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
This log, and a stranger, reminded me life is a team sport. Lisa and I were partway into a hike when we came to this stream. Skeptically, I gazed at it thinking: I don’t think I have the balance to walk across this without falling into the water and getting hurt. As I doubtfully looked … Continue reading How a Log and Stranger Reminded Me Life is a Team Sport
For years I hurt my family, friends, and self by being solely the strong, silent type. You see, I bought into the notions that silence was strength, vulnerability was weakness, and control was power. Now, though, I believe: Sharing is strength, vulnerability is courageous, and open-heartedness is power. Why? While there are a number of reasons, Jesus … Continue reading Vulnerability is the New Strength
What if we believed Christ when he declared: “It is finished”? As in at the deepest, most powerful of levels all the becoming, healing, unity, joy, wholeness, restoration, peace, wellbeing, goodness, and love we crave has already been achieved—once and for all as a gift from the Divine? What would it look like to live as … Continue reading Living Heaven Now
“Vacuums” suck, by which I mean, in the absence of a story told, one will form in our minds, and it’s often not great! If anything, my wife and I typically overcommunicate, which I think is the best way to go. Yet, when it came to a couple of New Year’s weekend plans, we didn’t, with … Continue reading The Power of Stories: Vulnerability, Courage, & the Getaway that Almost Sucked
I was wrong. How often do we say that? Receive that gift from others? Hear those we look up to admit it? More than a thousand years before Descartes said, "I think therefore I am", Augustine sagely concluded: "I err, therefore I am." Truly, to err is to be human. We break things, hurt people, believe things we … Continue reading The Sweet Freedom of Admitting: “I was Wrong.”
When I don't know what to say or write, I'll take a deep breath to let my mind quiet and make space for a calmer and more subtle "voice". If things get stressful or I feel my anxiety rising, I've found letting loose a sigh, growl, or silly noise makes a world of difference. During moments … Continue reading Becoming Friends with Your Breath
You know how in our era of rationality and logic it's easy to dismiss those who freely and fully believe(d) in angels and demons as "simple"? I wonder if they might be the wise ones! Whether literal or not, isn't there something demonic about the pull and power of excessive, repetitive, or controlling Want, Wealth, … Continue reading Slaying Our Demons with Understanding and Kindness
I started doing a therapeutic, personal growth type program, and one of the first things it had us reflect and write on was: Tell the story about your deepest fear (with as much drama and flavor as possible). Partway through I realized, like an angel had brought me a brand-new revelation: OH MY GOSH! I … Continue reading From Fear to Freedom
We watched "The Princess Bride" with my daughter the other day, and I was struck by the wisdom of a famous line from Westley to Buttercup: "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something." When I avoid uncomfortable feelings inside me, awkward conversations with my wife, disagreeing with friends, and so on, I … Continue reading Growing More Awesome by Going Into the Awkward/Uncomfortable
Grace and Peace Yoga 