I kneel down to be eye to eye with him This child with the gigantic innocent smile His skin is tan from summer days at the pool and beach His pjs are rumpled; his eyes morning-bright. His little arms swing around my neck …. like God. My heart soars and melts all at the same time. He needs me to…
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If you miss the impossible power of the miracle, you won’t see God. Yes, that’s it. This is where I must stay today. I’m now beginning the wonderful new book by our wise pastor Jim Samra. God Told Me is new jam-packed teaching on listening for guidance from God. “He is a better guide for our life than we are.”…
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SUNDAY MORNING JULY 1, 2012 I thought we’d know by now. I expected to have more clarity, to have finished more, to have a better understanding of the next step. For it is in this hope that we are saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope…
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JUNE 28, 2012 Erik Mendoza was born 20 years ago today. He was named Erik Mendoza because the rhythm and click of the name resonated in my heart and I liked the sharpness of the K with the Z. I gave him his middle name to honor my father: Donald. It’s a good noble name. His name took on a…
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A new day. After several weeks of spinning activity, crazy fun and heartbreaking change, Jack and I are on our own with no activity. Perfect. Strategic Idea: a week of healthy consumption and no screens. Adventure. First: we dive into my office downstairs to explore some family history. I teach Jack to thread a 50 year old 16mm projector. (He…
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Death Confronts Us Again. And we confront death. This makes three in one year, up close. Each death takes us closer to carving out where meaningful lives. We try to make sense of it. We cannot know why a man of 40 dies and leaves three little children and a young devoted wife. Our good friend is gone. His children…
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Lots of helpful hints on building our platforms, eh? It’s all good. I know from a business point of view we need a platform from which to influence our tribe and sell stuff. From a branding point of view we need a platform from which to build our strategic pillars of messaging and design. I lived in those worlds for…
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Monday Morning. I couldn’t get this out yesterday. Fathers Day. In this week, I read two letters from two brothers, sons of the same man: one with joyful, gushing feelings of love and admiration for his deceased father. The other with deep hurt and life-long damage caused by “a s— of a man” that needed to be painstakingly healed as a…
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C.S. Lewis says: “Pride is spiritual cancer.” Nodding, we all easily grasp the problem of pride (particularly in others). But as a parent, aren’t we justified in aiming our pride at our successful, well-trained children? Even noble? After all, we’ve worked hard to train them in the ways of God and culture. More Lewis: As long as you are proud you…
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Lots of us recovering control freaks still want to construct the world according to the vision we have for what we know to be the best course of action for us and those around us. (Exhausting even to read!) But this week in my clicking, (particularly via Jon Acuff’s blog) I’ve encountered fun conversation about the glory that often resides…
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We now have 3 (count ’em three) 20-somethings living in our big happy home. This is their summer residence, sort of. And of course we have summer school! A full course in Gen-Whatever cultural education is underway. Our younger, tender children will get lots of expanding data entry during these weeks. (help) One of these fine men is studying psychology…
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As we continue to shepherd our children, I continue to see the connection between my long experience in creative marketing strategy [for clients] and life decisions that are based on a strategic plan. This is our role in helping our kids get to a place in their life that is on purpose. First, what’s driving you? It can’t be money; God…
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I love this word. Paradox. In a conversation through this space about marriage, Evan Forester and I shared ideas on submission. Wise Evan called up Paul’s words in his letter to the leaders in Phillipi and the whole concept also became relevant to TODAY’s current events (of all things). Philippians 2 puts it: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is…
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Submit. This word has been in our atmosphere a lot lately. Godly submission, idea submission, submitting to our spouse, our situation, our better self. Every day – indeed every hour – we have the choice to submit. As we navigate our busy days, we don’t stop to ponder this choice, but we are making it with each step, each reaction,…
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My husband and I had a wonderful impromptu date on Friday night. We stole away to the only Persian restaurant in town, and instead of talking about our nutty list of activities to manage over the next 48 hours, we pondered our opportunity to grow… as parents and as humans who have learned a thing or two along the way. In…
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THEORY: Parents with a healthy view of Godly sex have a better chance of teaching their kids the explosive joys of waiting for the beautiful experience of sacred lovemaking. See? I told you. Scandalous. I don’t fault my parents for their lack of capacity to teach me about sex. For heaven’s sake, it was the 60’s. Mom grew up in…
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Daughter Riley was selected as one of the Students of the Month at her middle school. The administration kindly acknowledges a group of kids each month who achieve the status of getting no negative remarks on the nomination form that goes around. It’s rigorous. Lots of kids get recognized throughout the year and the school does a bang-up job on…
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Jack’s Tough. He’s hung out his whole life with his much-older brothers and his teenage sister, and he can hold his own in a game of “Oh yea? Take that.” But. There’s this weird thing happening this year with a couple puny 4th grade bullies on the elementary school bus. These kids don’t even look tough and they cower in…
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It seems like a good day to repost this. I got caught shoplifting when I was 18 years old. I know, I know. REALLY late bloomer. The security guard’s cold hand clenched my left wrist as I attempted to leave the store without paying for the pair of jeans that hid in my bag. The crime took place in a Hudson’s…
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Even though I am now on my own as a periodic consultant and should-be-committed-writer, I still very much enjoy my subscriptions to the agency trade and business publications that flicker in my inbox. Today’s gem was from Inc. Magazine. Here’s the original opening set-up. 6 Habits of True Strategic Thinkers by Paul J. H. Schoemaker You’re the boss, but you still…