What songs do you hope your children sing? My daughter, Hayley, loves music. Throughout the day, we will have music playing in the background. Surprisingly, she enjoys and even feels comfort when we sing to her. Robyn, my wife, has a very soothing voice, but I sound like a frog trying to perform country music in […]
Songs of Our Children Read More »
When you sit down to pray, does your mind wander to all the tasks you have in front of you? We can struggle with keeping our attention towards God throughout the day. It can seem like we have turned on the autopilot to our spiritual lives. The day fills up with chores, meetings, tasks, and
Finding God in a Good Shave Read More »
What distracts you from your priorities? We can become professionals in doing everything except the necessary priority. Some of this behavior has to do with procrastination rooted in fear and anxiety. It can result from a casual attitude looking to coast off of past successes. Often, we distract ourselves to inaction because what the perception
The Danger of Distraction Read More »
How do you get away? The Buffalo Bills Training Camp will begin on July 26th at St. John Fisher. As a local Rochester, NY resident, I have heard the conversation online, on the radio, and throughout town about the training camp relocating back to Buffalo. The crux of the debate of moving or staying in Rochester
What the Buffalo Bills Teach Us about Spiritual Rhythm Read More »
What relationship frustrates you often? Particular people in our lives push our buttons. Their behaviors can trigger us to retaliate or withdrawal. The coworker who feels the need to correct every detail of our projects. The family member who offers a wealth of advice from areas where they have no expertise. The friend who shows up fashionably
The Data of the Difficult People in Your Life Read More »
What did your parents repeatedly say to you? Wash your hands. Take out the trash. Don’t get too near the fire. Protect little brother or sister. Mind your manners. If we sat in a room with a whiteboard, we could rattle off hundreds of sayings that parents had for us as kids. Many of these
What Bears Repeating Read More »
Who sees your messes? A woman once commented to me about a church, “It’s a church where everyone is perfect and always smiles.” Those words haunt me. That comment describes a church where people feel the need to be “good enough” to join. The Sunday veneer hides the messes of Monday – Saturday. No one
The People Who See Our Messes Read More »
Today, we celebrate July 4th. As you go to parades, picnics, and fireworks, I wanted to share with you a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, “For the Nation.” Lord God Almighty, who hast made all peoples of the earth for thy glory, to serve thee in freedom and peace: Grant to the people
A Prayer on the Fourth of July Read More »
How many huddles will you participate in today? The coach calls timeout. The team rallies together in a circle to hear the plan. Often, our thoughts of huddles include planning and execution whether for sports, jobs, and family. Huddles naturally by their size exclude people. That comes from a desire to have the right people
How do you seek the peace and prosperity of your city or town? I went to two baseball games this weekend. First, the Rochester Ridgemen playing a college summer league took on the Olean Oilers. Secondly, the Rochester Red Wings played the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in AAA baseball. Baseball has a way of bringing
Baseball, Peace, and Prosperity Read More »
