The Winter Soul

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Now that winter is kicking in where I live here in the Midwest, usually all I want to do is stop moving and hibernate somewhere warm. When you live up here, regardless of your desire to push forward in some direction of accomplishment and progress, it’s a slowing down time of year. Movement is restricted… Read more.

Thanksgiving

 
Thanksgiving is upon us, and for most of us that means tons of food, family and prayers of gratitude. But what if the miracles we’ve prayed for this year, the things we were sure would happen… never did? How can we be grateful for the things that didn’t come our way?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you thought it was a sign of something to come? This has happened to me many times but quite often I would shrug them off. Many times I would tell someone about it and they would convince me to see it through. One example occurred when I was dating. It was a blind date with unusual circumstances that I did not want to go on, but a friend convinced me that it was meant to happen. Let’s just say it was a complete disaster, at least the date was. But what I learned was to take chances and eventually, another blind date led me to my wife. I was embarrassed about that first blind date, waiting for a miracle that never materialized believing divine intervention would make itself known to me.
How about that promotion at work we felt we deserved and wanted but never received. Many times down the road it was the best thing that never happened because an even better situation presented itself.
Then I thought perhaps the miracles that didn’t happen for us caused or resulted in a miracle happening for someone else, and it wouldn’t have occurred had what we prayed for really happened. That’s an incredible thought, and one that we should consider whenever we don’t get what we’re expecting. I believe we are all a part of a much bigger plan than we are aware of. We just have to accept what life gives us each day and realize it is a blessing even if we don’t understand it.                  
So this holiday season, thank God not only for the miracles he’s done for you but for the miracles he’s done for others, too. You may have been a part of one, without ever even knowing about it.

Weathering the Storm

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We have all heard the phrase ”weathering the storm.” But what does it really mean and what tools do you use to weather the storm? The storms in your life may be big or small. Some of the storms may be just a part of life, and yet, we may bring some of those storms… Read more.

Divided yet United

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  We live in the United States but lately it doesn’t seem like we are very united as a country. We live in a time where our differences seem to jump out and distinguish us more than those things that unite us. It is very apparent when you watch all the political ads on television these days…. Read more.

Wonderful Wednesdays

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What is your favorite day of the week? During college my favorite day of the week was Thursday because it was the unofficial start of the weekend. Of course once you start working Friday seems to be everyone’s favorite day. Saturday and Sunday’s are a no brainer! Nobody likes Mondays and let’s be honest, Tuesdays… Read more.

A Father’s Dream Realized

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After 10 hours of flying, the plane finally touched down in Rome Italy. It was starting to sink in dthat this was no longer a dream but reality. It was 1987 when I promised to bring my dad here, and 25 years later I had made it with my own son. But still, it had… Read more.

Sorpresa!!!

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Unless you are fluid in speaking Italian you will not know what the title of this blog is about. Sorpresa means surprise in English. When it comes to surprises, it is pretty much black and white. People either like surprises or don’t like surprises. My wife is the latter. She enjoys giving people surprises but… Read more.

Decision Making

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One thing I know for sure is that our lives are constantly filled with decision making. Some of them are daily rather small decisions, but many of them are decisions that may determine large aspects of your life. Can you remember what you would consider the first big decision of your life? Many of us… Read more.

The Determination of Spiders

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If you ask most people, they will tell you they hate spiders. They’re gross looking and usually enter our lives at the most inconvenient times – driving the car, eating outside, watching a movie, etc. But there are certain characteristics and traits of spiders we could learn from. There is a reason why God included… Read more.

Filling that Void in Your Life

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How often do you find yourself living a fast hectic lifestyle yet feel like there’s still something missing? Or perhaps, you have lost something dear to you and there’s just a hole inside of you that can’t be filled. Some of the happiest content people I know in life lead a simple existence with very… Read more.