After church recently I was introduced to a first-time guest who spent about 40 minutes gently (that’s not sarcasm, he was very kind and low-key) informing me how inadequate the church was “for him.” At the end of our conversation, that man got to the point. He said, “Again, all of this is just me and myContinue reading “What’s On Your List?”
Category Archives: RELATIONSHIP STUFF
Looking for “My People”
The blog is doing well. Thanks to those of you who have supported my work, whether on the blog, on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or whatever. The blog was only for me for the first year or so, when it was more personal journal than anything else. Now it is for you. It is to helpContinue reading “Looking for “My People””
Achieving Work-Family Balance, prt. 2
In my last post I dealt with the fact that achieving work-family balance is a problem for both men and women. Today I want to deal with specifically how to achieve this balance. Men and women both begin achieving work-family balance by listening to their spouses. If you married a person of good will, your spouseContinue reading “Achieving Work-Family Balance, prt. 2”
Achieving Work-Family Balance, prt. 1
It is hard to achieve work/family balance Around 1996 I was flying out the door, in a hurry to get to work, as usual. Work was my great passion, perhaps my greatest passion. I had been a record store clerk for years before I became a pastor, and a groundskeeper before that. It feltContinue reading “Achieving Work-Family Balance, prt. 1”
Letting Go
Nothing is as difficult, or as necessary, as letting go. At this moment you are burdened by things from your past — damaging words, destructive arguments, hurtful parents and other role models, painful situations. These things build and build in your life, starting in childhood. You put them on the back burner so you canContinue reading “Letting Go”
Why Divorce Must Be An Option, Christian or Not
The power of choice Years ago I came to what felt like a dead-end in a job I had previously loved. As the months passed I grew more and more frustrated and would occasionally call a friend and complain to him about how miserable I was and how trapped I felt. I would go onContinue reading “Why Divorce Must Be An Option, Christian or Not”
Reflections on the Near-Suicide of my Daughter
Sunday (June 24) was a special day for us. One year ago Sunday, our lives were torn apart when we discovered that our youngest daughter, Anna, had taken a bunch of pills the previous evening with a serious intent to commit suicide. One year ago Sunday I was sitting next to her in theContinue reading “Reflections on the Near-Suicide of my Daughter”
Thoughts on humility, inspired by Green Day
Image courtesy of Globovision on Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons. Green Day Thanks to Green Day for inspiring me to think about humility today. While working on Twitter I was listening to Green Day’s album 21st Century Breakdown. I’m not a huge fan of the band, but I did enjoy their previous album American Idiot, soContinue reading “Thoughts on humility, inspired by Green Day”
A (Virtually) Guaranteed Way to Save/Improve Your Marriage
Photo courtesy of Gregory Jordan, under Creative Commons License Marriage research has come a long way in the last twenty years. Therapists used to try to save marriages by helping couples improve their communication and conflict resolution skills. Indeed, this is still what many therapists are doing to help marriages improve. The problem is, weContinue reading “A (Virtually) Guaranteed Way to Save/Improve Your Marriage”
My Worst Mistakes and Lessons from Them
Photo courtesy of elycefeliz on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License. We have all made mistakes. Hopefully we learn from them. Here are what I currently believe to be my biggest mistakes and what others might learn from them. Mistake #1. Getting married young I love my wife but getting married as young as we didContinue reading “My Worst Mistakes and Lessons from Them”
Temp Arbor 