I would like to share with you a blog post that my good friend Pastor Bill Ivy wrote. As you read it, think of how your approach to your spouse or kids can make a difference in how they respond. Have you ever tried to FORCE a person to change? I call it the bulldog approach. It does not persuade people very well. Bulldogs will drive people away and keep them away. Why not start by respecting the other person’s idea. Letting them know that you understand their point of view. Then proceed to gradually build up your idea. Letting …
As a child, I was raised in a home that was filled with faith, fun, and love. Many memories come to mind when I recall the times we had together as a family. At our home, we enjoyed having youth meetings, building small forts in our backyard, and taking family vacations. While all of these things were enjoyable, the most important thing that I remember was my mother and fathers’ sincere desire to serve the Lord with all of their hearts. My father’s name is Daniel, and my mother’s name is Shannon. Isaac and Ethan are my two older brothers …
Often, as new parents we look at family devotions as a checklist: 1. Read a chapter of the Bible 2. Discuss the chapter 3. Pray Repeat Daily For Crista and I, this way of doing family devotions did not last long. When you have a grumpy 4-year-old, that is ready to go to bed, reading a chapter from Revelations does not do much for them. It does not set the right atmosphere when you are having to threaten your child that we will do this devotion if it takes us all night. There were times we were so concerned …
A while back, I attended the funeral of a manly man. The type of man who preferred blue jeans, cowboy hat, and boots. He worked long hard hours to support his family. I began to ponder the question, where are the manly men at today? Where are the men that might be a little rough around the edges, but when he shakes your hand, you know you have shaken a man’s hand? A mother once shared with me how now she not only prays that her daughter will find a husband that is filled with the Holy Ghost, but in …
Crista and I met at Winter Youth Retreat in 1998. I must admit, I was stricken by her at first sight. There was something so graceful and ladylike about her. After WYR, I’m not sure if she thought she would ever see me again, but it was not long until I made the six-hour journey to the little town that she was from. This past March, we celebrated eighteen years of marriage. I am thankful for the wonderful marriage that God has given to us and by His Grace, I trust it will remain that way. Unfortunately, there are many …
Most of us fulfill many different roles. I am a husband, dad, business owner, employee, minister and the list goes on and on. Each of these roles brings a level of satisfaction. It is easy to get wrapped up in a particular role that builds our confidence and one that people are always applauding. I once heard an actor talk about how he would spend all day at a set and everyone around him would brag about him and laugh at his jokes. When he arrived home that night, he was met by his wife who had been at home all …
If we are in town, most Sunday afternoons we go home after church and have a “Sunday dinner”. It is a time we slow down, where sweet tea and dessert are must-haves at the dinner table. Our conversations range from God to politics. We discuss things that happened during the week. Luke, who is animated will sometimes stand up as he tells us a story. A family Sunday dinner is a tradition that I love and cherish. I realize that as our kids get older, it might be harder to make it happen, but right now it is working. …
Not everyone will understand the impact of a good big brother, but those who have one will know the special meaning of a “big brother.” Being the youngest of seven children, not only do I know what a big brother is, but I also understand what it is to have a big sister. Fondly, I remember standing on our porch with our mother, when I asked my big brother, Bub, if I could have his BB gun, now that he had a shotgun. I convinced him, by stating that each of us boys in the family would have a gun …
If you are a parent, you probably understand the need to monitor your young children’s internet usage. With unsavory images and ads popping up everywhere, it is difficult to make sure your kids will not be bombarded with risky information. And that is not even to mention the risk of sexual predators. When our oldest son started the 7th grade, he was required to have an iPad for school. To be safe, we decided to disable his web browser (it was Safari at that time) so that he did not have access to the internet. But, we soon learned that …
I like chocolate. Crista likes vanilla. People energize me. Quietness energizes her. I am a big idea person. She considers each step. You get the picture. Crista and I are opposites. It has only been the last few years that we have noticed how opposite our approach to life can be. It became noticeable when we started having kids. At first, we thought we were abnormal, but then realized that the majority of couples share the same story. He squeezes the toothpaste from the top; she squeezes it from the bottom. Crista and I had only been married for …