Jun 24, 2016 | Family, Marriage
My firstborn son is getting married this week. I’m filled with emotions: happiness, joy, relief, and can I say this without being judged… pride? As the big day approaches, memories flood my mind: I remember Aaron staring at me with his big brown eyes moments after his...
Mar 10, 2016 | Calling, Career, Family, Leadership, Marriage, Productivity, Rest, Stress, Uncategorized, Work
Back in the 70’s, Cheech & Chong put together a shtick entitled: Sister Mary Elephant. The good sister was substitute teaching for Sister Rosetta Stone, and the class’s assignment that particular day… report on their summer vacation. The first young man (in a...
Dec 30, 2015 | Calling, character, Family, friendship, Relationships, Uncategorized
Are you missional? Missional is a popular word in church circles today. It’s also a hotly debated word. Ed Stetzer writes: “Any discussion of missional cannot be complete without asking the question, ‘which missional?’” For me, a missional person is consistently on...
Dec 23, 2015 | Christmas, Contentment, Family, Relationships, Stress, Uncategorized
Christmas was magical to me as a young boy. The fresh-cut pine tree loaded with lights and ornaments; piles of snow outside; the Charlie Brown Christmas special; holiday kielbasa and raspberry cream pies; family gatherings; opening gifts; no school for two weeks… for...
Nov 25, 2015 | Beauty, character, Contentment, Family, friendship, Marriage, Relationships, Uncategorized
The Opalewski family has a tradition every year at Thanksgiving breakfast: we go around the table, and each person shares what they’re thankful for this past year. (I know… not too original.) I look forward to this tradition every year, because there are always some...
Nov 20, 2015 | Calling, Career, character, Contentment, Family, Leadership, Marriage, Pastor's Kids, Productivity, Relationships, Rest, Stress, Work
Wouldn’t it be great if all a leader needed to know was 3 things? Wouldn’t their lives be simpler? The truth is, a leader needs to know more than 3 things—one reason more books on leadership exist than we’ll ever be able to read in our lifetime. I’ve lost count of the...
