*My wife motioned me down the hallway and placed an index finger over her lips. She wanted to be certain I was quiet as I approached my daughter’s bedroom. We each peeked into our daughter Marissa’s room. We made sure she could not see us but it didn’t matter, Marissa’s attention was focused on a…
Father’s Day was a few days ago and it got me thinking about my Dad’s “Sunday Drives”. On occasion after church, my father would drive around and show us the old neighborhood’s where he grew up. He surprised us on one of these drives when he pointed out all of the eighteen different houses where…
Grab the kids and pack up the car, it’s the perfect time for a family trip! I recommend a place that offers a little bit of everything and that is dear to my heart. Why not spend a long weekend in my old home town – Chicago. Chicago is the Midwest’s largest city and it…
Christmas Day is almost here. Santa will bring us all gifts and he can teach us some things too. Here are some things Santa has taught me! 1) The Importance of Being a Good Listener Santa listens well, if he didn’t people would not get what they wanted for Christmas. If you’re a good listener,…
Life can be tough for a kid that’s a short twerp. I was always one of the smallest kids in my class, so I was an easy target for bullies. Not only was I small, I had glasses and crooked teeth. For good measure I had a mop of hair and didn’t dress particularly…
Last year, I nearly spent my second Thanksgiving Day in the hospital. At the age of fifty two I went into full cardiac arrest ten days before Thanksgiving. I died temporarily, but God had other plans for me and I made a miraculous recovery. I was fortunate to be released from the hospital on Thanksgiving…
As a life long fan of the Cincinnati Bengals, I don’t like the Pittsburgh Steelers very much. They are rivals to the Bengals, so I automatically dislike them! A few weeks ago a player from the Steelers did something unusual that got my attention. The player, James Harrison asked his sons to return trophies they…
We have lived in our current home for nearly ten years. I like our neighborhood. It is quiet. The neighbors are polite and the street is safe. My street is lined with pine and oak trees. The street seems ideal, but something is missing. That something is the sound of kids playing outdoors. I seldom…
Our Pet Golden Retriever Emmy just turned eleven years old a few weeks ago. She is a great dog and a loyal companion. In honor of my dog Emmy turning eleven, I thought I would offer eleven benefits that owning a pet can bring to your children. Pets Provide Comfort Try snuggling with a…
I will never forget the kid, although I have forgotten his name.He was in the bed next to mine for a short time at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. We were both eleven years old. I was in intensive care recovering from major open heart surgery. He was in intensive care for another reason. He had…
