Want to Be A Wizard? Learn What They Knew

Seek wisdom and emulate the greats

“We three kings of Orient are, Bearing gifts, we traverse afar…” This week marks the Feast of the Epiphany — the observance of the arrival of the Wise Men who came to worship the baby Jesus. Now, the date is not exact, and it’s exceedingly unlikely that the wise men arrived on the night Jesus […]

Re-Post: The Unsung Hero of Christmas

The noble character of Joseph

Merry Christmas! While we celebrate the incarnation of Christ Jesus, I want to ask you to consider the example of a man who was indispensable to the Christmas story — Joseph the carpenter.   Meet Joseph When we first meet Joseph in the Bible, he is defined in terms of his relationships — as the […]

How to Prevail When the Spam Hits the Fan

Hardship is inevitable. Defeat isn't.

“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome, ‘Do your worst, for I will do […]

Re-Post: The Advent Conspiracy – A Cure for Grinches?

How to bring back the wonder of Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner.  Despite the holiday-themed TV ads that began in early November and the radio stations that started playing Christmas music around the same time, it’s possible you may have missed it.  As a friend of mine observed, “Christmas seems to come earlier every year.” If the crass commercialization of the […]

Are You Looking Through The Wrong End of the Telescope?

Give thanks -- in all things

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”- G.K. Chesterton If you’re living in the US, or if you’re a citizen of the US, a very happy Thanksgiving to you! Before we begin today, please take a moment to watch the following video featuring […]

Re-post: “The Dwarfs Are For The Dwarfs!”

The perils of parochialism

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a […]

Does Religion Deserve the Blame for Paris?

The folly of painting with too broad a brush

“An appeaser is a person who feeds the crocodile in hopes of being eaten last.” – Winston Churchill Like many of you, I am feeling shock and anger at last Friday’s attacks in Paris. I have spent time in and around Paris and have friends there, so this is not purely academic for me. Despite […]

The How and Why of Saying No to Your Boss

Daniel and the Limits of Obedience

“Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” – John C. Maxwell In a recent post, I explained the debt a man owes to his employer. (If you weren’t paying attention then, you can read it here.) In that post I presented a general rule that employees should […]

Re-Post: The Way Home

Four steps to get you headed in the right direction

To this point, we’ve talked about chastity, about getting fit, about developing a work ethic and about perseverance — all oriented toward actions you can take to improve your future.  But what if your past is holding you back?  I mean, what if you’ve totally blown it?  Is there a way to start over, or […]

Act! It’s How Wisdom Triumphs over Ignorance and Injustice

Once you see something, you can't "un-see" it

“We are men of action. Lies do not become us.” – The Princess Bride We’ve all seen some shocking events in the news lately. Undercover videos have removed the gauzy curtains of plausible deniability regarding the true nature of abortion and the truly abhorrent selling of human body parts by Planned Parenthood. For those who […]