There were times when I was leaving the house that my beloved would say to me, “Duane, are you wearing that?” My immediate assumption was, “She doesn’t think that what I have on is appropriate.” A variation might be, “Do you think that tie matches your outfit?” Her question usually resulted in a change of clothing.…
The definition of love is probably as varied as the number of people you ask. However, there was one common thread among the hundreds of couples that came for counseling: their love was measured by the intensity and frequency of their sexual relationship. That is what I would call erotic love. The word erotic derives from the…
According to the authors of the book Significa, the world’s champion complainer was a man named Ralph Charrell. Charrel received over $100,000 as a result of his systematic complaining. His smallest refund was of $6.95 and his largest was $25,000. Charrel spent time every day making phone calls and writing letters of complaint. He even…
We probably have all been in situations of conflict where we have felt the sting of caustic comments and perhaps been the author of a few. On the other hand, we have had confrontations that have brought us face the face the reality of our situation and this had led to positive change. When it…
Ruth Graham, the wife of evangelist Dr. Billy Graham, is quoted as having requested that her tombstone have the words, “Thank you for your patience. Construction is finished.” Someone has said, “Patience tis a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom found in a woman, never in a man.” So, what is this elusive virtue…
On December 31, 2019 who would have thought that the New Year would put us in a place where we would have to choose lives over livelihood. The consequences of the coronavirus are staggering. Isolation, financial loss, and for some there has been the pain of sickness and even death. Our world has been turned…
A young boy loved baseball. His final game of the season wasn’t going too well. He was the “catcher.” With two down, the tying run on third and the go-ahead runner on second, the tension mounted. The batter hit a line drive down the third base line. The third baseman scooped up the ball and…
Have you heard about the “48 Hour Challenge?” The headlines stirred memories of a similar challenge that was popular when my wife and I were teenagers. That challenge involved fasting for a couple of days and donating the money saved toward famine relief in a particular country. However, as I read the article, I soon…
There is an old saying, “We get too soon old, and too late smart.” It’s like the young man who came home after graduating from university and commented on how smart his dad had become during his absence. As we mature our values have a way of changing. We discover that the rich and poor…
“At 99 degrees, water is very hot. At 100 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam you can power a locomotive. And, it’s that ONE extra degree that makes all the difference.” -Max Anderson “Good enough” is often a statement made to condone mediocrity. It is a cover for the…