When your child comes to you for advice you know you are doing something right as a parent. (I didn’t say everything right.)

Recently my daughter came to me and her mother about dating. She asked our opinion about a certain relational situation. We both expressed our disapproval and told her that we didn’t feel that this was a relationship for her to pursue. We strongly expressed we felt she should direct her energy in looking elsewhere for a relationship.

As you can imagine, from a 17 yr old girl, we met with strong opposition. We, of course, being in our 40′s and obviously never been in love, just didn’t understand the situation. However, knowing my daughter and the light that shines in her, we took a chance and told her that although we don’t approve, we weren’t going to forbid her to pursue this relationship. We told her to do what she thought was right.  They really hate that. We were a little disappointed that she decided to go ahead with her plans anyways, but as I figured the relationship has fizzled and the light in my daughter has brightened.

As parents we tend to worry that our children will make dumb mistakes as they get older. We remember how we wish we hadn’t gone certain places or done certain things. We hope that they will listen to our advice and avoid the same problems, but the fact is they have to figure it out on their own. It builds character and gives them the wisdom they need to impart to their own children later.

Time will tell weather we as parents have done the best we could, but we should be encouraged when they seek wise council from us now and utilize our advice in their lives.

Well I just spent the first 3 hours of my day scanning the past onto my hard drive. I was surprised by the emotional roller coaster I enjoyed. Laughing and crying as I scanned pictures of family and friends from past events. I only got through about 70 pictures because after I would scan it I would try to remember the event and the year it was taken and try to organize it (as per my 2011 bucket list – to get my pictures organized). I hope you enjoy some of these as much as I did.

Courtney used to be so scared of loud noises. This one reminded me of how she would always cry for dad during thunderstorms.

This was a summer scavenger hunt that I took the kids on @ Pilcher Park. We all had a great day just discovering God's creation. They each got a disposable camera and took pictures of the things that interested them and then we made little albums.

Two of my favorite smiles. Kirsten and Courtney.

This one made me remember what a great kid Justin is. Such a handsome young man.

How cute they are.

This picture reminded me of all the wonderful years that I have spent with my beautiful wife.

This one reminded me of what a beautiful daughter I have and how lucky I am.

Family is such an important part of  life. Thank God for those memories that keep you going and make life worth living. Without memories we have no past and without a past we just are and God can do so much more with a man he has developed through his past than one who just is.

When both of my children were born I was amazed, each time, at God’s power of creation. I was never happier, as I was than, to be alive. I felt like I was given purpose and meaning. Now every time one of my children pass another milestone I feel a sense of accomplishment and job well done.

However, when my children are hurt or sick I have a sense of ineptness when I can’t make them feel better or heal their afflictions. I remember when Justin was 1 or 2 he got Bronchitis and had to spend a couple of days in the hospital. Heather and I were so worried, because there was nothing we could do. Courtney has had several bad earaches and a couple cases of strep and sometimes she would be in such pain that all we could do is hold her while she cried. It would make us feel so helpless.

In those times of anxiety over the children that God had given us to care for, we would seek and find comfort in lifting them up to Him. Our children belong to God first, and us, their parents second. God cares for our children even when we can’t and we can always count on his help.

There was such a long wait for summer this year. First, it wouldn’t warm up, than it wouldn’t stop raining. Everyone was suffering from cabin fever. As soon as it stopped raining we had a month long heat wave. Now that it’s August and the kids are going back to school the weather is finally starting to cooperate. The start of summer took so long that it came and went.

I guess the real problem for me is that I wanted to do so much this summer that by the time it started it was over and I was left feeling jilted. Now the kids are back in school and it’s to late to plan or do anything else. Not that it was an uneventful summer, but the weather and health issues kept us from doing more than we wanted. However, I am grateful to the Lord for the time he has provided with family and friends this summer.

The Rock has gone back to pro wrestling after 10 years of descent acting in Hollywood. Apparently, wrestling has more to offer than Hollywood. The Rock said and I quote; “Finally, the Rock has come back home!” and that he was “never, ever” leaving the WWE again. So what exactly is the Rock cookin? Why go back to WWE? He wasn’t that bad of an actor. The WWE like Hollywood has it’s seedy side. From suicides to drug overdoses, steroids and prostitution and pornography to any other dark alley dealings you can think of, but Dwayne Johnson never struck me as that kind of a guy. Please spare me the “What are you talking about.” stuff that’s why I included the links. I didn’t make it up.

I was one of the millions that watched the Rock wrestle in the 90′s. He was fun to watch then. I wasn’t very conscious of the things I watch and the effects they had on me in those days.  When the Rock left wrestling was about the time I stopped watching (coincidentally). When he made his foray into movies I was impressed by the depth of his talent.  He broke the deadhead drugged muscle bound stereo-type. Right?

So what brings the Rock back to WWE? The place he calls home. D.J. seems to be a fairly intelligent man (graduate of U of Miami) with good sense and a fair amount of charisma. In fact he always seemed a bit out of place in the WWE world. There can be  only two things that drives a man to call a place like the WWE home. Pride…. self aggrandizing pride as he waves his championship belt around. The kind that makes you want to puke when you hear or see it in someone. Vanity... everyone loves “The Rock” as he kisses his steroidal muscles and poses for the camera.  What ever he’s cookin it smells like garbage.

The thing that kills me is now that even more kids all across America know who the Rock is they will want to watch him wrestle and unsuspecting parents will take their 13 year olds (most of his movies were pg13) to a scripted brawl that sells sex – drugs and every other dark matter that drags society into the gutter.

Just as I was starting to gain respect for a man with brains enough to get out from under the McMahon choke hold and make a respectable name for himself (mostly) Dwayne Johnson returns to a place filled with more darkness than a black-hole. Duane Johnson is a real let down.  He’s the wrong kind of Rock to idolize.