All I Want for Christmas

Say what you mean, and mean what you say. I say it over and over again in working with couples struggling to connect. One of the challenges that they need to overcome is this innate tendency to not truly say what they mean and to not mean what they say. Think about it. Today is sandwiched in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (no disrespect meant to Small Business Saturday), pilule and the Christmas shopping season is officially in high gear, but there will still be someone out there who will tell their spouse, “Oh, you do not need to buy me anything for Christmas this year.” They will say it, but they will be lying through their teeth.

 

Lying may be a strong word, but it is the best way to describe it. Truth be told, the person they are lying to most is themselves. Perhaps they fear being disappointed, they feel that if they do not ask for anything then they will not be disappointed when the 25th of December rolls around and there are no packages with their name on it from that special loved one. Continue reading

It all starts with perspective

Our perspectives are the objective, rational observations of objects or events. Our perspectives are the literal point of view from where we are standing. Our perceptions are the subjective interpretation of those observations. Our perspectives inform our perceptions and it is our perceptions that focus on emotionally connecting the dots of what we saw and subjectively formulating what it means to us. If our perspective is not providing us with correct or helpful information, then naturally our perception will be biased and impaired. Continue reading

at best heretical…

“New perspectives are necessary, but they are not sufficient in bringing health and wholeness to a person or relationship. A new perspective needs to inform, challenge, and influence one’s perceptions if health is the goal…There was a time when our perspectives informed us that the world was flat, and our perception was that anyone who thought otherwise was wrong at best or heretical or worst.” -Jason Karampatsos, PhD

lifetime of miracles behind us

“Sometimes we are so busy complaining about what hasn’t happened, story ignoring the lifetime of miracles behind us.” –Steve Kramer (missionary)

It is always challenging to hear someone who the world would say has every reason to complain reminding you that you have every reason to be grateful. Steve was born a few months premature and with Cerebral Palsy, buy but anyone who spends any amount of time with him walks away encouraged and challenged. Encouraged, because Steve’s love, joy, and laughter are contagious. Challenged, because Steve’s unique perspective helps him to see the heart of God in a way that all too many take for granted. Continue reading

The Struggle

Last night my wife and I spent the evening with Tenth Avenue North (courtesy of some complimentary tickets from our friends over @ WRBS 95.1). Although we truly enjoy their music, we are not sure that we have it in us to travel two hours in traffic and stay out late for concerts anymore. Our age and my writer’s schedule of waking up at 5:30 on my “day off” and Jennifer’s runner’s routine of running a 5K before breakfast began to show when the crowd was calling Tenth Avenue North back on stage for an encore and we were both thinking how each song pushed our bedtime closer to midnight. Continue reading