Everything Wrong with Me Today’s message is not merely a confession but also a cautionary tale.  Usually, I would not drag someone else down with me, but “Sam” was my able accomplice and indicates I am not alone in my compulsions.   Sam and I were bike riding when we noticed a car stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire.  Sam, a leader in our church, suggested we do our duty and assist...

The Groundwork I hope you trust me enough to hear (read) me out.  It is the other subject besides politics you are not supposed to talk about.  Defensive reactions and fear of intruding upon or offending others make it an uncomfortable topic. However, I would be almost disingenuous if I omitted a subject significant to me from this personal blog.  It is faith, but I am not here to advocate a...

Examples Abound It is the White guy who truthfully has Black friends but jokes about Blacks being unable to swim.     It is my bible study classmate who announced that he hates White people.  While I have doubts about his honesty, there must be some truth to his words.     It was the Nazi party leaders who filed so many clemency requests for their Jewish doctors, grocers, and neighbors that the...

What about a mentee's responsibility to the relationship, and what do mentors get out of it?  Expectations Mentees should carefully consider the guidance provided or revealed, use what they believe is valuable, and discard the remainder.  Mentors do not expect to be followed like an orchestra leader but will lose interest if you do not act on the learnings.   Mentees should also seek the...

Chip off the Old Block While refraining from supplying the answer, cajoling our mentees to think and act like we do (or should) is an alluring temptation.  Besides the error of your ways, emulation is rarely productive.    Recently, Bob Sr. lamented that Bob Jr. was not approaching his college search correctly.  If it were up to him, Senior would emphasize the percentage of Ph.D.s on the faculty...