Hanging Tough

How to weather a setback

“Everybody hurts.” -R.E.M. Whether it is an injury or illness, getting passed over at work, a failed relationship or the loss of a loved one, each one of us will experience pain and hardship. The question for each of us then is: What will I do when it’s my turn? Here’s what I have found […]

What Your Boss Wants

Master these old-school basics

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” -Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Congratulations! You got the job! Now what? If you’re just entering the work force, or changing to a new job, you wouldn’t be human if your excitement didn’t also contain a bit of apprehension. […]

One Tough Mother

A tribute to my mom

“It’s not a shame to have roaches — it’s a shame to feed ’em!” -my mom In honor of Mothers Day, I want to share a few thoughts about my mom. We live two states apart so I don’t see her as often as either of us would like, but we are still quite close. […]

Seven-and-a-half Tips for Masculine Initiation – And Why They Matter

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen the saddest are these IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN” -Anonymous I have written about the importance of masculine initiation here and here, and I’ve featured a post written by my older son providing his perspective.  In this post, I want to provide some practical considerations against the day […]

Comparison Is The Thief of Joy

“But godliness with contentment is great gain” – 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV) The title of today’s post is a quotation attributed to American president Theodore Roosevelt.  The truth of this statement is so blinding, I am partly tempted to let it stand on its own.  If I did that, though, you might think I was […]

Three Vectors of Emotional Health

“All the world’s a stage.” – William Shakespeare Some time ago, I read an article expounding on the theory of 20th century playwright and anthropologist, Robert Ardrey.  In his book, The Territorial Imperative, Ardrey states that once a creature’s survival needs are met (Think Maslow’s hierarchy: food, clothing and shelter), there is a hierarchy of […]

Six Reasons You Should Consider a Job in Sales

“Nothing happens until something gets sold” -Ancient proverb It’s no secret that the  job market is tough and more competitive than ever.  There is a surplus of highly educated and ambitious college graduates vying for the most prestigious positions — and this is before one takes into account the number of people already working and […]

Masculine Initiation – A Field Report

A note from the host: The following is a first-person account of masculine initiation, written by my son, Samuel.  I’m proud and honored to welcome him as the author of this site’s first guest post.  Here’s Sam: The summer before my tenth birthday, my Dad took me on a four-day backpacking trip. This was the start of […]

The High Price of Free – Part II

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Jesus (Matthew 6:21 – NIV) In Part I, we discussed the connection between work and satisfaction.  I posited that the contentment that comes from working toward and achieving a goal is great inspiration toward further accomplishment — a virtuous circle.  But how does the […]

Who Dares Wins

“Do not dare not to dare.” ~ C. S. Lewis We live in the age of the Internet Tough Guy.  You know the one; he launches his attacks from the safety of his man cave, boasts of his prowess and his willingness to fight anytime, anywhere, but strangely cannot be found when it’s time to […]