Last weekend I attended Donald Miller's Storyline conference in San Diego. It was really, really good. All of the sessions were inspiring, and appropriately fit together to champion the theme of the weekend, and to springboard me (and the rest of the attendees) forward. Don spoke for most of the sessions, but other speakers included his friend Bob Goff (who wrote "Love Does" - which is probably the best book ...
I was thinking recently about the reasons why I do what I do. I mean, my daily, weekly, monthly activities. A few years ago, I made a commitment to myself to stop doing things out of obligation. Because I saw too many people around me who were not very happy at all, and seemingly caught up in certain actions and practices and behaviors that they didn't really want to be ...
I've been thinking a lot recently how people have dreams, and they even feel those dreams are from God...and they let other people know about their dreams, and have full faith for them, and wait for them, but it just doesn't happen. Well, it at least hasn't happened yet. And it makes me think about David, and how in his poems and writings, he asks God repeatedly to not let ...
I've been thinking how well-intentioned people, in reference to having a particular outlook toward an event, or experience, or even life in general, say "Expect the best, but prepare for the worst." Expect the best. Okay. But prepare for the worst. Um. Okay. I've decided I hate that line. It sounds good, it sounds conciliatory and maybe even soothing. But it's so neutral, it's so...antiseptic. It's so weak, honestly. At ...
Every year, I try to make a Goals and Dreams poster just to force myself to articulate tangible things that I want and hope to work towards over the next twelve months. It seriously helps me. I first pray about a "theme" that God would want to give me for the new year - sort of a defining and encapsulating big picture that will regularly be relevant in interesting and ...
I've been thinking a lot about the edge recently. And living on it. I know that sounds vague. So I'll try to explain. I've been going to yoga relatively regularly for the last few months. The goal has been to really try to increase my flexibility and balance. My hamstrings, for instance, are always tight because I've been running around on fields for decades and I guess I don't really ...
Ive been thinking a lot about one of C.S. Lewis's most famous and most profound quotes: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it ...
I have this friend, Wil, who I have known since he was eight. He will be turning sixteen in January. I hang out with him and his siblings (they are so much fun, and such great kids!), and his parents mentor me in a variety of ways that help me through life. It's been really neat to see Wil grow up. I remember being able to toss him in the ...
I've been thinking about the legends of the Bible. It's interesting that if you just think of a particular person, one particular story or aspect of their life comes immediately to mind. For example, if I said Jonah and __________, you would say, "the whale!" If I said, David and __________, you would say, "Goliath!" If I said Samson and __________, you would say, "Delilah!". If I said, "Job," maybe ...
So, I mentioned in my last post about girls and standards that I believed a shared faith is so essential, at least to me. I mentioned that she should be headed in the same spiritual direction as me, and she should earnestly try to live her life with integrity in all areas. And I think it's a very reasonable standard to have, and one on which I could never compromise. ...