The other day was the feast day of St. Paul Mici, one of the martyrs of Nagasaki who was crucified in 1597. Paul spoke from the cross to the Christians gathered to pray for him. One of the things he said to them was, “ask Jesus to make you happy”. What an amazing statement from a person … Continue reading “My Go-To” →

Recently my hearing has gotten worse. You may have noticed. My common responses are, ”What? …. you talking to me….I can’t hear you”. It can put a strain on relationships; it can at least be annoying for everyone….talk to Judy.  When I watch TV, I’m spending 80% of the time reading the subtitles…...maybe I should just read … Continue reading “Can You Hear Me?” →

Growing up I often heard the phrase…. ” Boy, she’s one tough cookie”. This meant a no-nonsense person…one you didn’t trifle with…. no “funny business” with this person. While I believe it originally was applied to women, it could be a man too…..although I don’t remember John Wayne being called a “tough cookie”. The phrase got expanded … Continue reading “One Tough Cookie” →

“Make it go away mommy”. You may remember the time when you cried this out after something bad happened to you as a child… maybe a scraped knee or something worse. I heard a story the other day of a child at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia who was suffering terribly due to a disease…undergoing one … Continue reading “Make It Go Away” →

Originally Posted July 7, 2020 Look at marriage. When the marriage is good…. when we have riches, when we are healthy, the kids are happy …wow, commitment is pretty easy. But what about when the marriage is not doing so well …. losing your job, financial problems, …. your spouse is sick, the kids are … Continue reading “Burning Our Bridges” →

Originally Posted July 6, 2020 We may recall Jesus’s words to his friend and disciple, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things.” (Luke 10:41)  He made it clear to her that this was not a good thing. Here’s a couple of thoughts that might help. One is from the late Stephen Covey … Continue reading “Circle Of Influence” →

You hear a lot about stress today…. and no wonder with the many ongoing trials and tensions in our world…from personal to global. Every day brings more challenges…. and stress.  “Stress can be described as a  feeling of emotional strain and pressure… of being stretched tight. Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even healthy. Positive stress … Continue reading “Stress Can Be Good” →

Sometimes I find it helpful to talk out loud to myself…. “Hey Dave, listen up…. do you know that you didn’t finish those cookies …I hear them calling your name…really… I think I hear them too.”  If someone walks in while I’m talking to myself, they may think I’m a bit “nuts” .…. hmmmmmm.  While I can balance many … Continue reading “All Will be Well” →

A couple of mornings a week, my wife Judy takes care of two of our younger grandchildren…. Nolan and Theodore; these two “characters” are 3 years old. They arrive with their backpack and plenty of energy. After vigorous greetings of Hi Papa , Hi Gramma, with appropriate hugs, they’re ready for action.  "Delightful" One of … Continue reading “Delights Of The Soul” →

It’s 3:30pm on Monday, February 1st. The snow began last night and by the morning we were in the midst of a legitimate “Blizzard”… it’s been snowing all day and we probably have about a foot and a half… it’s not suppose to end until tomorrow noon. So, this could conceivably be my last BLOG. … Continue reading “Time To Take A Break” →