Rachel and I completed ten years of knowing each other and eight years of marriage last year, and I’m glad to honestly be able to say we are doing great. The guys I know don’t really talk about their marriages with one another, and so I have no reference point; I just have learned that putting my wife’s needs first is what I am called to do and what I ...
I have been thinking a lot about our microwave society – and how we want everything RIGHT NOW. And every new technological development reinforces that tendency in us. Some of us remember connecting to the Internet on dialup. That was painfully slow and often problematic (like when your mom or dad picked up another receiver in the house and kicked you offline) – but we didn’t know any better; we ...
I have a three-year old nephew named Blake, and he is the cutest thing alive. I bet that all uncles say that about their nephews and nieces, but I personally think Blake would out-cute all other cute kids in any cuteness competition! Well, he and his family visited us this summer, and we spent our days going to the beach, swimming in the neighborhood pool, watching movies, and just spending ...
In my last blog, I talked about my “savior complex” and how my compulsion to rescue others from their perceived or actual problems actually made me miserable. Perhaps you could relate to that. Today, I want to explore in depth when it isn’t a good idea to get involved in other people’s lives unless it’s truly led by God, instead of your own mercurial emotions and desire to constantly be ...
I was talking with my friend Brittany recently about the way we spend our time, and one of the things that came up has to do with our involvement in the lives of others. Now, I think we are meant to do life in community, and be connected with a group of like-minded individuals who can be there for us while we also are available for them. Life pretty much ...
During our recent backpacking trip through parts of Europe, an interesting thing happened. We were walking around a city square in Ghent, Belgium one workday afternoon, and we saw a child running from the middle of the square toward the busy, crowded street. He must have been about two years old, and it caused us alarm because nobody wants to see a kid to go running into a dangerous situation ...
Rachel and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary on May 23rd. So here I am, starting my second year as a husband. I’m no longer a newlywed, and in the parlance of sports, my rookie year is over. It’s been a great first year. I say that with hesitation because I know many, many couples have had a crappy first year as they get used to each other and ...
So there was this one time where I really liked a particular girl. It was way back in 2005. She was all wrong for me, but I still wanted it to work, and gave it my all because I thought it just might. I would be sweet and endearing and thoughtful. I would demonstrate in meaningful ways how much I cared about her and her family. I would put in ...
The Karate Kid – the original version, which came out in 1984 - is one of my all-time favorite movies. Why? Well, I could relate to Daniel LaRusso, the introverted, awkward, skinny underdog who was valiantly trying to make friends and fit in at his new school in California. Plus, most boys my age saw the film and instantly developed a hopeless crush on Ali Mills in all of her ...
A while ago, I stopped by CVS after playing ultimate frisbee at school to pick up some mouthwash and some toiletries. It was just time to run some errands, no big deal. But as I was walking through the aisles by the pharmacy, I saw this guy - who looked to be around 23 or so - grab what seemed to be some over-the-counter medication and put it under his ...