Coffee CubBuster

"Levi is lucky he was born so early," said Levi's oldest brother the other day during bath time. When taking care of my boys in assembly-line fashion, it is usually the first-born that tends to whine and wince over subtle setbacks. I explained to him that because Levi has experienced such difficulties in his two years of life, his tolerance is a bit higher than others. Thus, big brother Si thought Levi lucky. "Well, that's one way to look at it," I exclaimed. Then I went on to assure my son that we all face different hard things at different times, which all serve to make us stronger, and he was very lucky that he didn't have to be born so early. Sometimes I think that Levi's G-tube serves as my own personal reminder of what we've been through these past couple of years. I'm starting to think in a very weird way that I don't mind it. I don't mind the therapy sessions and doctors appointments because it's nothing too critical a...

Isn't it true that football coaches try to come up with new play patterns in order to stump their opponents? I mean it doesn't take a Allstar to figure out that if you use the same play done over and over, the other team will figure it out and upset your plans. I believe the same is true for our life, but I'm not quite sure which "patterns" are staples we should keep in the playbook, and which ones are outdated and useless. When I look back at the life of Kyra, I know that she lived out a different pattern making it difficult for her opponent to penetrate her peace and purpose. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind so that you may discern what God's will is for you, what is good, acceptable, and perfect. --- Romans 12:2 When it comes to decisions for the life of littles, a clear pattern isn't always obvious, nor is God's will the same for each child. Does every little boy have to play on a bas...

My boys love showing me how "big their muscles are;" on command their arms fly up with bent elbows and tight fists. Yet, I can't help but notice there is zero flexing involved. I myself have never been very good at showing off my biceps until I started picking up twenty-pound babies in their thirty-pound car seats. It takes practice, but it's easy to forget how to flex if you stop using a given muscle. Whenever things start to feel a little too smooth around our house (i.e. everyone is healthy, everyone is sleeping through the night, their is more space between our doctors appointments, and our therapists have only positive feedback), I begin to feel as if my life is too easy. I yearn for a challenge, not because I'm a glutton for punishment, but rather because I don't want to lose my metaphoric muscles. I know that challenges ebb and flow depending on the season of life, but I'm speaking to the really hard unexpected things that rock your world...

According to the Society of Professional Journalists, ethical journalism holds responsibility for communicating truth. But I think the reason for all the media scrutiny and lack of ethics involves differentiating views of truth. Some of the distinct caveats of the SPJ's code of ethics include, but are not limited to:   " Taking responsibility for the accuracy of one's work. Verifying information before releasing it. Using original sources whenever possible.  Considering sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Reserving anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and having information that cannot be obtained elsewhere."  http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp Everyone has a motive right? Can we trust anyone or anything anymore? Many people don't know that my original college major was broadcast news journalism. When I read another keynote from the SPJ during my undergrad, I knew that I had found my calling:     " Boldly tell th...

There have been a ton of isolated thunderstorms around our city this summer, which I have always loved. I think it reminds me of childhood since I grew up in Florida, and summer storms were a daily occurrence. It is amazing how a darkened sky or rumble in the clouds can set a new tone in the air. Because they come and go so quickly, they are much more enjoyable than the storms life inevitably brings our way. I have had the distinct pleasure of re-living some of my life's storms. This time two years ago, I finally brought little Levi home from the hospital with all of his adaptions, and I was preparing to mourn the loss of my best friend while simultaneously mourning the loss of one of my babies I never met. Please don't read sarcasm in my voice here. It's been a real pleasure to recall these memories because I've not only been able to use these experiences to help others recently, but I've also understood why I have so much joy in this mundane season. I ventured b...