Learning to read and focus with more intention, thanks to the idea of Lectio Divina.
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Being a parent brings many different challenges. Daily. Yet, it also results in so many rewards that are hard to describe to those without children. Whatever issues arise, by the end of the day there’s no question that being a parent is worth whatever trouble may come. But I still struggle to remember that fact in the moment. When my children frustrate me, my irritation always seems justifiable. They have disobeyed, or done something contrary to the instructions they’ve been given many times be…
Growing up in an agnostic home, I was unfamiliar with the idea of Lent [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent]. Of fasting in general. But as I've matured, I've come to appreciate the idea of denying yourself for a period of time. It takes practice, but there is much to be gained by the act of withholding from yourself. In the most recent issue of Offscreen Mag [http://www.offscreenmag.com/issue4/], I was hitting on this idea. > Thanks to the good writing of others, I've been thinking a lot about…
The difference between these two roles is slim, yet vast. Both are to learn from a master, to pick up the skills required to do what the teacher does. Both learn from observing and being in the presence of the one who has experience and wisdom. Both are focused on become craftsmen in the field in which the master is well known. But an apprentice does it with the focus on earning wages. The time spent in apprenticeship leads to knowledge and wisdom in all facets of the trade. Not only must he un…
Our family attended a funeral recently. It's interesting how differently people can respond to death, some mourning the life that was lost, others celebrating the life that had been lived. This particular funeral had a mix of both. The man who passed away, fairly unexpectedly, had been a Christian for 12 years. His best friend, who was not a Christian, gave the eulogy. He spent time sharing their experiences, describing a life of enjoyment and comfort. The son-in-law of the deceased, a former…
We all have those days. Where one bad thing piles on another, until you ask yourself, “Is this really happening?” That was our weekend. Friday was a busy day at the office, a short staffed kind of day. In the middle of that, my wife started to have chest pains. Several hours later, she was headed to emergency while I stayed at home with our four children. That night, our beloved dog Nacho never came home. Saturday morning, our son started throwing up. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's…
I'm reminded that every day brings me one essential choice. I can make the most of what the day brings, or I can choose to despair. Despair is a strong word, but it's at the end of the road that starts with a complaint. Last week, after returning home from a week abroad, we found that winter had arrived [http://d.pr/XVvN] while we were gone. A week away from home results in a lot of catch up work on its own; throw in 2 feet of snow to the mix, and suddenly I easily…
Most parents recognize that there has to be some semblance of discipline in the home in order for it to run smoothly, for its occupants to enjoy living in it and with each other. When you're a family six, this is even more true. And while what is in our children's heart is the most crucial, my wife and I do our best to teach them how to obey while they are very young. Once they've learned to obey, then we can move on to conversations and teaching that helps them recognize issue of…