Not Good Enough. . . Teens And Plastic Surgery. . . .
A few months ago she caught my eye as I scanned the magazine rack at Barnes & Noble. Everything about her looks absolutely perfect as she stares off the cover of Seventeen magazine. Her name’s Nikki Reed, and every 12…
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How To Listen to Kids. . . A Helpful Little Practice For Youth Workers and Parents . . . .
In my work with kids over the last three decades, I have learned that the most powerful conduit to understanding young people is listening. Through one-on-one conversations, reading their poetry, visiting their Facebook pages and tweets, digesting their journals or…
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Kissing My Kids Goodbye. . . I Never Thought I Was Up To It. . . .
It’s been just about four weeks since our house emptied itself of children for the first time since 1983. There have been kids in this place for almost thirty years. We stood in the driveway with our youngest, Nate, as…
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Gay Marriage. . . What Hangs in the Balance? . . .
With the Supreme Court set to rule on Gay Marriage issues today, my head is spinning. Gay marriage, homosexuality, same-sex attraction. . . these are difficult, complex, and confusing issues. They are also very recent social issues, which means that…
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What Are You Reading This Summer? . . . .
On a recent trip to Barnes and Noble to scout new books I saw a table marked “Summer Reading.” Yep. . . it’s that time of year. My love for reading at the beach has combined with my declining eyesight…
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James Gandolfini and the Cultural Autopsy. . . .
I never realized just how beloved James Gandolfini was until he died last week. Actors, musicians, and other pop culture celebrities are passing away all the time. But for some reason, Gandolfini’s death and the response to it caught my…
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Faith As A Factor In Teen Pregnancy. . . .
I distinctly remember a conversation I had back in the 1980’s regarding youth ministry and criticisms that youth pastors were talking about certain things way too much. At the time, this oft-criticized topical trifecta that most youth ministries like ours…
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Cannonball Wounds, Serena Williams, and the Steubenville Rape Case. . . .
Brian Regan is a really funny guy. His comedic observations about everyday life make me laugh. His little bit on going to the doctor is a good one (see video below). In the middle of the bit, Regan ponders what…
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Are We Systematically Killing Our Selves? . . .
Don’t you just love those “get smacked up side the head” moments? I had one this morning as a result of the convergence of Bible, book, and newspaper. It was a nexus that has given me such personal pause about…
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This Is Where We Cried. . . And Prayed. . .
I’m a sucker for nostalgia. . . I’ll admit it. When my travels take me to places where I used to live, I will oftentimes go out of my way to visit a spot that holds a piece of my…
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Hurts So Good. . . Thoughts On Welcoming Suffering. . .
Yesterday I caught a peek at the cover of the latest edition of People magazine as I stood in line at the grocery store. There in the picture stood three women – Mery Daniel, Adrianne Haslet, and Heather Abbot – who…
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The Need For “Smartphone Control” . . . It’s All About Wisdom. . . .
It’s said that “wisdom comes with age.” That’s true. . . I think and hope. . . especially as I get older! I’m convinced that the more accurate statement is that “wisdom comes with endeavor.” I’m thinking here of the…
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