Jul
04
2022
One of my dad’s favorite scriptures was Colossians 3:12-17. It starts, “Therefore as God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion… Dad loved imagining clothing himself with these intangible qualities. He would pause and take time...
Jul
01
2022
I had been dreading Father's Day. I woke up on Father's Day, assuming it would be a bone-crushing day of sorrow, but it wasn't. I left deep gratitude for my Dad and felt very close to him. His spirit...
Jun
30
2022
My Dad was incredibly pragmatic. He was a genius at making complex concepts simple and easy to understand. Dad believed the clearer you are in what you want, the better chance you have of getting what you need. First,...
Jun
29
2022
Dad LOVED slogans—he had hundreds. One of his favorites was, “You win or lose by the way you choose.” This phrase has been on my mind each morning—a simple decision. Do I see my work today as a gift...
Jun
28
2022
Growing up, Dad was assigned family jobs. Mine was to haul wood to the basement every Saturday and clean up after the dog. This last task wasn't easy. We had a substantial 140-pound black lab named Challenger, and he...
Jun
27
2022
When we ask forgiveness without change, we commit further harm. Teresa was an angry parent. Despite her best intentions, she often yelled at her kids, pushed them into their chairs, grabbed their faces in anger, and said mean things....
Jun
24
2022
Dad taught our family that we cheat the forgiveness asking process when we fail to resolve our conflicts or disagreements using language that does not address adequate resolution. Words such as “I’m sorry” are nice but not enough. When...
Jun
23
2022
Dad believed we nullify forgiveness and cause pain rather than healing when we ask the other to forgive too much at one time.
“I cheated on you for the last twenty years. Would you forgive me?”
“I was never there as...
Jun
22
2022
Our family likes meaningful conversation. Years ago, we heard the quote, great people talk about ideas, mediocre people talk about things, and small people talk about others. Wow! What a great model for daily family conversation. What are the...
Jun
21
2022
Dad and I often talked about bitterness and the drive to live in fracture with others. It’s incredible how generational resentment perpetuates—mother cut off from daughter, father from son. Forgiveness is a challenging and noble task. It brings health...
