Tuesdays With Daddy – Times Gone By

A series of posts I used to write were called “Tuesdays with Daddy.”  [They’re in the blog archives under the Fatherhood tab.]  These posts were about my time at home, on Tuesdays, with my daughters.  At the time, I had two toddler daughters that I was lucky enough to be able to spend special time with on Tuesdays.  Today, I took the opportunity to stop working (I mostly work from home) and I went outside with them.  It was a beautiful day and I figured it would do us all some good.

Nowadays, it’s not just my two girls, I also have a one year old son, Dave Jr.  He’s really awesome, and we had a great time outside today.  (Maybe if I can get the video edited together quickly enough, I will post the video of him riding on his four-wheeler by himself!  Yes folks, he turned 1 last week and can ride the thing by himself!)  All three of them were all over our fields and sincerely enjoying the outdoors, the sunshine, and even the brisk breeze that was lightly blowing today.  I was running around with them, laughing and joking, holding them and hugging them, throwing them in the air, pushing them on the tree swing, watching them on the four-wheeler, playing t-ball, helping them ride their bikes, and showing them the old tractors.  What a way to rejuvenate!

When I came in the house, it was time to get back to work.  When I sat back down at my computer, I was so filled with joy, it was almost hard to sit still.  I took an hour out of my workday to be with the people who are the most important in my life.  Not only will they remember it, I will remember it.  Not only did it bring life to them today, it brought life to me today.  What a blessing my children are to me.

If you’re a father, and you’re like me, you often get bogged down in the “stuff that has to get done.”  Work, helping your wife, chores around the house, helping your wife, this meeting and that meeting, taking care of the vehicles, oh yeah don’t forget prayer, helping your wife, going to the bank, making money, helping your wife… on and on.  The “stuff” never stops.  But without a doubt, your kids grow up more and more each day.  Every once and a while, just drop what you’re doing and take your kids outside.  If your kids are anything like mine, and they probably are, they really don’t care what they get to do with Daddy, they just know that they get to be with Daddy!  Don’t let another day go by without spending this invaluable time with your kids.

Last thing… I have been really frustrated lately.  I plan to write more on this in a coming post.  My frustration stems from things that I see in our society, in the government, the 2012 presidential election, things that are happening in and to the Church and so on.  I have to remember, and ask you to consider, this… our world isn’t doomed.  Our world is set for joy, as long as we teach our kids how to live joyfully.  Once we and those who die before us are gone, our kids are in charge.  If they know how to live with joy, our world will be just fine.

TrueMan up!

iPod, iPad, iPhone (87G) and iGov’t

I haven’t made any comments about our government and the debt crisis yet because I believe there are plenty of people who know the right answer and none of them work or are associated with anything that happens in or around Washington.  The entire situation is beyond frustrating to the American people, especially to those of us who are hard-working, smart-spending, family-oriented, small-government-oriented, red-white-and-blue-proud, military-supporting, separation-of-church-and-state-doesn’t-mean-what-everyone-thinks-it-means, kinda people!!!

But get this… I check Facebook today and see lots of people posting about how Apple has more cash on hand than our government!  How crazy is this?!?!  I mean seriously!  These people sell gadgets… the government is supposed to be in charge of everything!  Gadgets versus government and gadgets is winning?!  I’m actually not as surprised as you might think.  And honestly, I think the whole thing is laughable.

I don’t own any Apple products.  I’m completely fine with that.  (Did you like my iPhone 87G joke in the title?)   The last time I used an Apple computer for any length of time was playing Oregon Trail on one when I was a kid in grade school.  I can’t stand them, mostly because I don’t know how to use them.  I’ve tinkered around with a few Apple products before, but I just don’t get the hype.   Apparently, I am the only one because they’ve got more money than the US government, which means that most of you reading this probably own all sorts of products from this booming company.  Mr. Obama… maybe you should step down and let Mr. Jobs do yours for you.

TrueMan up!

Unnerving Situations in D.C. and All Over

I’m overwhelmed by what’s taking place in our country.  The decision by our nation to elect Barack Hussein Obama as president is proving disastrous.  What’s a TrueMan to do about all of the mess being made in Washington?  I’m at a loss.

I would really appreciate your comments and questions on this post because I think that a healthy dialogue among men who see what’s happening (whether it be with the health(death)care bills, socialist ideals, deceitful politicians hiding behind the title “Catholic” or other) would be good.  It would help me, I know that for certain.  But what’s a TrueMan to do when he sees his government wielding unhealthy amounts of power and influence?  [It’s not new, but it’s worse than it’s ever been – my humble opinion.]  Do we grab our guns and start a revolt?  Do we stand by and watch socialist politicians ruin America?  Do we do something else? I don’t know that there’s any good answers right now.  Obviously, one thing we should be doing is praying for the conversion of Obama’s soul, as well as his elected officials, we should be praying for the end to abortion and we should be praying for a quick and just fix to government run healthcare.

Please comment.

Man up!

Abortion Funding Showdown

I recently received this letter from Supreme Knight, Carl Anderson.  Brother Anderson is the head of the Knights of Columbus based out of New Haven, CT.  We have a chance to do something, to stand up for a social (in)justice and to push the truth.  If this bill goes through, it will be the most devastating assault on pro-life since Roe v. Wade in 1973.  Here is what Brother Anderson wrote last week:

The debate on health care legislation has now reached its final and most critical stage, with final votes expected in Congress within the next two weeks.  The legislation is being fast-tracked through Congress using a rare parliamentary maneuver known as “reconciliation.”  This procedure will push the bill through Congress over the objections of a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives that wants to remove abortion funding from the bill.

Very soon the House will be asked vote on a Senate bill containing provisions that would overturn the thirty-year federal policy against tax-dollar funding of abortion. If the Senate bill is approved by the House, it goes immediately to the President’s desk and will be enacted into law. A second “reconciliation” bill will then be voted on by both houses to make changes to the new law. These changes will not amend the abortion mandates enacted through the Senate bill.

The American Catholic bishops oppose the Senate bill, calling it “deficient” because it contains multiple pro-abortion provisions and federal subsidies for abortion. It allows for federal dollars to flow to abortion providers in community health centers; it allows for federal subsidies for overall health plans that cover abortion. Lastly, it provides no conscience protection for those who refuse to participate in abortion.  A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including brother Knight Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), is working to ensure that health care legislation contains language that would ban abortion funding. They need the support of brother Knights from across the United States.

I urge you to encourage every Knight in your state to contact their representatives in Congress. Ask them to go to the Knights of Columbus homepage at www.kofc.org for instructions on contacting Congress.  Your immediate action is critical. If the Senate bill becomes law, it will be the largest expansion of abortion in our country since Roe v. Wade.

Carl A. Anderson

Supreme Knight