Today is Ellie's 11th birthday. As with each passing year, I have spent some time reflecting on things I want her to know as she grows. Unfortunately, the most important lessons in life are often learned in the most difficult circumstances, but that's another story for another day. As she inches closer to the teenage years, her friendships are becoming much more important in her life. So, if I was imparting wisdom this year, it would be on the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. One of my favorite stories in the entire Bible is a tender moment that occurs in Exodus between Moses, Aaron, and Hur. In it, the Israelites are fighting an intense battle with their enemies. When Moses has his rod stretched out with his arms extended in the air, the Israelites are winning. When he drops his arms, the they begin to lose. Eventually, Moses becomes so fatigued that he can no longer hold up the weight of his own arms. It's in that moment that his people (Aaron a
I’m back with some words of wisdom for National Son's Day. Admittedly, I have no idea what I would want to know if I were entering manhood, so I could miss the mark on this one. Nonetheless, I have a few truth nuggets that might prove to be worth sharing from mother to son. 1. 1. Life is hard. I shared this one with your sister yesterday, and I haven’t changed my mind. Probably never will. But it’s the truth. Life is hard, but it’s also wonderful and beautiful, fun and frightful. I hope you have enough hard to keep you humble, enough success to keep you inspired, and enough adventure to keep your heart alive. Most importantly, I hope you find joy in every season and in spite of every circumstance you face. 2. 2. Dream Big. You’ll hear that a lot, but I want to add something that I wish someone had told me. Dream big, but don’t be afraid to change that dream. People change and so can your dreams. This is not failure. Not at all. It means y