Sometimes we pay attention; sometimes we don’t. Apparently, even the most attentive parents are oblivious to what their kids are ingesting. According to a study released this week, we’re feeding our kids some pretty deadly stuff. Who knew?Imagine being a kid, chillin’ in your bedroom, snacking on high sodium chips and a beverage laced with …
Author Archives: loudmouthinthebalcony
When Forgiveness Incites Rage
Ah, the good ol’ days! Travel used to be so simple then. When I was a kid, part of the excitement of any trip south of Chicago was the picnic in the car. There were always sandwiches, fried chicken and cookies. If we were lucky, there was cake. If someone had to tinkle, we merely …
Did you leave a message?
While being interviewed this week for Dana Roc’s “Inspiring People” column, she asked me, “One hundred years from now, what do you want to be remembered for?”It reminded me of this scenario Stephen Covey painted years ago in his inspiring bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: You’re at the funeral of a loved …
A Hard Head Still Makes a Soft Behind
My mother isn’t the only one who used to say that, is she? Nah. We’ve all heard it, at some point. Sometimes we believed it, and brought our behavior in check. Other times, we did what we wanted to do because we thought we could get away with it. It’s our belief that we can …
Get Out of a Jam with the “F” Word
The last time we chatted, the Loud Mouth was on the road, journeying to the Final Frontier. Few roads have more detours than this one. Opportunities abound to use the “F” word with reckless abandon. The first stop was at the door of a client who signed a hefty one-year contract that he didn’t have …
Forgiveness: The Final Frontier
I was nearing the climax of another “Deeply Disappointing Drama” when I decided to simply surrender, just let go. I had examined every scene and every actor from every conceivable angle, and I couldn’t make any sense of it. None!Like all No-Drama Queens, I take full responsibility for scripting every life drama I experience. We …
Honey, I’ve Shrunk Our God!
My dear friend, the Reverend Dr. Vici Derrick of Joy Cathedral in Seattle, often says, “God made man in His image; then man returned the favor.” It’s not a new phenomenon. About 2,500 years ago, Greek philosopher Xenophanes said pretty much the same thing: “If horses were to create gods, they’d look like horses.” Speaking …
World’s Oldest Action Figure
If you engage enemy nations in a vicious bloody battle, kill every man, woman, child, and destroy every edifice on your path, you’re: A guerilla A terrorist Neither of the above If you selected “neither of the above”, congratulations! You’re right: You wouldn’t be a guerilla or a terrorist. But do you know what one …
Excuse Me, but Wrath is not Divine
Be still my heart. Pat Robertson reportedly has diagnosed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as suffering from Divine Punishment. Yep, what caused the severe stroke that threatens Sharon’s extended visit on the planet was his decision for Israel to withdraw from Gaza. Kid you not. Read the news report yourself. Granted, this story originated from …
When “Christian” Doesn’t Mean Christlike
Gee, it must have been tedious and time-consuming to intimidate large numbers of people prior to the advent of the Internet. Now, with just a click of the mouse, you can threaten masses of people in a flash. If they don’t forward your e-mail to x number of friends within x number of minutes, they’ll …