At one time or another I think that most of us have wanted a puppy. When we were kids we may have seen one in a pet store window or some lost stray followed us home. Our hearts were melted by those big brown eyes and that cute little face. We asked (probably begged) our…
DetailsNow that may seem like a strange question. I mean when children are born they are beautiful and they amazing and wonderfully made. We have three grandkids ranging from 3 years old to a few months. They are cute, curious, and delightful. Of course as grandparents we get to give them back and go home. …
DetailsHave you ever gone into a downtown to go shopping at perhaps a high-rise of stores and had to pay for parking? But if you actually go into one of those stores and purchase something, you can ask them if they validate, and they will, so that you don’t have to pay for parking. Today…
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That may seem like a strange question. I mean habits are just what we do over and over – aren’t they? Well, sort of. Things that we do repetitively can certainly become habits. And we all have certain bad habits that we would like to break; things like biting our fingernails, eating pop tarts for…
DetailsNow your first thought maybe – “Uh, we are both from the U.S., so what are you talking about?” Believe it or not, the communication between you and your spouse is actually impacted by your different homelands or your different families of origin. As I once heard Pastor Doug Olson explain, much like learning a…
DetailsHave you ever been asked a serious question that you were hesitant to answer because it was uncomfortable? It wasn’t that you felt awkward as much as answering it would call into question something you said or did. My dad was a master at this. He would say or do something that was hurtful or…
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When thinking about play, you may relegate it to children. I mean, as an adult, I don’t typically get down on the floor and play with trucks, cars, and transformers. But I certainly do when my grandkids are around. But how about when someone knocks on your door (figuratively speaking) and invites you to play.…
DetailsRelationship Tips Tuesdays Let’s face it – we all want to be viewed as caring and empathetic. And sometimes it is easy while other times it is an uphill battle. Perhaps your spouse or your kiddos have taken advantage of you. Or perhaps they continue to contribute to their own troublesome situations in ways that…
DetailsWhile people’s inclinations seem to be the same from generation to generation, the nuances of the differences in issues can vary. One of those issues that has changed faster than our relational insights, has been around technology – particularly cell phones. I can assure you that 20 years ago I was not dealing with this…
DetailsNormally when we think about protecting ourselves, especially our heart, we imagine that we are attempting to keep others from hurting us. The idea of “protection” conjures up pictures of our being attacked or mistreated in some manner that cause us to erect defenses that will keep us safe. And while those images are accurate,…
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