Growing up, my dad had a strict “no quitting” rule. It didn’t matter how bad of an experience I was having with a sport, a team, or a hobby – quitting was not an option. If I signed up for it, I was expected to follow through with it. It was okay to fail. It was okay to mess up. It was okay to make mistakes. But it was...
A couple of years ago, my wife and I were in New York City for our anniversary. I had spent months planning for the trip and had done my best to go all-out for our anniversary night. I booked a fancy restaurant that required reservations weeks in advance and we both got dressed up. I even scheduled for a private car to take us downtown. After...
Growing up in the South there really isn’t a question as to whether or not you will go to church. The only question is what kind of church will you go to? Baptist? Pentecostal? Catholic? Church of Christ? Regardless of what kind of church you attend, when you grow up in church, you tend to get into a routine. It’s not the...
Hearing your name is one of the most comforting things in life. It starts as a child, when your mom or your dad calls your name to come inside for dinner. When your best friend shouts your name in the school halls. When your child calls you, “Mom-ma” or “Da-da” for the first time. A name means a lot, especially when...
When I pull up to order a coffee at my local Starbucks I rarely have to pronounce my order. Before I can finish my sentence, the barista chimes in and finishes my request. “One grande, blonde roast coffee – light cream.” Every day. Every morning. It’s actually become somewhat of a joke among the employees. I can’t help it;...
“Bath time” at my house is currently quite the ordeal. It begins as soon as the water begins splashing the floor of the tub. For some reason, that sound activates something in our son, Asher, unlike anything else. Regardless of what he is doing, he immediately stops and “speed crawls” towards the bathroom. Then, wide-eyed and all smiles he...
Growing up I watched my fair share of cartoons. In nearly all of the cartoons, when a character would make a bad decision it was the fault of a red-faced, pitch-fork-carrying devil on their shoulder. This imagery formed a notion in my mind that the devil only shows up when we are faced with a decision of obvious right or wrong. As I’ve read the...
For most of my life I have been a church-goer and surrounded by Christians. I am extremely grateful that I was raised with such regular exposure to truth and morality, but the truth is – just because I was exposed to it doesn’t mean that I followed along with it. Sure, I was a ”good church kid.” I didn’t do the real bad stuff like drugs...
Have you ever tried watching a movie with a lot going on around you? Maybe you sat next to a “talker” or a “question asker” and before you know it the credits are rolling and you have missed the main parts of the movie. All you are left with is a wasted 2 hours and a lot of confusion. When you miss the main parts of a...
Well, it is that time of year again. This Sunday is Easter and if I had to guess church services, grandma’s house and Easter egg hunts will fill the majority of your day. This is considered the Super Bowl weekend of the church world and it is quite easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of it all. However, as you participate in church...
