"All work and no play makes Dad a dull boy."

At least that's what my oldest son told me the other day. I think it's amusing to listen to the perspectives of a younger generation. He told me the other day that he doesn't envy me and said I do nothing but work. That it must be a drudgery for me. He said I should play more. That I don't have any fun.

Without life experiences, it's hard to comprehend older people. I find it hard to understand people older than myself, but to have a conversation with my son about how I should live my life was interesting. My son will soon be 20 years old. He basically has a life without responsibility. Sure, he has a couple of jobs and a class at a community college but in comparison, his life is free. So to hear him give me "sage" advice about what I should value was interesting. And from his view of the world, he's right.

Ok, I'll admit, he's right to a degree. Having too much house and too much yard takes away from your family. Sure, you're at home but your constantly working on something. I could have had a smaller house or lived in a neighborhood where I didn't have to do so much work. But I think on a larger perspective a son is never going to comprehend what a father can find enjoyable or relaxing or satisfying.

• There is satisfaction knowing that your children are living a life without wondering if they will eat tonight.
• There is joy when you drive up and your little kids open the car door to give you a big hug and a kiss. What's that worth?
• There is joy when your teenage daughter asks you if she can talk and ask for some advice. How much would you pay for that?
• Is there any satisfaction knowing that your kids want you to play with them? Even when they're 16? You betcha.

My son hasn't experience what it's like to have a wife, a lover and best friend. I don't blame him for having these ideas about me. It's just interesting that his perspective about my life is the way it is.

1 Cor. 13:11 says: When I was a little child I talked and felt and thought like a little child. Now that I am a man my childish speech and feeling and thought have no further significance for me.

So I wonder...What I am not seeing that my heavenly father is seeing? What is satisfying to Him? What brings him joy? Many times I think that I have been given the wonderful privilege of being the father of six children in order to get a glimpse of what He sees, feels and desires. It brings me satisfaction to have my children truly desire me and want to be around me and talk to me. It breaks my heart to see them disobey and avoid me. My heart is troubled until I know they are safe, etc.

While I will not stop being the father I think they need, I'll take my son's advice and loosen up a bit.

Note: I've not fully thought this out but would be curious if any of you have any thoughts.

I was just minding my own business when God appeared.

You never know when God is going to grab you, shake you, get your attention to tell you something. I was looking at some Christian T shirts on-line when I saw one that grabbed my attention. I began to read it. It had a scripture on it. Jeremiah 29: 11-13. It goes like this:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Verse 12 had a profound impact on me. I literally stopped and cried. We all know that God is the creator of everything and sort of yawn at that statement. I really needed a friend this morning and I just became overwhelmed that my God says, "talk to me and I will listen." How many times have I heard that and took it for granted?

For various reasons, I have drifted from my relationship with him and when I was least expecting, he reaches out to me. Just like a father would do. I am so thankful he can love a sinner like me!

Hard lesson to learn on the baseball field

Sometimes life is not fair. I tell that to my kids but today, I had a dose of my own medicine. I love baseball. Always have. Since the age of six, I have played on baseball teams. Some good and some terrible. Today, my company, Cox Communications played in a co-ed, double-elimination tournament. We have really good players so it makes it difficult for the coach to get everyone involved on the team. Unfortunately, I did not see much playing time. In fact, out of three games I played only two innings and those were in game that was over in the second. Oh well, I had fun warming up. So life doesn't always go the way you want it to. What do you do? Forget about it or will eat at you. I write about it so others can do the same. Fairness is the enemy of right. If we try to be fair all the time, doing what's right may get dropped. Our society demands fairness and, in-turn, we get worse and worse. We teach to the lowest common denominator, we hire based on quotas and skin color and reward only if everyone gets something.

So, I didn't see the kind of playing time I wanted. Fair? No. Right? Probably. I can't hit left-handed, which is what all the men had to do... just to make it fair. ;)

Close the Zoo!

I can't wait for the week between Christmas and New Years. We leave for a quiet vacation. The Zoo will be closed! Dana and I were introduced to this concept when we taught Growing kids God's way. Periodically, Zoos will close to give the animals a break from the people. They can go about their day without having someone always looking at or talking to them. The animals eat better, are less agitated and tend to be more friendly with each other. Then, when the gates open again, the animals are happy again.



So, are we much different? Every night, we are on the go and during the day, it's very busy with the normal frantic rush. SO when we close the zoo, we're going away and will hopefully eat well, exercise, relax, sleep become more friendly with each other

Fireproof your marriage

The movie Fireproof is in theaters. It's really good. They zero in on the issues that break up marriages. For the man, it's collecting stuff and satisfying lustful desires and for women it's dealing with submission. There's much more but it's worth seeing. It won't be in theaters long. These movies seldom last that long. Don't miss it! It could save your marriage!

One more thing.

31. Men should be able to prepare for a hurricane.

I'm amazed at some of the "men" I've come across this week that are either clueless about hurricane prep or they're just plain stupid about it. You may never have to use any of your prep work but your family is depending on you to be the man and take care of things.

25 (30) Things Every Man Should Know

I went back through Popular Mechanic's 25 Things Every Man Should Know and reworked them plus added a few. I came up with 30 and I could probably add more but this is a basic list. Every man should know how to do these things. It gets you out of a jam, allows you to live more comfortably and allows everyone around you enjoy life more abundantly. MOST importantly, God has created man to be the primary provider of his family. It's rather wimpish to hear a man say he can't, or doesn't do these things. Perhaps he's right. Just don't call yourself a man.

30 Things Every Man Should Know:

1. Lead another to Christ.
2. Satisfy your wife in bed.
3. Be a gentleman.
4. Tie a tie.
5. Fall a tree.
6. Iron clothes.
7. Change a diaper.
8. Siphon liquid through a hose.
9. Understand refrigeration.
10. Basic wiring and plumbing.
11. Cook a five course meal.
12. TXT MSG.
13. Speak to a group of 25 or more.
14. Balance a checkbook.
15. Patch a radiator hose.
16. Protect your computer.
17. Frame a wall.
18. Back up a trailer.
19. Build a campfire.
20. Navigate with a map and compass.
21. Sharpen a knife.
22. Perform CPR.
23. Clean a fish.
24. Maneuver a car out of a skid.
25. Paint a room.
26. Mix concrete.
27. Change oil and filter.
28. Paddle a canoe.
29. Repair a flat tire.
30. Get a car unstuck.