Tag Archives: Fatherhood

Posted on

He Must Increase

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30 ESV

This scripture has been on my mind a lot recently. It’s a challenging principle to embody. While we may outwardly express a desire for God to take center stage, there’s often an internal murmur hoping for our own elevation too.

“Hey, God. I want you to increase. But, if I could increase a little as well that would be great.”

This tension magnifies when you’re an author striving to both write and promote your work. In an industry where building a platform is crucial, humility and contentment become the elusive virtues we all seek.

Too much success can lead us to erect personal empires, while too little can trigger jealousy, causing us to undermine others’ accomplishments.

My aspiration as a writer is to capture the hearts of young boys and men who are disenchanted with reading. I want to turn their apathy into a love for storytelling.

Yet, when they follow me, on social media, my blog, etc. I don’t want them to see a cultural warrior steeped in politics or riveting with anger. I want to aim for them to see a reflection of Jesus. Have I succeeded in that?

So, how does one sideline their ego? How do you arrive at a point where you’re comfortable with being sidelined yourself?

It’s a tough conundrum.

At the end of the day, our mission as authors should be to inspire thoughts that lead people closer to Jesus.

Do my stories do that? Does my presence?

Posted on

The Art of Mindful Listening

There was a moment in my life when I realized the extraordinary power of simply stopping and noticing. It was as if a hidden switch had been flipped, illuminating sounds I had been oblivious to. These sounds, though always there, had been overshadowed by the constant noise in my mind.

photo of ocean during golden hour
Photo by Nicole Avagliano on Pexels.com

Our daily lives have become an endless battle against stillness and presence. We find ourselves separated from the tranquility we need, consumed by the digital world and our own repetitive thoughts. Whether it’s scrolling through social media, checking emails, or automatically reaching for headphones when we walk, we rarely give ourselves a moment of silence.

I’m not talking about the new-age hipster type of meditation. I’m talking about actually shutting off the noise and listening.

The idea of breaking free from this cycle might seem daunting, but the solution can be surprisingly simple: listening.

Taking the time to intentionally listen opens a gateway to a world filled with beauty, and a reality that’s always evolving. This isn’t just a theoretical concept – it’s something you can try right now.

Why not gift yourself a 30-second pause? Wherever and whenever you’re reading this, take a brief moment to listen. Hear the sounds around you and let yourself be present in the moment.

By engaging in mindful listening, we reconnect with the world and ourselves, uncovering the beauty that is always there but often hidden by the chaos of our thoughts. Try it, and embrace the calm and connection that await you.

Posted on

Happy 9th Birthday

Wishing Hobbit Two a Happy 9th Birthday today!!! This crazy gamer is growing up way to fast!!! I don’t like it!!!

This is always a crazy weekend here in our house as it involves back to school, my birthday, and our youngest birthday. My amazing wife navigates the weekend like a warrior in a minefield bending over backwards to make each day special and meaningful.

Posted on

Mondays Stink!!!

Ah, Mondays. The day of the week that nobody looks forward to. The day when the weekend is over and the workweek begins. The day when coffee is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Yes, Mondays stink. And if you’re anything like me, you probably feel like you need an IV drip of coffee just to get through the day- To quote Lorelai Gilmore.

happy coffee
Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

But why do Mondays have to be so terrible? Maybe it’s because we’ve spent the last two days living it up, and now we’re paying the price. Or maybe it’s because Mondays are just inherently cursed. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that Mondays are the worst.

For starters, getting out of bed on a Monday morning is an uphill battle. You’re groggy, disoriented, and you’ve probably hit the snooze button on your alarm at least five times. And when you finally do manage to drag yourself out of bed, you’re hit with the realization that you have an entire week of work ahead of you. Ugh.

Then there’s the commute. Whether you’re driving or taking public transportation, Mondays always seem to bring out the worst in people. Drivers are more aggressive, commuters are more irritable, and everyone seems to be in a rush to get to their jobs. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll spend the entire commute fantasizing about all the different ways you could quit your job and become a professional trout bum.

But let’s not forget about the actual work. Mondays are usually filled with meetings, emails, and catching up on everything you missed over the weekend. And even if you managed to get some work done over the weekend, it’s never enough. You’re always playing catch-up on Mondays, and it feels like you’re constantly behind.

And then there’s the coffee. Oh, the coffee. Without it, Mondays would be even more unbearable. But even with it, Mondays still suck. You’re constantly refilling your mug, trying to stay awake and alert, and praying that the caffeine kicks in soon. And if you’re really desperate, you might start fantasizing about that Gilmore IV drip of coffee we mentioned earlier.

But hey, it’s not all bad. Mondays can be a great excuse to procrastinate. You know you should be working, but instead, you’re scrolling through social media, watching funny cat videos, and reading blogs about how much Mondays suck. And who knows, maybe you’ll even find some inspiration for your next meme or TikTok video.

And let’s not forget about the silver lining. Once you make it through Monday, the rest of the week will be a breeze. Well, maybe not a breeze, but at least it won’t be Monday. (Unless you’re like I was like week and have a week of Mondays.) And before you know it, the weekend will be here again, and you’ll have two whole days to do absolutely nothing.

So there you have it. Mondays suck, but they don’t have to be the end of the world. Embrace the coffee, procrastinate a little (or a lot), and remember that the rest of the week is just around the corner. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll all have access to that IV drip of coffee we’ve been dreaming of. Until then, let’s just try to survive Mondays one week at a time.

Posted on

Shut Up and Just Listen

At the height of my struggle with anxiety, I remember how pompous some people were. Okay, pompous is too strong of a word. They meant well. But I remember telling a few people I was struggling, and the first thing a few did was quote scripture back to me. Now don’t get me wrong, scripture is comforting. It is life-changing. But what I needed in those moments was not for someone to offer words of wisdom or to quote scripture I already knew. What I needed at that moment was for someone just to listen.

woman sitting on wooden planks
Photo by Keenan Constance on Pexels.com

That’s the hard part. When you struggle and we scream out for help, it often feels like no one wants to listen. And even as I type this, I know that I as well suck at this. I suck at listening. When my wife was at the tip of dealing with hurt from toxic leaders in our church we were attending- I sucked at listening.

One of my goals this year is to offer less advice and try and listen when someone is hurting. Sometimes that is what people need more, and sometimes that is the last thing we think to offer.