There is much more I can say about this.  
I determined early on my family’s development that I would always go to Sunday Church. I think the reason was this: that I wanted my kids to love the church, even in it’s glaring flaws and inconsistencies. Since that time, the Local Church has not been exemplary in its display of the biblical standard. Yet, we have rarely missed attendance over the years.

There is a growing interest in departing from the church along with its local manifestations. …

These are the words of David in response to God’s great promise of lovingkindness and an enduring house (2 Samuel 7.15-18).   What precipitated this gracious promise was David’s expressed desire to build God a house (2 Samuel 7.1-2).   In simple terms, David states that he is going to build a house for God, and God responds, “No, I will build a house for you.”  And this house, this Davidic dynasty, will endure forever.   “Death does not annul it; Sin cannot destroy it; time will not exhaust it” (2 Samuel 7.12-16).   …

Here is a quick letter I wrote to a young man turning of age…
Jackson, I always loved that name… Jackson. It just seems to me to be a Man’s name… Jackson. Like Jackson Hole, or Jackson Wyoming. Places where men are still men.

You know, you probably don’t even remember me. The last time I spent time with you, you were just a toddler. And toddlers don’t remember much… unfortunately.

Your dad has asked me to give you an analogy; an analogy of the attributes of a Leatherman …

Here is another story for my kids….
My family did a lot of skiing at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon.  I have such great memories of those weekends.  As good Catholics, we could not miss mass on Sunday without committing a mortal sin, so we would all march in to the local parish church for the early service with our “clodhopper” ski boots on and our shabby ski outfits,  ready to hit the slopes right after the 42 minute service.
On Saturday nights, in the old town of Bend, we would go …

Aside from great writers like CS Lewis,  Jonathan Edwards, John Piper,  and Timothy Keller,  I am an addicted reader of great commentaries on the Bible and am always in pursuit of more fine works.   I want to recommend a series that has gently and winsomely challenged me to a richer relationship with Jesus Christ.  And for those of you who worry about some commentators, Dale Ralph Davis is a Presbyterian!   His commentaries are inexpensive paperbacks that cover the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings.  …

My generation, the “baby boomers,”  have become the most affluent generation in the history of mankind.   With a vengeance, we have invested this new found wealth in an attempt to produce “trophy kids,” now called the “Millennial Generation.”
An October 21, 2008 article appeared in the Wall Street Journal, titled “Trophy kids go to work“  Ron Alsop gives an apt appraisal of what this “investment” has produced….
When Gretchen Neels, a Boston-based consultant, was coaching a group of college students for job interviews, she asked them how they believe employers view them. …

I married the most beautiful girl in the world on September 6, 1980.  She still loves her “fuddy duddy” husband who usually never has a clue.   She is remarkable in every way.

I like this song.  It seems that there are times in marriage that require a loving partner to wait for the other as we learn to walk in pace.

We said we’d walk together
Baby come what may
Back from the twilight
Should we lose our way
As we were walking
A hand should slip free
I’ll wait for you
Should I fall behind wait for …

I know there are plenty out there that are militant against what i am about to write, but here goes…
Years ago during a road trip, my kids’ attitudes were terrible; they were fighting and bickering as kids sometimes do; but it went too far.  So I pulled off the highway and found a roadside park where I lined all five of them up along a fence and proceeded to tell them that if they died right then – with their current attitudes – I had reason to believe they all …

Many of you who read this are young dads or moms. I hope you find this helpful.
Ask this question in front of a group of reformed Christians:  what is the nature of man? The initial response (although not always I must admit), is that man is depraved. No problem with that.  It’s a good start.  Yet man was also created in the image of God and this is crucially important for our children to understand.
I acknowledge that there is no merit in being image bearers; however in …

My good friend Jay Crowdus encouraged me to share this story.
Recently, one evening my wife and I were getting ready for bed, but the kids were still awake. I still have six kids at home ranging from 21 years old to my twins at 10 years.  They were all in the bedroom next to us.  My wife, knowing that it was getting late, called out to them to “get to bed!”  But I noticed something going on that numerous times has brought such delight and happiness to my soul, so …