The other day, a friend and coworker alerted me to a news article concerning a potential white nationalist rally to be held at the university where her daughter is enrolled. She is African-American and was, naturally, upset and worried over this as her daughter is a few hours away. I said a prayer over it and carried on, giving it thought and prayer throughout the day. Whether the rally took place or not, I am not sure. I have seen no articles this morning that confirm it took place, only that counter-protests were organized in response to the rally’s rumor.

When I hear of incidents such as these, my heart becomes weighed down. With all of the conflict and division we have before us, adding another to the pile seems like an exorbitant waste of goodness. Furthermore, it seems to be stoking more of the same division that is simply unnecessary. And, finally, it is most assuredly...

Today has been a mournful day in America and the world as Billy Graham passed away at the age of 99. He has been instrumental in the lives of so many people, from the everyday folk to the most powerful people in the world. He will be terribly missed.

It’s surreal to think about the sheer impact this one man has had on people across multiple generations from lands some have never heard of. And he did not do this as a celebrity but as more of an agent: an agent who spent his life promoting Jesus Christ.

But Dr. Graham wasn’t just a promoter of Jesus Christ. He lived what he preached. He set an example before everyone who knew of him. He was kind, warm, chaste, godly, and full of the attributes that Paul so adequately lists in Galatians 5.

All day, I have given so much thought to Dr. Graham, remembering the many crusades and sermons I have heard from him over the years. I have...

Today, I finally got around to finishing a series I had watched from the beginning: Longmire. It started out on A&E but was eventually canceled after three seasons; thankfully, Netflix picked it up for an additional three seasons where it ended on its release in November 2017.

Originally I was drawn to the series due to it starring Katee Sackhoff, who I had much enjoyed in her portrayal of Starbuck in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. Sackhoff was the entry point, but I found myself loving all of the characters/actors throughout its six year run.

Longmire centered around Walt Longmire who was the sheriff of a fictional county in the state of Wyoming. He’s gruff, tough, and battling the loss of his wife and a strained relationship with his adult daughter. It was episodic in many ways, having one crime each episode to resolve. But as the series grew, there was more depth...

What is a mother’s love?
How measured can it be?
To experience it is so rich,
Opening our heart’s eye to see.

It fills us with joy.
It fills us with love.
It is ever wonderful,
God’s gift from up above.

Where would we be without it,
That heavenly and lovely prize?
So sucken in despair we’d be
Left alone to agonize.

Father above thanks be to You
For the mother’s gift is real.
In Your debt we forever are
For this gift gives power to heal.

Sampson County made its way to Charlotte today, and it was wonderful. My mother, stepfather, aunt, and grandaunt visited for a good long while and were able to dote on little Elijah. He was so well-mannered - so calm and receptive of the doting - that it just made Lori and I be enamored with him all the more.

We were so very excited to have them visit as it was the first time that my aunt and grandaunt had met him. Elijah took to them just as he should have: as family. As I sit now and reflect upon it, I can’t help but feel that swollen heart and lumpy throat of warmth, again, at how much love is poured upon this young man. So many people - family, friends, and colleagues - have shown such devotion, admiration, and love toward him. It’s not that it is undeserved but more overwhelming.

We are inundated daily with the woes of the world, at how racist or sexist everyone is, or...

Tonight was the first of four classes Lori and I are attending to learn all about babies, breastfeeding, etc. Tonight’s class was entitled “Baby Beginnings” and was about what you’d expect: the forthcoming odd things that will be completely normal and the other things to think about that may have never crossed your mind.

As things go though, our poor Darby is sick from something I suspect she nibbled on (such as a nasty bug). Lori and I debated with the class being tonight if I should go or not as she didn’t need to be left alone. We decided that I needed to stay behind to keep an eye on Darby. When this was mentioned to Lori’s mother and sister, they both cheerfully and selflessly volunteered to keep watch over her while I go. And so I did and found it fascinating and insightful (though I know it’ll be a pale comparison to the real thing).

With that said, it takes a village not only...

Ever since Pres. Trump lambasted the NFL for players taking a knee during the National Anthem, a firestorm has erupted as more players have deliberately kneeled during the Anthem; this caused the President to speak out more, caused everyday Americans to speak out, and caused the Media (especially the Sports Media) to speak about nothing but bended knees.

The divide in this Nation is no more evident than with the assault on America’s new pastime: football. Many stand by the players and their “right” to bend the knee while others despise their actions, accusing them of tantamount treason. Videos have circulated of lifelong team fans burning their memorabilia in effigy over the knee-bending.

Of course, with any such public discussion comes the inevitable flooding of Social Media with memes either defending or condemning the actions. From what I’ve seen, most are basic: either...

Lori and I went to the perinatal specialist this week for a routine visit; she’s 28 weeks now, so certain check-ins are needed to make sure everything is fine with little Elijah. He is doing exceptionally well: he’s on target with his growth and is quite the active little fellow.

While there, the technician mentioned that they had 3D capability, which I wasn’t expecting. I went in expecting to see the usual sonogram imagery, but was blown away by the 3D imagery. We got to see his little face for the first time. We were in awe at his button nose, his eyes, his little fists, and even got to see his toes. Lori’s mother and sister joined us and were equally amazed.

It really puts things in perspective and makes it more “real.” You’d think a growing belly, random kicks, a seemingly shrinking bladder, and food cravings would be enough, but those don’t come with a face.

As I sit eating lunch and watching the Irma-induced rains come to cover our area, I’m reminded of the metaphorical shower we had yesterday: one to honor Lori and Elijah Barrett. I don’t believe I’ve ever been a baby shower before so I had no idea what to expect except that lots of women (with a smattering of men) would be there with gifts, which is what happened on the surface. Deeper, though, it was a showering of love, affection, and care. It’s still awe-inspiring and miraculous to see the human heart give out such love for one not yet come.

The gifts were perfection. The warm words and shows of support were all the better. They were smile-inducing, kind, lovely, and a reminder that goodness and togetherness still exists in massive quantities no matter the boring narrative otherwise.

The event was made even more special by the inclusion of my mother and stepfather who made...