When I was a child, my pastor used to tell us that if things are going really badly, not to despair, because it won’t be that way forever, and if things are going really well, rejoice—but don’t get too

It’s Black or White. Except sometimes, it’s not.   Sometimes it’s Sea Foam. Sometimes it’s Slate Grey. Sometimes it’s Elephant Skin. This past week, we’ve struggled

Family Reunions bring out the best in us. They truly do. They remind us not only of the people with whom we belong, but they remind us of the culture and heritage to which we belong. These are things quickly disappearing

Every year around this time, the sand behind my house turns a gentle but convincing shade of blue. It’s almost as blue as Lake Superior—almost as beautiful, too. We did not know, upon buying the property, tha

Dear Charlie: Here you are, less than two weeks from your first birthday. Other one-year-olds have birthday parties; you will have a burial. Other one-year-olds receive gifts; you weren’t even afforded t

Do you remember that scene in Prince Caspian when Lucy tries to talk to the wild bear? He tries to attack her and she is confused. Why would a bear of Narnia want to kill Queen Lucy? The dwarf, whose name I can never rem

“There are no terrorists; there are only people who do terror acts.” This video, interestingly enough, is titled Why I Love Terrorists.  What a revolutionary idea. What a revolutionary formula.

There was an interesting article from the Associated Press yesterday, titled, Bad behavior is trending online, inspiring it in real life. I wish I could say it’s shocking, but let’s be honest—it does

Yesterday evening, I learned that someone I care about enormously is hurting. She is feeling sad and lonely and friendless, and so she does something with which I very much relate: She escapes into books, where t

Yesterday at work, I was listening to some old music and stumbled upon perhaps my least favorite song in the entire world. No offense to John Mayer, because this is honestly the only song of his I’ve ever heard and

It’s Father’s Day. For many, this day settles like an elephant—an immovable weight that steals the air from our lungs. The sorrow of having lost a father, whether by his absence or by his death, is t

Another vigil. How many is that now? I don’t even know. The news out of Manchester last week was devastating. I am always late to write about tragic events like this one because I struggle with processing. I str