The Dawn Wall

Before you read this post it will help if you could click on the following link and take a look at the Dawn Wall that is part of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Dawn Wall.

The Heart

Today you must deal with certain realities that include: circumstances, your health, your energy level, your mood, the state of various relationships, others’ attitudes toward you, consequences of others' decisions, maybe certain hints about the future, and perhaps some unexpected curve ball that was just thrown your way.

Happy New Year?

2015 has begun. We are nearly a week into it. Many friends have told you they hope it will be a happy one. The newness will soon wear off, but you will keep hoping that it will be just that kind of year. But will it?

Appreciating You

Most of you opened an email to get to this post. You may have dozens of others sitting in your inbox, but you opened this one. Most of you do it every Monday morning. I want to take a moment just to tell you that I don’t take you for granted. I appreciate you.

Seek First to Understand

My friend, Jack Frederick, recently posted a piece on Facebook reflecting on the current racial tension in the US. I want to share some portions of it with you. As you read, please know that Jack and his wife, who are white, have reached out to people of different races for many years. Jack has made sacrifices to teach in many inner city schools and Historic Black Colleges. He walks the talk. This is a longer post than readers are used to in this space, but there are times when more is needed.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood” (one of Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”)

I want to speak frankly and honestly in humility; I will make mistakes and be misunderstood so I ask you to hear my words with kindness and grace. I’m searching like many to understand. I ask that you please not respond to this as a political statement; it is not. I’m not telling you ‘how it is’, I do not have the answers, I’m just wrestling like you are.

How Much for a Hug?

The following is from Sheila's blog "My Bucket of Sand."

Do you remember seeing a YouTube video of a man on a busy sidewalk holding a sign offering “Free Hugs”? At first people were skeptical and ignored him. Then a few people took him up on his offer and found it was a bargain. They took/gave a hug, and they cashed in on a surge of serotonin. They replenished their “happy hormone.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4)

In the Presence of Faith

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:38,  NLT).

Today I spent some time with a brother who has so recently been through the darkest of times. Probably twenty years my junior, with a daughter in her early twenties, he sat with his wife for five weeks as she lay in a coma. And then he said good bye to his precious life partner.