Several years ago, my father’s oldest brother passed away and I was asked to conduct his funeral. I gladly agreed and spent a couple of days in Michigan with my Gilbert relatives. This was a bit awkward. Although we had a fairly close relationship with my Uncle Wayne, the rest of the extended family … [Read more…]
I am sorry to bring up a negative topic, but I have been thinking about the virus that spread throughout the world over the past few years. When it was at it’s peak in 2020, it impacted everything we did, from how we did our jobs, the way we unpacked our groceries, and even … [Read more…]
I do not know if this has ever happened in your home, but there have been times when my wife has asked me to do something for her and I agree with every intention of fulfilling her expectations. However, things happen, and distractions come, and I do not do what I said I would … [Read more…]
A few years ago, a financial planning company ran an ad that showed people walking around a city carrying large models of various dollar amounts. It then asked the question, “What is your number?” The purpose was to have the audience think about the amount of money they needed to accumulate before they could … [Read more…]
Have you ever heard the phrase, “A watched pot never boils?” Well, of course it will eventually, but the point is simply this. The greater the expectation level of an event, the harder it is to watch and wait for it. Like many children, I remember one of the hardest times to wait … [Read more…]
A few years ago, my wife and I were invited to watch one of our grandchildren at her gymnastics class. These little girls were flipping all over the mats. It was amazing to see how fearless they were and how well they were doing at mastering these exercises. There was one of those … [Read more…]
I will occasionally read a mystery novel and one of the first questions the detectives ask when they interview the family of the victim is this, “Did he have any known enemies?” I do not know if this happens in real life or simply in fiction, but the implication is clear, enemies can be … [Read more…]
When I was first out of high school, I spent about a year working for a contractor who was doing new home construction. He built custom homes and one of the main selling points was how well they were insulated. Everything else was sub-contracted except for the insulating of the house, and that was … [Read more…]
In his book, “The Five Love Languages”, Gary Chapman suggests that different people give and receive love in diverse ways. Some find the giving of gifts to be important. For others, it is simply spending time together. Acts of service communicate love to many. Hearing words of affirmation or a simple touch speaks love … [Read more…]
As children, we were taught words or phrases that good boys and girls say at the appropriate time. Of all the words and phrases we were encouraged to repeat as children, the one most often said with the least amount of sincerity was, “I’m sorry!” Do not get me wrong, I said those words … [Read more…]