(or a business, or a team, or a church, or, well, you get the idea…)
1. Work on collaboration (easier said than done).
2. Make yourself a part of the story.
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Family
As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, I was blessed to have a father who actually wanted to be a dad and inspired me to want to be one. I’m even more blessed to have three adult children who also wanted to be parents. This video was my son’s beautiful way of expressing that, and I wanted you to see it. It’s only two minutes long, but I think you’ll agree it’s worth the time. (If you’re seeing this on the email or RSS feed, you may have to click on a link either to the embedded video or to the post title).
I have included his script below. [click to continue…]
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Cohen's first shower. Guess what he said when I told him it was time to get out?
My oldest grandson turns two this week.
I think he’s already been practicing.
Cohen has been staying with Papa and Grammy for the last few days because his six-week-old baby brother is in the hospital with a bad case of RSV.
For the most part everybody is weathering the temporary adjustment. But “the most part” wasn’t around at 7:00 yesterday morning.
Typically when he wakes up at first, he can be, um, “encouraged” to go back to sleep by putting him in our bed. Only this morning a certain somebody decided to turn over and douse my side of the bed with 20 gallons of soak-through.
Awesome.
So… changed diaper in place… You want to watch cartoons?
No.
No, Cohen, don’t touch that. Want some milk?
No.
No, Cohen, don’t throw the pillows. Want some banana?
No.
No, don’t throw your food on the floor. Want some apple? [click to continue…]
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You entered our world today – January 5, 2012 – a little early, but with no shortage of anticipation, excitement and joy. We have known for some time that your big brother Cohen would be sharing playing time with a little brother. But that’s not the same as being able to see you, hold you, delight in you, and brag on you to the world.
Game on.
Let the seeing-holding-delighting-bragging begin!
The world you have been born into is a strange and beautiful place. Right now in places like New Hampshire and South Carolina, Republican presidential candidates are courting actual votes of real people in primaries, after spending a year courting poll results and press attention. All of that for the privilege of challenging President Barak Obama in this November’s election. [click to continue…]
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Ladieeeees and Gentlemen! Boys and girls of all ages! It’s the ultimate prophetic showdown since Elijah and the prophets of Baal!
And I’ve never been so nervous in all my life.
In that corner, at 3 years of age and weighing in at 35 pounds or so, from McKinney, Texas, it’s Laura Kate Wiley.
In this corner, at 53 years of age and weighing in at none-of-your-business, from Mobile, Alabama by way of Lubbock, Texas, it’s yours truly.
I come armed with a theological degree and lots of really useful ministry experience. She comes armed with a Big Picture Story Bible and can sing from memory all four stanzas of “Joy to the World,” the Doxology, and another two dozen hymns and praise choruses.
But this throwdown isn’t about lyrics or words or theology. It’s about boys and girls. And what’s coming home from the hospital in July.
See, about a year or so ago I “prophesied” that all the rest of the grandchildren would be boys – and that it would take that many boys to keep up with the one her mom calls the Big Sasster. So far… so good.
After Baby Cohen (boy) came Baby Shepherd. Check. [click to continue…]
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“I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Given my history with that kind of meeting request, I’m embarrassed to admit that my first instinct was to brace for bad news. And given the fact that it came from my father-in-law, of all people, made me think I must really be in trouble.
What in the world could he possibly want? What was so serious? I started collecting a mental inventory of possibilities. And in my head, started apologizing before I ever knew what the “something” was.
Turns out, apologies weren’t on the agenda.
Harlan Willis is one of the most tenderhearted, godliest men I know. He has followed Christ since the age of 10, and committed himself to the Lord to become a medical missionary at the age of 15. Both were profound experiences, and as a result, he invested a huge portion of his life to serving Christ and advancing the gospel in Thailand – and now for years in West Texas, where, at age 82 he is still practicing medicine and sharing Jesus.
But for years something has nagged him. Bothered him since his teenage years. That something has been the impression that he should be baptized. Again.
And that’s what he wanted to talk to me about. And he wanted me to do it.
Didn’t make sense.
For years he wondered if it was just the devil.
That didn’t make sense, either
But he couldn’t do it in Thailand! What would the people there think? What would the other missionaries think?
He couldn’t do it back in Texas. What would the people in the church think?
This wasn’t a case of getting his baptism out of order, as often happens when people are baptized who really don’t understand what it is they are responding to in the gospel.
He knew. Age 10. And baptism came later.
But yet… here was this feeling. This call. [click to continue…]
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They spend the first fifth of their lives exposing rookie parents
To the uncharted waters of raising adults.
They accept without much discussion the role of
Domestic Prime Minister or House Speaker –
While they’re idolized by younger siblings
And held to higher standards by parents. [click to continue…]
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Dear Jackson,
You entered our world today, July 14, 2011, the firstborn of a very excited and grateful Mom and Dad (weary, too, but who cares?). Every Daddy and Mommy are excited about the birth of a baby. But I have never met a man more ready, more yearning, more longing to see his son than your father. Just last night he told us on the phone, “I’m not worried – just anxious.” Believe me, you were worth the wait. To him. To your Mommy. To all of us.
Already, in the short time we have held you, watched your first bath and all the other things that go with saying hello to a newborn, you have filled our hearts. I wonder if you’ll always like having your hair washed like you did that first time. I wonder if, when you’re my age, you’ll have hair to wash, but we can talk about that later.
That was your Grammy who was doing all the galloping (yes, galloping) and hooting over you. [click to continue…]
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“Joel Andrew Wood! I call you to walk with me in Integrity, Responsibility, and Accountability, and to join me in this community of men!”
There, through a line of tiki torches and a longer gauntlet of whooping, encouraging, cheering men walked my son. For fourteen years I had been his hero. Tonight he would be mine.
As he reached the end of the double line where I was standing, I placed a special necklace around his neck that he has to this day. Then I turned him to face those men and said some of the most powerful words I have ever spoken: “Gentlemen, this is Joel Andrew Wood, my son, in whom I am well pleased.”
I have always lived with the honor of walking in my own father’s unconditional favor – even when he didn’t always approve of my choices. On this night 11 years ago, I had the greater honor of publicly declaring that same kind of blessing over my son.
A Fatherless, Manless Culture
Ours may be the only culture that has no formal point where a boy becomes a man. [click to continue…]
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(The Further Adventures of Eugene Davis, Sophomore Christian)
“I’ve found it!”
I looked up from my desk to see the beaming face of Eugene Davis, my favorite sophomore Christian. Eugene had been following Christ less than two years, but had shown considerable growth during that period.
Trouble was, he knew it.
His zeal for new knowledge was refreshing. But his impatience with others and the seriousness with which he took himself could be annoying.
“Must be another evangelism gimmick,” I thought to myself as I asked politely, “Found what?”
“I’ve found THE sign of a good parent.”
Now I had learned not to be surprised at anything that came from Eugene’s mind, and since I had recently started teaching a class in effective parenting, he succeeded in getting my attention. I thought I had heard them all – unconditional love, “I messages,” eye contact, firm discipline, etc. – but no conference or seminary class had ever prepared me for this. [click to continue…]
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