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September 30, 2011

Random Ramblings #16: Five to One – A New Monthly Feature

joe 2

Every Friday we’ll take a break from topical posts and will post some random personal thoughts.  --- A Cuppa Joe - Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler Five to One - A New Monthly Feature  5 recent blog postings worth passing on: Chuck Colson rebukes Christians showing a callous response to the death penalty in particular, and to people in general, in “Cheering Death”: http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/17894 C. Michael Patton’s Parchment and Pen site is one of the best sources for doctrinal posts I know Continue Reading

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September 29, 2011

Mad At Dad

mad at dad

Every Thursday I’ll post an article having to do with either relational or emotional matters. Hope it helps. --- Mad at Dad I wrote my first book twenty years ago, and much of it had to do with father/son bonding. But it was too easy, in 1991, to write about what fathers should or shouldn’t be. I was new to the game myself, the proud step-father of a lovably energetic eight year old boy, who I’d spent a mere three years actually parenting. Huge mistakes, mostly mine, hadn’t yet been made. His adolescence was years off, so our days were Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
September 28, 2011

When Vague is in Vogue

weird roadsign

Every Wednesday we’ll post something about doctrine and recovery. Hope it helps. --- When Vague is in Vogue Years ago I was speaking at a church conference on pastoral counseling, going over some of what I consider the basics, one of which is clarity. I mentioned the need to call sin what it is, otherwise we’ll be doing a disservice to people coming for truth and direction. At that point a young man raised his hand and corrected me, telling me that his pastor had a better approach: He let God be God. I bit my tongue, tempted to say Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
September 27, 2011

Marriage Matters

mr-and-mrs-smith

Every Tuesday we’ll be posting an article about restoring and strengthening marriages that have been damaged by sexual sin. Hope it’s helpful. --- Marriage Matters Tonight my fifteen year old talked me into watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie released years ago which I’d never seen but, he assured me, I would love. I didn’t. Midway through, in fact, I remarked to him that if silliness took speed, it would come out looking something like this film. But the movie’s general theme of duplicity and marital trust Continue Reading

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September 26, 2011

Nice Game

the game

Every Monday we post something about maintaining your sexual purity. Hope it helps. --- Nice Game These days the words “player” and “game” have morphed into terms for sexual competence and aggressiveness. A Player is, under these revisions, a guy who scores well and often with women; his game is his unique technique for seduction and conquering. Too bad, because whatever else the sexual dance between man and woman may be, it’s no game. People don’t just play it, then pack up and go home. Expectations are raised; emotional bonding Continue Reading

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September 23, 2011

Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler #15: DWTS and Chaz

joe 2

Every Friday we’ll take a break from topical posts and will post some random personal thoughts.  --- A Cuppa Joe - Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler Last Dance I’ll miss Dancing with the Stars. Watching it was a weekly family ritual everyone in our home looked forward to, so our decision to stop leaves a void. It’s not a decision made out of moral piety because, after all, plenty of performers on that show have behaved in less than saintly ways, and don’t even get me started on some of the costumes! Nor am I afraid that, as a Continue Reading

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September 22, 2011

Bad Medicine

White Calcium Pills

Every Thursday I’ll post an article having to do with either relational or emotional matters. Hope it helps. --- Bad Medicine The pain in my tooth was murderous, reducing me to a whimpering, whining child. I’d been avoiding the dentist because, up to that point, I’d never had a cavity (I was 44 at the time) and I stubbornly refused to hear that I’d finally have to face the drill. But the decay had done its damage, and I simply had to get help. The dentist confirmed my worst fear, and then some: “You’ve not only got your first Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
September 21, 2011

Abiding

communion

Every Wednesday we’ll post a message having to do with doctrine and purity. Hope it helps. --- Abiding When someone knows they’re dying soon, you listen carefully to what they say. What’s on their mind is what matters most, and they’re sure to talk about things that are meaningful. So it was when Jesus convened His last supper with the disciples. He knew His earthly ministry was ending, so He took advantage of His last meal with the Twelve to talk about what mattered most to Him. And one thing that clearly mattered was the way He Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
September 20, 2011

Spouse Building

young couple

Every Tuesday we’ll be posting an article about restoring and strengthening marriages that have been damaged by sexual sin. Hope it’s helpful. --- Spouse Building I didn’t just get a wife 24 years ago. I was entrusted with one. More to the point, I was entrusted with Renee by Someone who created and redeemed her, and to whom I will someday answer for the way I’ve handled the lady He trusts me with. Husbands, let us not kid ourselves about this: We will answer to God for the way we’ve treated (as in, loved or not loved) the woman Continue Reading

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September 19, 2011

Keeping Motives Alive

checklist

Every Monday we post something about maintaining your sexual purity. Hope it helps --- Keeping Motives Alive  I’ve yet to have a Christian man come into my office and ask, “Is it OK for me to use porn? Or cheat on my wife? Or hire a prostitute?” Knowing right from wrong is seldom the problem with my clients. But staying motivated to do what we know is right (and to not do what we know is wrong) - now there’s the challenge. A simple exercise I call Motive Review can be helpful. Developing a Motive Review means simply making a list of Continue Reading

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