Kenny Loggins’ contributions to movie soundtracks, highlighted by his Academy Award nomination for “Footloose” in 1985, may be what keeps his music still alive today. But a song that he released eight years earlier is one that never fails to keep my hope alive, even...
Ten seconds. Ten measly seconds. That’s all it takes to ruin your day—and maybe even your life. Your teacher catches you copying off the student next to you. You blow a semester of your kid’s tuition on a bad bet. You take a drink for the first time in four years. Ten...
Two years ago, after I’d been in my current job for several years, I felt I’d finally get the promotion for which I’d longed. In my mind, I deserved it. And, based on subtle clues from my boss and others, I thought it was coming. I told my family it was coming. I was...
Years ago, back when I was a Protestant, I was considering sending my son to a Catholic school. While visiting the school, I chatted with the Director of Religious Education. I wanted him to confirm that the school’s religion curriculum taught from the Bible…and...
I’ve always wondered why in the world God wants us to worship Him. It never quite made sense to me that a loving God would possess an ego so big that He’d ask His kids to fall down at his feet. But then, one day, I heard an analogy that made at least a bit of sense....
When our son Nathan was in the second year at his Lutheran preschool, my wife and I decided that the large classes and busy hallways of public schools weren’t right for him. Nathan was the quiet kid. He’d sit in the corner and play by himself, anxious to learn...
Occasionally, on a warm breeze, clear sky evening when my schedule’s empty, I enjoy reclining on my deck and gazing upward. Looking up thrusts me into the endless darkness and countless twinkling stars. I instantly feel insufficient and inconsequential in the...
“Anyone can host a podcast” is a popular refrain I’ve heard from more than a few talking heads. And it’s essentially true. With a bit of tech know-how, and a couple hours a week of free time, folks can share their opinions for anyone with a smartphone to hear....
Although we knew the day was coming, we could never truly prepare for the pain we felt when it finally arrived. Four months earlier, a neighbor noticed that Scout, our ten-year-old golden retriever, was walking with a slight limp. My wife soon felt a lump on his right...
Do you wake up to pee every night? I do, and it’s annoying. I envy folks with bladders so large they can hold it for eight straight hours, but, since I can’t, each night I must confront the conundrum that’s puzzled mankind for thousands of years. What should I do when...
My family recently adopted a golden retriever puppy. We named her Casey, after the Mudville Nine’s cleanup hitter. She’s adorable. If she wasn’t so darn cute we’d have likely returned her by now. Each time I look at my hands and see all the cuts and scratches from her...
In a world overrun with social media and two-second soundbites, it’s often a challenge to know who to trust or what to believe. I should know. I was raised in a Protestant Christian church with Protestant friends. I attended a Protestant school. I read Protestant...