I worked with children, teens, and college-aged young people in my church assignments. Along the way my wife and I raised two daughters. Here are my insights on the joys and challenges of parenting.
Do you know a prospective Daddy-to-be? Want to help with his transition to fatherhood? Why not put together a New Daddy Survival Kit to give him an idea of what’s coming? The Mother-to-be usually has well-wishers who organize a baby shower or two, but Dad is often left out. This is a great way to…
As your child prepares to travel to college remind him to take self-control along. Boxes and bags stacked by the door remind us that a daughter or son is leaving for college. While the moment is ripe with anticipation for the budding freshman, Mom and Dad struggle with roiling emotions. What happened to childhood? Is…
Does your Father’s Day celebration generate questions like, “Where will I ever wear this goofy tie?” I recall the Betty Boop special my wife allowed the girls to buy for me. I served on the usher rotation at church and thought I was safe to wear the Betty tie on my weekend off. Of course,…
Where can we find hope when adult children abandon the faith? Fifty-five seems ancient to a forty-year-old, but to those who achieve the mid-century-plus-five milestone the season of life is bright with possibilities. Imagine a mortgage-free life. Picture the approaching carefree days of retirement peppered with tasks chosen for sheer enjoyment. Consider the second honeymoon…
The weight of fatherhood catches many by surprise. We understand how the blessed event happened, but we are blissfully ignorant about the afterbirth. And we are oblivious to the coming years of demands on our time, energy, and finances. We have no idea if we can reach deeply enough to find the strength the role…
My daughter’s childhood raced from zero to gone faster than a quarter mile of asphalt under the tires of a muscle car. One minute I had an adorable toddler running around the house, and the next, boxes and bags were stacked by the door as she busied herself packing for college. Where did the time…