**This article is a re-post from January 12, 2009. I’m re-visiting the archives while my wife and I enjoy a few days of vacation. Do you think of yourself as a fairly average person? One interesting aspect of working with young adolescents involves observing their efforts to discover and define their identity. It’s a fascinating, […]
Continue readingVacation
Happy Monday! Welcome to word-of-the-week day here at Bouncing Back. This week’s word is … VACATION Today’s post comes to you from the road on the way to Sonoma, California. I finally convinced my lovely wife to take a much-needed and well-deserved break, so we’re off for about ten days of R&R. We haven’t taken […]
Continue readingWisdom From A True Giant
The world lost a giant last weekend when John Wooden went home. You didn’t need to be a sports fan to appreciate Coach Wooden, because his legacy and influence transcended sports. If you’re a fan of peace, love, character, generosity, and humility, then you had to be a fan of John Wooden. In this video, […]
Continue readingIf I Got Jesus, Do I Really Need All These People?
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands […]
Continue readingKids Say Some Amazing Things
What really makes you feel satisfied? I’ve been blessed with some amazing speaking gigs recently. I enjoy speaking to just about any audience that’s willing to listen, but I guess there will always be a soft spot in this old teacher’s heart for kids. Not sure if it’s their enthusiasm or innocent honesty or that […]
Continue readingHow To Give Unsolicited Advice
How should you offer unsolicited advice? You shouldn’t. This morning I rode a bike trail that includes an underpass and a particularly steep ramp. It’s one of my favorite routes, but for me that ramp is a killer. No matter how hard I try I can never get quite enough momentum to crank to the […]
Continue readingContentment
Happy Monday! It’s a gorgeous morning in northern Colorado—I hope the week is beginning beautifully where you are. This week’s word-of-the-week was suggested by Kent Robson of Christians With Disabilities, who wants to focus on … CONTENTMENT Are you contented? I’d speculate that many folks wouldn’t even view “contentment” as a worthy goal. Our culture […]
Continue readingCharity Turned Upside Down
Happy Saturday! Whether you’re working or relaxing, I hope this weekend is a time to connect and recharge. Normally on Saturday I try to share something light and short, often in the form of a video. However, today I’m suggesting that you read an article on Donald Miller’s great blog. This powerful look at charity […]
Continue readingFlowers And New Life
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. [Isaiah 43:19] “Everything’s just so hard!” My friend was sharing about a million things that seemed to be going wrong all at once. A couple of […]
Continue readingWhat Do You Read?
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. [Philippians 4:8] What do you read? We can’t be better than the ideas with which we surround ourselves. Immerse yourself in the bible and you’ll get closer […]
Continue readingI Got Nothing
Here’s this week’s contribution to the One-Word-At-A-Time Blog Carnival. I encourage you to click the link and check out some of the other carnival attractions. This week’s word is: EMPTINESS Have you done emptiness? I have. For thirty years I scrambled after FULL. The world offers all sorts of ways to pretend-fill your soul, and I […]
Continue readingMemory
Happy Memorial Day (in the U.S.). In the spirit of the holiday, today’s word-of-the-week is … MEMORY What will you remember today? During the past year my dad and best friend passed away, and my memories of them prompt a mixture of sadness and smiles. Sometimes I feel like I just want to forget, but […]
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