I love parties! Relationships grow when people celebrate shared blessings. In our household, we love to entertain and spend time with friends. Even my ten-year-old loves the social interaction; he's earned the nickname "Activities Director." We find that parties can just happen—friends show up on the spur of the moment—or that parties can be elaborate and planned.

Sami B's mom died this week. I first met Sami when she was teaching at the little Christian school my children attend. Her youth, sparkling disposition, kind heart, and intelligence made her a fast favorite with both the students and the parents. It wasn't until I realized who Sami's parents were that I understood something about what made her different.

In the United States, we've recently enjoyed Thanksgiving celebrations in our homes, churches, communities, and workplaces. It is a blessing to live in a country that has its history punctuated with times of gratitude for the "gracious gifts of the Most High God," as Abraham Lincoln said in his Thanksgiving Proclamation ... How will you act on your gratitude this year?

Yesterday was Veteran's Day. For many Americans, it's just another day off. We appreciate the time with our family, and the kids rejoice to be liberated from their schoolwork. Perhaps a few of us attend a special ceremony honoring the veterans in our community. Yesterday I thought about my dad.

I wrote last week about an inspiring young man that I know—Tom. As you may recall, Tom was born with muscular dystrophy.  When I met him, his disease had progressed to the point of complete paralysis and dependence on a ventilator to breathe. What inspires me about Tom was that even the most severe of setbacks didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams.

You have to be living in a cave not to notice that prices are going up; it’s more expensive to live – and eat – and there's no end in sight. Add to that a few children that devour like locusts ... You can cut down on some expenses, like going to the movies, buying clothes, or eating out, but you can’t stop eating altogether.

We all have things in life we want to accomplish. Some of us have excellent will power and follow-through. Others of us never seem to get anything done. When I think about accomplishing goals, one inspiring young man always comes to my mind.

How do you interact with someone who is in a wheelchair or physically impaired? Do you feel fearful, uncomfortable, curious, distressed? Do you wonder if you should walk by or speak? Have you considered how your employees react to disabled customers or clients?

There are two times of year that I am encouraged to make goals. One is January, of course, with all the talk of "resolutions." The second time is September. My children, ages spread from elementary school to junior high to junior college, have come home from school, backpacks and notebooks bristling with syllabi. A conscientious teacher has made goals for my children for the upcoming school year and has prepared a detailed plan to move them to those objectives. Coaches have developed plays and game plans for winning teams and will be teaching my boys their parts in those teams.

Do you have a mentor in your life? Maybe you know several people that would qualify, or maybe you are still seeking that trusted counselor. I have been fortunate enough to have had more than one mentor in the course of my life. Interestingly, the right person 'just happened to come along' right before I entered into a specific period of life when I needed them. In some cases they were there all along, but I just didn’t see it. I took them for granted until I really needed them. The truth is that good mentors are all around us, we just need to open our eyes.