A view about manhood

 This time of year in Kansas, driving on the roads can be an adventure. We can have wet, icy or snow covered roads. These conditions can hide imperfections in the road. As I was driving yesterday, the roads for the most part were dry and clear. That doesn't mean that you don't pay attention to the details in the road. The road I was on was in good shape and the ride was pretty smooth. At the time I didn’t notice how smooth the ride was. But (yes there is a but), then I came to a 5 mile or so stretch that I took notice of the road. The road had been patched (or needed a patch) and you could feel and hear each one as you went over it. I even slowed to under the speed limit to make it less noticeable. This lead me to a thought. My first thought was why didn’t they just tear out the old road and replace it? It would have cost more (probably) but the road would have been much smoother. From this thought I went further. Isn’t this how we handle the problems of our lives and the world

       I have been reminded over the course of the last couple of days how important my role as a husband is. It is important to me, it is important to God, and it is important to my wife. The job description as a husband is somewhat simple yet complex and difficult to carry out. I'm not here to make excuses for we husbands that fail in this role. We all fall short but need to improve as we move forward in our lives. I been reminded because people near to me are struggling in their marriages and these people have to make difficult decisions concerning their lives. Decisions that effect not only the couples, but the children God has entrusted to them, the extended families around them, their close friends and even casual friends. My heart aches for these people.      I'm also aware of the fact that I fail in my own marriage and need to remember that part of this job description is to lead. I do fail because I'm not sure of where I'm going part of the time myself and ther

       As I move into the age which most men think about retirement, I'm thinking about that next step in my life. The American in me says quit working and enjoy the rest of your life. The thought of having no purpose other than improving my golf game scares me. I could be content to set back and retire. But I know that content, purpose, and retirement are terms that don't belong in the same sentence. The Christian in me wants to know what I can do next. I would like to think I've made a positive difference in many people's lives. And that would be a good thing. But what if there's something out there that is better- or greater. Do I step up or step back? I know that God has directed the steps I've taken in life. He has let me falter but always provided a better way. At this point in my life (63 years old) I have many decisions to make concerning my (and my wife's) future. Almost exactly 7 years ago I asked God to show me anything I was missing in ways I cou