dad-daughter time together. In the process my buddy also established a comfort-factor as he watched his daughter take another step away from his control.
Maintaining control gives dads confidence that they can ...read on
My bride and I laughed out loud! The Doritos spot won the Super Bowl commercial war hands down from our perspective. We found it hilarious. I remember when our first child started kicking in the womb, I was amazed at how she would respond each time I touched Mom’s tummy in a different spot by kicking or pushing in that area. My bride had that “Mom’s glow” throughout her pregnancy and from the first sonogram to the kicks to the birth of our daughter, my love for life took on a whole new dimension.
All were not impressed as we were with the Doritos commercial. Some pro-choice advocates accused Doritos of ...read on
They used to do a lot of things together. She was his shadow especially on Saturday mornings. Whether it was yard work, a trip to the hardware store or kicking a soccer ball she was right beside her dad. All time spent together was quality time – she was Daddy’s little girl and he was her hero!
As she entered her teen years a lot of things began to change. She no longer woke up early on Saturday mornings and her interests no longer included yard work or hardware store outings. Father-daughter time became very limited. Counsel from some men ...read on
KISS is an acronym for ‘Keep It Simple Sam’. What a great reminder that is as things tend to get complicated too often. Even my effort to search for one of my favorite country songs got complicated recently. Looking for “This Kiss” I ended up with another song, “Kiss This” which has a different theme all together.
Eighteen months into their marriage, life got complicated for the young couple. Their first child was on his way two years ahead of “schedule”. They both had careers and were making good money, yet they ...read on
Creed, effectively Rocky VII, is another story of an unknown going up against an unbeatable opponent and gaining respect as a fighter. Starting with Rocky in 1976, the seven film series has grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office! What is it about “the fight” with a very consistent story line that keeps people buying tickets?
What is worth a fight for you? The consistent thread through the Rocky films seems to be manhood – A real man keeps getting up! While walking in the neighborhood recently, a friend and his wife were held up at gun point ...read on
In the hit song “Happy”, Pharrell Williams has an uplifting tune and dance routine with energy to blast through any bad news trying to drag you down. The lyrics say to “Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth; Clap along if you know what happiness is to you.”
Do you know what happiness is to you? Sigmund Freud, the renowned psychologist from the early 1900’s equates happiness with pleasure, specifically the pleasure that comes from satisfying sexual needs. The “pleasure principle,” writes Freud, “dominates the operation of the mental apparatus from the start.” C.S. Lewis disagrees ...read on
“Off with the old and in with the new,” is the common mantra as the calendar turns to the New Year. It is easy to say but not so easy to do. Each year my buddy would draft a plan to not let the busy-ness of life dictate his priorities. But then, each year he would find himself caught up in busy-ness, reacting to circumstances instead of working the plan.
Things were busy last spring. The schedule was tight yet his grown kids were coordinating a trip to Ireland for the family. He was frustrated that he would not be able to join his family on the trip. Then ...read on
Much had been accomplished – high school graduation, college education, good career, money in the bank, pretty wife and wonderful kids. The pressure was on to perform in the job but he could handle it. The travel was excessive but he could handle it. Church attendance was intermittent but he could handle it. When the pastor challenged him to read the Bible, he thought he could handle it.
