Archive for June, 2025

27 Jun

A love letter

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Bible, christ, Christian, Christianity, Faith, family, Fear, Jesus, jobs, love, marriage. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

*All Bible quotes are NIV

God has blessed my wife Linda and me with four precious grandsons who are a continual source of delight for us. The youngest is six months old and lives on the east coast. His three older cousins on his mother’s side (B1, B2, & B3) are teenagers ranging in age from 13 to 17 years. They live in South Dakota.

For almost 10 years it was our privilege to live under the same roof with the three oldest boys and their parents, a family arrangement that is becoming more and more rare in the mobile society we live in today.  All three boys are blessed to be smart, tall, strong, fit, and athletic.  They are steadily progressing towards manhood. What a blessing it has been watching them grow and mature.

I pen this message to the three teenagers in the hope that someday, if not now, they might give my words some thought and gain some personal inspiration from them. I write it at this time for two reasons.  First, I will turn 70 soon. God only knows how many years I have remaining. Second, Linda and I recently moved back east where we will be close to our new grandson, saying a bittersweet farewell to our three teens for now. Here’s a letter from me to the three teenagers.  I hope that their young cousin might also read this someday when he is old enough to understand.

A gift for my grandsons

Psalm 127:3-5* Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame…

Psalm 128:6 May you live to see your children’s children…

My dear grandsons,

You will never know how much I love each of you unless you are fortunate enough to have a grandchild of your own someday.  I hope that you do because children and grandchildren are truly gifts from God.   

Your Nana and I have finally moved back to the east coast. Over the past nearly 10 years we’ve grown accustomed to living under the same roof with you. Although we love living near our new grandson, at the same time it is bittersweet not having daily personal contact with each of you. I write this letter to the three of you as a gift. I hope that someday, if not now, my advice will do you some good. Please spend some time thinking about the words of advice I give you today.

Honor your parents

Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Honor your parents and be grateful for all they do for you.  You’re still too young to fully understand the sacrifices they have made to make your lives happier and easier. They have fed you, dressed you, and provided a comfortable and safe place for you to live. They have worked extra jobs to ensure you always had enough. They have nursed you through sickness and injuries. They have lost countless hours of sleep for you.  They have driven you countless miles to church, school, appointments, ball practices, ball games, adventures, and other places. Never miss an opportunity to say “thanks” to them.

Get your priorities in order

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Many things in life will vie for your attention, including family responsibilities, work, girls, sports, school and much more. You have to determine which of these you will invest your precious time and attention in. You will never have enough time to focus on all, so it’s important to set priorities and spend your time wisely.

When it comes to setting priorities, you can’t go wrong if you make God your very last priority—but don’t stop there. You should also make Him your first priority, and everything in between. If you make God your all-in-all, everything you do will be easier. You will not be filled with unwarranted fears and you will find it easier to please God.   Strive to please God in all that you do. You will not always succeed at this.  When you fail to please Him, the Holy Spirit that dwells inside you will let you know through a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13) that you will be unable to ignore. When this occurs act quickly and ask God for His forgiveness.

Get to know God

Study the scriptures and learn them. Wherever life leads you, seek out a good church home, one that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Make time to pray and talk to God every day. He wants to be your friend and companion. He will have your back. Pray and then pray some more.  Have a daily conversation with God. Tell Him how you’re feeling. Thank him for every new day. Pray to Him for the needs of others. Take time to stop and listen to what he is saying to you.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Be kind to others

You know what it’s like to be ignored; be harshly treated; be lied or gossiped about; or have your feelings hurt by some other kind of cruelty. Make a point to be kind to others, without expecting that your kindness will be returned. Whenever possible, help the unfortunate and downtrodden. A simple kind work or making eye contact and smiling can make someone’s day.  Jesus was criticized by his enemies for hanging out with “sinners” like tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, foreigners, and others who the Jews considered socially unacceptable. Model the way you treat others by trying to imitate Christ. Beware of modeling yourself after what society finds acceptable.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Matthew 7:17 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The ladies

When it comes to girls (and women someday), honor the ones in your life. Treat them with respect, dignity, and equality. For the female company you keep, seek companionship with fellow Christ followers, and let Christ be at the center of any romantic relationship you form. Don’t gossip, especially about your romantic interests. Words can be weapons.  Once you pull a gun’s trigger you can’t stop the bullet. Once a word leaves your mouth you can never take it back. Let the words you speak honor the girls and women in your life. 

Marriage

You are likely to fall deeply in love someday and perhaps this love will lead to marriage. So how does marriage work? First, remember these God inspired word from the Apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Wait a minute.  It sounds like love is hard work—and indeed it is.  True love requires you to love someone more than you love yourself. Marriage is a contract between you, your prospective spouse, and God. Marriage requires a lot of work. Never enter into a contract you don’t understand or one that you have doubts about your ability to keep the terms.  In God’s eyes, marriage is for life. Jesus loved the church sacrificially. Work hard to model your marriage after Christ’s love of the church. He gave His all for her!

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.  

Honor your wife. Talk with her.  Listen to what she says.  Share your innermost thoughts with her—your concerns, struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams. Make sure to tell her how much you love her and tell her frequently.

Work

Aside from sleeping, work will probably occupy more hours of your life than anything else. Some people absolutely love their work, but for many it’s little more than a way to pay the bills. If you love your work, praise God. If you don’t, endeavor to work with enthusiasm so those who observe might see the evidence of Jesus in your life. Accepting a job means submitting to the authority of those placed over you.  Learn to work within this system.   Along the way you’ll probably have bosses you don’t like.  Learn to respect the position, if not the individual.

Absent but not gone

In closing I want to remind you that I may be absent from your house, but I’m not gone.  I’m as close as a Facetime, phone call, email, or text. I want to be a part of your lives and look forward seeing you become men. For as long as I live, I will be here for you.

Love,

Papaw

5 Jun

Enduring truths for recent graduates

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in Choices, christ, Christian, Christianity, discipline, Faith, graduates, graduation, Jesus, jobs, Religion, Self-discipline, simplicity, spiritual, work. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Thirteen years ago I wrote an article  for my newspaper column with some advice for recent grads.  It has become one of the most popular pieces I ever wrote. I’ve received dozens of emails thanking me for writing it.  Therefore, I decided to  republish it annually around graduation time.  I hope some of you might find it useful.  Although I wrote it specifically for recent high school graduates, I believe it is equally applicable to recent college graduates.

For those who are graduating high school this year and beginning the long transition into adulthood, I’d like to offer you a gift. Here are five enduring truths I have learned. They will help you through life’s journey.

Choices

“If you decide to just go with the flow, you’ll end up where the flow goes, which is usually downhill, often leading to a big pile of sludge and a life of unhappiness. You’ll end up doing what everyone else is doing.” ― Sean Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

 Life will deal you an endless string of choices along the way.  Some will be trivial, like deciding what to wear today.  Others will be weighty and their outcomes will affect you forever.  Weighty decisions should always be preceded by much thought and soul searching.  This includes decisions about who you date or marry, what you put into your body, bringing children into the world, what you do for a living, how much debt you incur and who you associate with.

All of these decisions will have a lasting effect on your life. Therefore, make them slowly and deliberately. Often you’ll discover that the right choice is not the easiest one.  A habit of making poor choices will, as the Sean Covey quote suggests, drag your life downhill.

I was recently contacted by a young man who had just received a bad conduct discharge from the Navy.  He asked me how the discharge would impact his future employability.  His mistake was choosing to drive a car while intoxicated and hitting a pedestrian. Fortunately, the victim wasn’t seriously injured. Had it been otherwise, the young sailor would probably be in prison.  It was my sad responsibility to inform him that with some employers the discharge would be a black mark for life. Choices matter!

 Learning

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.”    ―Vernon Saunders Law, former professional baseball pitcher and Cy Young Award winner

Some of you will go on to college or technical school.  Others will enter the workforce.  Even if your formal education is over, don’t quit learning. Make learning a lifelong adventure.  I did my undergraduate work at the University of Kentucky.  The school offers a fellowship program for individuals aged 65 and older to attend classes tuition free. Every year numerous senior citizens walk the stage to receive degrees ranging from Associate of Arts to Doctor of Philosophy.  It’s never too late to learn.

Even if you don’t choose to continue formal learning, make it point to learn from life. Observe others; note their successes and failures; then learn from their experiences.  More importantly, learn from your own mistakes.

Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned, particularly those while serving in uniform, were the result of having made a terrible mistake.  This sort of lesson sticks, like the first time you grab the handle of a hot iron skillet with your bare hand.  The key to learning from mistakes is owning them.  Admit your mistakes and then move on, having learned something from the experience.  Don’t let, “It wasn’t my fault,” be part of your vocabulary.

 Work

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”  ―Colin Powell, retired U.S. Army four-star general and former U.S. Secretary of State

Work isn’t always fun. If it were, they’d call it play.  Work can be downright unpleasant, but it’s an essential element of life! Along the way you’re going to have jobs you won’t like. Note what you don’t like and make it a point to improve yourself, so you’ll never again have to work at such a job.

Accepting a job means submitting to the authority of those placed over you.  Learn to work within this system.   You’ll inevitably have bosses you don’t like.  Learn to respect the position, if not the individual.

Fairness

“Life is not fair; get used to it.” ―Bill Gates, founder and former CEO, Microsoft Corporation

You will hear much discussion about fairness in this life. It’s all hot air.  Life isn’t fair.  Some good people die young, while some bad people live a long life.   Disease sometimes strikes arbitrarily, for no apparent reason.  Some people prosper while others suffer failure. A death or accident can change your life forever.

There is randomness to life that can’t be avoided.  Don’t expect kindness to be returned with kindness.  Don’t expect generosity to be returned with generosity.  The best choice is to be fair and kind to others and learn to accept what they return to you.

A wise man named Harry Browne ran for president of the United States on the Libertarian Party ticket. On Christmas day in 1966, Browne wrote his young daughter a letter aptly titled, “A Gift for My Daughter.”  I encourage every graduating senior to read it and digest it. In the letter, he explains to his daughter that, “Nobody owes you anything.”  Understanding what Browne meant can truly bless you. You can find it at: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2015/12/harry-brownes-christmas-letter-to-his-daughter/  .

Faith

“A faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing.”  ―Victor Hugo

I once had a senior Army officer tell me he preferred to work with men who possessed spiritual values, regardless of their religion.  He explained that having faith in a power higher than one’s self was an indicator of how one will perform under pressure; in this instance, the pressure meant combat.

Too many people place their faith in all the wrong places.  It might be in wealth, celebrity, good looks, talent, or even government.  Whatever the case, misplaced faith leads to disappointment after disappointment.

To avoid these disappointments, put your faith in God alone.  You, your loved ones and your friends will all inevitably let you down, but God will never fail you.

5 Jun

A health hiatus

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in Adversity, health, Prayer, Simple Living, Uncategorized.

In case you missed me, I’ve been on a health dictated hiatus from writing for about four months. This came in the wake of a medical diagnosis of a progressive condition that will impact me for the remainder of my days. I’ve had to make a lot of adjustments to my life. It also came at a time when my wife and I are in the midst of making a move back to the east coast. In a few weeks we will depart South Dakota, our home for nearly 10 years, for a new life in Maryland. By the end of the month I hope to resume writing. In the meantime I would appreciate your prayers. See you soon!

Zack

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.