b1kiser

31 for 41: Come and Go

Dear Donovan, A man once told a story of traveling with a business partner. He was a believer in Christ, but his friend was not. Riding in a taxi from their hotel to an event, they passed by an abortion clinic where a protest was taking place outside of the facility. There were signs withContinue reading “31 for 41: Come and Go”

31 for 41: Choosing a Bride

Dear Donovan, When you were little, I always tried to make Christmas morning extra special for you. It’s the reason I would pay close attention when you watched toy commercials or talked about the play things that you liked. It’s the reason I braved Walmart at midnight on Black Friday, and the reason I onceContinue reading “31 for 41: Choosing a Bride”

31 for 41: Jonathan’s Creator

Dear Donovan, When I was training to be a Prepared Childbirth Educator, I attended an annual conference of the International Childbirth Education Association. During the conference, I attended a session about best practices right after a baby is born. A wealth of scientific information was presented about the benefits of skin-to-skin contact, leaving the vernixContinue reading “31 for 41: Jonathan’s Creator”

31 for 41: Like a Medicine

Dear Donovan, When you were in preschool, you used to ask me to repeat the same three jokes over and over again as I drove you to school. There was the one about the chicken who came to the library, the one about the horse trained by a preacher, and the one about the duckContinue reading “31 for 41: Like a Medicine”

31 for 41: Fight or Flight

Dear Donovan, I can imagine that learning how to be a good man can be tough. There are so many difficult decisions to be made. When is telling what you know about someone the right thing to do, and when is it snitching? When do you step away from a situation, and when do youContinue reading “31 for 41: Fight or Flight”

31 for 41: Little Hands

Dear Donovan, During the time that I stayed at home with the twins, I was able to enjoy watching them pop up each morning, ready for the day. They awoke each day happy and optimistic, even before they could voice this optimism. I cannot remember what prompted the thought, but one morning as I watchedContinue reading “31 for 41: Little Hands”

31 for 41: Beautiful Skin

Dear Donovan, After you started preschool, you once came home and announced to me, “I am the only brown boy in my class.” I wondered if you had figured that out through your own observations, or if another child had pointed it out to you. I assured you that your skin is beautiful, but internally,Continue reading “31 for 41: Beautiful Skin”

31 for 41: Birds, Bees and Big Dogs

Dear Donovan, When you were a little boy, you loved the show “Wild Kratts.” You loved learning about animals. I tried to support you in your animal studies with frequent trips to the zoo and a small fortune in animal books. There were bugs in jars, toads in the bathtub, a three-generation cat family, MojoContinue reading “31 for 41: Birds, Bees and Big Dogs”