Rachel adores The Sound of Music. Personally, I knew all of the songs from as far back as I can remember (I am pretty sure my parents had me watch it when I was seven), but I really didn’t remember the storyline. I mean, I remembered a nun, a bunch of cute kids, some Nazis, and a LOT of singing. But that’s really it. Well, on our recent trip backpacking ...
One of the very generous gifts Sameer and I received for our marriage last year was a week-long trip to St. Thomas. Sameer had to continue work remotely so it turned into a kind of solo retreat for me most of the time. As a new bride, I thought it would tear my heart into pieces to be on my own sometimes, but it turned into a time of deep ...
Living only a few miles from the ocean in Southeast Florida, I have the opportunity to enjoy it all the time. I appreciate it for many of the same qualities that others do: its power, vastness, rhythmic regularity, blueness, and beauty. What I love most, though, is taking it in at night. The crowds are gone, it’s peaceful, and the darkness all around me adds an element of mystery and ...
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 ...
Recently, Rachel and I took a train from London to the East coast of England so that we could walk the White Cliffs of Dover. It was probably my most favorite experience during our entire time backpacking Europe, only because everything that day was so beautiful – the weather (partly cloudy and breezy, with great lighting for pictures), the cliff’s edge, the wildflowers, the rolling hills, the castle in the ...
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 ...
Sameer and I celebrated our one-year anniversary on May 23rd of this year, and it was spectacular. Our first year has had its bumps and bruises and hiccups, but I am so happy to say that we are even more madly in love now than we were a year ago. I wanted to take some time to write about and share my thoughts on marriage after our first year with ...
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 ...
Just like at the beginning of a new year, the beginning of my summer gives me a chance to consider how the first few five months have gone, and recalibrate my trajectory if I've gone a bit off track. While it was a successful Spring semester, I do wish I would have spent more time with God. Those of you who know me know that at the end of my ...