Do We Minimize?

Do you use the word "just" in your prayer language? Not as in "justice" but as in "only". Is He not our God, does He not want, have, "all" for us?

The Beautiful Sites We Experience

I've really been enjoying this year's Fall. I think it's the best one we've had in a while. I'm really pleased that I had the opportunity to capture this moment.

Lovingly Not Pacifist

Mercy fights for our attention!

Spurred On By The Young

A few days ago I took my kids (kdz) to a park where they could ride their bike and scooter respectively. My daughter still hasn't quite figured out how to balance herself on her scooter. Well, while we were walking together, and her brother off riding ahead of us, I went for some sentimental conversation. I asked what her favorite thing was about me. She did offer up an, "Oh, I don't know." But just as quickly she added a "Your faith and silliness."

I wasn't floored, but definitely caught off guard. It wasn't the comment I was expecting. It didn't cause me to be puffed up. It was more of a humbling comment (after all, I am a silly man). It would be one thing for her to understand that I have a relationship with God, but for her to word it that way did something in me. Her mother and I do not normally talk in such terms. We do talk about these sort of things but not as such.

So this moment with my daughter left me encouraged and strengthened doubly so. One, that she sees any sort of faith in me is awesome, if I may. Second, she says this as though she not only sees it, but finds it in me because she is looking for it. She is attracted to my faith. Wow!

I thank you, LORD, for this moment with my daughter. You use the very child I am raising to fear, respect and love You, to show me Your thoughts towards me...Jeremiah 29.11

Dreams of Chivalry

Many women grow up dreaming of a knight in shining armor to come carry them away and rescue them from their tower of doom. This is not a post to knock that dream and sense of adventure, but simply a moment to examine some of the logic involved with a "knight in shining armor." A knight that is in the midst of saving his damsel, if he has had experienced much peril - fighting a dragon, and that's just at the castle, not including what it took to get to the castle - no matter how great of a knight he is, his armor is not going to be shiny.

Now, if we want to get creative, we could propose a situation as to why he is showing up to save his damsel in shining armor. We could pull a Shrek and suggest that the knight does go through much peril, but is able to stop off at the shiny armor rental shop just at the bottom of the helix that leads to the top of the tower that holds his damsel captive. This offers the knight his chance to make that great first impression.

On a more serious note, chivalry is a character trait that is very much lacking in the American society. I challenge men to step up to the plate of chivalry and help bring an end to feminism, and any need thereof, by being the men that our women need! Check out the Ransomed Heart Ministries, as well as Stu Webber's Tender Warrior and Dr. Ken Canfield's The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers (National Center For Fathering).

And men as you learn to fight and eventually go through much peril do not forget to stop at the end of your battle against the dragon to make your shiny armor rental; your woman will love you for it!

Victory Over Anger

It is patience and humility rooted in love that allow us to refrain from reciprocating another person's anger and frustration "under those, you know, 'heightened circumstances.'"

Understanding Language

If I was naked yesterday, does that make me nake today?

Who Said Life Was Logical?

Define fair...insisting on coloring outside the lines while keeping God inside a box.