Eighth grade is typically a harsh year for pre-teens, and mine was no exception. I was not the most athletically coordinated boy, which placed me firmly at the lowest ranking of the middle school echelon. Add to that my greasy hair, braces, and over-sized, thick-lens eyeglasses, and you start to get a very sorry picture. Thankfully, my nomadic family decided to temporarily move due to my father’s work situation. We rented out our house for one year and packed up to... Read more
Not long ago my wife and I hosted a small group meeting at our house – you know, the thing where a few couples from church get together for some bible study, finger foods, and conversation about faith. Wow – that just sounded scarily churchy-cliche and conventional. But really, it was refreshing, as our group became comfortable talking about the questions and doubts and acceptance of the mystery of God’s work in our lives. During our last meeting, towards the end of the evening... Read more
Late last summer some new neighbors moved in to the house across the street. Being the self-centered and aloof person that I am, I usually don’t give much thought when it comes to these things. But for some odd reason I got it in my head that I was going to turn over a new leaf and show generosity and a welcoming spirit to these new folks. I imagined myself ringing their doorbell circled by my wholesome family weighed down with gift... Read more
There’s a bright yellow band of construction tape blocking the administrative entrance to my company’s main building. Apparently there are a set of killer icicles hanging from the roofline forty feet above, threatening to bludgeon some poor, unassuming office workers arriving to work. That wouldn’t be pretty. In any case, I had to go around and use the main entrance to the manufacturing plant. I sighed deeply at the thought of walking an extra twenty yards out of my way. It was about... Read more
With the advent of ubiquitous mobile social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter within reach at a moment’s notice, many of us have taken to posting clever quips from our sporatic stream of consciousness, squeezed in to the cracks and micro-breaks throughout the busy day. Standing in line at the grocery store, for instance, or waiting for the light to change, or sitting on the toilet – these all become ideal opportunities to grab the mobile and update our... Read more
There are many things to admire about the British, the most obvious being their attractive accents which somehow make them sound much smarter and far more commanding than their American colleagues. It doesn’t matter how disheveled their appearance might be, or how dry the subject is, those darn accents can captivate even the most insolent audience. Aside from that, another thing I greatly appreciate about the Brits is their great facility for doling out words of praise. This doesn’t come... Read more
Every great story, every hero, every inspiring moment is born out of adversity and perseverance. Conflict and battles are the stuff of myth and legend, and we love these stories because we can relate. Our personal and work lives are filled with mini-versions: Pushing through. Overcoming obstacles. Fighting. I am not necessarily talking about fighting in a vicious, mean way, but in a way that says, “I am responsible for my future. No one else is going to do this for... Read more
I was privy to a conversation involving a mentor and his coaching subject, a mid-level manager. They had been discussing the manager’s future – moving up the ladder, making the next career move, and the like. When asked about his plan of attack for pursuing the opportunities before him, the manager, an earnest and devout Christian, boldly replied, “I am leaving it up to the Lord. If I am meant to be promoted, then I’m sure God will step in and... Read more
My wife and I took a trip to Nantucket recently to celebrate our anniversary. We walked the cobble-stoned streets, toasted champagne on the beach, indulged in a couple’s massage, and took a sailing excursion around the harbor. It was a very romantic, almost magical return to the place of our original honeymoon. Ladies and gentlemen, I highly recommend it. One of the highlights of our dreamy getaway was a magnificent meal at a restaurant called, Company of the Cauldron. Its brick... Read more
My pastor recently took a three-month sabbatical. I imagined him sleeping in until ten every morning, followed by extensive periods of crossword puzzles and personal grooming. But he assured me that his time off was really more professional in nature: he studied up on the Emergent Church and did a biblical tour of Turkey. Am I jealous? No! Of course not. Resentful is probably a better word. Not that I dislike my job, but the idea of taking three months... Read more
Shrinking the Camel
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