When I was growing up, oh man, did I just want to be noticed. I remember in third grade intentionally wearing braided thread bracelets just so the girl who sat next to me would think I was cool. And want to be my friend (and girlfriend!). I remember wearing my favorite band shirts around school and town - so proud of the punk or emo or indie rock group that ...
New Year’s Resolutions are normal, healthy, logical, and helpful. They springboard and incentivize us to make positive changes. I understand why we make them, and why I made them for a very long portion of my life. But when I consider the driving motivation for me personally with these January commitments to myself, it clearly reminds me why I stopped. Resolutions are typically prompted by a feeling of discontent. At ...
Well, in marriage, the lessons just keep on coming. And I’m committed to keep sharing what I’m learning just in case it helps someone else. I know all of my single friends want to get married, and I want them to get married as well. (Immediately!) But the more wisdom you can gain right now will save you a lot of headache and heartache down the road. So let’s get ...
Rachel and I share a king-sized bed. Oh man, a king-sized bed is the best. I know everyone can’t currently have one because their bedroom or budget may not accommodate it, but I hope that everyone eventually gets one. Really. The reason why is because of S-P-A-C-E. Space! I love space. I need space. While I technically can fall asleep while spooning Rachel, I much prefer to have as much ...
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 ...
As the pages of the calendar keep turning, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I spend my time recently. Actually, this is something I regularly have tried to do – the periodic evaluation and recalibration of what I do during my waking hours. I think we all can agree that time (not money) is our most precious resource, and we’re specifically encouraged to make the very most of our ...
Have you ever bought anything on Craigslist? For me, it’s always a little nerve-wracking, not because I’m afraid that I will get mugged or killed but because I’ve been screwed over before. I was in the market for a Bosu ball – and I’m not sure if you know what that is, but you probably have seen it at your local gym. It’s basically half of a Pilates ball attached ...
Recently while going to the bathroom in an airport, I noticed a wad of chewing gum in the urinal I was using. And it reminded me anew of how much I hate it when guys spit out their gum into any type of toilet. I think it’s one of the most inconsiderate things imaginable. I mean, you’re in a bathroom, there are trash bins everywhere – why not use one ...
I’m not getting a lot of sleep recently due to our eleven-month old waking up randomly to scream her lungs out. We struggled a lot during the first five months, but then turned a corner and enjoyed four months of baby Maya sleeping through the night (I felt like a brand new human, it was glorious!). But now everything has changed for the last two months, and I’m up multiple ...
So, I really didn’t know the power of my words until I got married - when I began to fully and completely do life with another individual. And though I quickly caught a glimpse of this during the first six months of marriage, my eyes are still constantly being opened to this reality. I’ve realized that when I am with co-workers or at church or small group or playing sports ...