He put on the bunny suit every Easter and had fun with the kids as they hunted and found Easter eggs. There were lots of laughs and giggles as the big bunny talked with them. Some would ask if he really was the Easter bunny while others wanted him to help them find more eggs. Much fun was had and a couple of generations of kids still have fond memories of the big bunny that showed up every year.
“Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?” That was the question posed so powerfully by Dr. Del Tackett in Focus on the Family’s lecture/study series called “The Truth Project”. From the first Easter morning to Pentecost, as Jesus appeared to the apostles several times, they began to really believe what had been so hard to fathom from His teachings just weeks before.
He did not just appear to them. He talked with them, walked with them and ate with them. The Light began ...read on
Another fire – gun control in light of the school shooting in Florida. Protests have been orchestrated in several cities across the nation and the media has dutifully done their best to sensationalize emotions that run high after such a tragedy. Perspective is a tough thing to maintain in this age of media mania. Auto accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for 15-20-yearolds but there are no protests around that issue. Second is suicide. ...read on
You have heard the references to sons – “He is a chip of the old block” or “The apple did not fall far from the tree.” The implication is if your dad was a good athlete, you would be a good athlete or if he was good in business that you would have a good mind for business as well. But if your dad was an alcoholic or a womanizer, the implication is not a positive one. The heritage of a father can be positive or negative.
This is a heads up on three trips available this summer with Faithful Fathering. There will be a father-daughter hiking trip, a father-son backpacking trip and a camping trip for men and young men. Each is a week-long wilderness experience that provides for a wonderful opportunity to tune-out the noise of the world and tune-in to relationship with each other and with the Father.
Dads often ask me what the toughest season of fathering is – ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ or ‘Counselor’. The general thought is that ‘Coach’ is the toughest because you are dealing with teenagers. I think the toughest season is wherever you are. With that said, as a counselor, when kids are age 20+ you typically have to wait for the phone to ring before offering advice. That can make it a very tough season for dads and moms.
The season of Lent is forty days long. It starts on Ash Wednesday and goes through Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter, and does not include Sundays. It is a time to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily routine and consider the final steps Jesus walked on this earth. It is also a powerful time to strengthen our relationship with Jesus the Christ by giving up something that is part of our normal routine or by taking something new on.
This team was different. The coach had the infielders rotate every two innings – The first baseman would go to third, third baseman to shortstop, shortstop to second and second baseman to first. The young men knew how to field and throw, now it was time to coach them in the nuances of the game of baseball from a variety of positions. There was no yelling when mistakes were made. Errors were recognized as part of the process of growing as a ballplayer.
Similarly, dads that are intentional in moving from the ‘Teacher’ season of fathering to ‘Coaching’, typically in the early teen years, understand that ...read on
He was not a good reader, never was. A high level of sports activities overrode the importance of reading any book of significance through high school. As a dad, he wanted better for his son. He made time to read Bible stories and other books to his son early and often. At a young age they would alternate reading paragraphs, then he would read a page and his son would read a page. When the boy started reading books, he would shadow read them so they could talk about key aspects of the book. Dad was teaching well.
Kids typically are learning to read up to ...read on
“You don’t understand. Just let me do it!” Dad was used to stepping in to teach proper technique on how to field and hit. His daughter had always been receptive of instruction from him but this year was different, she was pushing back. He had been warned by other dads about the dreaded teenage years but he was determined to push through them doing what he had always done. Fortunately, an older dad and coach offered the advice to stay involved but to step back and let her grow.
Recognizing the ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ and ‘Counselor’ seasons of fathering will help you navigate through ...read on
He put on the bunny suit every Easter and had fun with the kids as they hunted and found Easter eggs. There were lots of laughs and giggles as the big bunny talked with them. Some would ask if he really was the Easter bunny while others wanted him to help them find more eggs. Much fun was had and a couple of generations of kids still have fond memories of the big bunny that showed up every year.
“Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?” That was the question posed so powerfully by 
Another fire – gun control in light of the school shooting in Florida. Protests have been orchestrated in several cities across the nation and the media has dutifully done their best to sensationalize emotions that run high after such a tragedy. Perspective is a tough thing to maintain in this age of media mania. Auto accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for 15-20-yearolds but there are no protests around that issue. Second is suicide. 
You have heard the references to sons – “He is a chip of the old block” or “The apple did not fall far from the tree.” The implication is if your dad was a good athlete, you would be a good athlete or if he was good in business that you would have a good mind for business as well. But if your dad was an alcoholic or a womanizer, the implication is not a positive one. The heritage of a father can be positive or negative.
This is a heads up on three trips available this summer with Faithful Fathering. There will be a father-daughter hiking trip, a father-son backpacking trip and a camping trip for men and young men. Each is a week-long wilderness experience that provides for a wonderful opportunity to tune-out the noise of the world and tune-in to relationship with each other and with the Father.
Dads often ask me what the toughest season of fathering is – ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ or ‘Counselor’. The general thought is that ‘Coach’ is the toughest because you are dealing with teenagers. I think the toughest season is wherever you are. With that said, as a counselor, when kids are age 20+ you typically have to wait for the phone to ring before offering advice. That can make it a very tough season for dads and moms.
The season of Lent is forty days long. It starts on Ash Wednesday and goes through Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter, and does not include Sundays. It is a time to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily routine and consider the final steps Jesus walked on this earth. It is also a powerful time to strengthen our relationship with Jesus the Christ by giving up something that is part of our normal routine or by taking something new on.
This team was different. The coach had the infielders rotate every two innings – The first baseman would go to third, third baseman to shortstop, shortstop to second and second baseman to first. The young men knew how to field and throw, now it was time to coach them in the nuances of the game of baseball from a variety of positions. There was no yelling when mistakes were made. Errors were recognized as part of the process of growing as a ballplayer.
He was not a good reader, never was. A high level of sports activities overrode the importance of reading any book of significance through high school. As a dad, he wanted better for his son. He made time to read Bible stories and other books to his son early and often. At a young age they would alternate reading paragraphs, then he would read a page and his son would read a page. When the boy started reading books, he would shadow read them so they could talk about key aspects of the book. Dad was teaching well.
“You don’t understand. Just let me do it!” Dad was used to stepping in to teach proper technique on how to field and hit. His daughter had always been receptive of instruction from him but this year was different, she was pushing back. He had been warned by other dads about the dreaded teenage years but he was determined to push through them doing what he had always done. Fortunately, an older dad and coach offered the advice to stay involved but to step back and let her grow.
