Subscribing to TrueManhood.com

I’ve had a few requests of how to subscribe to the website.  There are a few different ways to go about this.  Check out this video on using Google Reader.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSPZ2Uu_X3Y]

Various readers alert you in various ways: some use emails, othes text messages, most pop up on your desktop reader.  If you don’t have a software program (these are free by the way; use google, or other free software), you can simply use feeds that Internet Explorer gives you.  (Firefox probably has this too…)  Here’s how you do that.

On the left side of the site, scroll down to and click “ENTRIES RSS”, this will take you to a page that you then click “Subscribe to this feed”.  Clicking this will put TrueManhood.com on your feed list, which is a tab next to your favorites.

An Example on the Slopes

Yesterday, while enjoying an absolutely perfect day on the slopes of Keystone, I witnessed something that made me think.  I witnessed a father interacting with his young son.  The young boy’s name was Henry and he was about 4 years old.  Henry made his way down the mountain in a slow, snow-plow fashion; I thought he was doing really well.  Henry’s father made his way down the mountain just below the boy; there, he stopped and looked up at him.  Henry had taken a seat on the mountain, eventually laying his head on the snow.  He was tired and a bit frustrated and didn’t think he could make it any further.  The father, looking up at the boy, started to get rather perturbed and impatient.  “Get up Henry”, “Let’s go Henry”.  “If you can’t ski, we’re going straight home, Henry.”  The father continued his, now angry, tone with the boy.  Henry remained on the mountain, in the same spot he originally stopped.  I was torn as to what to do in the situation.  On the one hand, I wanted to tell Henry, “You can do it Henry!”.  On the other hand, I wanted to ski down to the father and suggest that he give his young son some encouragement instead of frustration. 

This father had an amazing opportunity to be his son’s hero.  He had a crucial decision to make: give encouragement and excite his son to pick himself up and keep trying OR (what he did) get frustrated at this four year old and allow the four year old to dictate his reaction.  I wish that this father would have made a better choice.  I pray that Henry knows how wonderful he is and grows to be a strong man.

Our witness in the world to others around us is a huge responsibility.  Not only could this father have been a great example to Henry, he could have been a great example to me.  Maybe the father didn’t know I was watching and listening.  Either way, make certain that YOU are acting in a way that, no matter what the situation is, you are setting an example to others around you.  This example should be one of love, the love that Christ exampled for us.

*** Best wishes in your daily examples to the world around you. ***

What is Real Manliness?

Society makes suggestions to us, either directly or indirectly, about what is manly and what’s not.  Typically, society paints a picture (let’s call this picture “cultural manliness”) that cultural manliness stems from all or part of the following: POWER, MONEY, WOMEN and/or STUFF.  Society might call a man who possesses these things a “real man”.  If a male possesses one (or more) of these attributes, than he automatically racks up points on a invisible ‘man scale’.  A given amount of points on the cultural manliness scale doesn’t necessarily gain a guy anything, and it’s not like he can cash those points in for anything tangible.  However, because of the picture that is painted, a man with lots of points is (for whatever reason) elevated to a higher level than a regular joe.  As this happens – men being elevated and esteemed – other men desire to obtain what a “real man” has.  Other men begin to shoot for power, money, women and/or stuff, instead of what really determines what manliness is.

What is real manliness???  If real manliness isn’t power, money, women and/or stuff, what is it?  Where can we find out?  What can we do to become really manly?  Well, we’re given lots of great examples throughout history of what NOT to do and what’s NOT really manly.  Where do we go to find good examples?  I’d like to point to a few perfect examples of what manliness is using three Biblical characters.  I’m going to save their identities for another post to determine if anyone can guess who they are.

1. This man screwed up royally.  He engaged in sins of the flesh which led to men dying and problems for others around him.  However, instead of remaining lazy and indifferent, he heeded the words of his dear friend and decided to better himself and devoted his life to serving, honoring and praising God.  He became faithful, prayerful and humble.  He set an example of great virtue for others to see.  Who was he?

2. This man was wronged at an early age.  After spending many years in confinement for crimes he hadn’t committed, he rose in the ranks and eventually became the king’s trusted advisor.  Instead of taking vengeance on the men who wronged him, he chose love, honor and service.  This man was a humble and faithful servant to God, never losing his foundation of prayer and faith.  Who was he?

3. This man was given, quite possibly, the hardest task a human father could be given.  He was asked to take on a role that no other father had ever been asked to do, but he readily accepted and because he was a virtuous man, he succeeded in this difficult task.  Because he trusted God (and His messenger), this man remained faithful and obedient.  Due to his successful job-well-done, all men have a perfect example of what it means to be a chaste husband, a loving father and a hard worker.  Who was he?

What is real manliness? –> from these three examples, we see a theme: these three men were virtuous.  Their virtue (especially their theological virtue of faith) allowed them to persevere and to continue to serve God.  Today’s post is only the beginning of this topic, stay tuned for more!

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