Truth Is

Truth Is…..essential for building trust. This is the case whether you are dealing with people or with a Cuckoo clock. Speaking of Cuckoo clocks, let me tell you about mine. Please indulge me in the event you’ve heard this story before. While visiting Europe in 2011 Cecelia and I decided to buy a cuckoo clock from the Black Forest area. We were enjoying the beautiful scenery along the Rhine river when we came upon this charming German village. After looking at many styles and price ranges of clocks, we decided on […]

The Trust Factor

Today, let’s talk about the Trust Factor. Are we coming apart as a society?  What role does trust or the lack of it play in what appears to be a tearing apart of our nation? What role will you and your family play in making your community and your world a safer place to live?  The Trust Factor is critically important in life. There’s a lot in the news nowadays about trust, or the lack of it, when it comes to our government leaders. Folks all over America are doubtful […]

The Danger of the Drift

Drift. “To float or be driven along by a current of water or air” is one way Merriam-Webster defines the word drift. When I try to visualize that word,  I think of myself sitting in a small boat in a stream, paddles pulled inside, allowing the water to take me where it wills. Another vision I have is relaxing in a quiet place, mesmerized by the puffy white clouds drifting along on the canvas of a beautiful blue sky.  These are relaxing and refreshing kinds of experiences, and we all […]

Love, What Our World Needs Now

Love, What Our World Needs Now.  It may seem presumptuous of me to use a title such as this in my blog. Do I know what the world really needs now? I think I do know what the world, what you and I need now. There are some things most of us want and many of us need. That list includes lower gas prices, a closed southern border, a good immigration policy, an impartial judicial system, lower food, and heating bills, etc. Perhaps there are some personal things, some broken […]

Trust, A Delicate Flower

Webster defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Let that sink in a minute. Where do your thoughts take you? Do you have an unreliable vehicle or appliance? One of our greatest needs as human beings is to feel safe with others, to believe another person can be trusted to always want and seek what is best for us. This kind of faith is the glue that makes your marriage and friendships work. Trust in you as their parent is what helps […]

How Can I Change?

How can I change? “I want my daughter to feel better about herself than I did growing up. But how can I help her with that if I don’t feel good about myself?” These are the words of a single mom who had become painfully aware of the destructive toll her anger and immaturity were taking on her daughter. I understood her painful question to mean there was a glimmer of hope for her relationship with her daughter. The weeks of therapy had created an awareness and an uncomfortable level […]

How Do I Change Directions?

How do I change directions? This blog addresses the last of the “Four Important Life Questions” series. There will be one more blog to continue the discussion of this very important question. Thank you for hanging in and doing the hard work required by honestly answering the previous three questions: (1) Where am I?, (2) How did I get to where I am?, and (3) Where am I going? Are you ready to change something about the way you do life? The change may be something small or truly life-altering. […]

Risk vs. Reward

About twenty years ago Cecelia and I were blessed with Anna Katherine (A.K.), the first of our four grandchildren. Wanting to do something for her and others who might follow to enjoy, I built a sturdy structure for a swing close to the creek that runs through our property. What a great idea and what a wonderful return on the time and money I spent to construct the swing!  That swing has witnessed lots of laughs and screams as A.K. and the three grandsons have enjoyed it through the years. […]

Working Yourself Out of a Job

Parenting is a job. It requires a lot from you. You must show up to work, be consistent in the way you  provide physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual guidance. Your job is to provide an environment in which your child feels loved, safe, and encouraged to become all God created him/her to be. The  job of parenting is an honor to have, scary in the scope of responsibility, and growth-producing to any parent that gives a good effort at it. But, parenting is not a lifetime job. It is not […]

Communicating Is a Big Deal

Communicating well with your child is a big deal. It is a major tool to help you succeed as a parent. We often think about how important good communication is in professional relationships, in the everyday functions that make life workable, and in maintaining and developing a good marriage and friendships. But, do we really consider how important it is to communicate well with our child? Good communication takes focus and work. The ability to communicate your intentions or wishes and to be understood is a difficult task. Do you […]