To My Dear Boys,
It’s a different world than the one I grew up in. A very different world.
In some ways, it’s a much better world. But in a lot of ways things are pretty rough. Hatred abounds, whether between the sexes, between nations, between ideologies, between races. It’s everywhere, boys. It plays out on social media, on the news, and in classrooms and playgrounds.
Avoid hatred at all costs, sons. It is everywhere, but it doesn’t have to be inside of you.
Read MoreAs a parent, I find that I learn so much from my children…
My oldest son, Garrett, has been asking for new soccer cleats for a while now. He is an avid fan and dedicated player, and the cleats he’s been using have had their fair share of punishment.
He had some extra birthday money, so I decided to take him and his brothers to Sport Chalet; the store is closing shop after many decades in Southern California, so everything in stock is massively discounted.
We negotiated the chaos of the parking lot, making our way to the back of the store where the cleats were. To our delight, there was a sign marking all cleats at 60% off.
Read MoreI made reference to physical and financial pain in my last post, and a number of you have reached out to check in on my well-being, and I’m oh so grateful.
To fill in some of the details, let’s back up about 6 weeks…
I wrote a post called Finding Your Harp, where I chronicled the value I was finding in cycling—how it was my source of physical, emotional, and even spiritual recharging.
Shortly thereafter, my harp broke.
Read MoreI’m assuming I’m not the only one to have ever struggled with this question—does God love me? Is He proud of me?
Or when things don’t go as I would like them to—why does God dislike me so much? If that weren’t the case, things clearly wouldn’t be like this, right??
The more days on this planet that I experience, the more I come to the conclusion that stuff happens, both good and bad, and if I allow that to dictate my view of God (or God’s view of me), I tread some dangerous waters.
But even though I know that intellectually, I still struggle bringing that down to the heart-level.
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Yesterday I put my signature on a paper that officially steers my career in a new direction.
I left teaching high school math a little over two years ago in order to work full-time in my coffee business. I traded stability for adventure. A high-structured job where simple needs like going to the bathroom were dictated by electronic bells buzzing through busy hallways, and exchanged that for the freedom to set my own schedule. I tossed my collared button-down shirts aside in favor of shorts and flip flops.
Read MoreSometimes Jesus can drive me absolutely crazy.
Last week I wrote about my approach to Lent this year, but this week I just want to take a pause and be brutally honest:
The more I dive into the life and teachings of Jesus, the more offended I get.
Read MoreAs today marks the first day of Lent, I felt it worthwhile to explore a few topics on the matter.
First, cycling.
As you may know, I try to spend a lot of time on my bike. I love getting outside, breathing deep of the fresh air and enjoying the songs of birds as I ride through quiet streets. I love the rhythm of the turning of the pedals, and how that rhythm propels the bike quickly down the road. I love riding hills, because the hills make me stronger and I feel like I’ve accomplished something each and every time I summit.
I guess I just love that cycling teaches me so much about life in general.
Read MoreMy previous two posts have revealed a crack in my armor, if you will. I have expressed a vulnerability of my own fears and doubts, and openly questioned my ability to navigate through what has turned out to be a fairly difficult stretch. Toss in a dose of mistrust that God truly has my back, and we've got a pretty potent combination...
Read MoreYesterday morning I woke up from a restless sleep so stressed out I felt like crying. Later, as I was walking out to get the paper, I was met with the unexpected sight of a dead gopher on our driveway.
As it turns out, that would serve as a metaphor for my entire day.
Read MoreThe Christmas season can be a bit polarizing, can’t it?
For some, Christmas marks a time of joy, where we celebrate the blessings of family and friends, offering gifts and treats, time and hugs; it is a time where we experience warmth, joy and child-like delight.
For others, Christmas serves as a brutal reminder of loss, where the “joys” of the season only serve to magnify the pain and suffering on the inside.
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