“ Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations ” – Zig Ziglar My family and I had the opportunity to go to a friend’s cabin a few years ago. We were told it was not a very long drive to the turn off, followed by a few miles on a dirt road and we would reach the cabin. This sounded like a great opportunity and a fun time away with my family. We had packed up the trailer and had everything loaded when I finally received the GPS coordinates to the cabin. You can imagine

Winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each of these seasons brings on new and exciting possibilities, new memories to be made, and new activities to explore. They also hold many traditions and memories that we remember with fondness. Each of these seasons also brings the opportunity to gather. Gathering with family and friends; gathering wood to stay warm for the winter; gathering fresh blooms from the spring garden; gathering the harvest from a summer garden; gathering a team fo

Are you just  a parent? Or are you a parent ? Are you just  a mother or just  a father? Or are you a mother or a father ? Why the questions with the funny emphasis? Why begin an article with a bunch of questions? Good question. I’m glad you asked! The way we speak of parents today is quite different than it was 100 years ago. In times past, it was almost inevitable for individuals to grow up and become parents. You may grow up to do many different things, but becoming a pare

I am a hugger, but I haven’t always been. I grew up in a great family, but we simply didn’t hug very much. As the years went on and I had my own family, I became a hugger. I wanted my kids to find peace and safety within our home and let them know they always had a place in my arms to get away from what was bothering them. I started doing this with my siblings and parents as well. It was awkward at first, no one quite knew what to do with a hug. Over time they came to expect

I learned I might be praying to avoid the very things I needed A genie in a bottle. A magic carpet. These were supposed to be from the story of Aladdin, but one day I realized they were not entirely fictional—they described my prayers.   “Bless me and my family with safety today.”   “Bless me and my family to be healthy.”   “Bless us to have the money we need.”   “Please help [name] get better.”   “Bless us to have peace on earth.”   The above statements are common statements

Do you have a bucket list?  There are so many wonders in the world to read about and explore. I would say most, if not all of us desire experiences that enrich us and bring learning and joy. So, what is stopping you from doing some of these things? If you are like me, you may simply need to start writing these things down. I have thought of several things, but I have never actually made a list. It’s hard to accomplish a task or a goal if we never write it down. Writing it dow

A couple of weeks ago, I authored an article about not feeling ready to become a father, but my wife was due with the baby soon. I wanted to write a follow up article to talk about how the change has affected me. If you have not read the first article, it might enhance this story to read that article first. The main question that I pondered in the last article was if I was ready to be a father. Now I get to see the answer. At least, I have proven that I can be the father of a

A significant amount of my prayers have gone unanswered. I’ve always believed and hoped that God answers prayers. I have prayed many times in my life and have received answers and guidance at various times. However, I have also prayed at other times, and have not received the items I earnestly sought for. Many of my prayers have simply resulted in silence and more questions and doubts rather than in guidance, inspiration, or clarity. I don’t imagine that my experience is much

Remember when you were a child learning to ride a bike? You were so excited to get on that bike, whether it was new or used it didn’t matter, and you were finally going to be able to ride with your siblings or friends. You were a little unsteady at first, but then you began to understand how to balance and seem to be getting the hang of it! Suddenly, you find yourself on the ground with a scraped knee or hands. Instantly you seek help - someone to gently remove the debris, wi

Your Story Can Shape Others Our stories matter. Our experiences can shape the future, if we take time to record the things that actually helped make us who we are. The things that we thought about, cared about, and worked to achieve. We can leave a legacy through the records we make, and this can help our posterity or family at future points. I have always struggled with journal writing, as I have often viewed it as a record of mundane tasks that I did that day. However, I am