Her little blond curls bounce as she skips through the living room, just before she pulls her shirt over her head and pronounces; “You can’t catch me I’m the gingerbread man!” before running through the house.  I sit in awe as she makes a complete lap through the house without hitting a wall or piece of furniture.  She then pulls the shirt down, gives me a big cute smile and her eyes twinkle with pride because no one caught her!

Today she is driven by the same strong will and puts it into everything she does; whether it is golf, theatre, singing or homework – she is putting her all into it.  This is only part of what I admire most about her, but to me the most important thing to remember is that she is a gift from God.

When she looks at you through her blue eyes know that she has more compassion, concern and love than anyone can imagine.  Her heart is on her sleeve and willing to share it when needed most.  She is loyal to the bone and if anyone knows her like I do then you know that she will be your best friend; unconditionally.

I am humbled by my daughter and have learned more lessons from her than she knows.  If there is one thing you know about me it is this; I have no problem bragging about my daughter to anyone who will listen.  I do this because she won’t and her humbled spirit is an example for others to follow.  She proves herself through her actions, thereby gaining merit and building a character others can only wish for.

So the next time you hear me say “My Daughter”, know that behind those words is a young woman who can show you how to get the hard work done or melt your heart.  Her heart is made of gold and her soul as bright as diamonds; truly a treasure only God can make – and He put her in my life to know and love!

So Dad’s take a few seconds out of your day to hug your daughter(s) and let her know that she is the reason you are able to see the elegance of God’s wonderful gifts.

To reach back into some of my own memories as a teenager I try to remember those moments when one of my parents or a relative offered me a bit of advice.  For some reason they come back as a rushed blur with very small moments of clarity.

Some might say that I should have paid better attention and they may be right, but what I wouldn’t give to have those few seconds or minutes back!  Now that I am older (Captain Obvious Statement) I realize that it was God who put those people in my path to teach and guide me.  The regret of not paying more attention will be my burden, but I know that I cannot be the only person out there who feels the same way.

Along with the advice comes the time you are spending with the person who is sharing something with you.  These in themselves are gifts from God that should be appreciated.  God knows our hearts and our minds which inherently means He knows what is best for us, regardless of what we might think.

So today I will simply offer this; when someone takes the time to offer us that little tidbit or plate of reality, just remember to ask for a full glass of advice when that plate is put in front of you because God has a reason in mind for you to know and understand how you fit into His plan.

Some of you may be feeling some very cold wind today and it does bite a bit on the nose making you wrap up your scarf or coat even tighter as you leave your house or your car.

For many you will stay in the house and find anything to do that keeps you from going out into the cold, cold wind.  Can’t blame anyone for wanting to stay inside, but at some point you will have to venture out into that cold air and I would offer you something to think about as you do.

As an example I will use myself and my mother.  I live up north and she lives a few hours south; pretty simple.  Since the cold wind comes from the north it is usually much colder and hits me first.  By the time it gets to my mother it is a few degrees warmer.  Well I see it this way; since it hit me first, my love for God and my family causes the air to warm by a few degrees before it gets to my mother south of me.  This is my way of letting her know that she is being thought of and loved today.

For you factoid science guy types I know this is not the scientific version of why the air is warmer by the time it gets farther south, but just go with it and let you mind wander for a bit – “My blog, my science”; just saying.

So when that cold, cold air hits your nose or your ears just put on a smile, because someone up north was thinking of you and remember that the air was much colder up there before it got to you.  Just don’t send the cold air back up this way; we have plenty to go around thank you.

Take care, be safe and may God or your loved ones bless you with the warmth of their love when you think there is nothing but the Cold, Cold Wind outside.

Last night as I was working on my latest Stage-play I realized that it is not easy to create a character’s personality.  Yes, I know; there are many books out there on how to create a character for a story, novel, screenplay or other, but this is not what I am talking about.

Can you imagine trying to be God and creating a character for each and every human being that ever was and ever will be?  It is like trying to count the stars in the night sky!  In my play I am only dealing with about nine or ten characters compared to the billions that God has created.

My point is this; how can any of us not take time out of our busy day to thank God for the person we are and the potential He has given each one of us.  The best way to thank Him might be by simply living our lives to our full potential.  The question you now have to ask yourself is; what is my full potential and have I tried to achieve it?

Just ask God, you might not actually be surprised by His answer since most of us already know what it is; we have just not acted on it yet.

Oh yea, hug someone you love very tightly today – they just might need it!

In my personal opinion I think the idea of a “New Year’s Resolution” is not fully understood.  I would even offer it is something we say or share with others in the hopes that we somehow fit in.

The first thing to do here is to look at the word “Resolution”.  According to Merriam-Webster it says: “to declare or indicate in advance; especially: foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason.  The intransitive verb is: to make a prediction”.

So if we take the word at its base meaning we are attempting to foretell the future based upon our own observations, experiences or perceptions.  If this is true and we are human, then that means that most of us are intelligent enough to admit when we are wrong and where we need to change or adjust.

If we simply make a statement towards change, does that mean we will change?  It might if we were to simply understand that for humans change is not an easy task.  Basically we literally have to change our habits to make our “Resolutions” work.  I don’t know about you, but I do not have a crystal ball or special powers that tell me if I will even live until tomorrow.

What I do know is that with and through God anything is possible if we commit ourselves to it.  My suggestion is to change the way we look at making the “New Year” better and to do this we have to remove the idea of making a “New Year’s Resolution”.  Instead make defined and well thought out commitments to ourselves and to each other.

Commitment usually starts with understanding that putting ourselves first should not be on the list; rather, how does it benefit those around me?  Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you put someone else first or when you do something nice for someone and a smile forms on your face?

Remember, Christ made a commitment to fulfill God’s promise; not an empty resolution with no substance or foundation.  Jesus used all of God’s Word found in the Torah to prove his point towards His commitment, not only to God, but to all of us.  So commit to yourselves to be honest towards change and it will be honest with you.