Onword and Upwords by Dennis Brady

Dennis Brady

  • No Longer Slaves

    I recently wrote about albums that have marked me. Every now and then one song will speak directly into my soul like it was injected intravenously. I can listen to it on repeat for an hour or more. It doesn’t… Continue reading

  • I Can Have This Bad Experience Anywhere

    So, trying to be a good husband today by getting Sandra’s car serviced. I realized that Saturday is not a great day to be a good husband. The first place I stopped asked if I set an appointment online. I… Continue reading

  • Hit the Mute Button

    Golfing is a life skill. You can use it your whole life in personal and business pursuits. I imagine that politicians and business leaders cut more deals in a golf cart than in an office. Unfortunately, it’s a skill I… Continue reading

  • Take Possession 

    Deuteronomy is repetitive with God’s promises to the wilderness wandering Israelites. If they would obey His commands then He would make them strong so that they can go and take possession of the land He promised them. Land flowing with… Continue reading

  • The Enemy Within

    In the book of Numbers chapters 24 and 25 there’s a poignant story of a pagan king named Balak who saw the Israelites approaching his land and he was concerned. Balak hired Balaam, a diviner to have a chat with… Continue reading

  • Time Flies

    A friend today congratulated me on my 25th wedding anniversary. He has known me all of those years and more and commented, “Time Flies”. That made me pause. Yes, 25 years has flown by, but not without some turbulence. We… Continue reading

  • Albums That Have Marked Me 

    As I approach 50 there are less than a handful of albums that have left an enduring mark on me. The first one (and I admit this without shame) was Back In Black by AC/DC. I still remember where I… Continue reading

  • 4 Types of Interstate Drivers and Life Lessons 

    Drive I-85 for a lengthy period of time and you will see different types of drivers. One is the Bat Out of Hell. He drives like the interstate is Daytona speedway. In and out of lanes, cutting other drivers off… Continue reading

  • Talking To God 

    Do you pray? The Bible says we’re to pray without ceasing. This implies that we should be talking to God all of the time, all day and not just with eyes closed early in the morning. After all, God is… Continue reading

  • My Dad

    The following are the words I spoke at my Dad’s funeral last Saturday.  I struggled whether or not to post this, but ultimately I think he’d want me to as it tells his story and gives glory to God. Thank… Continue reading

  • iPhone Baptism

    I dropped my iPhone in a body of water yesterday. And it wasn’t the Atlantic. Impulsively, I reached down and snatched it up without considering if said body of water was clean. It was. I pulled off the case and… Continue reading

  • Broken, But Valuable 

    I had one of those proud moments yesterday that fathers often enjoy. Will and I were repairing a couple of outdoor lounge chairs. The straps that held together the material to the frame had deteriorated and broken. We were tying… Continue reading

  • God’s Welfare Plan

    God’s ways are always the best ways. Leviticus 19:9-10 says, 9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10… Continue reading

  • Intangibles 

    There are life tangibles. Set in stone. Your height, your intelligence, your mama and dad, these are things you can’t change. But then there are the intangibles. You may be taller than me, but that doesn’t mean your heart is… Continue reading

  • Not Off the Hook

    As I read through the Old Testament I become grateful that Jesus came so that we live by grace now and not under the Old Testament laws. There were lots of rules, statutes and laws. And I for one love… Continue reading

  • Slaying Thoughts

    I have a tendency to slay thoughts instead of holding every thought obedient to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Someone may suggest an idea to me or ask a question and I’ll give an immediate response. I slay it. I… Continue reading

  • I Lost 30lbs…TODAY

    No kidding. Go ahead and make your New Year’s resolutions. I made mine early. I started today and I lost 30 lbs today. 30 lbs of clothes. I cleaned out my chest of drawers and closet and said goodbye to some… Continue reading

  • What Made You Smile?

    There are some days that you just get through. And you go to bed as soon and as early as you can.  That was yesterday.  This morning I woke up and opened this guided journal thing that Sandra bought me… Continue reading

  • Two Kinds of People

    We’ve all heard that there are 2 kinds of people. There’s lots of different types of 2 kinds and I have one more. Those who make excuses and those who make things happen. Those who make excuses are sitting at… Continue reading

  • The Blind Squirrels 

    We lost the first game in our end of the season little league double header and really, we weren’t surprised. Maybe we had won a single game all year. Maybe. So we went home that Friday night with plans to… Continue reading

  • Perspective 

    I can walk out of my house on a Fall Saturday morning and see a yard full of fallen leaves and think, “crap, I’ll be blowing leaves half a day.” My friend Morris can see the same leaves on the… Continue reading

  • Marathons 

    Nothing I’m about to say has been fact-checked and verified. But I think I’m right. For some reason today I was thinking about marathon runners. Not sure why. I hate to run and don’t understand the psyche of people who… Continue reading

  • 27 Minutes 

    So, counting the ways I’ve tried to control my weight over the past 10 years: Adkins diet Myfitnesspal app P90X Ideal Protein Anytime Fitness membership A running program with Will Aquatic center membership Daily sit ups and push ups Ketone… Continue reading

  • Ignore Meet Consequence 

    I knew the power steering had a leak. A couple of times over the last year the steering was tight so I added fluid and drove on. As long as I had $5 I could keep buying fluid. No problem.… Continue reading

  • George and Merle Can’t Be Pleased

    I’m not a country music fan, but I have to think that George Jones and Merle Haggard are happy that they’re in a box and sound-proofed by 6ft of dirt. Country music lyrics are just so stupid these days. I… Continue reading

  • Good Deeds

    Someone said that a good deed never goes unpunished. An exclusive term like “never” may be too strong, but it’s definitely true at times. I recently fell in love with the #10 at Firehouse Subs, the beef brisket and cheddar… Continue reading

  • Less Horrible

    Will and I were playing bocci ball. We don’t know the real rules so we say that if my closest ball is closer to the target than his closest ball, I get a point. Then if his second closest ball… Continue reading

  • 49

    So as the day dawns on the 9th anniversary of my 40th birthday, I reflect on how God has blessed me. And I’ve been reminded all day through Facebook, texts and phone calls that a few more people care for… Continue reading

  • Turn It Off

    It was epic. I did an amazing thing today. Something that I bet many people don’t do anymore. I wanted to take a nap-no that’s not the epic event, but my phone kept vibrating.  So I turned it off. And… Continue reading

  • A Family Flash Mob 

    I love fire.  Even the single flame of a candle works for me. Just ask my daughters because I keep stealing theirs.  But I really love campfires.  Last night Will and I got a late start to one and the… Continue reading