Kids: Why Don’t We?
Children are amazing. Children are precious. Children are the gems of life.
I know a great many people and I mix with ever-growing circles in society through my work. During these moments, I get to know the personal side of folks from all over the planet.
The one thing I look for, to see how well we will be able to connect on a personal level, is what they think of children. It’s key.
It will tell you how they think of the world, how determined they are according to being of service or selfishness and it tells me how committed they are to their fellow human beings. These are all critical factors in my line of work, and my beloved children have given me the key.
How do you feel about children?
Are they an inconvenience, or do they make your heart sing, your lungs fill with laughter and you mind twist to follow them through the uncharted waters of their imagination? Do you take advantage of seeing the world again for the very first time and living life from a view free of judgment, cruelty and malice?
Try it sometime, it’s bliss.
Children make everything worthwhile and give my own live extreme value. They are the motivating factor of my existence and the power that allows me to get up one more time…and to reach for the impossible.
I feel sorry for the selfish and ignorant who choose not to have children.
…for those of you who have been denied children, you’re in my prayers.
Read MoreDaughter #8
Being apparent is one of the greatest blessings of life. To have best friends born to you as children, to have the opportunity to teach, care for, protect and rear the next generation of the world is a daunting task. However, nothing compares to the new arrival of a child.
My daughter Wynnie arrived this week, daughter number eight. The children were all hoping for another brother, but I watched that perfect little infant turn the hearts of her brothers in moments. They couldn’t be more proud and Simon was beside himself with glee, especially when Wynnie popped him a sweet smile with wide open eyes.
God Bless all of you parents out there, especially if you’re about to have your first child. It’s a challenge, it’s a ride you won’t forget and if you do it right, it’ll be the best experience of your life.
Read MoreA Fathers Pride.
Dear Children,
I cannot tell you enough how proud I was of you tonight. Each and every one of you, down to Simon and Carley. Spending the time with Cindy and Roger Anthony was enjoyable, but you proved to me altogether that my faith in you was well placed. The way each of you conducted yourself and took care of the little ones. Not that it was unusual, but it felt as if I watched you through different eyes tonight and it touched my heart. You made me smile in all you did and I felt a deep pride in my family.
In short, I was honored to be your father.
Not many parents can say such a thing. It’s an aspect of society that I fear will never change until parents learn that their own children should not rule over them and they gain the respect and obedience of their children. Not that they should be tyrants, but can any of you deny my love? Can any of you deny my deep devotion and protection, even though I rule by a strict standard? Do I raise you without compassion? Without joy and laughter? Without considerable freedom and privileges?
I know it’s hard to see why there are so many rules…that is, until you find yourself in those situations in life which make your knees shake and you heart faint. It’s then that you find the rules of our family keep you safe as a natural consequence of your obedience. Just know that it’s always hard, even as an adult, to know why some boundaries are placed.
I can see the impression you make on others when you behave like you did tonight. Not just on the adults, who envy your mother and I and encourage their children to befriend you, but also on your peers. As you openly adhere to your family standards and bring honor to your parents they feel drawn to you. They marvel and yet, when they see the pride and the appreciation your mother and I have for each of you, many of them seek that same relationship and that same experience with their own parents and they are happier for it.
Did you realize you have that power and influence for good, simply because you truly honor your father and your mother?
There are times I worry for your welfare. I wonder if you’re really listening to what your mother and I are trying to teach each of you. Then we have an activity such as this, where you have free reign to be open, boisterous and you unknowingly do me such honor and touch my heart by proving yourselves to be the children every parent wish they had.
I love you. I thank you.
It is so amazing that God would send my best friends to me as my children.
With all my Love,
Your Father
Read MoreOpinions
Dear Children,
The world is filled with people who have different views than you do.
Yes, you may know this, but it’s wise to stop and ponder this subject in depth. I promise you that a close examination will prevent many heartaches and help you understand yourself as well as those around you. Friends, family, a love, a stranger, an employer, a political figure, a religious leader. This is a skill to serve you well if you will listen with both mind and heart.
It is perfectly ok to have a different opinion than others, even if you part without common ground. You know this from your interactions with myself and your mother. We have always respected your views when talked about in rational and calm tones. You have heard me walk through my decisions, giving a plan path for you to follow in how the decision was justified in my own mind. Rarely have you disagreed once the process was laid before you. Why? Because, I believe, you all have rational minds and a natural love for the truth. You know we love you and want the best for you. We want you to use your minds, your hearts and to reason out thoughts and paradigms placed before you.
Don’t be surprised, however, if people disagree with you and passionately too.
The challenge in discussing any opinion, according to my own rational mind, is whether it is based on fact or feeling. This is an important distinction, because I truly believe a feeling is not wrong. It may be wrongly placed, based on false information, but in and of itself, its simply what we feel or allow ourselves to feel. Anger, fear, sadness and others are simply results of how we process the information in our minds, or rather the interpretation of that information. Feelings unfortunately become our religion in many instances, holding them tight to our hearts, shouting our pain and the troubles to the world. Yet in that pain and emotion, we may lose sight of the facts, the actual truth of the matter and seek to change the circumstances to lend credibility to our initial outbursts. We want our feelings validated, both men and women to a certain degree, though I believe men gravitate more to side stepping embarrassment rather than validation.
This is a slippery slope, to speak your heart without researching and working out the facts in your mind to accompany them. Many discussions I have been privy to have ended badly with parties offended, because I seemed cold, while the debating parties rambled on in their righteous indignation, silenced in the end by simply bringing up rational questions about their nasty, aggressive emotional babbling.
Be very careful when you have strong emotional feelings, even if you are convinced they are right. Let your strong emotions lend strength to the actual truth, not the reverse. Words form easily in the heart of anger or the depths of a wallowing victim. Words which cannot be easily taken back once loosed, if at all. If you find yourself in error, never fear to apologize openly and sincerely. If you do not, you have committed a greater offense. Good men and women of society respect those who take responsibility for their actions and words and it’s how I have raised you to act.
When you speak, always try to do so thoughtfully, respectfully, rationally and calmly. It’s bee a hard thing for me to practice myself, but when I have applied those very rules of conduct, my path remains clear and the barriers few that I cannot surmount. Always strive to be kind and benevolent. Show grace and kindness, reaching out to others and soothing their minds and hearts by finding something genuine about them which you can admire. This is possible with anyone, even if it is limited to the color of their shoes. Be kind and be peacemakers, standing your ground with purpose, strength and boldness.
Respect the opinions of others. Not necessarily the content, but rather their right to have an opposite opinion to your own. It’s what makes the world go round and more importantly, you will see when you marry, that to have a beloved spouse with another point of view is a great strength. It’s what I admire so deeply about your mother. She sees things I simply do not, yet we are one and thus I look upon it as having two sets of eyes. It has become a tremendous strength to me over the years. I find it absolutely priceless, especially when I have been the fool and I can be redeemed through another’s view.
When talking with others who are so desperate and determined to have their point agreed with, with no sign of laying a common ground, listen carefully to the way they weave their words. I say weave, because you will see a common practice to turn the focus on you rather than taking responsibility for themselves. There is, many times, ill intent involved at our expense. To turn other listeners or readers upon you through accusations and meaningless banter to cover their own mistakes and wrongful boastings.
Unfortunately it has always been a great pleasure of mine to deal with such individuals and I must say mercy should be the priority, so long as you do not yield the actual truth of your statements. I fear I have been a bad example in this matter. A bully is a bully, regardless of the medium, and people with ill intent take the truth to be hard. Let me prepare you then, in a better manner than my own rough conduct and give you a key to this process. Ask clarifying questions. Ask them to repeat and define what they are saying, so that you can better understand their position, their thought process and see if perhaps you missed their intent. Repeat their answers back to them. In print, keep records, especially on the internet, where your words leave, never to be erased from the memory of computers or the research of others.
If you will always say what you mean and mean what you say, standing on the facts, you will find little you cannot overcome. My advice, however, is to avoid contention and walk away from individuals who simply refuse to see reason or to discuss any subject with you in a respectful manner. It is fine to state things in a bold and matter-of-fact manner, especially if the truth must be heard.
In the end, understand that there are those who do not have hearts to feel, ears to hear or eyes to see, except for what they have crafted in their own minds and hearts. Those are individuals you must be wary of. They leave a wake of frowns and curses, and many of them love the contention just for the sake of contention. Soothe feelings if you can and pray for them. Pray their hearts will be softened and they will see reason.
…or that they will fall prey to their own snares.
Frankly, I prefer the latter.
With all my love,
Your Father.
Read MoreThe Two Pillars
Dear Children,
The nation has caused me to ponder issues which affect our family. The country is run by the corrupt, causing the people to mourn, yet it was the people who allowed this to happen in the first place. In the case of our current President, I am not convinced people truly believed in him so much as burned with an obsession to be a part of history. To be one who helped this nation ‘change’ in a radical fashion. Some now regret their choice. I’m not certain many realized the actual change would be the undoing of this country, its liberty and its freedom.
What troubles me is the lack of unity. So many shouting their opinions, grabbing what they can, suggesting twisted versions of the problems already in play. There are a few who are working to awaken the people to the original principles of the Constitution, but it’s an uphill battle. Too many are asleep.
This is why I thought it important to share something I feel, as your father, you should know. Principles which I ask you to study out in your minds—to find the answers for yourself. It’s critical for you to stand upon your own beliefs. I want you to own your knowledge and not rely on being spoon fed by those around you.
In my opinion, this nation can never stand without two vital pillars: Truth and Virtue.
The country and its political systems are now run by those who depend upon secrecy and deception to perform their labors. They wave their right hand in our faces as the left hand breaks our laws and violates our Constitution. Try and find a man or woman who says what they mean and mean what they say. It can hardly be done, if at all, within the public offices of this country. Where are the good men? Where are the wise men? Where are the men of integrity and service? They have all gone the way of the grave or have been labeled the outcasts of society. They are mocked, spat upon and deemed of no value. In their place reside the vipers who weave their forked tongues of mischief, speaking and shaking hands behind closed doors, accepting stolen monies for deeds any good society should punish to the fullest extent the law allows.
This is what you have inherited as your future.
We value a piece of paper we call a degree more than knowledge that is learned. We favor men who’s sole purpose it to interpret the law to fit the demands of their lusts and the lusts of their taskmasters, rather than the honest, open and hardworking citizen who cares for the welfare of his neighbor.
Shame on us.
We must value truth to love it. Only when the truth is loved will it become important. Only when it becomes important will the evil be exposed, for lies all eventually come to light if you introduce the truth. Lies cannot stand and only those who demand the truth of all things will have the passion, the courage, the boldness to stand against the evils of the men who lead and direct this nation.
Children, learn to love the truth. Embrace it. Live by it and cleave it to your breasts. It will protect you in dire times and in the midst of darkness. Nothing is sweeter than the truth. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Talk true and open with your fellow men and let come what may. Do not fear the consequences of truth. Weak hearts waver in the presence of a bold truth when they are guilty or harbor evil intents. Support those who speak the truth. Seek out those who live by truth themselves. Watch for the fruits of their labors, because in this will you know the hearts of men. Good fruit cannot come from a bad tree.
Live a life of Virtue. The world we live in is saturated with immorality and perversions greater than the Earth has ever known. You will have people question the validity of this essential attribute of any good society that hopes to last. Some will interpret its definition and seek to create a compromise. We live in a nation that murders its children and holds the violation of a woman as nothing more than an inconvenience. Those guilty will not escape judgement, whether in this life or in the next. There is only one standard for virtue and that is God. There is no compromise. Search the Bible, as did our founding fathers, and know that only a nation which supports virtue will be supported in turn by their Maker. We can be blessed to be sure, for God loves all his children, but we cannot hope to have the blessings or protection he reserves for those who love Him and keep his commandments.
This nation has supported and loved men of foul dispositions and immoral character. Men who violated the sanctity of marriage with harlots and consider it of no consequence. So I ask you to ponder this: how can we honor a leader who does not honor his own flesh? If he will cast aside the most intimate of promises, the vows he makes of his own free will and choice to his own wife in the presence of God, angels and witnesses…then why would he hold to the vows of his public office? Though the matter may be a private one, the habits, intentions and heart are also used in public.
He cannot be trusted.
Our country and communities are sick. The future is in your hands. Make a stand. Search your heart and know what you believe. Know that if you do the right things for the right reasons, loving God above all, He will preserve and protect you. If this country is to be saved, it will be through those who hold these two pillars as part of their foundation.
May God bless you and preserve you,
Your Father.
Read MoreEvil Has No Limits
I have always tried to be a person who respects the views of others. I may not agree with them, but I believe in and support the right to have views, even if they are contrary to my own. None of us will agree on everything. However, in the same stride, I also reserve the right to stand up and speak against things that I believe are incorrect or inherently evil.
This, unfortunately, is one of them.
Of all the things in this life, the two most special to me is my religion and my family. I love them both more than life itself. That specifically holds true to my beliefs in Jesus the Christ and his dying sacrifice for my sins and the sins of the world.
There are a fair measure of people who don’t believe in Jesus. That’s fine. There are people who hate Jesus. That’s their right as well. There are even those who simply see the Savior of Mankind as a meal ticket. That’s their choice.
However, it seems this world is aggressively bent on degrading and demoralizing anything and everything which is good to satisfy an inner burning to justify their own lusts, sins and abominations. I am speaking of an email I got from a young friend of mine who was very concerned about a play which has been around since 1997: Corpus Christi — a modern day retelling of the story of Jesus’ birth, ministry, and death in which both he and his disciples are portrayed as homosexual. Now he tells me there are people working to have this made into a film, to be shown here in America this year.
Just the thought of the Son of God, being mocked in such a vile way turns my stomach and my anger swells to defend that which is divine and most holy: My Savior.
Is this something we want our families to hear about? Is this something we want to have in our neighborhoods and talked about among our youth as our local theaters show extreme sacrilege, corrupting the minds and souls of whats left of a decent community?!
Here are my personal feelings on the matter: I am wholly and entirely against Homosexuality. In it’s every form and implication. It is a sin and abomination against God and any good, decent society where wholesome thoughts and feelings dwell. I do however believe in someone’s right to live as they choose, so long as they do not force themselves upon others.
‘Oh,’ says one, ‘you can always choose not to see the film.’
You’re right, I can choose to stay home and not watch your film.
I can wait as you bring your filthy thoughts, filthy beliefs and abominable lifestyles and plant yourselves around me and my community and my very home. I can wait until you have infested and corrupted the school systems and force your anti-family sexual sins as a ‘required’ alternative lifestyle choice, against my wishes, against my teachings, against all I believe in and teach my own children. I can wait for you to infiltrate the churches and the workplace with your innuendos, claiming your ‘rights’ to speak as you will and with no shame as to your public conduct, again, in front of the innocent eyes and hearts of my children. I can choose not to see your film and stay at home, but we both know you have no intention of ever staying at home yourself or allowing me the peace to walk and talk in quiet freedom of my own beliefs. Yes, I can choose to stay at home.
But for the first time, I choose not to.
No. This is my home, my community and my life. I choose to stand and speak against your your corruption, holding my Bible as a guide and as a standard. I’m not interested in your ‘rights’ once they have forced my own beliefs to take a seat in the shadows. I am not interested in your way of life or how it promotes death and decay, without ability to procreate or sustain a family organization as God intended. I am not interested in sitting idly by as you twist and tempt good, innocent children into believing their loving Father in Heaven actually created them to be at odds with his plan of happiness in living within the framework of His morality.
You may ‘know your brother’, but I do not want to know you.
This has gone on long enough. I ask all good, decent people to make your stand. To choose what is right, because it is right and not because it is politically correct. If something is wrong, speak out. If your community is broken, fix it. Find others of like minds and band yourselves together and make a difference. As for me, I will talk with and boycott any film of this ilk that even hopes to come to my community.
What did others do when the play Corpus Christi opened?
When the play opened, the theatre was besieged by almost 2000 protesters, furious at what they considered blasphemy. When Corpus Christi opened in London, a British Muslim group called the Defenders of the Messenger Jesus even went so far as to issue a fatwa sentencing McNally to death. On January 19, 2008, Robert Forsyth, Anglican bishop of South Sydney condemned “Corpus Christi” (which opened for February’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a play depicting Judas seducing Jesus): “It is deliberately, not innocently, offensive and they’re obviously having a laugh about it.”
You have an opportunity to side with God in these issues that surround you. You can no longer turn an idle eye, hoping not to be ‘involved’. For evil to win, a good man only needs do nothing. Stand up for what’s right and good and true.
…or you deserve your fate.
I have finally learned that evil has no limit.
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