Yes to Mess
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox."The Bible If you want creativity to flourish…
Teenagers
I've made a deal with my kids--that I will do my best not to needlessly embarrass them. If/when I do--I've asked them to point it…
Examples
We all have folks we look up to. I enjoy asking people who their heroes are. It's amazing how often parents, grandparents, coaches, and teachers…
A listening ear
One pair of ears draws dry a hundred tongues.George Herbert, "Proverbs" in The Complete English Works, 272. This saying points out that the ratio of…
Onward
C.S. Lewis is a compassionate writer. He remembers his unhappy childhood well enough to engage his readers (whatever their age) with impressive empathy. I wrote…
Home
His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant…
On reading
One of the great ironies of our age is that we read more words per day than any other generation in the history of the…
Grandpa’s study
Sometimes, on overnights at Grandma and Grandpa's house, I'd sleep down in the basement. They had a cool, dark, extremely cozy bedroom all the way…
Manners
While you were growing up, did it seem like your parents were constantly reminding you of your manners? "Mind your Ps and Qs." "Don't chew…
Competition
What comes to mind when you think of the word competition? Sports? Games? Drive? Ambition? Is it mostly a positive term for you? If so,…