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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It’s an honor. I am confident in my role and of my impact on him and his career He knows my strength and values my point of view He lifts me up as holy and I become so. I honor and respect him in his work and dedications I see his greatness in his every action We know deep down…
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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 tried to focus. Re-focus. I tried to force open a window of inspirational reflection. At least finish yesterday’s journal entry left hanging mid-sentence. These days are filled with unique family demands that crescendo just prior to the screeching, super slo-mo, sideways-slide of summer. Busy, but different. Amidst the planning of camps and no-camps for the small and mid-size ones,…
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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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Mom has moved the pillow to the center of the bed: submission to the truth. He is with Jesus and her life is changed. How can she be happy that he’s gone? How can we celebrate the joy of heaven when we have such guttural pain in our body? It’s the most ultimate choice that we must work through…
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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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Scandalous runs in my family. It goes back for generations. In this fuzzy 1973 snapshot of a few well-mannered, if giddy, English family members, the layers of unheard of behavior would make your hair curl! The woman in the middle: my grandmother. Born in Santiago Chile in 1901, married an Englishman who worked for the BBC. During WWII her husband…
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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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I know, weird. But the idea of vibrating thresholds is once again the best way to describe this time. It’s my new way of thinking about life change that we can sense but can’t see to the other side. Sometimes it’s merely waiting. But often it’s continuing to heed the insistences on our heart. Walking towards the dream. Steve’s and…
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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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You’ve seen a bumblebee when it bounces frantically, persistently into the window, unaware of the clear and solid obstacle between him and the luscious bouquet of wildflowers on your sun porch? The squirrels and robins watch this bumblebee and try to shout to him “it’s no use!” but he doesn’t seem to get it. He thinks he can fly through the…
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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…