Well, it is time to put a wrap on summer unless you live in Houston – then you know we have a couple more months to enjoy the heat and humidity. But high school football practice starting and marching bands in the parking lots are markers for the end of summer. I hope you have made some memories this summer as a family – maybe a special trip, a fishing outing or a summer camping experience.
Before you get back into the hustle & bustle of school and extra-curricular activities, I encourage you to ...read on
In Houston, Texas, as in most of the country, we have been reminded that when storms hit, power can be lost for a while. In the summer, that means no air-conditioning. And that means the loss of comfort many have grown accustomed to. I grew up in an apartment without air-conditioning and went to a school that did not have air-conditioning. It seems I have gotten soft under the influence of modern-day comforts.
One young man spent many summers as a kid with ...read on
In Houston, Texas, Center Point Energy has been under fire as over 2.5 million homes in the greater Houston area lost electricity during Hurricane Beryl. As we entered the four-day mark there were still over a million homes without power. The connection to the power source was interrupted as severe weather downed powerlines.
This is in contrast to the challenges faced in ...read on
As is often the case when an area is struck by a bad storm, whole neighborhoods may be out of power. When the lights go out, one realizes how much ready access to electricity can be taken for granted. Air-conditioning and refrigeration are a couple of niceties that can fall victim to a power outage. Those prepared may have full generator back-up or at least some generator capacity to keep the refrigerator going.
Of course we are never completely out of power. As is also often the case ...read on
Freedom with no boundaries is chaos. Freedom under governmental law and order is dependent upon respect for others and for civilization. Freedom under faith is driven by love – love of God, love of country and love of others.
As we celebrate our nation’s 248th birthday, it is encouraging to reflect on ...read on
I pray you are putting a great wrap on this Father’s Day month. I have been blessed to spend a good chunk of it in the mountains of Colorado on Faithful Fathering’s father-daughter hiking trip and the father-son backpacking trip. When dads commit time to young-adult children and they mutually take on such a physical challenge, God shows up.
It is a challenge for dads to stay engaged with young-adult children, ages 14-25. The key to staying engaged without being intrusive is ...read on
An annual tribute to the dad that raised me in hope that it is an encouragement to you:
Born in 1917, four years after his parents immigrated from the south of Russia, he spent his early years growing up in Nebraska. The family continued to speak Russian in the home so when it came time to go to school, the young boy was held back a year until he could learn English. Railroad work took his family to Missouri where he proved to be a good worker and strong athlete through school. He joined his dad working in the roundhouse at the railyard until the attack on Pearl Harbor changed the direction of his life. He enlisted ...read on
As you might expect, June is my favorite month of the year because it is Father’s Day month. Across this month, I want to issue this reminder for all men - dads, adoptive dads and spiritual fathers, as to how important a father is. Our Heavenly Father shares the moniker ‘father’ with us because He expects us to represent Him well in family. The charge is to embrace this high calling and honor Him. Commit this day to step forward and accept the charge. THIS FATHER’S DAY, June 16th, 2024, I accept the ...read on
Last month I encouraged all to honor moms and treat them special across Mother’s Day month. This month, the call is out for dads to enjoy the blessings of being a dad or spiritual father to the full. What an honor it is that the Heavenly Father would share the moniker ‘father’ with us earthly dads. Wow! The associated responsibility can be overwhelming.
What should Father’s Day month look like? Start with ...read on
Identity clarity is knowing who you are, what family you belong to and, as a Christian, Whose you are. Trauma early in life can throw confusion into the understanding of one’s identity. A physically abusive home may be the first thing that comes to mind but kids can incur trauma in dysfunctional and single parent homes as well. Adoptees often suffer trauma from the get-go with the loss of their mother’s loving voice and touch.
As we head into my favorite month of the year, Father’s Day month, this is an encouragement for dads to ...read on
Well, it is time to put a wrap on summer unless you live in Houston – then you know we have a couple more months to enjoy the heat and humidity. But high school football practice starting and marching bands in the parking lots are markers for the end of summer. I hope you have made some memories this summer as a family – maybe a special trip, a fishing outing or a summer camping experience.
In Houston, Texas, as in most of the country, we have been reminded that when storms hit, power can be lost for a while. In the summer, that means no air-conditioning. And that means the loss of comfort many have grown accustomed to. I grew up in an apartment without air-conditioning and went to a school that did not have air-conditioning. It seems I have gotten soft under the influence of modern-day comforts.
In Houston, Texas, Center Point Energy has been under fire as over 2.5 million homes in the greater Houston area lost electricity during Hurricane Beryl. As we entered the four-day mark there were still over a million homes without power. The connection to the power source was interrupted as severe weather downed powerlines.
As is often the case when an area is struck by a bad storm, whole neighborhoods may be out of power. When the lights go out, one realizes how much ready access to electricity can be taken for granted. Air-conditioning and refrigeration are a couple of niceties that can fall victim to a power outage. Those prepared may have full generator back-up or at least some generator capacity to keep the refrigerator going.
Freedom with no boundaries is chaos. Freedom under governmental law and order is dependent upon respect for others and for civilization. Freedom under faith is driven by love – love of God, love of country and love of others.
I pray you are putting a great wrap on this Father’s Day month. I have been blessed to spend a good chunk of it in the mountains of Colorado on Faithful Fathering’s father-daughter hiking trip and the father-son backpacking trip. When dads commit time to young-adult children and they mutually take on such a physical challenge, God shows up.
An annual tribute to the dad that raised me in hope that it is an encouragement to you:
As you might expect, June is my favorite month of the year because it is Father’s Day month. Across this month, I want to issue this reminder for all men - dads, adoptive dads and spiritual fathers, as to how important a father is. Our Heavenly Father shares the moniker ‘father’ with us because He expects us to represent Him well in family. The charge is to embrace this high calling and honor Him. Commit this day to step forward and accept the charge.
Last month I encouraged all to honor moms and treat them special across Mother’s Day month. This month, the call is out for dads to enjoy the blessings of being a dad or spiritual father to the full. What an honor it is that the Heavenly Father would share the moniker ‘father’ with us earthly dads. Wow! The associated responsibility can be overwhelming.
Identity clarity is knowing who you are, what family you belong to and, as a Christian, Whose you are. Trauma early in life can throw confusion into the understanding of one’s identity. A physically abusive home may be the first thing that comes to mind but kids can incur trauma in dysfunctional and single parent homes as well. Adoptees often suffer trauma from the get-go with the loss of their mother’s loving voice and touch.
