Taking control
The power to direct or influence people's behavior or the course of events. That is the definition of control, and a lot of people like taking it. This includes self-control,…
The power to direct or influence people's behavior or the course of events. That is the definition of control, and a lot of people like taking it. This includes self-control,…
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the price of free speech. Naturally, since my thoughts are known only to me and God (and sometimes my wife), those…
Isn't it great when you hear a sentence or a phrase that you love? Especially one you can use in some way that benefits you? Quotes often fit that category.…
Last October, 2022, which might seem long ago but really isn't, a young man transferred around $114 million from a crypto exchange into his own accounts. Two months later he…
There have been three incidents in my adult life when something was taken from me or a family member. At least that I know of. The first of those happened…
I don't remember how old I was when I learned that names have meaning -- probably grade school. But I do remember that the first thing I wanted to know…
In The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the best known book in The Chronicles of Narnia, there is a boy named Edmund. Edmund has two sisters, Lucy and Susan,…
If there is anything that bugs me -- occasionally, I mean, not all the time -- it's the environment. Just take a look at this picture, and you'll see what…
Some phrases rise up and then endure. Most fade. One that had some legs is, "If it feels good, do it." That entered the popular lexicon in the 60's. People…
It seems unlikely that you have not heard about Damar Hamlin this week. In case you haven't, you should. Damar is a professional football player, a safety for the Buffalo…
"Don't look back," said Satchel Paige. "Something might be gaining on you." That seems like pretty good advice from the same wise man who said, "How old would you be…
On my way home from work I called my wife. "Hello," she said, and she sounded like she meant it. I said, "My bad attitude and I are on our…
I don’t remember exactly what had happened, but one day a few years ago I said to myself, “I’m thankful for the ACLU.” Then I thought, “That was weird.” In…
Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but he couldn't find one that was suitable. Something was always wrong. Perhaps they had bad…
Quick, who won the Super Bowl in 1973? Who won The Masters in 1985? Who won the World Series in 1964? That's three different sports, three different decades, and at…
If you're in the U.S. you may have already voted in the midterm elections, so perhaps I should have written this a month ago. But, in spite of doomsday messages…
If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me is a song released by The Bellamy Brothers in 1979 that went to number 1 on…
Back in the summer of 2013, Sports Illustrated published an article with a marvelous headline: Why Pujols Can't Touch This Pitch. On a double spread, to the left of that…
Like many of you, I have friends and family in Florida. Even if you don't, you've probably been watching the power and destruction of Hurricane Ian. Everyone knew it was…
One of the most enduring musical plays of all time, The Music Man, is also one of my favorites. If you haven't seen a stage presentation of it, you still…
The world in general is a fan of biography -- books about someone's life. Biography is a self-descriptive word, being formed from bios (life) and graphia (writing). It was one…
You are probably familiar with Robert Frost, at least by name, and know he was a poet. You may even be familiar with his poem The Road Not Taken, though…
Recently I had the privilege of hanging out with the swells for a few days. It's not the kind of thing I get to do on a regular basis, so…
It may not be as famous as "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," but you'll know this movie line: "Truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the…
Even little kids know what it feels like to have a problem they can't solve. I experienced that many times, once in particular when I was 12 years old. The…
My wife and I were having ice cream with friends in a strip mall shop. We'd been to dinner and were finishing off the evening with a couple of the…
Money is always a popular topic. Having money may be more popular than talking about it, but since most of us don't think we have much of the stuff we…
Sadly, many people today have never read or heard Martin Luther King's most famous speech. Usually it is called the "I have a dream" speech. That wasn't the original title,…
Have you ever watched a weight lifting competition, even for a minute or two? Those people are amazing! And it's not just the young, buff, protein-shake crowd. Last year Edith…
The headline jumped out at me in my morning e-mail, as it was intended to. But I was not shocked, saddened, surprised or encouraged, and I know I was supposed…
People who watch the Supreme Court closely -- and these days it's probably more interesting than network TV -- have figured for a while that Roe v. Wade would likely…
So there I was, sitting at my desk ready to write about "think different," when I got pulled aside by LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a business-focused social-media site. At least I…
Almost 20 years ago a good friend was spending time as a guest of the state where he lived. The accommodations weren't great, he had to wear a kind of…
I have not been to Ukraine, but I have a good friend who lived there for many years as a missionary. He speaks the language fluently. So does his wife,…
This past weekend the Kansas City Chiefs got the ball with just 32 seconds left in the game and scored to send it into overtime. Good job. The Los Angeles…
America is one of the best known, most loved countries in the world. It may be true that some Hollywood celebrities don't love America, but I don't see them moving…
Words mean things. When they are combined in particular ways, the meaning can be expanded, made more clear, or made more confusing. Punctuation makes a difference as well. That was…
One of the many ill-effects of the pandemic is something called "decision fatigue." I couldn't decide if I wanted to write about that or not, then I couldn't decide what…
By now you've heard some of the numbers from the massive tornado. It struck middle America Friday night, December 9, and caused damage in at least six states. It took…
Imagine you are driving on a street with stop lights, and you have to make a left turn at one of them. You arrive at the intersection, and just as…
Sarah You may have never heard of Sarah Josepha Hale, who is pictured here, but you know at least some of her work. She was born in New Hampshire in…
When I was a young man I was fascinated by logic puzzles called "Truth-tellers and Liars." The concept is that you find yourself (perhaps a shipwreck got you there) on…
Most crimes come with guidance on the recommended punishment, should a verdict of guilty be returned. A judge may show mercy or may “throw the book” at the offender. If…
Jaws, a movie released in 1975, was very popular. The kind of popularity that makes studio executives say to each other, "Let's do a sequel and make even more money!"…
It probably won't surprise you to know that I think about the idea of "doing good" a lot. After all, our calling at Do Good University is to teach people…
Are you woke? Once upon a time it would have been "Are you awake," but woke is now in the Oxford English Dictionary. It was added in June 2017, along…
I've been a leader -- or at least I've been in leadership roles -- since I was in grade school. The same thing may be true for you. Even with…
From 2007-2012 there was a TV series called Chuck. The title character works in a Buy More (a thinly disguised Best Buy). He's part of "The Nerd Herd" (equally thinly…
It's everywhere! You might have said that when you bought a shiny new car, thinking it was unique in all the world. On your way home from the dealer you…
Before we were even aware of it, we were being taught to compare ourselves to others. As a baby in a stroller we all heard how beautiful we were. "Hey,"…
Sometimes you can Do It Yourself I'm kind of a DIY guy, but that's much more about curiosity and saving money than about skills and ability. Still, I can change…
When you look at the title of this post (If you want to win, run against the wind), you might think that's advice for running faster. It is not, because…
Mark Twain said, "There are three kinds of lies: plain lies, damn lies, and statistics." He might have said four, adding headlines to the list. I suppose that was true…
A few days ago I had the privilege of giving a talk to some student athletes at Grand Canyon University, and I had an assigned topic: Living an Uncommon Life.…