Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the devastating Sandy Hook shooting, when Adam Lanza opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and 7 adults before taking his own life. A year ago, the news was filled with memorials and tributes, tears and laments, as our nation grieved in solidarity with Newtown, Connecticut. Kenzie and I were deeply (and rightfully) impacted by the shooting and tried to make sense of it in light...
I am lucky to live in the Bay Area. And never have I felt luckier than the day Batkid came to town (if you know nothing of Batkid, please read this) When the story leaked that the Make-A-Wish Foundation planned to transform San Francisco into Gotham City so that Miles, a 5 year old who beat leukemia, could fulfill his dream to be Batman, I knew I wanted to be there. And so did about...
I ought to show my cards right from the get go. I’m really not that big of a fan of church marketing. While I realize that “marketing” (though I’d rather use a different term) is, in some sense, inevitable if we want to be congregations that engage our communities, I generally don’t like the conclusions set forth. They usually appear to be consumerism wrapped in a Christian cloak. So when I heard this following scenario,...
I love those “A-HA” moments, when something familiar suddenly surprises you with something you had never noticed, reminding you to always be alert. I recall this distinctly happening while at an art museum, gazing at a well known painting. I was familiar with the picture, but it wasn’t until I saw the frenzied brush strokes, the delicately mixed paint, the drops of white that made the colors around burst to life. That was an A-HA moment, a...
“You see, but you do not observe.” So says Sherlock Holmes to John Watson in the first episode of BBC’s revival of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective. Filming has just wrapped for a third season, which is set to air sometime in 2014, and Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) have already signed onto a 4th season. I couldn’t be more excited. Not only was this show well written and acted, it was...
When I was in junior high, I had aspirations to be a stand-up comedian. I began to write my own jokes (they were terrible), practice my impersonations (I had two, Yoda and Gollum), and read comedy theory (which didn’t make me funnier). My dreams persisted about into high school, partially buoyed by my participation in drama and musical theater. But eventually, reality got the best of me. There wasn’t a specific point when I realized...
My wife and I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary in October. The last two years have found us discussing, exploring, and analyzing marriage, both as a concept and our own experience. We have attended 2 marriage conferences, participated in a couple’s dinner at our church, read numerous books on the topic, and I have even had the privilege of officiating one wedding ceremony with another coming in the near future. We have learned...
The day my youngest brother was born was simultaneously incredibly joyful and acutely painful. Being in 5th grade, I was filled with the excitement at the prospect of a new addition to our family, and hopeful for future trips to Disneyland. But all that changed when, upon his birth, the doctors informed us that Daniel was born with Down syndrome. I remember many people visiting my parents in the hospital, bringing meals over, and rejoicing...
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