A French artillery officer invented "night writing" —it was a form of reading by touching raised dots on a page so soldiers could understand written orders without lighting a lantern and risk getting shot. A 13-year-old blind teenager heard about it and pleaded with the officer to make this concept available to the blind. The officer refused, but the teen persevered and simplified the process himself. You may have...

There is an artist who takes broken pieces of china and glues them together in various forms to make incredible art. All of us have broken pieces in our lives and sometimes we can't see how the broken pieces will be used to make something beautiful. Sometimes we feel like our efforts to repair and rebuild are futile. Some of our lives even seem to be shattered beyond repair. But, those seemingly worthless pieces...

In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal asks, "Did you ever reach a point in your life when you say to yourself: 'This is the best I'm ever going to look, this is the best I'm ever going to feel, the best I'm ever going to do, and it ain't that great'?" What we do with that feeling of emptiness will speak volumes about our character. Well, will we get depressed or throw a pity party? Or will we use the...

Developing a relationship with your stepchildren isn't easy, but here are some steps you can take to help the process. First, watch out for unrealistic expectations. Don't expect the children to love you immediately…develop a relationship first. Second, encourage openness in your family…make sure the children know they can talk to you about their concerns. Third, be supportive but don't try to replace their...

Then you'll want to go to an awesome new movie called Courageous. It premieres September 30th. The movie follows four men with one calling: To serve and protect. They are confident and focused on the job, but at the end of the day, the four men face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle, fatherhood. Protecting the streets is second nature to these guys. Raising their children the right way...

Just like the space shuttle, if you re-enter the atmosphere of your home at the wrong angle, youcould be in trouble. Realize that you and your spouse have different expectations. You're looking for relaxation…your spouse is looking for reinforcements. You can have both if you give the reinforcement first. When you walk in, ignore the mail and phone messages. Talk to your spouse first, and offer to lighten the load...

Unfortunately, many of us are in the demolition business when it comes to our spouse. We tend to be competitive, critical and even condescending. But when it comes to our spouse, we should be a builder—undergirding and strengthening them against the things in life that would tear them down. Here are three building blocks to support your spouse. First, be cooperative. Help accomplish your spouse's goals. Second, be...