Musings of a Man

  A Dad with Arms Open May 25, 2025 A letter from your daughter What can I say about my dad? I have been a daddy’s girl for as long as I can remember. I came into this world weighing 2 lb and 5 oz. I was told my father was the first person to hold me. He told me that he could put my entire body from head to toe in the palm of his hand. My mother has always said that our relationship has been that close ever since. I have to agree with her. As little girls, we love our daddies. The relationship between a daughter and her father it’s different from the mother. The emotional connection, is one that is unmatched. A lot of times, it’s not about what they say, it’s just what they do. They have the ability to make all of the scariest things in the world go away just from a hug.  My father is always been a safe place for me. If I’ve ever needed anything, wanted anything, or ask for anything.. he has always been there. They say that your first love from a man is from your father, ...

  Prospering in Every Season image credit: wikipedia Seasons. Recently, I realized I was in a season of transition. A housing change and upcoming move is bringing with it a new place, a different neighborhood, new neighbors, new experiences, and a different perspective. But it is bittersweet. I don't want this season of my current home base to end. My time here has been the richest and sweetest time of my life. Why do we so often cling onto our seasons so tightly? Does this keep us from seeing the opportunities ahead of us, and the areas of growth that are waiting to happen? It's so easy to try to hold onto where we are, rather than eagerly anticipating what is ahead of us.  But, when we have a confident hope that there are good things planned for us, what do we have to worry about? We have a choice: to start to lean towards and embrace a new season, or to try to cling to the one we are leaving. Seasonal changes in our lives can provide a perspective and lens to view things di...

  God Stories: Genea I am so grateful for this opportunity to share Genea’s story. It has moved me and encouraged me tremendously and I hope it does the same for you as you read this. This is the first in a series of personal stories of how God is at work in this world and in our lives. These stories are not always tied up neatly with bows at the ends, but I hope the strands of faith, hope, and God's love interwoven in these will encourage you in whatever you are facing. -Alex ___________________________________________________________________________ “..I found myself where the Almighty had let me fall, and He picked me up and told me  ‘You can't handle this on your own, and you will NEVER have to’….I KNOW with conviction, that everything WILL be okay no matter what the circumstances are. If God can lead you to it, He will lead you through it….your situation is NOT your final destination…” ____________________________________________________________________________ About Gen...

  Photo: Colorado Pain Center When a Man Copes Personal Insight from Men Talk, April 28th 2025 Topic: Healthy and Unhealthy Ways to Cope Platform: MEND Virtual Gathering www.mendcharleston.com Coping encompasses the various ways people deal with stress and negative emotions. Several days ago, a group of 5 guys gathered together online to talk about healthy and unhealthy ways to cope with pain. The depth of the conversation and the personal stories of the men was unexpected and impactful. I wanted to take time to summarize a few of the notes, comments, and takeaways from that gathering. Notes We noted unhealthy (maladaptive) examples of coping with pain (physical/mental/emotional): alcohol addiction, drugs, pornography, rage, etc. Also, numbing out, mindlessly scrolling youtube videos or reels, playing video games excessively, and binge eating. Comments  “A coping skill is something I do when I am stressed. I start doing it out of habit.” “It becomes unhealthy when it takes awa...