I am a father and a philosopher. This is not necessarily an unusual combination, but it does give me a range of interests that spans two rather distinctive worlds. I am interested in the family, its challenges and rewards, its hard work and its joyful celebrations. As a philosopher, I am interested in an array of ideas that range from […]
values
Passing Along All that is Noble and Worthwhile
I was blessed to grow up with great parents. We didn’t have much, but my parents made sure my sister and I had love, discipline, faith, strong values, and an appreciation for the value of hard work. My mother played a vital role in our family, as all mothers do, but I find as I grow older that I am […]
America, the Resilient
Reminiscing seems to go hand in hand with getting older. When I slow down enough to look at life through the eyes of my children, I see a world vastly different from the one in which I grew up. As a product of Generation X, my age group may be the last to remember a childhood without electronic games and […]
Interview with Theresa Thomas, co-author of “BIG HEARTED: Inspiring Stories from Everyday Families”
Every now and then a special book comes along that grabs you and leaves a mark. BIG HEARTED: Inspiring Stories from Everyday Families is such a book. Deacon Mike and I are blessed to know and work with co-authors Theresa Thomas and Patti Maguire Armstrong who are also popular contributing writers for Integrated Catholic Life. This book, their second collaborative […]
The Nest Begins to Empty
As I was addressing my daughter’s high school graduation invitations last night, I began to reminisce about the journey my daughter has taken in life. I find it difficult to put into words how proud I am of her: knowing her struggles, knowing her convictions, knowing her faith, knowing her success despite it all. My sweet baby girl, so young […]
Worlds Apart
I am a father and a philosopher. This is not necessarily an unusual combination, but it does give me a range of interests that spans two rather distinctive worlds. I am interested in the family, its challenges and rewards, its hard work and its joyful celebrations. As a philosopher, I am interested in an array of ideas that range from […]
Six Practical Ideas for Integrating our Catholic Faith with Work
If you think about it, most of us will likely spend the majority of our adult (awake) lives in the workplace. A typical eight hour work day accounts for 1/3rd of the total day, with the other 2/3rds devoted to sleeping, family, friends, faith, etc. In the practice of our faith, do we consider the workplace as an opportunity to […]
How We Measure Success
My father came to our house for a visit a few weekends ago, which he typically does two or three times a year. He loves to see his grandsons and we talk to him every week by phone, but it is sometimes difficult for him to travel from his Florida home to Atlanta. I have occasionally written about my dad […]
Teaching Kids What Matters – 10 Practical Lessons
Our family recently enjoyed a weekend visit from my 73 year old father. This has been a tough few years for all of us, especially my father, as my mother passed away in 2010 after a long illness. My parents were married for nearly half a century, a rare thing these days. My mother was his best friend, partner and […]
Catholic Cop-outs
Catholic clichés are vapid. They exhibit a lackadaisical attitude toward the faith, and consequently, the way it is taught. Anna Mitchell, a good friend of mine and Catholic radio personality, recently took up the topic of limiting preaching to action in her December article, “Use Words When Necessary”. I would like to toss in another classic cop-out: the problem of […]