Category Archives: Confessions

Things about me you probably never wanted or don’t need to know.

Flat Tire

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This morning I took our car in because our front passenger tire had a screw in it.  It was a slow leak, but you don’t want to find the boundaries of the puncture – air pressure balance.  At Discount Tires (the only place I go for tires, yes, that’s sort of a plug) Evie was noticing logos and patterns on the rims that were for sale.  She was fascinated by the work that was being done in the garage bays.

I’m really thankful for my 5 year old.  She’s precious.

On my desk is a hand written note from my 8 year old telling me she really missed me while I was on a business trip earlier this week.  I missed her, too.

I’m really thankful for my 8 year old.  She’s precious, too.

It’s good to be a dad.

Boiled Coffee

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Do you know what’s good about boiled coffee?

Nothing!

Take it from me the last thing you want to do is boil your coffee like I just did.  You will cry.  You’ll have wasted the coffee, wasted the water, and wasted the heating source’s energy.  Don’t do it.

Abby Was Baptized Today

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Abby was baptized today, so that was cool.  Except last night I told her that Grandpa Peterman (an elder at our church) would officiate and I would accompany him in case I cried.  I told Abby I was emotional sometimes.  The baptistm went well and Abby and her aunt Kelsey, and the children of another family (Go, Doans!) all publicly testified to their faith.  This was all good and I’m excited for them.

As it turns out Abby’s Sunday school teacher asked if I was going to do the baptism myself.  She replied in the negative.  When Mike, her teacher, asked why I was not going to do the baptism she said, “My dad has emotional problems.”

So there’s that.

If There is Fear of Failure

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If there is fear of failure, it isn’t grace.  Grace doesn’t bring about fear, but relationship.  If your testimony with those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ doesn’t involve a reflection of liberty then you’re not showing them the glory of grace, but instead the legalism of what the flesh can do.  I won’t do various things if it will be a stumbling block for a brother, but I will walk in liberty otherwise.  I don’t fear failure, I embrace grace.

Dads & Dates

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I had a conversation with my friend Jon in Texas and he stated something that I’ve held for some time, but it reminded me of it, so I’m going to recycle it here: if girls dads treat them poorly then they will tend to go out with guys that also treat them poorly.  In other words dads are setting standards for their daughters boyfriends and husbands even when their daughters are little girls.  Moms, your influence is similar: your sons are going to tend to find a woman that is as lady-like (or not) and as respectful as you are to them and their fathers. If you’re dishing dirt, lying, sleezing, creeping and generally abusing your children don’t be surprised when they go out and find Mr. or Mrs. Wrong.

Also, it is possible to break this cycle.  Also, also: it’s a principle and not a rule, there are plenty of exceptions.

Communication Is Hard

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At least that’s what they tell me.  If you tell someone something enough times your job as a communicator will either get infinitely easier because they’ll finally get it.  Or it’ll get much, much harder because the repetition causes the pith helmets and ear plugs to be put into place.  I tell my daughters, “Think before you act,” about a bazillion times a month.  I’m pretty sure they think it’s some mantra that my parents told me.  It isn’t.  My dad told me, “it is your mother and I’s responsibility to raise you to be an adult when you’re 18.”  That worked out pretty well because I was a kid who was just looking for a place, a time, and a thing to be scared about.  At 17 and 365 days I was scared of 18 because it meat adulthood.

I hope that my children one day learn to think before they act.  I suspect it’ll be a lesson they learn throughout their lives.  I also hope that when they turn 17 and 365 days they don’t panic like I did – because if there’s one thing I’ve learned it is that I have more than one thing to learn.

My Favorite Child

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I just overheard some dialog on the TV show ‘House’ a character tell her daughter, “I like your sister better than you.”  It is absolutely craptastic to hear even if it isn’t realy.  I love both of my daughters.  They’re precious.  They’re both my favorite.

Don’t favor a child.  It’s the worst thing you could do.

Smooth. Jazz.

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I’m praying for our friends the Masons as they gear up to head to China.  In China they will meet and adopt their new daughter for the first time.  They already have a precious daughter Nadia and she’ll be excitedly meeting her Chinese sister for the first time, but from the perspective of a child.  I’m hoping that the trip goes well, the kids settle in together, and that Nadia says something funny, like she usually does, and Louanne or Mike will tweet it, blog it, or Facebook it (where Jessica will see it).  She’s said some pretty funny things before – but she’s pretty jazzed right now, so the funny may be quite amped.

Evie is Tying Her Shoes Now

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Evie can tie her shoes now.  It does take her a bit of time, but she can do it by herself.  As her dad who has watched her grow up it blows my mind that the ‘baby’ of the family is able to read simple words and books, and she can tie her shoes.  We can’t turn back the hands of time, but my hope is that we’ll be able to spend as much time as we can until next year when she starts in at Vanguard like her older sister.  Who is also able to tie her shoes.

I sure am thankful for my little-but-getting-bigger girls.