My two dogs are total opposites. They are brothers from the same litter but act so differently. As I write this, Cody is barking blindly at the bathroom door while his brother Comet watches him silently, wondering why he is barking. Spoiler alert: no one is in or near the bathroom.
Category Archives: Parenting
Making Connections
Do you remember what it feels like to be the newbie? At one time or another, we have all been the new people in the room, looking around at an established group, wondering how best to break in. Even when people are kind and hospitable, it is still a social and emotional adventure.
Our Beliefs About Baptism
This September, Dutilh Church will joyously celebrate the baptism of six infants, bless 12 students as they begin confirmation, and celebrate the renewal of baptism for one adult. Since our church family includes people from various backgrounds and traditions, and since there is a wide array of beliefs and practices about baptism, I want to share some of what we believe about baptism in our United Methodist tradition.
A Season of Blessing and Sending or What’s Mine Is Yours
In the space of eight days at the end of July and the beginning of August, my children, who are 23 and 21, moved into their first post-college apartments. I am happy for them and a little sentimental. My babies are grown up.
Pray for Your Heart
I recently came across a great resource for educators on social media called “Joy in the Journey.” (If you are in education, please follow or visit the website joyinthejourneyteaching.com!) The specific resource I read about was a prayer journal for teachers called Prayers for the Teaching Journey. With the start of the school year coming soon and my role in education, this journal piqued my interest!
More Than the Bunny
We hear a lot about keeping Christ in Christmas, but how do we make sure that Easter is about more than baskets, egg hunts, and the Easter Bunny? Here are four simple ways you can keep Jesus at the center of your family’s Easter celebration:
The 25 Percent Who Stay
A recent study found that 75 percent of youth active in the church leave between the ages of 18 and 29. As a Children’s Ministry Director who attempts to lay the foundation for lifelong faith in our children, I am devastated by this statistic. Rather than wallow in grief, I am choosing to focus not on why the 75 percent leave the church, but on why the 25 percent choose to stay.
Do You Love Music?
I love music. A lot.
I love singing (sometimes to the annoyance of my wife and children). I love playing music – if you know me, you probably know I play quite a few different instruments. I love listening to the music of nearly any genre (death metal might be my one hold-out, but I must admit the musicality of the genre is pretty incredible). Music is a powerful force in my life.
Words DO Have Power
Have you heard the popular phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” Yes, I’m sure you’ve heard it and maybe, even maybe, you found yourself saying it to others who may have shared hurtful words with you. It’s an easy way to pretend words don’t hurt us. I mean, they are just words, right?
What Trail Will You Leave?
I recently read the devotional with my children, “On the Trail,” from How Great Is Our God by Louie Giglio and Tama Fortner, and I thought it was too cute and quite appropriate to title this blog post similarly. This devotional prompted me to reflect on the legacy I will leave when God calls me home. Isn’t it amazing that God can speak through anything, even a children’s devotional, when it’s something we adults need to hear?
Dutilh Church 