We should honor our moms every day. But since we “officially” get one day out of the year to recognize the woman who changed our diapers, wiped our noses, and came to all our games, let’s put a little extra effort into it. Here are 4 ways to honor your mom this Mother’s Day.  First, write her a handwritten letter. Thank her for how she provided for you and loved you through your best days, and your worst.   Second, make her a photo album. It’s a wonderful way for you to remind your mom of all the memories you’ve made together over the years.   Here are the rest of the 4 Meaningful Ways to Honor Your Mother on Mother’s Day.  

We think forgiveness is a feeling. We think forgiveness means forgetting. We think forgiveness is a sign of weakness. But forgiveness is not what you think. Here are 3 truths about forgiveness. First, forgiveness is a decision to release. Instead of replaying the incident over and over in your mind, choose to not dwell on how you were wronged. Second, forgiveness is a decision to embrace. Instead of holding on to anger, embrace mercy. Put simply, mercy is not giving someone what they deserve. Third, forgiveness is a decision to pardon. When you pardon your offender by forgiving them, you are letting go of your right to punish them for the offense in the future.

For more on this topic on my blog, go to Forgiveness: It's Not What You Think.

Growing up, your son will ask some significant questions. Instead of allowing the world to provide answers, it’s up to you to give your son the truth. Here are 3 questions your son will ask himself and how you can answer. First, he’ll ask: What’s my purpose? Your job is to help identify his gifts and guide him towards the answer. Second, your son will ask: Do I have what it takes? Only you can answer this question with affirmation and a resounding, “Yes!” Finally, your son will ask: Am I a man? The best way to answer this question is by modeling manhood…showing him and telling him what it means to be a man. Always be there for your son. 

For more on this topic from All Pro Dad, go to Questions All Boys Need Answered.

In life, your family may enjoy many successes, but will also face some failures as well. New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson says your job is to lead your family well through it all. Here are his 3 keys of family leadership. First, lead with love. To grow a loving family, you must lead by example. Start by loving your spouse well. This will show your kids what a loving relationship looks like. Second, lead with trust. Your kids need to trust that you will be always be honest with them. Finally, lead with courage. Do what’s right for your family, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be. So start leading your family today with love, trust, and courage. 

For more on this topic on my blog, go to the How to Lead Your Family Well with New Orleans Saints Tight End Benjamin Watson podcast.

My wife, Susan, and I have different styles of communication. So, to help us, we use what’s called the speaker/listener technique. Here’s how the speaker/listener technique works. The speaker holds a pen or some other object to show they have the floor. The speaker then makes a short statement or point. After the speaker makes their first point, the listener repeats it back or paraphrases what they heard so that the speaker knows the listener understood. This process is repeated until the speaker felt heard on their point. Now, the speaker and listener switch roles and it’s the listeners turn to speak. So use this technique to communicate well with your spouse.

For more on this topic on my blog, go to How to Talk through Tough Topics with Your Spouse.

My friend’s 15-year-old just got her restricted driver’s license.  You know what that means.  Old dad had to white knuckle it from the passenger’s side.   Talk about nerve-wracking!  But believe it or not, he said the worst part wasn’t the close calls with curbs,  cars and trees… it was realizing that his little girl was growing up… and that he needed to start letting go.   Allowing our children to begin taking control of their own lives can feel like a bumpy ride… but letting go is the only way they’ll ever find the road to independence.  For more on this topic, go to my blog MarkMerrill.com.

Think about it.  Your spouse comes up to you and says, “The doctor said I only have a year to live.”  Then would it matter so much that he forgot to take out the trash—again?  Would you care if she left the garage door open more times than she closed it?  And would it still annoy you that he got lost but refused to stop and ask for directions?  None of us knows exactly how much more time we’ll have with our spouse.  So this Valentine’s Day, try to overlook the little, annoying things. Love your spouse like you don’t know if they’ll be here tomorrow—because in reality—you don’t.   Here’s how one man wrote himself letters from the future to be sure he lived each day to the fullest.