The Power of Appreciation

A major reason Lisa and I have a delightful marriage and partnership is: Appreciation. Daily, we tell one another how much we appreciate each other. Not just in a general sense, but by naming specific things. And do you know what the real magical, meaningful way we do this is? Lisa tells me, on the … Continue reading The Power of Appreciation

Transforming Our Impatience & Frustrations into Kindness & Gentleness

Someone shared with me how they struggle with impatience, are frustrated with the way that energy leads them to irritableness and unkind words to others, and that they long for a gentler spirit. I can SO relate! How about you? They asked me for some life coach advice on the matter, and five simple things … Continue reading Transforming Our Impatience & Frustrations into Kindness & Gentleness

The Power of the Stories in Our Heads

Have you ever seen a message notification in passing, and created a whole storyline around it before actually reading it ... only to have none of what you imagined probable/possible turn out to be true? I got a FB message from a pastor friend about a shocking death 😮 with a link to an article about it. Since he'd never messaged me … Continue reading The Power of the Stories in Our Heads

It’s All About Our “Spirit”

I feel blessed to still be riding the wave of 2 recent “mountaintop” experiences. While one was a rock-and-roll, soul-shining themed cruise, the other was the first in-person retreat for the doctoral program I’m in. Although the former featured lots of yogis, and the latter was for seminary students from all manner of Christian backgrounds, … Continue reading It’s All About Our “Spirit”

Grieving the Life I Lost

13 years ago today, the amazing life I had ended. In the blink of an eye, a quite successful career flying for the air force (where I also got to teach the best of the best) vanished, as did the future plans and dreams of my then fiancée (now ex-wife) and I. While life doesn’t … Continue reading Grieving the Life I Lost

The Love Castle

I dig metaphors, and one that’s speaking to me lately is choosing to live in a Love Castle. It’s where our family’s life together is akin to a castle, one that only allows love in over its moat and through its gates. No love, no entry! To be clear, “love”, as I understand it, is the giving … Continue reading The Love Castle

Release to be Renewed

Nature has a lot to teach us. Autumn is a time of letting go, as fruits and veggies ripen to produce new offspring, while leaves gently fall to the ground. This letting go not only helps vegetation survive the winter, it plants the seeds for the eruption of new life in the Spring! The message … Continue reading Release to be Renewed

License to Love

You know how James Bond has a License to Kill? And, as the mask and vac debates reveal, it seems Americans have a License to Individual Freedom? What if, we all lived from a License to Love? Like, for reals! I know when people wrong my wife Lisa, by abusing her kindness (which happens A … Continue reading License to Love

Love First … and Ask Questions Later

I did a 9/11 Reflection ride on the Peloton the other day—and amidst the many tears—two lessons from that time, which speak to today’s hurt and polarization, came to me: BE WITH and BE IN. To be with is when, no matter one’s religion, race, politics, gender, sexuality, etc., we 100% have each other’s backs. To be in is … Continue reading Love First … and Ask Questions Later

Letting Go to Letting Love In

This year, a major theme in my life has been: Letting go to let Love in. Turns out, there were things I was clinging to or striving for, which were “unplugging” me from life-giving love—filling me with insecurity, worry, stress, and anxiety. Deciding, in varying ways, to “let go”, has not only been massively freeing, it’s filled me with … Continue reading Letting Go to Letting Love In