If you plant tomato seeds, you’ll get tomatoes, right? If you plant cucumber seeds, you’ll get cucumbers. You reap what you sow.  In the same way, the seeds you plant in your relationships determine what you’ll get in return. Do you want your children to be patient, kind and respectful to you? Then sow seeds of patience, kindness and respect to them. Want your spouse to be understanding, loving and loyal? Then sow...

Charles and Frank Duryea were the first to sell an automobile on March 31st, 1896 in the town of Springfield, Massachusetts.  When the first cars took to the roads, people thought they were impractical.  Today, they’re in the driveways of nearly every American home.  So celebrate this moment in history with your family. Take a car trip to an undiscovered local destination—together.  It doesn’t take a lot of...

My kids have taught me a lot of things… and I can tell you, it’s a very humbling experience.  One thing that they’ve shown me over and over again is my lack of patience.  For example, my impatience with the grocery store cashier during check out, or the waitress at a restaurant, and my impatience driving them to school.  You get the picture!   It’s kind of embarrassing to admit.  When they point out my impatience...

In the hit television show, Undercover Boss, CEOs trade places with their employees.  These unknowing employees train the disguised boss in a variety of hands-on jobs.  Out of his element, the boss struggles to find his footing, but in the process learns what matters most to his employees—both on the job and at home.  So here’s the challenge for you.  Husbands, trade places with your wife for a day.  Wives, walk a...

As a boy, his mother soothed him to sleep by chanting rhymes. As he grew older, he started drawing cartoons. Then, he combined those two skills into a book with rhymes and illustrations. That first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was rejected 27 times before being published. Wow! Talk about perseverance; after it was published, he didn’t stop. Over the course of his life, he wrote and...

It’s opening day for Major League Baseball’s spring training. Adam Greenberg, who first reached the major leagues in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs was tragically hit in the head with the very first pitch he saw. He got vertigo and was sent down to the minors, where he continued to play.  His dream was shattered.  But he picked up the pieces and he didn’t quit dreaming about getting one more shot at the big leagues. ...

Divorce… infidelity… the devastating loss of a child or spouse… these things, and others, can shatter a family. So, how do you begin the rebuilding process? First, survey the damage. Talk about it with each member of your family… really listen to the feelings they express, and be open about your own. Second, seek help from a trusted advisor or pastor who can help you sort out your emotions. Third, be patient—with...