Familiarity breeds contempt. Spend more time with someone and you'll get jaded. You'll take things for granted, and get angry over smaller things. Hot buttons will emerge. They'll be easier to punch as time goes on. This is probably why marriage can be so hard. It's easier to forgive the waitress who screwed up your food order than it is the wife who forgot to put the cap back on the toothpaste ... again. Grace doesn't dwell well in a world of presumed outcomes. We force grace out of … [Read more...]
Reach out and touch someone
January 23, 2012 by
More people are watching porn than ever before. A recent poll showed that 79% of people are consuming porn nowadays. It was in the 30% range in 1983. The studies also show people are having less sex. They are masturbating more. We are a lazy species. We will do the thing that costs us the least. Contact and direct interaction are expensive. They require real-time emotional engagement. They require processing of non-verbal nuance. They require empathy and awareness. This is one … [Read more...]
Where do you pledge your allegiance?
January 7, 2012 by
I just finished the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. There were some interesting facts. Some I knew. Others were new (to me). I learned a few things. Here's what learned: the pledge was written by socialist it was written over a century after the Constitution was ratified, in 1892 it was written as a marketing campaign part of a flag giveaway promotion to increase magazine sales for The Youth's Companion it did not include any reference to God Under God was added in … [Read more...]
How nourishing is your life?
January 5, 2012 by
Ellie, the younger twin, was fighting the bottle. She'd take the nipple. Chew and suck. Then spit out milk and pout. It was frustrating. Jen took her. Ten minutes later the bottle was emptied. I asked Jen what she did to make Ellie eat. She told me. I barely believed her. She did it again the next time. It worked. And it still does. Jen encouraged Ellie. She'd tell her in a sweet voice how good she was being and what a good little eater she was. Ellie ate. No … [Read more...]
How are you preparing for the parade?
December 28, 2011 by
We looked at each other. The babies crying in the background. "Should we respond?" We created a routine to help the babies learn to sleep. Sometimes that meant letting them cry for a few minutes. It was hard. Very hard. On Christmas Eve, we woke up. The babies slept through the night. 9 weeks old (5 weeks based on full term). Mission accomplished! I'd mention we wanted the babies to sleep through the night as our Christmas present. People would scoff at me. They told me I … [Read more...]
What road are you on?
December 27, 2011 by
"You have to see they have good will.", Jen said to me. I said, "Hitler had good will!" In most circumstances, people are acting with good intentions. I have become more controlling since our babies arrived. It's annoying. Jen demonstrates great restraint and patience with me as I tell her how to do something. I'm being more controlling because my intention is to produce the best possible outcome. Some parents beat their kids with good intentions, "I'm only doing this so you'll … [Read more...]
All I want for Christmas is…
December 25, 2011 by
Jen's whispered, "C'mon. It's time to feed the babies." All I want for Christmas is for my babies to sleep through the night. I've told so many people that my Christmas present would be the twins sleeping through the night. These were typical responses: "Keep dreaming...." "My babies are a year old. They still don't sleep through the night." "That's not going to happen." "Good luck with that..." Not encouraging words. They're actually the complete opposite. The people … [Read more...]
‘Twas the Day Before Christmas
December 24, 2011 by
This one is different. Times have changed, so have we. There's no tree. No garland. No decoration. No lights. Instead we have two babies who have overflowed our lives. We have joy. We have frustration. We have laughter. We have tears. Times we want to run away to Canada. And times we're drawn nearer. We've been challenged. We've been tested. Plenty of times we have failed. Time and again, love, faith and hope prevails. It's overwhelming. It's daunting. It's made me … [Read more...]
When do you strike?
December 23, 2011 by
The thought struck me. It came out of nowhere. "This guy had a huge impact on my life, I should write him a note." I had a decision to make at that point ... Click "Compose New" and shoot the thought and sentiment his way. Find some stationary and write it out then and there. Or put it on a to do list. I clicked "Compose New" I wrote a two line email. I told him that I appreciated his encouragement, support and inspiration. He really played a key role in a wide range of my life. … [Read more...]
