Onword and Upwords by Dennis Brady

Dennis Brady

  • God is…

    In my own words as I’ve experienced Him: A fair and worthy King to honor. A divine Healer. A trustworthy Provider. A forgiving Father. A grace-filled Judge. A faithful Friend. A constant Companion. A reliable Guide. An unmatchable Protector. A… Continue reading

  • You Have to Keep Earning It

    Yesterday I shared about my first experience with the grocery delivery service, Shipt and how it’s going to change my life. It also made me realize how easily our deepest loyalties can jump the tracks. For 10 years I’ve been… Continue reading

  • Things That Change Your Life

    The older I get the more I realize that few things truly have a lasting impact on your life. Yeah, there are the big items. Salvation in Jesus Christ. Marriage. Children. Your first home. Your job. Friends. But what about… Continue reading

  • Redesign

    I saw a new Honda Pilot this morning. I’ve always been a fan of their boxy design. The new ones have a more rounded design and look, well, oddly like the old Honda Odyssey. I wonder if that was the… Continue reading

  • The Big Screen

    It’s late. I’m probably a bit loopy. But I’m laid back in my recliner reading on my Kindle app and I look up to see my TV looking back at me. It’s black, not on. I rarely watch it. But… Continue reading

  • Pathways and Rivers

    Happy New Year! The Bible app’s verse of the day is a good one for the first day of 2018. I believe that faith in God’s Word can change things, make things happen and new pathways and rivers excite me.… Continue reading

  • Cowboys and Outlaws

      Sandra and I walked into the Longhorn Steakhouse last Friday night and I commented that I wasn’t really hungry, but I was looking forward to a good steak, specifically a ribeye. It’s been a while. We recently did a… Continue reading

  • White Elephant

    There are no friends in the White Elephant game. No random acts of kindness. It’s hand to the back meet bus. That’s how it was Saturday night when the Simpson family gathered for our Christmas celebration. Things intensified when Kyle,… Continue reading

  • Only If

    Only if: My kicker hadn’t missed the extra point attempt. Jimmy Graham had at least one point instead of -.10. Brandin Cooks had stayed in bounds. Brady hadn’t thrown an interception. The Patriots hadn’t of scored so quickly giving the… Continue reading

  • Can You Trust Your Butcher?

    Will and I love chicken wings. We go out every Monday night and enjoy them. I like to cook and have tried many, many times to find wings in grocery stores to cook at home that are a worthy size,… Continue reading

  • I Deleted the Weather App

    It was the Weather Channel app and it was littered with annoying ads that I couldn’t keep my fat thumb from hitting. I wanted to see the weather, not play a stupid game. I tolerated it for a long time… Continue reading

  • I Drank Onion Juice For $10

    We recently did a 30 day detox that involved a lot of juicing. My son thought it would be amusing if he juiced a purple onion for me to drink. Uh, no thanks. Then he offered me $10. Well, let’s… Continue reading

  • What Nehemiah Taught Me

    I’m reading Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength and he mentioned valuable leadership lessons he learned from the book of Nehemiah. I thought I might read it. I opened my Bible and Sandra had a paper clip to bookmark Psalms. The backside… Continue reading

  • I Continue to Amaze Myself

    I’ve been on the Starvation Diet for 4 weeks and I’ve learned a couple of things.  One, I don’t hate grapefruit. For 50 years I’ve been positive that I loathed it. But I guess when you’re starving you’ll eat tree… Continue reading

  • Lessons Learned While Searching for Seashells 

    Sandra warned the kids yesterday on my 50th birthday.  We were all packed in the car headed down to the beach when I started rattling on about something. “Dad is probably going to be pretty philosophical over the next couple… Continue reading

  • The Top 10 Things I’ve Learned in My 50 Years

    Today is my 50th birthday. Don’t worry about gifts. I have one for you. The top 10 things I’ve learned in my 50 years.  Here we go. Sorry about the poor formatting.  10.  An expensive lesson. Don’t try to put… Continue reading

  • No Traffic On the Extra Mile

    That’s what Gina, my massage therapist, told me. I was complimenting her on her diligent attention to detail. For example, In a recent session, I mentioned how I love the group, Mandolin Orange and particularly their album, This Side of… Continue reading

  • Why Does Apple Hate Parents?

    I mean they must, right? Or they at least get a laugh out of knowing they’re causing massive frustration for us. You try to communicate with your kids and it’s like, “Shelby. Shelby. (louder now) Shelby!” Finally, your teenager yanks… Continue reading

  • He Will Thank Me Later

    He really will. My son, Will, cut our front yard yesterday for the first time. It’s a big deal. I’m very particular about the front yard. The 3/4 acre in back, not so much. So when he came inside after… Continue reading

  • I’m Fine, Really 

    I just passed by a guy I know. Well, I don’t really know him. I don’t even know his name, but we see each other around. I said, “hey, how ya doing?” Like we all do and I expected in… Continue reading

  • You Know You Have A Great Friend When…

    You know you have a great friend when…you call and say, “hey, I need a favor on Saturday. I need to pick up 32 boxes of hardwood flooring from the store and take it to my mom’s house. Can I… Continue reading

  • 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