Reading Time: 5 minutesThough Tonia may not ever verbalize it (Most times she doesn’t), I believe she still wants, needs, and expects me to fight for her, rescue her, sacrifice and spill my life for her, in some very particular ways.
Reading Time: 2 minutesWhen Tonia encourages me, she breathes new life into my soul. This relational breath makes me feel like I have the strength to knock down mountains for her. Her words and affirmation of who I am and who God created me to be are like water in dry places. Over the past 21 years, Tonia has encouraged me in some particular ways.
Reading Time: 2 minutesIt is true that parents sometimes provoke their children to anger, but it is equally true that sometimes children dishonor their parents. Earlier this week I blogged about some common ways parents provoke their children to anger. The post sparked a lot of conversation among parents and children. A couple people asked me about the first part of Ephesians 6, where Paul commands children to obey and honor their parents. This is a follow-up post to the one written earlier. Now, posting a list like this is not designed to make children or parents feel guilty, but to help us know where we are, see our mistakes, ask for grace and to become 5% better. So, here are 21 common ways children dishonor their parents.
Reading Time: 2 minutesAs a parent, I make my children angry more than I care to admit. If you are honest, you do too. So, a couple of weeks ago, I disobeyed Ephesians 6:4, a clear command in Scripture – I provoked one of my children to anger. This incident got me to thinking about other ways parents provoke their kids to anger.
Reading Time: 3 minutesNo family is immune to a crisis. At some point in time, every family will be at a critical juncture in their lives. When families face a crisis, many tend to respond hysterically, with emotional breakdowns, panic attacks, and acting out old habits. Also, some experience loss of sleep, loss of weight, isolation, and even depression. I am convinced that this does not have to be your story.
Reading Time: 4 minutesMy mother’s sudden death several months ago shocked, grieved, crushed, and inspired new life in me at the same time. We were about to tee off on the last hole when I reached in my golf bag to check my phone. I was alarmed when I saw that I had at least ten missed calls and messages. Nervous about returning the calls, I finally forced my fingers to call my wife. As soon as she answered the phone, I knew something was wrong.
Reading Time: 4 minutes“I don’t feel close to you this week.” These were the words my wife spoke to me while we were lying in bed the other morning. These words stabbed and seem to slice a major artery. Though she probably didn’t mean it this way, it felt like she was accusing me of causing the present distance in our relationship. This was surprising to me because we had been talking all week long. So, what was she talking about that she didn’t feel close and connected to me? What else could I do to connect with my wife?