When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
Here’s a video blog for PART 4 of our MORE THAN A MUSTACHE series.
When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
Here’s a video blog for PART 4 of our MORE THAN A MUSTACHE series.
When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
Here’s a video blog for PART 3 of our MORE THAN A MUSTACHE series.
When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
#wisdomwednesday
Here’s a video blog for PART 2 of our MORE THAN A MUSTACHE series.
When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
#wisdomwednesday
Here’s a video blog for PART 1 of our MORE THAN A MOUSTACHE series.
When every young man hits a certain age – hair starts growing on his face. But this glorious and beautiful hair growth does not make him a man….
My 14 year old son Isaiah and I sat down to make a lists of characteristics that make someone a “real man.”
I was very impressed with his input – and am proud to see him (and his brother) develop into fine young men.
In this series we’ll be exploring these character qualities that MAKE the man.
Bath and Bodyworks is a girly store. They used to have some barber shop smelling stuff… but now they only have a handful of man smells. Most of those are barely that.
I like manly smells. I want to smell good. Aftershave, leather, pine, cedar, musk, rain, leaves, grass. These are manly smells.
I do enjoy walking in with my wife and picking out smells.for her. Mostly because if she goes in alone, she comes out with old lady smells.
If I’m her backup, I can assure she will smell like a sexy beast or like baked goods… which is also sexy.
The new man section has a scent called White Citrus. It is nice. If Mountain Dew were a cologne, it would smell like this. I can handle smelling like Mountain Dew.
Mountain Dew is caffeinated, and has power, and sugar. Sweet, but powerful. That’s many, I guess.
So last night, since I already had on some manly cologne – which I applied while walking through a fancy department store. I gave myself a healthy spritz of some Burberry manly man aftershavy- cologne. Nothing beats smelling good for free.
So, already smelling good – I thought I would try some hand Lotion. Not being a hand lotion type of guy, I gave myself a nice big squirt … and realized it wa probably enough lotion to take a bath.
Now my silky smooth man hands , my beard, my hair, my shirt, my wife, and my son smell like citrus soda.
What do you think of waiting? Is it something passive– sedentary? Is it a sign of weakness done mostly by people who don’t have the guts or gumption to take things into their own hands? I surely am not the first person to point out that we live in an age of instant gratification … or at least the pursuit or illusion of that.
It seems to me the longer I live, that waiting is a very active verb. It takes strength to wait. It takes resolve not to give into impatience. One needs to have vision of future goals and a good grasp of consequences- both positive and negative- of failure. We also must have hope and confident expectation. How sad that mankind has given up waitiing and put their energies in so many activities and dreams that are false or weak and will never fill the cry of our hearts nor the destiny God has called us into.
We are so often hypocrites and opportunists. I am not talking about the ‘worldling’… to be blinded by this earthly kingdom and chasing vanities is to be expected from the lost. But, we as Christians should not live so. We should not be so easily distracted…. 1. walkiing as the youth of today in a group- while texting others as if they are going to be left out…… or like many of their adult models.. 2. trying to get in the hottest ‘social network’ or ‘linked in’ to as many different potential agenda advancers as possible.
Maybe I am blogging to myself here, so I am going to encourage myself to be patient. I am going to try to keep true to the destiny I am called to. Help me Lord, not be so concerned when my roles in life change, as they do for all of us. You have called me for such a time as this and so I will trust that the ‘confinements’ during this particular waiting stage are shaping me and my character. Maybe the best thing you and I can do toposition ourselves would be to remain faithful and vigilant. Don’t let anyone other than the Holy Spirit call you away from your mission.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God.. and all these things will be added unto you.”
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him.. to the one who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
Buy her flowers, they said.
Buy her diamonds, they said.
She’ll love you forever they said.
BZZZZZZZZT! Wrong Answer.
While giving gifts, and going out for a nice dinner is certainly an important part of the modern courtship ritual… romance does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. Spending lots of money does not necessarily communicate love. And spending money that you don’t have to build a relationship with someone means that you’ll pay for it later, and possible in more ways than one as debt collectors and credit card companies start calling, and eventually, an adjustment in lifestyle to match your income may cause relationship frustration, if you’ve set expectations for an expensive romance.
Let’s look at some ways you can be romantic, and communicate love, without breaking out the plastic, and without spending all your cash.
1. Letters.
In this day and age of testing and facebook, we’re missing out on a classic and in fact, classy form of communication that will melt her heart, and make her love you more. Take the time to grab a piece of paper and a pen. If you’re really cheap you’ll write on the back of old bills or envelopes or napkins, but if you’re going to spend money, buy a nice notebook, a legal pad, or some nice stationary.
Write out your affections, and the reason behind them.
Don’t just say, “I love you.” Write WHY you love her.
Reminisce about some time you have spent together, and talk about how it made you feel. A) Women love that stuff. B) You’d be surprised how communicating your feelings on paper, and with a pen, rather than a touch screen keyboard actually makes you appreciate your sweetheart.
Spend the money to send it through the mail. Who DOESN’T like getting an actual letter in the mailbox? Even if you’ve been married and living in the same house for 15 years, a handwritten letter and envelope feels great to receive.
Total Cost:
45 cents to a dollar for postage
1-5 dollars for a notebook (free if you write it on a napkin)
.25 – 2 dollars for a pen. (free if you take one from the bank.)
2. Picnic
The art of the picnic. You don’t need to go out for a fancy meal. Make sandwiches from home. (Tuna fish or peanut butter is cheap!) Or – if you want to spend a little, snag a hot and ready $5 pizza, a $5 footlong sub, or some $1 cheeseburgers, fill your water bottles with ice water or iced tea, put it in a bag, a basket or a box. Don’t forget plates and silverware if you need them, and grab an old sheet or a blanket, and pick out your spot.
Every community has some kind of park. Many of them have picnic tables. Most of them have a grassy area. Spread out your sheet or blanket, and eat together.
Remember, conversation is more important than the food. So ask questions about her, and listen to her responses.
If the weather isn’t cooperating, consider a picnic at the library, at the mall, in the living room of your apartment, or even in the car, parked in an interesting place.
Cost:
Minimal, depending on food choices.
3. Sticky Notes.
You can grab a multi-pack of sticky notes at the dollar store. Write little things you love about your sweetheart, and leave a trail of them.
4. Remember Remember the Fifth of November
Forget V is for Vendetta, but remember important anniversary dates. Get a calendar and ink it in – or if you use google calendar, or your iphone, set a recurring reminder. But don’t just remember wedding anniversaries. Remember any important date that you can.
You can also take a few minutes and do the math. Calculate on a random day how many days, hours, weeks, months, you’ve been together, and throw a surprise celebration.
Cost: None.
5. Think outside the box.
If you really want to be a romantic without breaking the bank, the secret is just to be creative, and to find things to do that don’t cost any money, or that cost very little.
It’s often the creative thought itself that communicates the romance, more than the activity or the gift.
