Posts with the tag “kids”

There’s nothing quite like piling the family into the car for our annual Christmas lights expedition. It’s a favorite tradition in our house…part adventure, part chaos. We cram in (someone always ends...  Read More

The other day, our dog Gratzi gave us a masterclass in determination. While I was fast asleep, Leigh-Ann heard the Gratzi digging around in the closet where we hide (emphasis on hide) all the kids’ Ch...  Read More

Setting up for Christmas isn’t my favorite thing.At all.It means climbing into the attic and through the garage to retrieve trees, wreaths, lights, greens, linens, bins and bins of stuff, candles, orn...  Read More

Advent is a season of waiting. The word itself means “coming,” and let’s be honest—most of us aren’t great at waiting. Whether it’s waiting in traffic, for coffee to brew, or for Netflix to connect, w...  Read More

It’s been about three weeks since Leigh-Ann and Ian had an unexpected adventure on Troost Avenue in Kansas City. This adventure involved a car accident, a traumatized dog, and plenty of calls to each ...  Read More

A few weeks ago, I met up with a friend for lunch. After a burger and fries, he showed me his new car—a limited-edition Corvette. Let me tell you, this car wasn’t just nice—it was mighty fine. With th...  Read More

A few days ago, I had one of those simple-yet-profound moments. Sitting on the couch with my Bible and a bowl of my favorite cereal, Raisin Bran Crunch, I was ready to start the day. But after nearly ...  Read More

Last Saturday, I took my two oldest boys and a friend to Worlds of Fun, thanks to some free tickets Dallas scored. The park was packed—longer lines than I’ve ever seen—but that turned out to be a bles...  Read More

I will never forget my first flight with my daughter as the pilot. She flew in to meet me on her own, and then we took off together for an incredible experience in the sky. I have to say, I was blown ...  Read More

This past week, I was sitting in my office, deep in thought and preparing for my sermon, when I suddenly heard the familiar sound of buzzing. You know the sound—it’s like a tiny alarm clock going off,...  Read More

A few months ago, we started receiving random gifts in the mail. At first, it was kind of fun—like Christmas had come early! We got a high-end car deodorizer, a nice tool kit, a giant teddy bear and e...  Read More

Last weekend, Leigh-Ann, the boys, and I drove out into the country to get haircuts and watch Sophia play soccer. We definitely enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine and decided to make a pit stop at a l...  Read More

Today, I took our three boys for haircuts—look good, feel good. Since I was overdue, I’ve been looking forward to walking out of the barbershop with a fresh cut all week. As you know, for a few days, ...  Read More

How well do you like to admit you were wrong?  Yeah, me neither…what is it that makes this so difficult?This afternoon I was working on some illustrations for Sunday and decided to enlist some help, s...  Read More

A few days ago, our middle son, Isaiah, got the chance to be a ball boy at the Sporting KC match. We were all pumped about it, ready for an evening of soccer thrills. But, as it turns out, soccer game...  Read More

A few days ago, I set out on one of my favorite weekend rituals—mowing the lawn. Now, I know mowing the lawn might seem like just another chore, but for me, it's a cherished time of reflection and sat...  Read More

Today is Sophia’s 20th birthday….so first things first, Happy Birthday! ...  Read More

This week, Leigh-Ann and I celebrated our 25th anniversary. Wow-I have always remembered “old people” celebrating their 25th…and we are not old ...  Read More

Last week, our community lost a remarkable person, Phil Cagle, in a tragic carjacking incident. Phil was a good friend, a devoted church member, and a passionate motorcycle and moped enthusiast. His s...  Read More

Since coming home for the summer, our daughter Alexa’s car hood has been looking pretty rough. The once sleek surface had become blotchy and, frankly, a bit embarrassing to drive around. With her upco...  Read More

Last night, when most of the world was asleep, Leigh-Ann had an unexpected encounter that left her heart pounding. She walked into our bathroom and was met with a sight that would send shivers down an...  Read More

Vacations are typically synonymous with relaxation, lounging by the pool, and indulging in good food. However, this year, we decided to spice things up by signing up for the "Run for Freedom" 5K at Bi...  Read More

I hope this message finds you well and excited about the latest developments in our church remodeling adventure! Phase Three has been quite the rollercoaster of demolition, surprises, and valuable les...  Read More

If you’ve ever spent a morning, afternoon, or even a whole day waiting at the DMV, you know the frustration of feeling like just another number. Today, I needed to get one of the girl’s cars registere...  Read More

Change is in the air! Whether it’s tossing caps at graduations, stepping into new jobs, or just shuffling furniture around one more time, change is a constant companion. Here at New Life CityChurch, w...  Read More

This past Monday, Alexa, Jaren and I had the honor of traveling to Wichita, Kansas, to attend and perform a wedding ceremony for mutual friends. After a smooth rehearsal, we found ourselves with some ...  Read More

Nearly thirty years ago, I was a Freshman in college and spent Spring Break traveling with several other students from Maranatha Baptist University. We started in Wisconsin and went out to the East Co...  Read More

Four years ago, as Alexa was preparing for her freshman year in college, we reconnected with a friend who had briefly lived in Kansas City. After a few months, he decided to move back to Springfield, ...  Read More

What does the ideal personality look like to you? Is there a single word that comes to mind?Now, before we dive in, let’s set the record straight: I don’t believe there’s an ideal one-size-fits-all pe...  Read More

Yesterday, our oldest daughter graduated from college. She has made great friends, learned a lot, and is now all grown up. In the words of one of the speakers yesterday, she is now an “adult, adult.”I...  Read More

One of my favorite times every Spring is the day we spread new mulch in our yard. Since I love getting a good deal, I typically wait until I can buy it for $2 per bag. And this season didn’t disappoin...  Read More

A few weeks ago, my youngest son Ian invited me to join him for “Doughnuts with Dad” at his school. I must admit, the prospect of waking up early to hang out in a cafeteria filled with elementary scho...  Read More

As I walked into our living room a week ago and saw my college wrestling coach Ben Peterson, the memories flooded back—sweat-drenched practices, hard-fought victories, and his life-changing influence....  Read More

A few weeks ago, I was driving downtown Kansas City, heading back to the church office and I noticed a car coming towards me while I was stopped at a light…nicely obeying all traffic laws ...  Read More

Earlier today, my brother Todd and I and Dallas drove over to Council Bluffs, IA to watch my nephew compete in the Junior College National wrestling tournament. At the beginning of the day, there were...  Read More

Yesterday evening, Leigh-Ann took our youngest boy, Ian to Tai-kwon-do and I was in charge of dropping off Isaiah and picking up Dallas from soccer training. Since the weather was nice, Dallas and I d...  Read More

This past week has been tough. The Chiefs won the Super Bowl and about a million of our closest friends squeezed together for a celebratory parade.We enjoyed plenty of cheering and revisiting our favo...  Read More

What makes you happy?There are plenty of things that make me happy.This weather makes me happy – plus Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow. Early Spring is on the way! And if you want to get a litt...  Read More

This past week, Isaiah entered his first wrestling tournament. This is a pretty big deal in our household. I started wrestling about the same time I learned how to crawl and went through college…also…...  Read More

Super Bowl LVIII will be held on Sunday, February 11, 2024. This will be a game between the two best football teams in the world (at least at the time ...  Read More