I love to read. One of my favorite moments is when I first pick up a new book. With breathless anticipation I begin to contemplate what lies ahead within its pages. What new and potentially life-changing information might be waiting for me in this book? What new characters will I meet that I might enjoy […]

Leading a trip late last year, my co-instructor and I decided to enjoy a quick dip in the river.  We floated around the bend of a gravel bar, taunting the travelers on shore and encouraging them to join us in the delightfully refreshing, cool water.  As we neared the end of the bend, we began […]

Summer brings a delightful change of rhythms. As the school year comes to a close, parents and students alike long for a new rhythm that doesn’t necessitate getting up so early and focusing on homework, deadlines and schedules. Finally, the lazy days of summer have brought vacations and late nights and play time by the […]

I spend a lot of time standing at the bottom of rock climbs with my neck craned upward and eyes squinting into the sun as I coach teens and adults in climbing techniques. The goal is always to help the climber get a little farther than he thought was possible in order to show him […]

Some friends recently invited me to go canoeing with them for the day.  I tried to rearrange my work schedule to accommodate their impromptu plans, but eventually realized that I would have to decline their invitation.  As I picked up the phone to express my regret, tears began to well in my eyes, and my […]

Sometimes I get really frustrated. I’ll find some nugget, something really good, something I know is valuable. I’ll hold it awhile, relishing it, recognizing this is good and worthy of further consideration – like the sermon from Charles Spurgeon I referenced in my “Beloved” blog post in April. Then I’ll put it down, get back […]