Be Careful With Your Tribe

Last week, I wrote about the value of prudently selecting your tribe members. Today, I write about who you should avoid being, being with, and the peril of indifference when selecting your companions. Our moms told us not to hang out with troublemakers because she feared us becoming one. My dad told me, “If you […]
Get By with a Little Help from My Friends

The words from a 1967 Beatles song remain true today, “Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.” While we can attempt to go it alone, we should not. We are born with less knowledge than a turtle that knows to crawl out of its sandy nest and use moonlight to find […]
Yes, Even When you Have Been an SOB

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]Me? You may have expected the person you most need to forgive is the parent who misshaped you during your formative years or the school bully who gave you an inferiority complex. Yes, they […]
Yes, Even While They are Still an SOB

Not a Chance You often hear, “I cannot forgive them until they say they are sorry.” Those who refuse to forgive until the offender expresses remorse, offers an apology, and makes amends do not understand the purpose or consequences of forgiveness and unforgiveness. The forgiver is forgiveness’s first beneficiary. The act of forgiveness releases the […]
Don’t Silence, Give Them a Megaphone

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]Sweet Land of Liberty?In a country proclaiming freedom of speech as one of its preeminent values, we seek to silence voices instead of listening to them.College students protest to cancel speakers with positions […]
Abdicating to the Squeaky Wheel

How Did We Get Here? When I tune into a conservative news outlet, I am bombarded by commentators spewing the most outrageous conservative positions and conspiracy theories. They rail against the ignorance, hypocrisy, and ill intentions of the left while extolling the virtues of the right. If I escape the echo chamber and turn the […]
Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones, But…

Words will never hurt me. Do they teach children this lesson anymore or has it gone the way of cursive? Today’s message is for all of us – those in need of a refresher and snowflakes. Admittedly, it is easier to more widely broadcast words today than when I learned this phrase 50+ years ago […]
Running From or Going Towards?

We tend to focus a good deal of our time and effort attempting to stop negative habits. We also have a significant emotional investment in them as our minds are plagued by awareness of the habit and pointed reminders every time it is indulged. Avoidance We typically implement techniques designed to avoid the activity or […]
Attaboy/girl for All the Right Reasons

What is the purpose of accolades and what do we do with them? Acceptance First, accept the compliment graciously by thanking the person who provided it. Often, we respond flippantly in an attempt at humility. Have you ever said, “Yes, the dress is pretty but it makes my butt look big” or “Yes, I finished […]
Keep Your Head Up or You Will Miss the Best Part

How did we get here? In an information age that has (i) morphed from two cans connected by a string to wireless connectivity reaching every corner of the globe, (ii) expanded from three network TV channels to hundreds of 24-hour cable/streaming channels, and (iii) social media networks with millions of accounts controlled by provocative influencers, […]