Category Archives: Family

Good dads say, “No.”

𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲, "𝐍𝐨."⁣ ⁣ It’s 1995—the year I’ll…

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

Good dads say, "No."

It’s 1995—the year I’ll graduate high school—and my dad is getting me a car. We’re shopping around different dealerships, and I want one of the first cars I see: a dingy, used ’92–’93 green Saturn SC.

I’ve got the fever.
I’m anxious to go nowhere in particular.
I just want some wheels—and would’ve settled for practically anything.

But my dad said, “No.”

Because he wanted something better for me.
He chastened me for my anxiety, warned me of all it could rob me of, and instructed me to learn patience—so I can have the best.

Weeks go by.

At the end of a school day, I’m walking toward my bus when I hear my name—
“Chris!”

I look past the buses…
There’s my dad, leaning against a shiny, red, gold-package 1995 Mazda 626.

What my dad wanted for me was exceedingly better than what I wanted for myself.
And I wouldn’t have gotten it… if my father hadn’t said, “No.”

So it is with God.

He says, “No”
because there’s something better He wants for you.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"
— Ephesians 3:20

And so nothing I say is ever confused with prosperity garbage, let me be clear:
The better that God wants for us—
is Him.

Very often, the thing He says “No” to would keep us from that.

So today, I’m thankful for a good Dad who says No to the “good” I think I want—
so I can receive the best He has for me.

Thanks, Dad.

Happy Father’s Day.

#GoodDadsSayNo #Men #Fathers #HappyFathersDay #perfectourlove

P.S. Everything God gives teaches us about Himself (marriage, family, etc.). So, how we live as parents, spouses, people… is so important. It can aid or hinder others from having a right view of God.

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #10 – What We Still Have

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #10 – What We Still Have

In Week 10 of 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness, I give thanks to God for what we still have.

Earlier this week we received a phone call that makes the heart of every parent drop, “Dad, I’ve been in an accident…”

I thank God that the voice on the other end of the phone was our child. Upon hearing the details of the accident, it easily could have been a different call.

That night could have ended in heartbreak. I can only hope that we could remember God’s goodness in the midst of such unimaginable grief.

Life is a vapor, but God is good all the time.

So, I’m thankful for what we still have.

I intend to make the best of it.

I’m grateful.

#52WoG

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #9 – Constant

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #9 - Constant

In Week 9 of 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness, I give thanks to God for my father’s consistency in honor of his birthday.

There are few constants in this world, and my Dad is one of them.

In a life that can be confusing to navigate, his consistency helps me solve for the variability of the rest.

I’ve tried to pass this on to our sons, teaching them:
“Do what you’ve set out to do regardless of how others act or react.”

I have found that I can navigate virtually anything with anyone when there’s something to come back to that does not move.

Thank you for being that for me, Dad.

I hope to honor you by being that for others so that this value I’ve received from you remains

Constant.

Happy Birthday.

I’m grateful.

#52WoG

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #48 – Leadership Of Leroy and Shannen Williams

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #48 – Leadership Of Leroy and Shannen Williams

In Week 48 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks to God for our Thanksgiving 2024 hosts, the newlyweds, our nephew and niece, Mr. Leroy and Mrs. Shannen Williams.

They did a wonderful job bringing our family and friends together. You could tell the amount of thoughtfulness and work that was put into it, including the recruitment and coordination of a lot of help from many wonderful people.

Even as we were cleaning up, they said, “We can do this every year!”

For years, the home of Willie and Mary Harris was the epicenter of our gatherings. When they passed, there was a concern about whether we could stick together after the glue was gone.

But as it turns out, the glue isn’t gone—they put it in us, as shown by the many family members who have stepped up over the years to create safe spaces for the family to come together. This year, it’s Leroy and Shannen.

The attitude of “We can do this every year!”, stepping up to put in the work for your family, is the spirit of Mary Harris.

Our future is in great hands.

Thank you to everyone who helped and participated, and especially to Leroy and Shannen for leading the charge this year.

Melissa and I love each and every one of you.

I’m grateful.

#52WoG #Thanksgiving

The wonderful women that we call Mom show that “mother” is more…

The wonderful women that we call Mom show that "mother" is more than a noun, it's a verb. Mothers…

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, May 12, 2024.

The wonderful women that we call Mom show that "mother" is more than a noun, it's a verb.

Mothers cannot help themselves. Love does what love is. They not only bring things forth, they nurture it to perfection.

This was an especially special Mother's Day weekend as we celebrated graduating three young men to the next level of their lives -lives that we recognize would not exist without our mothers, and lives that would not be as rich without their constant nurturing.

Even as we were putting together how to honor our mothers, other mothers came alongside us to give birth to and nurture the seed.

Special shout out to Tammy Matthews Clark, Katie Scott Roach and Meon Carroll from work for being a sounding board.

Shout out to Tunisa Rice for the t-shirt design and to Candace Buckley for bringing the design to life.

Whether by birth or by choice (because many of you are mothers to whom you did not birth), we appreciate all you are and do. We salute you.

Happy Mother's Day!

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #6 – An Incredible Gift

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #16 – An Incredible Gift
Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #16 – An Incredible Gift
Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #16 – An Incredible Gift

In week 16 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks to God for an incredible gift.

If I mention the black, opening crawl of “Star Wars” you can see the logo and almost instantly hear the theme music, can’t you?

Iconic, right?

What if I told you I personally knew someone who played first chair in a section of the orchestra responsible for that original score?!

But, what if I told you that they conducted the score for that orchestra?

Or, what if I told you they wrote the score for that 100+ piece symphony orchestra?!

That would be amazing, right?

Well, my brother, Nehemiah Luckett, composed, orchestrated and directed music for “Ruby”, a production that I am confident will find it’s way to Broadway.

My mother and I drove 26 hours round trip to see it.

It was worth every second.

The story, the writing, the acting, the choreography, the music, and the vocals were stellar.

I hesitate to say pitch-perfect for fear of sounding like I’m overstating the case because he’s my brother, but it was just that good.

No. It was better than good.

It was excellent.

As it unfolded, I forgot I was watching a play and it challenged me in ways that good art tends to do.

As I attempted to comprehend all the moving pieces, to think that my brother wrote melodies and words that so beautifully conveyed such hard truths, music not for one instrument but an entire band, vocals not for just one singer but dozens, and helped to orchestrate a production that constantly teetered on making me want to avert my eyes and never being able to look away,

I was left in awe

because my brother is a maestro,

but more so, because he invited me to see his incredible gift and so graciously chose to share it with me.

I’m grateful.

I love you Nehemiah Luckett and I’m very proud of you, always have been.

#52WoG

If you’re interested in learning more about Nehemiah’s wonderful work or supporting it, you can do that here: https://bit.ly/nehemiah-patreon

New Driver Rental Car Agreement

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - New Driver Rental Car Agreement

It seems like a lot of my friends’ kids are getting their drivers licenses. (We old! 🤣)

Before our boys got car keys, they signed an agreement spelling out our expectations and that driving is a privilege and not a right -a privilege maintained by trust that is earned.

We were delighted by how well they handled this enormous responsibility when expectations were clearly set. So, I’m sharing our family’s “New Driver Rental Car Agreement” in hopes that it’s helpful to other families for putting their new drivers in a position to succeed.

Drive safely, my new friends on the road!

Download the New Driver Rental Car Agreement here: https://bit.ly/new-driver-rental-agreement

Happy birthday to my father, Rev. Paul Luckett, who, by years, is…

Happy birthday to my father, Rev. Paul Luckett, who, by years, is younger than I am since he was…

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Happy birthday to my father, Rev. Paul Luckett, who, by years, is younger than I am since he was born on leap year day. But, considering all that this man does on any given day, he may be younger in spirit too! 😂

I have a relationship of mutual love, admiration and respect with my father. I'm deeply grateful for that.

That I have the privilege to have him as an advisor and to be able to call him anytime for insight, direction or just to talk is a gift I cannot appreciate enough.

Happy birthday, Pop.

I'm so glad you're in my life.

I love you.

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #5 – Nickels

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #5 – Nickels

In Week 5 of 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness, I give thanks to God for nickels.

I was around 6 years old when my dad was a student at Gammon Theological Seminary, and on this particular day I am on campus with him at the library.

I mimic my father. As he studied and wrote, I sat quietly and drew.

He then reached in his denim pocket and handed me fifty cents or so in nickels. They were for the copy machine. Copies were 5 cents a copy.

Once my masterpiece was complete, I’d walk intently (with excitement) to the copier, careful not to run. I’d stand in line to copy my work just like the grown-ups.

I don’t remember a single word being spoken but remember the feeling of having everything that I wanted or needed.

In that moment there was no where else I’d rather be.

I was just happy to be with my dad.

I’m so glad I had this moment with my father. It’s a beautiful memory that makes me smile to this day.

I’m grateful.

#52WoG

52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #1 – A Son’s Heart

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - 52 Weeks Of Gratefulness #1 – A Son's Heart

In Week 1 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for a Son’s Heart.

Someone was in need, having lost their home’s much used washer and dryer in the same day.

They were hours away, a new washer and dryer set would have to be picked up, the old ones would have to be removed and the new installed. It would be a challenging job for just one person.

As my wife and I were working through how to help, my son Chris volunteers, “Dad, I’ll go.”

He gives up an entire Saturday that are typically cherished and fiercely protected by college students to help someone else.

I can scarcely think of a moment where I was more proud.

My prayer and greatest hope is that I could ever make God feel the way my son made me feel that day.

I’m proud of you, Chris.

I love you.

I’m grateful.

#52WoG