November 25, 2024
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PhilosophyAnd just like that, the end of 2024 is upon us. We celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, and many of us will be traveling across town or across the country to spend time with family.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
November 11, 2024
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PhilosophyI have written many posts over the years marking Veterans Day. This is a day for us to pause to not only thank those who gave us everything, but the many, many more who gave part of their lives to protect and defend us and our way of life. This self-sacrifice is among the highest of human ideals and for that, all I have to say today is, thank you.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
July 08, 2024
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PhilosophyMindfulness gained a foothold in the imaginations of workers and corporations in the last few years, as popular apps brought reliable and lighthearted training to the masses on their phones. Mindfulness asks us to pause and focus only on our existence in a certain moment. It calms the mind and allows us to observe the world as it passes.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
October 09, 2023
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Family LifeWe moved last week. Although I had the benefit of a whole crew to box up our home and relocate it, once the boxes were in the correct room, the crew left, and it was up to me.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
October 02, 2023
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PhilosophyThere’s something about waypoints in our lives that lead us to become pensive. We reflect, look back, and plan for a brighter tomorrow. These endings come at regular intervals and for all sorts of reasons. They’re yet another reminder, in our busy frenetic world, to slow down and think.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
November 29, 2022
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FaithThanksgiving is a remarkably calm period in my life. Not only does it signal the final few weeks of the year, but around this time, I get a palpable feeling of renewal. Major projects are winding down, and I start to ruminate on the bigger things in life. I reflect on the year that was, and start to plan for the year that is to come.Read ArticleTags: Gratitude Spirituality
May 10, 2021
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Family LifeThis is our first house with a fence. A simple wooden structure that encloses our backyard doesn’t seem like much. In fact, it was built years ago and no one ever stained it. To me, it provides a safe place to let the children run free while I supervise through the kitchen windows. To my kids, it’s the boundary around their kingdom.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude Parenting
November 30, 2020
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FaithIt’s been a year. 2020 ushered in a new decade and along with it so much hope. As we've slugged out the past eleven months, it may be hard to find things for which we can be grateful. Our Churches are closed or mostly empty. We’ve been subject to virtual house arrest, fearing a virus and locked down by our governments. In the midst of it all, a national election brought into key positions of power people who have an ideology that’s hostile to our faith.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
November 05, 2018
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PhilosophyThere are many reasons to be optimistic in life, especially as an American. We live in comfort and peace. I go to bed at night, not fearing roving thugs, errant artillery shells, or that some secret government agency will come and kidnap me.
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November 19, 2018
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Family LifeThanksgiving is a great American holiday. The virtue of gratitude is baked into our national DNA. There’s something really beautiful and attractive about generosity, and the way in which those Native Americans helped the first settlers is a profound statement on the innate goodness of the human person.
Read ArticleTags: Generosity Gratitude
November 22, 2017
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FatherhoodThe life of a stay-at-home dad isn’t easy. It’s much more difficult than I imagined it would be. My days are in constant motion. I get out of bed at 5 am, because if I don’t have time for myself before 7 am, I won’t see another moment until after 7 pm.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude Parenting
December 06, 2016
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Family LifeWith just a few weeks until Christmas, I’m sure that your shopping is in full swing. For many of us, the hustle and bustle can be disheartening. In this season of Advent, we wait with joyful hope, but most of our focus is on other things.
Read ArticleTags: Generosity Gratitude
November 22, 2016
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FaithThe faith of the martyrs has always been an inspiration to me. Throughout history, men and women of all ages and states in life have laid down their lives in defense of the Church and Truth. Their executions have seldom been merciful. Rather, their deaths were calculated to inflict the greatest pain, humiliation, and terror. Miraculously, the opposite has happened. These gruesome executions occur even to this day around the World.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude Political Life Virtue
November 24, 2016
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Family LifeGreetings from the Jersey Shore! My family has gathered from five different states to celebrate Thanksgiving together. Kids are running all over the house and plenty of warm feelings are going around. The holiday season is in full swing, and I’m enjoying some rest after another busy year.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
May 31, 2016
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Family LifeLife is full of grand adventure. Our emotions, and the circumstances around us, can cast us into profound sadness or propel us to extreme happiness. We all have a tendency to take things for granted, so when we’re in the times of great joy, we should remember to acknowledge the source from which all blessings flow.
Read ArticleTags: Community Gratitude
May 18, 2015
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PhilosophyFive words are all it takes to make the difference in a service member's life. We see men and women all the time who are either currently serving in our Armed Forces or wearing apparel that tells us that they served. I strongly encourage you to take a moment, stop them, and say, "Thank you for your service."
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April 15, 2015
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Family LifeIn life, it becomes incredibly easy to take things for granted. Small joys and simple pleasures tend to melt into the background after their initial newness fades. Something as wonderfully cute as a snoring baby can amount to little if we don't consciously take a moment to enjoy it.
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October 30, 2014
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FatherhoodThe life of a family is one of seasons. There’s the season before a couple has children. There’s the season when they have young children. There’s the season when the children are becoming adults. Finally, there’s the season when the children are grown and are starting their own families. Each season has it’s joys and challenges. The key to living a successful family life is to cherish each season.
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January 27, 2014
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MarriageThe other day I was looking at my iPhone. As I looked at the many apps that have earned a spot on my home screen, I realized how much they have changed the way I live my life daily. It’s not that I’d be lost without my phone, but my life would be different. I wouldn’t be as efficient or as motivated.
Read ArticleTags: Gratitude
September 02, 2013
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MarriageNow that I have been married for almost a year, I have had the pleasure of experiencing several weddings of family and friends.Read ArticleTags: Community Gratitude
