Whenever I speak to groups, I always like to give them a little spelling test. It is really a very easy test, but one that everyone always seems to fail. My question is “How do you spell Love”? Most of the time everyone will proudly answer, L.O.V.E. Oh sure there are the occasional L.U.V.’s that come out, but in general L.O.V.E. is the answer. Each time I do this I have to correct the audience. The real way to spell Love is T.I.M.E. If you truly want to show your children, your family, your friends, yourself  and others in your life that you love them, then you need to spend time with them.

If there is one thing that we never seem to have enough of it’s time. We all seem to be busy running around, taking care of ourselves, our kids, our jobs and are so preoccupied with life, that we just don’t spend enough time with those that are closest to us. Every year around this time, what is the one thing that we all like to say? “Where has the time gone”? Someone once told me that if you want to live forever then get married, because when you are single times flies by and once you get married, time slows down to a crawl:) That person by the way is now divorced! Continue reading »

 

I originally posted this blog one year ago. I wanted to repost it again during  the Christmas week, as a reminder to all of you how blessed you are to have people in your life, no matter how difficult they may make your life. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Families come with happiness and saddness. Families come with challangees and success. No matter how difficuklt your family, your children or your ex spouse may be making your life, be thankful that you have them, because you never know when they will be gone. Merry Christmas to all of you…

Dear Sara;

It’s been almost four and a half years since you passed away, six years since we divorced and eight years since you left me to be a sole parent to Jack and Michaela. I figured that maybe now we should talk again. First let me update you on the kids. Continue reading »

 

Look at these two sweet girls.  This was taken a few years ago.  It looks like the cover of a postcard, right?  No one would ever suspect that there are times, on rare occasions, when we are near WWIII in our home. 

Although I have liberty to write about anything I choose here (thanks, Bill), I write about parenting more often than not.  Perhaps it is because parenting is the one subject for which I am asked the most questions.  Perhaps it is because it is the season of life for which I find myself immersed, right now.  Either way, I know it is a subject that none of us truly ever perfect, but I’ll share a few thoughts here on what I am learning along the way.

- The response, “Because I said so….” is NOT effective parenting.  This just doesn’t cut it, parents.  I know. I know.  This is what our parents always said and their parents before them.  However, if our primary job is to teach our kids, what are we teaching them with that phrase?  Nothing? Or maybe that one day they will be able to boss around their kids, but until then “just do as I say.”?  Be honest with your children and just tell them why you said what you said.  It alleviates the rebellion that some kids feel when they aren’t effective explained the why’s and how’s. Continue reading »

 

I can’t tell you the number of people who when I tell them that I have teenagers say something like “Wow that must be tough” or “Good luck, you will need it”. I don’t care, I love having teenagers. I really do. Granted I am decades away from my teen years, I can still remember what my life was like as a teenager for me. I can remember when I was honest with my parents and I can remember when I was not. I can remember all of the things that I put my parents through, granted some of the things I didn’t think were that big of a deal they sure disagreed with me on . Believe me growing up in a family of five, where you came home when the street lights came on, gave us  allot of time to put our parents through hell. I know that my kids, or at least one of them, will do the same to me but… I still love having teenagers.

So why do you love having teenagers you ask? Why after all that you put your parents through, why after all of the warnings others are giving you, why knowing full well that the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” do you still love having teenagers? Well here is why in this weeks (drum roll please):

TOP 10 LIST WHY I LIKE HAVING TEENAGERS: Continue reading »

 

Seriously being a DAD was the worst decision of my life. How could I be so dumb? How could I have not seen it coming? How did I ever get myself into this? Being a DAD was the worst decision of my life! There were so many other paths I could have chosen. There were so many other decisions I could have made and should have made. What was I thinking? Obviously my attitude about it failed me, obviously my decision making was skewed, why was I in denial when I had always seemed to of made good decisions in the past? Being a DAD was the worst decision of my life.

Prior to being a DAD my life was great. My business was booming, my relationships were phenomenal, my attitude was authentic, my outlook was positive, my life was darn near perfect, and then it happened, I became a DAD. What made it worst is that I have become a DAD more than once in my life. You would think that after becoming a DAD once I would have learned, but no, not me, I had to become a DAD again. What was I thinking? I knew that I hated being a DAD but I did it again. As I look back on my life I wish more than anything else I had never ever become a DAD. Being a DAD was the worst thing that I ever did.

Now before you all start worrying about my children let me explain to you what being a DAD is all about. Here you go… First being a DAD has nothing to do with being a parent, a father or a hero to your kids. Being a DAD is a state of mind that each and every one of us has fallen into at one time or another in our lives. It is a state of mind that will affect you like nothing before. It is a state of mind that will cause you pain and anger. It is a state of mind that will bring you unhappiness for the rest of your life if you stay in it. Each and eveytime I have become a DAD (and yes I have done it more than once) I have suffered the consequences. The good news is I am going to let you know what it is, so that you don’t make the same mistakes, so that you can live a happy life, a life filled with enlightenment, success and hope. Are you ready for the secret? Continue reading »

 

I was driving along this morning and if I am to be really honest with you, I was feeling quite sorry for myself.  My family and I have undergone tremendous hardship over the last 60 days and I needed a pity party.   I have felt like it has been pretty close to the brink of “too much”.  Maybe you’ve been there.  Maybe you know the feelings of exhaustion, stress, pressure, and anger, of which I write.  

As I was driving along, I began to pray about why God would allow me to endure such hardship.  Of course, we all have them, but today, I wasn’t really worried about anybody’s else’s hardships – just my own.  All of a sudden, I had a very random, yet profound thought. 

 ”Imagine your life without contacts.”  Continue reading »

 

 

By Will McCormick Guest Blogger

I come from a long line of folks who take the biblical principle “spare the rod, spoil the child” to heart. My children’s mother was raised the same. Growing up in the deep South in strong Southern Baptist families will teach at an early age the consequences of poor decisions. I know first hand (switch and belt) what comedians mean when joking that growing up the entire neighborhood raised a child, and applied liberal discipline in the form of a swatting. Usually, your behind was so numb by the time you got home that your parents really were not going to do much more damage when their turn rolled around. Honestly, I had good parents, and I really can only remember a few spankings growing up. By most accounts, both of my kid’s parents turned out just fine. So it should come as no surprise that we decided when expecting our first child that we were going to spank our kids as a form of discipline.

A funny thing happened on the way to a spanking.

Michael was two years old when his brother Mathew entered this world. He had endured a long day of waiting at the hospital with extended family. We had decided that I would take him home to try to keep things as normal as possible for Michael while his mother and new brother rested in the hospital. I am not quite sure how much sugar he was given while in the care of others, but picture Taz on Starbucks. I could not get him to stay in his bed. Continue reading »