Today is my girl's birthday -- happy birthday Heather!! You'll never really know just how awesome you are, but here's an attempt.
You hold our family together and keep us organized,
You show our children what it means every day to walk with God,
You make me feel loved and cherished and valued,
You are creative in everything that you do,
You make even half birthdays special for others,
You bring consistency to the kids lives that they miss terribly when you are gone,
You are a sounding board, a voice of wisdom and reason, and a source of strength and help for your friends,
You are an awesome prayer partner,
You take a house and craft it with loving care into a home,
You are a valuable resource and servant in the body of Christ,
You are absolutely my other half and something is definitely not right when you are away from our home,
and never forget that you are loved by your children and adored by your husband!
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Raising a daughter
I came to a realization "the other day" (my favorite phrase that could mean this morning or a month ago) that I've put a lot of time and effort into raising my boys but virtually no planning for how I want to intentionally raise my daughter!
So, check back later on the plans that I put together to that end.
So, check back later on the plans that I put together to that end.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Truett Cathy
My family and I love Chick-Fil-A or as the kids say it Chick-a-lay. Today I ran by there to pick up breakfast (the Chick-n-Mini's are awesome!) and I noticed a book on display written by Truett Cathy entitled It's Better to Build Boys Than Mend Men. I think that's a great thought and one that I'm working hard on with my two boys.
When I went to find out more information on the book, I found a few things on his Web site that were really insightful. Here are his "7 Reminders For Building Children*:"
Truett Cathy’s Five–Step recipe for Business Success
Chick-fil-A, the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the country, gives all employees Sunday off to spend with family, to relax and to express their faith if they choose to do so. Yet, Chick-fil-A generates more sales in six days than most national chains produce in seven. Closing on Sunday is just one of the “principles before profits” ingredients in founder Truett Cathy's inspiring recipe-for-success. Following – in his own words* – are five basic principles upon which Cathy successfully built the Chick-fil-A chain.
1. CLIMB WITH CARE AND CONFIDENCE
“Every day, a framed poster of a mountain climber given to me by my daughter Trudy reminds me to ‘climb with care and confidence.’ I wholeheartedly believe in this philosophy, which is why in all my years in the restaurant business, I have never tried to overextend. I’m satisfied stepping from one plateau to the next, making sure we’re doing everything right before moving on. That way of thinking has allowed us to grow steadily into a 1.5 billion-dollar business with more than 1,200 restaurants, while responding to the needs of people around us. I know the best way to grow our business is to climb with care and confidence.” With 1,240-plus Chick-fil-A restaurants in 38 states and Washington, D.C., Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the nation, based on annual sales.
2. CREATE A “LOYALTY EFFECT”
“Our people are the cornerstone of all that we do at Chick-fil-A. As a chain, we believe that attracting great people helps create an unforgettable experience for our customers. It requires a lot of time and effort to make sure you have the right people working the right jobs, but we believe this is time well spent. The bottom line is that our people, from our restaurant Operators to the team members they hire, enjoy their work. Fewer than five percent of our franchise Operators leave the chain in any given year. The more we can foster the feeling that we are a group of people working together, depending on each other, the more likely we are to be loyal to each other.
* “Customer satisfaction is the payoff for spending the time to search for the best employees. Our restaurant team members have proven time and time again that going out of your way to make sure our customer has a pleasurable dining experience will build customer loyalty.”
* “This loyalty effect, the full range of economic and human benefits that accrue to leaders who treat their customers, Operators, and employees in a manner worthy of their loyalty, is at the core of most of the truly successful growth companies in the world today. And there is no clearer case study of the loyalty effect than Chick-fil-A.”
– Fred Reichheld, Harvard Business Review and author of The Loyalty Effect.
3. NEVER LOSE A CUSTOMER
“Ever since I was a teenager delivering newspapers (for seven straight years), I have tried not to lose a single customer. I treated each one like the most important person in the world and delivered each paper as if I were delivering it to the front door of the Governor’s mansion. The key to succeeding with a paper route and the restaurant business, I would later learn, is to take care of the customer. Whether on the paper route or in my restaurants, I have found that the most effective way of promoting my business didn’t cost me anything but a little kindness to my customers.”
* In 1935, at age 14, Truett delivered the Atlanta Journal newspaper to residents of America’s first public housing project, Atlanta’s Techwood Homes and developed his “people first” business philosophy.
* Chick-fil-A’s commitment to this principle is reflected in its mission statement to “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant at Winning and Keeping Customers.”
4. PUT PRINCIPLES AND PEOPLE AHEAD OF PROFITS
“I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed. I have always encouraged my restaurant Operators and team members to give back to the local community. We should be about more than just selling chicken, we should be a part of our customer’s lives and the communities in which we serve.”
* Through the WinShape Centre Foundation, Truett operates foster homes for more than 150 children and sponsors a summer camp for more than 1,600 children each year; in addition, he provides college scholarships for Chick-fil-A restaurant employees (more than$20 million awarded since 1973).
* Chick-fil-A partners with nearly 1,200 elementary schools nationwide by providing the Core Essentials Character Education Program, which teaches students one value trait each month. Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants are involved in the local community with activities such as blood drives, school fundraisers, family nights and children’s sports sponsorships.
5. CLOSED ON SUNDAY
“I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business.”
Chick-fil-A is the only major fast-food restaurant chain to be closed on Sundays, one of the busiest days of the week in the restaurant business. Despite being closed on Sundays, Truett Cathy has led Chick-fil-A on an unparalleled record of 38 consecutive years of sales increases, with its core free-standing restaurants achieving higher sales per unit in six days (with shorter operating hours) than most major chains in the industry.
* Exerpts adapted from Truett Cathy’s Second Book: Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (2002 Chick-fil-A, Inc.)
When I went to find out more information on the book, I found a few things on his Web site that were really insightful. Here are his "7 Reminders For Building Children*:"
by S. Truett Cathy,
Founder and Chairman of Chick-fil-A
- Every child I know who overcame long odds and grew into a responsible adult can point to an adult who stepped into his or her life as a friend, mentor, and guide.
- Don’t be too concerned that your children don’t listen to you. But be very concerned that they see everything you do.
- Be so consistent in your discipline that you’re boring.
- Stop arguing in front of your children.
- You may think children have outgrown the desire to be rocked to sleep at night. They haven’t.
- Children will never believe in the covenant of marriage unless they see you living it with their own eyes.
- How do you know if a child needs encouragement? If he or she is breathing.
Truett Cathy’s Five–Step recipe for Business Success
Chick-fil-A, the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the country, gives all employees Sunday off to spend with family, to relax and to express their faith if they choose to do so. Yet, Chick-fil-A generates more sales in six days than most national chains produce in seven. Closing on Sunday is just one of the “principles before profits” ingredients in founder Truett Cathy's inspiring recipe-for-success. Following – in his own words* – are five basic principles upon which Cathy successfully built the Chick-fil-A chain.
1. CLIMB WITH CARE AND CONFIDENCE
“Every day, a framed poster of a mountain climber given to me by my daughter Trudy reminds me to ‘climb with care and confidence.’ I wholeheartedly believe in this philosophy, which is why in all my years in the restaurant business, I have never tried to overextend. I’m satisfied stepping from one plateau to the next, making sure we’re doing everything right before moving on. That way of thinking has allowed us to grow steadily into a 1.5 billion-dollar business with more than 1,200 restaurants, while responding to the needs of people around us. I know the best way to grow our business is to climb with care and confidence.” With 1,240-plus Chick-fil-A restaurants in 38 states and Washington, D.C., Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the nation, based on annual sales.
2. CREATE A “LOYALTY EFFECT”
“Our people are the cornerstone of all that we do at Chick-fil-A. As a chain, we believe that attracting great people helps create an unforgettable experience for our customers. It requires a lot of time and effort to make sure you have the right people working the right jobs, but we believe this is time well spent. The bottom line is that our people, from our restaurant Operators to the team members they hire, enjoy their work. Fewer than five percent of our franchise Operators leave the chain in any given year. The more we can foster the feeling that we are a group of people working together, depending on each other, the more likely we are to be loyal to each other.
* “Customer satisfaction is the payoff for spending the time to search for the best employees. Our restaurant team members have proven time and time again that going out of your way to make sure our customer has a pleasurable dining experience will build customer loyalty.”
* “This loyalty effect, the full range of economic and human benefits that accrue to leaders who treat their customers, Operators, and employees in a manner worthy of their loyalty, is at the core of most of the truly successful growth companies in the world today. And there is no clearer case study of the loyalty effect than Chick-fil-A.”
– Fred Reichheld, Harvard Business Review and author of The Loyalty Effect.
3. NEVER LOSE A CUSTOMER
“Ever since I was a teenager delivering newspapers (for seven straight years), I have tried not to lose a single customer. I treated each one like the most important person in the world and delivered each paper as if I were delivering it to the front door of the Governor’s mansion. The key to succeeding with a paper route and the restaurant business, I would later learn, is to take care of the customer. Whether on the paper route or in my restaurants, I have found that the most effective way of promoting my business didn’t cost me anything but a little kindness to my customers.”
* In 1935, at age 14, Truett delivered the Atlanta Journal newspaper to residents of America’s first public housing project, Atlanta’s Techwood Homes and developed his “people first” business philosophy.
* Chick-fil-A’s commitment to this principle is reflected in its mission statement to “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant at Winning and Keeping Customers.”
4. PUT PRINCIPLES AND PEOPLE AHEAD OF PROFITS
“I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed. I have always encouraged my restaurant Operators and team members to give back to the local community. We should be about more than just selling chicken, we should be a part of our customer’s lives and the communities in which we serve.”
* Through the WinShape Centre Foundation, Truett operates foster homes for more than 150 children and sponsors a summer camp for more than 1,600 children each year; in addition, he provides college scholarships for Chick-fil-A restaurant employees (more than$20 million awarded since 1973).
* Chick-fil-A partners with nearly 1,200 elementary schools nationwide by providing the Core Essentials Character Education Program, which teaches students one value trait each month. Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants are involved in the local community with activities such as blood drives, school fundraisers, family nights and children’s sports sponsorships.
5. CLOSED ON SUNDAY
“I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business.”
Chick-fil-A is the only major fast-food restaurant chain to be closed on Sundays, one of the busiest days of the week in the restaurant business. Despite being closed on Sundays, Truett Cathy has led Chick-fil-A on an unparalleled record of 38 consecutive years of sales increases, with its core free-standing restaurants achieving higher sales per unit in six days (with shorter operating hours) than most major chains in the industry.
* Exerpts adapted from Truett Cathy’s Second Book: Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (2002 Chick-fil-A, Inc.)
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
2006 Year in Review
Events that I enjoyed:
* Texas football team won national championship. I went to Baylor, but glad for a Texas school to win.
* I love the Olympics and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy was great. Shaun White was my favorite person who did well.
* I really got into the World Cup this year and enjoyed it very much.
Finance Committee -- great service and learning opportunity for me and my church.
Conference speaking -- was asked to lead a conference break-out session. It was fun to research, develop, and adjust a presentation then get to spend an hour with various folks putting all of my time and effort in front of them to help in their ministries.
Camping solidified as a family activity -- we went several times this year and really cemented camping as a "family thing."
Two specific deaths had an impact on our family. First, we had to put down Dodger, our long-time dog, this year. It was very difficult for the boys (Caris didn't get it) and they still talk about missing him. Second, our kids love Animal Planet and the death of Steve Irwin really made an impression on the kids.
Goals for 2007:
* Spend more one-on-one time with each of my kids.
* Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt 5:6).
* Lose weight -- I want to get to at least 210 and then hopefully lower to a final goal weight of about 202-205 (according to my doctor).
* Be a more thoughtful husband and take the initiative to plan special things for my sweet wife.
* Texas football team won national championship. I went to Baylor, but glad for a Texas school to win.
* I love the Olympics and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy was great. Shaun White was my favorite person who did well.
* I really got into the World Cup this year and enjoyed it very much.
Finance Committee -- great service and learning opportunity for me and my church.
Conference speaking -- was asked to lead a conference break-out session. It was fun to research, develop, and adjust a presentation then get to spend an hour with various folks putting all of my time and effort in front of them to help in their ministries.
Camping solidified as a family activity -- we went several times this year and really cemented camping as a "family thing."
Two specific deaths had an impact on our family. First, we had to put down Dodger, our long-time dog, this year. It was very difficult for the boys (Caris didn't get it) and they still talk about missing him. Second, our kids love Animal Planet and the death of Steve Irwin really made an impression on the kids.
Goals for 2007:
* Spend more one-on-one time with each of my kids.
* Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt 5:6).
* Lose weight -- I want to get to at least 210 and then hopefully lower to a final goal weight of about 202-205 (according to my doctor).
* Be a more thoughtful husband and take the initiative to plan special things for my sweet wife.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Proverbs on Arguing
I can't remember who it was that suggested it but I started reading the Proverbs chapter for that day a few months ago. Today is October 19th, so I read Proverbs chapter 19, you get the idea. I normally read to the boys (5 and 7) before they go to sleep at night and about a week ago I didn't have a book. So, I grabbed my son's Bible and read the Proverbs of the day for them before bed. It was so great, that even if I have a book to read them now we read the Proverbs first.
The thing that we have been dealing the most with lately is the boys arguing with each other. Yes, they are young and they are brothers and they will fight and argue. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't correct the behavior and live in a home with no peace. Isn't it amazing what happens when you are consistently reading God's word! This week has been really bad with the arguing and check out some of the verses that jumped off the page to us from Proverbs 17 and 18 below. These are taken from the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) which is great for kids. I hope that these verses may be an encouragement/challenge to you also.
The thing that we have been dealing the most with lately is the boys arguing with each other. Yes, they are young and they are brothers and they will fight and argue. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't correct the behavior and live in a home with no peace. Isn't it amazing what happens when you are consistently reading God's word! This week has been really bad with the arguing and check out some of the verses that jumped off the page to us from Proverbs 17 and 18 below. These are taken from the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) which is great for kids. I hope that these verses may be an encouragement/challenge to you also.
- Proverbs 17:14 “Starting to argue is like making a crack in a dam. So drop the matter before a fight breaks out.”
- Proverbs 17:19 “The one who loves to argue loves to sin.”
- Proverbs 17:27 “Anyone who has knowledge controls his words. A man who has understanding is not easily upset.”
- Proverbs 18:6 “What a foolish person says leads to arguing. He is just asking for a beating.” ("beating" is pretty harsh!)
- Proverbs 18:13 “To answer before listening is foolish and shameful.” We have talked a lot about listen before you speak and this was great confirmation.
- Proverbs 18:21 “Your tongue has the power of life and death.” We had a good discussion on speech that brings life (like encouragement, compliments, thank you, and "I love you" ) and death (being rude, name calling and cut downs, arguing, yelling at each other, etc.).
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Day of Firsts
I always take the day off of work for the first day of school and this year was not only fun but full of firsts:
1. Cooper's first day of kindergarten. He did great! He has Ms. Bradley this year and sits at a round table with four other children. We could tell that he was nervous going in and sitting down, but he settled in nicely and started coloring and sorting his crayons and markers. He is an expressive little boy and that's his best way of coping. We checked him again after we dropped Collin off (see #2) and he was doing great. At the end of the day, he really had fun in school and was off to a great start. Of course, the trip to Chuck E Cheese after his 11:30 dismissal from school was a big celebration and a great way to cap it all off.
2. Collin's first day of the 2nd grade. Collin is so laid back and easy going and school is now the norm so he did great. We are really excited about his teacher, Mr. Johnson. We have heard that he is a wonderful man of God and an excellent teacher. He does seem to focus on positive reinforcement and we really think that Collin will thrive under his teaching style. Collin is sitting by his best friend Bryce so that may or may not last but they were both pumped.
3. Caris' first tea party with just Dad. With the boys in school, I decided to spend some time one-on-one with my girl. She wanted to have a tea party with her new set that she got for her birthday (she just turned 2). This may have been my first tea party ever, definitely the only one I remember. She did a great job of setting the table, pouring, stirring, and serving. I had to help her realize that the sugar and cream containers weren't just big tea cups. She enjoyed it so much that we decided to make some real tea for her to try so we whipped some up with the real dishes.
4. Chris' first time for Chuck E Cheese and Burger Box on the same day. Collin got out of school at 3:00 and he wanted only Dad to pick him up. The first day of school we always do something special and he wanted our ole standby of Burger Box. After pizza at Chuck E Cheese, all I had was a chocolate shake. Burger Box is like Whataburger but better! They have Blue Bell ice cream and they make awesome shakes. I was so full, I don't think I had much dinner.
1. Cooper's first day of kindergarten. He did great! He has Ms. Bradley this year and sits at a round table with four other children. We could tell that he was nervous going in and sitting down, but he settled in nicely and started coloring and sorting his crayons and markers. He is an expressive little boy and that's his best way of coping. We checked him again after we dropped Collin off (see #2) and he was doing great. At the end of the day, he really had fun in school and was off to a great start. Of course, the trip to Chuck E Cheese after his 11:30 dismissal from school was a big celebration and a great way to cap it all off.
2. Collin's first day of the 2nd grade. Collin is so laid back and easy going and school is now the norm so he did great. We are really excited about his teacher, Mr. Johnson. We have heard that he is a wonderful man of God and an excellent teacher. He does seem to focus on positive reinforcement and we really think that Collin will thrive under his teaching style. Collin is sitting by his best friend Bryce so that may or may not last but they were both pumped.
3. Caris' first tea party with just Dad. With the boys in school, I decided to spend some time one-on-one with my girl. She wanted to have a tea party with her new set that she got for her birthday (she just turned 2). This may have been my first tea party ever, definitely the only one I remember. She did a great job of setting the table, pouring, stirring, and serving. I had to help her realize that the sugar and cream containers weren't just big tea cups. She enjoyed it so much that we decided to make some real tea for her to try so we whipped some up with the real dishes.
4. Chris' first time for Chuck E Cheese and Burger Box on the same day. Collin got out of school at 3:00 and he wanted only Dad to pick him up. The first day of school we always do something special and he wanted our ole standby of Burger Box. After pizza at Chuck E Cheese, all I had was a chocolate shake. Burger Box is like Whataburger but better! They have Blue Bell ice cream and they make awesome shakes. I was so full, I don't think I had much dinner.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Kids and stress
We are starting to see signs at our house that the kids are getting stressed about school (especially Cooper who will start Kindergarten). I did a little research at lunch to ensure that I'm doing my part as a Dad to help them deal with their stress and thought that I would document my findings here for everyone's benefit.
Here's a list of ideas for us as parents:
KidsHealth.org article
BabyArt.org article
Iowa State University Extension PDF
Here's a list of ideas for us as parents:
- Pray with them and share scripture.
- Reinforce their worth, their effectiveness, that we love them regardless, and their ability to take action.
- Help you child talk through it (what do they feel, why do they feel that way, what can they do about it, etc.). Don't be accusing or try to fix it (that's a reminder for me!) just listen and let them work through it.
- Encourage vigorous physical activity.
- Spend special one-on-one time.
- Give gentle physical touch/support (back rubs, hugs, etc.).
- Tell supportive stories or role play situations.
- Shift perspective (how do you think the other kids are feeling, what about the teacher, how do you think Daddy felt when I went through that type of situation).
- Help them anticipate and plan for a stressful situation. Help them think through the worst case scenario and then understand that it won't likely be that bad.
- Model coping successfully with stress.
KidsHealth.org article
BabyArt.org article
Iowa State University Extension PDF
Thursday, July 27, 2006
No more babies in my house!
Today is Caris' 2nd birthday -- happy birthday baby girl!
"Baby girl" is what I have called her for almost all of her young life but it doesn't really apply anymore. It's hard to believe that she is 2 years old. However, she's doing great with potty training and not in diapers anymore. She's so independent, talking better every day, smart, loving, just a ball of joy! There's not much about her anymore that even resembles a baby.
What a blessing to parent a girl after two boys. It's made me a much more well rounded dad that's for sure. Raising girls and boys are so different and we're only at the beginning. By the way, our boys love their sister to death! When Caris first came home they were such good brothers, but honestly we thought that it would wear off as she got older and started playing with their toys, cutting into their one-on-one time, and generally being the youngest. We couldn't have been more wrong! Those boys dote on her, love on her, get things for her, and generally treat her like the princess that she is. Caris truly is a treasure to our home and we are blessed that today she turned 2.
"Baby girl" is what I have called her for almost all of her young life but it doesn't really apply anymore. It's hard to believe that she is 2 years old. However, she's doing great with potty training and not in diapers anymore. She's so independent, talking better every day, smart, loving, just a ball of joy! There's not much about her anymore that even resembles a baby.
What a blessing to parent a girl after two boys. It's made me a much more well rounded dad that's for sure. Raising girls and boys are so different and we're only at the beginning. By the way, our boys love their sister to death! When Caris first came home they were such good brothers, but honestly we thought that it would wear off as she got older and started playing with their toys, cutting into their one-on-one time, and generally being the youngest. We couldn't have been more wrong! Those boys dote on her, love on her, get things for her, and generally treat her like the princess that she is. Caris truly is a treasure to our home and we are blessed that today she turned 2.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Half Birthdays
When my wife and I were first married, we took time to think through what we wanted to do as a new family. I brought some traditions from when I grew up and so did my wife, but as we started "our family" we wanted some things that were unique to us.
One idea that we have implemented with our kids is celebrating Half Birthdays. One of our goals as a family is to make each person feel special. Kids often use half years anyway for their age since they generally want to feel older. So, on each child's half birthday they get to invite over a friend for dinner and we bake a cake and have a special evening together. There are no presents allowed but we do silly things like cut the cake in half, only light half the candles, and sing only the first half of the birthday song (Hap birth t y, hap birth t y, . . . ).
I mention this because today is Collin's 7 1/2 birthday! My oldest son wanted chicken and dumplings for dinner and to invite his best friend Bryce over. We had a lot of fun and it was a special time for Collin.
One idea that we have implemented with our kids is celebrating Half Birthdays. One of our goals as a family is to make each person feel special. Kids often use half years anyway for their age since they generally want to feel older. So, on each child's half birthday they get to invite over a friend for dinner and we bake a cake and have a special evening together. There are no presents allowed but we do silly things like cut the cake in half, only light half the candles, and sing only the first half of the birthday song (Hap birth t y, hap birth t y, . . . ).
I mention this because today is Collin's 7 1/2 birthday! My oldest son wanted chicken and dumplings for dinner and to invite his best friend Bryce over. We had a lot of fun and it was a special time for Collin.
What my kids have taught me . . . (part 3)
* The arms of Father is the safest place to be. We have a two-story house and the kid's bedrooms are all upstairs. When the kids were younger and scared by thunder or wind during a storm, not even their blankets or each other would suffice to keep them calm. When I go upstairs and hold them or just lay in their bed for a few minutes, guess what? They go right back to sleep! When we face the stormy seasons of life, we may need more than our spouse, our savings account, our friends, our intelligence. We need to run to the arms of the Father and enable Him to be our comfort, provider, and sustainer. Psalm 31:2 "Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me." (Need a Bible study topic? Search just the Psalms for "fortress," "deliverer," "rock," "stronghold," "refuge," etc. and read in awe the promises your God has for you.)
* There is no greater sorrow than lack of fellowship. Traveling is hard when I have to leave my family, I ache after only a day or two. Just being around the kids, they will look up and smile at me. I remember when Cooper was a baby, I was feeding him one day and I left the room for just a minute to get him more food. When I came back around the corner, he had a worried look on his face and looked about to cry but when he say me and realized that I was coming back he looked at me and broke out in a big smile. Prayer and Bible study is God's fellowship with us. When I don't spend time in personal worship, prayer, and Bible study, I can tell the difference in my attitudes and actions. What's worse is that I know it grieves the heart of God when I don't spend time with Him.
* God knows everything before we do. My wife is nothing if not organized and she is a devoted scrapbooker. One of her best ideas was when she took a monthly calendar scrapbook page and put it on our refrigerator. On the calendar, she writes down the key events in our lives and she has a different color pen for each of the kids with their activities and their hilarious sayings. One thing written on the calendar right now is a reminder of when my daughter Caris (almost 2 years old) said "oo ah-ck Daee" (You rock Daddy). This was a great reminder to me of how God filled out the calendar of our lives before we were even born. He planned it all out ahead of time and knows the funny things that we will do and say even before it happens. He also knows the hurts that we have and how He will work it out in the end. Psalm 139:16b "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Return to Part 1
Return to Part 2
* There is no greater sorrow than lack of fellowship. Traveling is hard when I have to leave my family, I ache after only a day or two. Just being around the kids, they will look up and smile at me. I remember when Cooper was a baby, I was feeding him one day and I left the room for just a minute to get him more food. When I came back around the corner, he had a worried look on his face and looked about to cry but when he say me and realized that I was coming back he looked at me and broke out in a big smile. Prayer and Bible study is God's fellowship with us. When I don't spend time in personal worship, prayer, and Bible study, I can tell the difference in my attitudes and actions. What's worse is that I know it grieves the heart of God when I don't spend time with Him.
* God knows everything before we do. My wife is nothing if not organized and she is a devoted scrapbooker. One of her best ideas was when she took a monthly calendar scrapbook page and put it on our refrigerator. On the calendar, she writes down the key events in our lives and she has a different color pen for each of the kids with their activities and their hilarious sayings. One thing written on the calendar right now is a reminder of when my daughter Caris (almost 2 years old) said "oo ah-ck Daee" (You rock Daddy). This was a great reminder to me of how God filled out the calendar of our lives before we were even born. He planned it all out ahead of time and knows the funny things that we will do and say even before it happens. He also knows the hurts that we have and how He will work it out in the end. Psalm 139:16b "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Return to Part 1
Return to Part 2
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
July Scattershooting
Not much time to post, so here are the highlights:
* World Cup: I am so glad that Italy beat those Frenchmen! Collin even got into watching it with me.
* Church Budget: I'm on our church's Finance Committee and after a very interesting process (and a lot of work by our staff) we've almost got the draft budget worked out.
* Potty Training: Started yesterday with Caris -- she's so ready and doing great so far. Enough said on that topic.
* New Web Site: We rolled out a new Web site at work recently. Lots of good lessons learned and set up well for another related site in a few months. I'll share the URL next week most likely. I continue to be amazed at how strategic Web work should be to do it right.
* Speaking Engagement: I was asked to speak at a Church Leadership Conference. I'm honored and will post more about that later.
* World Cup: I am so glad that Italy beat those Frenchmen! Collin even got into watching it with me.
* Church Budget: I'm on our church's Finance Committee and after a very interesting process (and a lot of work by our staff) we've almost got the draft budget worked out.
* Potty Training: Started yesterday with Caris -- she's so ready and doing great so far. Enough said on that topic.
* New Web Site: We rolled out a new Web site at work recently. Lots of good lessons learned and set up well for another related site in a few months. I'll share the URL next week most likely. I continue to be amazed at how strategic Web work should be to do it right.
* Speaking Engagement: I was asked to speak at a Church Leadership Conference. I'm honored and will post more about that later.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Blessings for Awesome Parents
My good buddy from college just had a big party for his folks. They were turning 60 around the same time and their children all got together to honor them in a special way. We mingled with their parents friends (some drove from south Texas and elsewhere to be there) and my buddy and his sisters showed some pictures and had a toast. During the course of the evening, they did something that not many children do for their parents anymore -- they honored and blessed them! My friends parents developed a relationship with me and loved and cared for my wife and family. Their caring actions to "some friend of their son" was not unprecedented looking around the room at those that they have touched in a special way over the years.
I asked them to send me the text of the key piece of their presentation to their parents that meant the most to me. I can only hope that some day our children have reason to bless and honor us in a similar fashion. Read and enjoy. I intend to read this often and use it to "begin with the end in mind" as I parent our kids and look to the future.
"Our parents lived what they taught, setting a great example for us. They were involved in our lives, but gave us room to be ourselves. They provided boundaries, helping us learn to set our own. They checked out who our friends were and intervened when they didn’t like what they saw. Most of all, they did all these things to point us to Jesus and keep us on the straight and narrow path. It was often hard, and we would stray a few steps – but they would stop us before we went too far – and lovingly – yet firmly guide us back. As a parent now, I see how hard it is to let your child face the world without you (and I’m just talking about pre-school). What better way to prepare them for the inevitable pain and disappointment of the world than to show them the only ONE who will always face it with them.
Thank you for:
· Loving us
· Disciplining us
· Leading us, teaching us to follow and teaching us how to lead
· Providing for our needs…and our wants – often at your own sacrifice
· Teaching us about life, but most importantly about God and Salvation
· Guiding us to make wise choices and giving us room to do so
· Letting us learn from making bad ones too
· Making us go to church every Sunday – and stay awake and not talk during the service
· Choosing to send three kids to church camp and choir tour every summer, even though it meant not getting to go places you wanted to go.
· Loving our friends
· Knowing who our friends were (and their parents too)
· Giving us room to grow, but not letting us go too far
· Giving us rules and boundaries and letting us know when we crossed them
· Letting us have fun but also learn when to be serious too
· Teaching us what God says in the bible especially how much He loves us
· Living out what you were teaching
· For believing you were responsible to God for how you raised us – which affected everything you did, said, read and watched on TV.
And thank you for engaging in the one thing you can do for us no matter where you are or what you are doing – praying for us. Even in the last few weeks, we have seen God answer the prayer requests mom has shared with her BSF ladies. Most of all, we thank you for the foundation you provided us from God’s word – that has shaped who we are today."
I asked them to send me the text of the key piece of their presentation to their parents that meant the most to me. I can only hope that some day our children have reason to bless and honor us in a similar fashion. Read and enjoy. I intend to read this often and use it to "begin with the end in mind" as I parent our kids and look to the future.
"Our parents lived what they taught, setting a great example for us. They were involved in our lives, but gave us room to be ourselves. They provided boundaries, helping us learn to set our own. They checked out who our friends were and intervened when they didn’t like what they saw. Most of all, they did all these things to point us to Jesus and keep us on the straight and narrow path. It was often hard, and we would stray a few steps – but they would stop us before we went too far – and lovingly – yet firmly guide us back. As a parent now, I see how hard it is to let your child face the world without you (and I’m just talking about pre-school). What better way to prepare them for the inevitable pain and disappointment of the world than to show them the only ONE who will always face it with them.
Thank you for:
· Loving us
· Disciplining us
· Leading us, teaching us to follow and teaching us how to lead
· Providing for our needs…and our wants – often at your own sacrifice
· Teaching us about life, but most importantly about God and Salvation
· Guiding us to make wise choices and giving us room to do so
· Letting us learn from making bad ones too
· Making us go to church every Sunday – and stay awake and not talk during the service
· Choosing to send three kids to church camp and choir tour every summer, even though it meant not getting to go places you wanted to go.
· Loving our friends
· Knowing who our friends were (and their parents too)
· Giving us room to grow, but not letting us go too far
· Giving us rules and boundaries and letting us know when we crossed them
· Letting us have fun but also learn when to be serious too
· Teaching us what God says in the bible especially how much He loves us
· Living out what you were teaching
· For believing you were responsible to God for how you raised us – which affected everything you did, said, read and watched on TV.
And thank you for engaging in the one thing you can do for us no matter where you are or what you are doing – praying for us. Even in the last few weeks, we have seen God answer the prayer requests mom has shared with her BSF ladies. Most of all, we thank you for the foundation you provided us from God’s word – that has shaped who we are today."
Thursday, May 04, 2006
What my kids have taught me . . . (part 2)
* It's not What you do -- love is about Who you are and Whose you are! Love is not performance-based! I had never thought about it before we had kids, but we learned early on (thankfully!) to make discipline about their behavior only. "You are not bad, your behavior is bad." It is important for us to instill in them that our love is not based on their behavior since they can't do anything that would make us stop loving them. Instead our love is based on Who they are and Whose they are -- they are MY KIDS and I love 'em! God is the same way. I am thankful that he has infinite patience with my failures and is always willing to run to me when I return to him since His love is not about What I do but about Who I am (the man that He created) and about Whose I am (His child).
* Prayer should be our first resort not our last resort (God cares about every small detail). One time when Collin was a baby we were having a very difficult time feeding him. He was crying and fussy and just refused to eat. We tried everything under the sun! We knew that he was hungry and it was time for him to go to sleep for the night. It was either feed him now and have a good night or put him down and be up half the night starting this whole cycle over again. Finally, there was nothing left for us to do and we just sat there and prayed. It was one of those desperation prayers. You know the kind . . . GOD PLEASE! Within five minutes, Collin had calmed down and was eating well. We got him to sleep and we all slept through the night. This was just one more example of how we put off praying and use it as a last resort. God wants us to go to Him with all of our needs and make Him an integral part of our life. We shouldn't just include Him when all else has failed.
Return to Part 1
Monday, May 01, 2006
Kids Safety on the Web
An article in InformationWeek (dated today) gave the following tips to parents to help protect their kids online:
* No chat rooms, period.
* IM can only be with friends they know in person, not just in cyberspace.
* No sharing of full names, addresses, school names, cities, or phone numbers (even cell phones). There is probably more to add to this list -- comments?
* Talk to the kids about the reasons and dangers and help them understand that there is a balance between their privacy and your need to know what's going on. For help with the discussion, check out WiredSafety.org and NetSmartz.org (I have not personally check out these sites yet).
* Be careful about pictures posted to sites that could ID your child, be considered sexually appealing, or be embarrassing to anyone.
* Check to see if online profiles have a "privacy" setting that forces the owner to give permission before someone can view it.
I thought that this was interesting and I'll need this information in a few years. Any feedback (Care-bear or Linz?) or other thoughts even for adults on the Web (like me!)?
* No chat rooms, period.
* IM can only be with friends they know in person, not just in cyberspace.
* No sharing of full names, addresses, school names, cities, or phone numbers (even cell phones). There is probably more to add to this list -- comments?
* Talk to the kids about the reasons and dangers and help them understand that there is a balance between their privacy and your need to know what's going on. For help with the discussion, check out WiredSafety.org and NetSmartz.org (I have not personally check out these sites yet).
* Be careful about pictures posted to sites that could ID your child, be considered sexually appealing, or be embarrassing to anyone.
* Check to see if online profiles have a "privacy" setting that forces the owner to give permission before someone can view it.
I thought that this was interesting and I'll need this information in a few years. Any feedback (Care-bear or Linz?) or other thoughts even for adults on the Web (like me!)?
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
What my kids have taught me . . .
* It's always been hard to accept Jesus as Lord. In "kid language" we explained to the kids that "Lord" means that he's our "Line Leader" and we should go wherever he follows. Especially with two boys not far apart in age, our kids always want to be the line leader and dictate what movie they will watch, who gets to sit in the front of the van with their baby sister, etc. It’s hard to let someone else take the lead, but that’s exactly what God asks us to do. Let go and let Him carry out the perfect plan that He has for each of us.
* It's always been hard to rely on things that you can't see. Our kids love waffles for breakfast. Before we wanted them getting syrup all over them we would just spread butter on the waffles to give them more flavor. What happens when you spread butter on a hot waffle? Right, it melts! I remember vividly one morning when Collin (around 2 years old) brought his waffle back into the kitchen and said "Daddy, no butter." I told him that I had put butter on it, but he insisted that it wasn't there. When I realized why he thought that, I told him to taste it. When he put it into his mouth, he immediately walked back to the table and kept eating. In my time with God over those next few days, He recalled that scene over and over again to me. When I realized this lesson and began to let that truth sink in, I realized the ways that I didn't see God at work in my life when He was so evident. I also realized the difficulty others have at "seeing" God and believing in something/someone that they couldn't see with their own eyes. All we need do is look for the results, the evidence, the difference that He makes. O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
* “No” is a legitimate answer. “Why” is a legitimate question.
* You have to fall down a lot before you learn how to walk. You have to actually walk to learn how (you can't watch educational videos, talk about it, or think about it -- just do it).
Continue to Part 2
* It's always been hard to rely on things that you can't see. Our kids love waffles for breakfast. Before we wanted them getting syrup all over them we would just spread butter on the waffles to give them more flavor. What happens when you spread butter on a hot waffle? Right, it melts! I remember vividly one morning when Collin (around 2 years old) brought his waffle back into the kitchen and said "Daddy, no butter." I told him that I had put butter on it, but he insisted that it wasn't there. When I realized why he thought that, I told him to taste it. When he put it into his mouth, he immediately walked back to the table and kept eating. In my time with God over those next few days, He recalled that scene over and over again to me. When I realized this lesson and began to let that truth sink in, I realized the ways that I didn't see God at work in my life when He was so evident. I also realized the difficulty others have at "seeing" God and believing in something/someone that they couldn't see with their own eyes. All we need do is look for the results, the evidence, the difference that He makes. O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
* “No” is a legitimate answer. “Why” is a legitimate question.
* You have to fall down a lot before you learn how to walk. You have to actually walk to learn how (you can't watch educational videos, talk about it, or think about it -- just do it).
Continue to Part 2
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