IT IS A BIG DEAL!

Our daughter graduated from college this past weekend. We will continue to celebrate her excellent four-year tour at Oral Roberts University. She finished with Honors, Summa Cum Laude from the best elementary education program in the country. As you know, from following tweets or Facebook, we are very proud and so pleased for her. She worked hard. Very hard.

Nicole has exemplified these verses in Proverbs (23:22-25): “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old “ (I’m sure she won’t when I am). "Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy!”

Every part of this graduation has been full of joy . . . probably more for her than anyone! But I can say that in this transition in her life, we have no regrets, no tears, no looking back. She is completing everything the Lord has for her . . . right on time, step after step. It is fun to watch, actually.

In some ways, we are amazed at how quickly these four years have come and zipped by. But so thankful for the depth of the experiences.

Parents, encourage your kids to keep moving toward the goal . . . to keep on learning, pushing, dreaming. This generation sees and knows things we have not been programmed to see the same way. They have answers for their generation (and some for ours too).

We are raising some smart, intuitive, discerning kids. They have been empowered to change some things. You are doing a good job if they think they can.

And they really can.

Congratulations to our son who is now a College Sophomore – and again to Nicole. She’s a great elementary school teacher – and we are all looking forward to meeting her first students!

He went west, She went east

I’ve been reading Carl Sandburg for the past few days. I don’t read or study many poets, but he is definitely one of my favorites.

This poem – short as it is – has made me think and ponder much since I read it.

One Parting by Carl Sandburg

Why did he write to her,
“I can’t live without you”?
And why did she write to him,
“I can’t live without you’?
For he went west, she went east
And they both lived.

Whether with someone, or without someone, I hope you are living. Really living. You can, you know.

No Way to Win? Really, Ladies?

Ladies and Gentlemen … be warned -- If this is not funny to you, you may need to talk out a some things. Oh. And stop being so touchy!



(The above video was created by my friend Pastor John Voelz from Jackson, Michigan - www.johnvoelz.com)

We’ve all had those conversations that only get worse the longer they go. You know what it’s like when you just keep talking and digging a hole that seems to get deeper and deeper. You want to stop and explain, and that only makes it worse. And yet, not explaining seems irresponsible?

Sometimes, it's best to just stop talking. Call a truce. Call it being human. Call it done. Someone, just Call It!

And as crazy as this video seems -- ladies, we have all been there in some form or fashion. So, it's really up to us most of the time to stop the madness! It's okay. We're human - and nobody knows it better than the men closest to us!

And I for one, am glad they do!

(Thanks John for a great video - hope you get many views!)