Category Archives: Family

Child Guidance

“let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – ”, Proverbs 1:5 Seven-year old Mary sat at the breakfast nook calmly eating Cheerios. Not I.  Stress riddled me.  Anxiety tore at my insides.  … Continue reading

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Advice to the Coach

Matthew’s travel team, the Nightmare, had just played their worst half of the season.  I, as the coach of this diverse bunch of ten-year old boys, was struggling with what to say.  They sat in front of me on the … Continue reading

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Joshua’s Take

Recently, I wrote piece about how Joshua’s last high school soccer season ended, see “Joshua Finishes Strong.  Does His Dad?”  After the season, Joshua earned several awards; the MHS Comeback Player of the Year, All-Conference and All-Academic Conference Honors.  He … Continue reading

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Joshua finishes strong. Does his dad?

I don’t even know how to write about it.  It’s taken me more than a month to process what I’ve been feeling.  Where to start? I may have watched Joshua play his last competitive soccer match. It hurts.   Sandy … Continue reading

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Progress, Not Perfection

I’ve been blessed to coach a few soccer teams over the last ten years.  I believe effective coaching is not so much about winning or losing, but progress.  John Wooden pointed out that his team might have played better and … Continue reading

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Create a Moment

A classic New England Nor’easter dumped about a foot of snow and I had just come in from using the snow-thrower.  Happy and hungry, I cut off a chunk of left over Christmas prime rib, fried a couple eggs, buttered … Continue reading

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Encountering God

““Man with toothache cannot love wife.” ~ Chinese proverb. “I’m pretty sure I have another drunk in me, just not sure about another recovery.” ~ Heard in the rooms. I am back at home after five days on the shores … Continue reading

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Black Ice Monday

A couple Mondays ago, we had here in Connecticut one of those evenings of light rain and freezing temperatures that creates a treacherous glaze of barely visible ice.  I woke that morning thinking Sandy had successfully begun her New Year’s … Continue reading

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Greenhead

The Greenhead Problem: The salt marsh greenhead fly, Tabanus nigrovittatus, is an abundant and bothersome summertime pest along our coastal marshes. Because the females bite during daylight, and because they occur in large numbers, have a long flight range, and … Continue reading

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Bluefish Blitz

“Sandy, would you be OK if we moved from here to the other side?” “Sure.” “I just want to see how the fishing might be, if there’s nothing going on we’ll just head on back to the house.” “OK.” ~Sandy … Continue reading

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