My daughter is in love with her voice and image. She records herself at least once a week and calls the results a “podcast.” Today, she was in rare form. She made an hour’s worth of Bible podcasts: a compilation of Bible stories and prayers. Then she started making short movies featuring herself as aContinue reading “A Podcast of Her Own”
Author Archives: Jonathan Sircy
Leadership
I am listening to an audiobook called The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The book’s examples are drawn from war and the corporate world, and its authors are highly-decorated veterans who served as SEALS in the US Navy. The thesis of the book is that true leadership requires balance. While theContinue reading “Leadership”
Distinctions
I got a call from the school nurse this morning. My daughter said her stomach was hurting. She didn’t have a fever, which was good, but the nurse wanted directions from me. I told the nurse the truth. For a couple of months, my daughter has complained about tummy trouble. Sometimes, this trouble means she’sContinue reading “Distinctions”
Jesus Is Better
Last week, I started listening to a podcast called “Jesus Is Better” with my daughter. The podcasts are short and feature the host recounting Bible stories and drawing life applications from them. All the episodes we listened to concerned Moses, and we built a four-day streak. With Sunday and a back-to-school week, however, we lostContinue reading “Jesus Is Better”
4-H
Tonight, my daughter attended her first 4-H meeting. My wife was a member when she was young, and my father-in-law was a member in elementary school. This group is a family affair. My daughter saw her cousins, watched a video about firearm safety, and began the process of meeting newer, older children. When the meetingContinue reading “4-H”
“Draw Me a Map”
For the first time all school year, my daughter talked about having a classmate over for a “play date.” Of course, my daughter decided the playdate should be at our house. Neither my wife nor I had heard about this potential play date before today. How would her friend get to our house, my daughterContinue reading ““Draw Me a Map””
Winter Break
Today, my daughter returned to school. She had to report on five things she did over the break. This illustrated sheet explains the big gift she received, her trips, and the people she visited. My favorite? The lights! The box with no spelling errors? Her (not entirely accurate) claim to have set up the tree!
New Year; New Project
My daughter wanted to ring in the new year by baking. She had two choices. She could use a mix and put the ingredients together herself. She could use a recipe but get help from my wife. She chose #1. The result was some tasty chocolate chip muffins. We hosted my in-laws tonight, and itContinue reading “New Year; New Project”
Negative Example
My daughter and I went to a local playground yesterday. We showed up in time to see an eight-year-old girl in the middle of a breakdown on top of a piece of playground equipment. Her mother couldn’t get her down, and the girl was growing more hysterical with every passing minute. Finally, the father showedContinue reading “Negative Example”
Walking and Reading
Today, my daughter and I went to the biggest local library. We found her some books and then went and looked for books for my wife and me. My daughter was so intent on reading her book that she walked around the stacks with her nose in the book’s spine. I was partly annoyed. MyContinue reading “Walking and Reading”
Learning Together 