handwritten on December 7, 2019
As I spent a majority of my week in rehearsals for Urban Impact's Light the Night, I was struck by a beautiful song that was so appropriate for this time of year. The song was entitled "Carpenter Song" and the first verse is as such:
I am a carpenter, and I build with careful hands
I do my best to take each block of wood
and carve it into something strong and sturdy,
Something useful, something beautiful for the world
I think if more individuals saw themselves as carpenters, this world would be full of deeper whimsy and kindness and love. I began to think about what dreams really are-because I have always been a huge dreamer. And I think life is so beautiful in this way-dreaming is one of...
handwritten on December 1, 2019
There is something transformational and magical that happens in December. I cannot quite place my finger on it but it is just beautiful. There is a little more pep in the step of those around us, there is anticipation of really an overwhelming feeling of whimsical encounters to come-all those lights really add a lot of whimsy. And I think if every month was treated like the month of December with that same anticipation of family gatherings and time with friends and family and time away from work-just imagine how different the world would be.
I listened to a really great sermon today which was all about dancing on the wrong side. Overall, the point was this: in every other month we tend to...
handwritten on November 30, 2019
This morning as we gathered in a cramped but long wooden table for breakfast with friends, I could not help but eat my waffle but also analyze this table and what it had to do with life itself. It was one of those tables where you could easily see the other end, but if you were sitting on the same side as that individual on the other end-well-it was quite difficult to hear anything or talk at all for that matter.
And I began to think about two things: At one point, I had this urge to stand up and actually go over to the other side to hear the conversation. However, instead I decided to try to engage in one conversation on one side and then listen to the conversation going on the other end...
handwritten on November 29, 2019
Amen to Action is a beautiful event that occurs in the city of Pittsburgh where multiple people of different faiths come together to pack one million meals for the homeless. And on this exact day last year was the Amen to Action of a lifetime because my brother decided to propose to the love of his life. So overwhelmed by this day last year, I did indeed forget the password to my phone for a few hours-which ironically I have not done so since.
Amen to Action is always beautiful but what solidifed the Amen to Action of my life following this event was a three hour coffee chat with my sister-in-law about future goals and dreams and life wishes. And I think Amen to Action in essence is this...
handwritten on November 28, 2019
We tried a bit of a reflective sentence starter during our thanksgiving together and it went something like this: What is something you are truly thankful for this past year?
And the following answers were given:
I'm thankful to have spent my anniversary with my wife in Paris
I'm thankful to have met and married the love of my life
I'm thankful to have become part of a new family and new traditions
I'm thankful that our families were all able to get together during the wedding in August
and I didn't really get much time to answer mine. However, after almost one year of blogging more consistently than I ever have in my life, my thankful wish is quite simple: I am thankful to wake up each...
