When words are not enough…

I had a pretty important exchange with my boy today.

It was prompted by an evening spent in frustration, the night before, as he tried to cram a weeks worth of homework into a four hour span. This, despite my warnings during the week. He and I had discussed and agreed that this work was to be completed before bedtime Friday evening (10:30 this particular Friday, since there wasn’t anywhere to be in the morning). We looked at how much work he had left from his summer break and he determined he definitely had enough time in the next 5 days to complete it all. He gave his word that it would be completed or that he would not have a … Click to Continue

How well do we “Do Difficult”?

Among us believers, we like to say that God allows these situation because “We Can Do Hard  (or “difficult” depending on the group), meaning that we know this life is not easy and when we triumph it is because Our Lord’s strength runs through us. But sometimes, like me over the last 24 hours, We Believers forget that this means that we have to surrender our problems and situations to Him.

… sometimes We Believers forget that “We CAN DO hard” means that we have to surrender our problems and situations to Him.

*I* did not do that.. In fact up until about an hour  ago I was still *ticked* off from yesterday.

I had a VERY bad day yesterday. I reacted … Click to Continue

Ask Gary?

Ask Gary?

Ask-Gary mock ad

A colleague at work put this little mock-advertisement together.
It really struck me as entertaining because my job is focused around software engineering process improvement. However, as I thought about it, I realized that there really is an inherent problem with our perception of authority. Our friends at Meriam-Webster define authority as:

au·thor·i·ty

[uh-thawr-i-tee, uh-thor-]

noun, plural au·thor·i·ties.

1. the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine. 2. a power or right delegated or given; authorization: Who has the authority to grant permission? 3. a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested, as a governmental agency. 4. Usually, authorities. persons having the legal power to make and enforce the law; government: They finally persuaded the authorities that they were not involved in espionage. 5. an accepted source of information, advice, etc.

As Romans 13:1-7 tells us, we are all subject to the authority over us as it is God who … Click to Continue

Caleb Strong Men’s Challenge: Love on your families.

This is my anniversary weekend. I am a blessed man, but I am only blessed because of Jesus’s example and Peter’s challenge to us. ‎1 Peter 3:7 – … husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman …, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (ESV)  

Over 20 years ago, I met my wife and fell in love. I asked get to marry me back then and she told me to ask again later. It took 15 + years to ask again. She finally said yes. Four years together, and we have faced many challenges and adventures together, including a move across the … Click to Continue