Journey into Hope
I started picking a word of the year a few years ago. I usually pick the word during December, and throughout January, I think...
More Music or More Noise?
“Do you wanna hear my song, Daddy? I’ve been practicing all year.”
I eyed my five-year-old daughter suspiciously. With brown eyes, wide and earnest, she...
My Examen Cheat Sheet
I want the power that comes with knowledge of things beyond me. And yet the only power I will ever have is how I...
Christmas Storytelling
One of my favorite Christmas pastimes is storytelling. Truth be told, I like to tell stories all year long, but Christmas just lends itself...
Blackened Pans and the Wear and Tear of Life
We roast a lot of vegetables in our home, much to our daughters’ chagrin. Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli—the oven is always working.
“But...
Into the Unknown with Ignatius
The night before my daughter started middle school, I found her alone in her room, curled up on her bed, her eyes welling with...
Looking Back to Look Forward in Advent
When my children were younger, we would go on long road trips during the winter holiday from school to visit our families. We’d eagerly...
Here There Be Mermaids
We hadn’t expected mermaids.
Unicorns, sure. The queen? Most likely. Knights and jousting and turkey legs—obviously.
But mermaids? My daughters were enchanted.
“I have a question, Daddy,”...
The Gift of Gratitude
Keeping a gratitude journal in which we write down the particular gifts of each day trains our brains to see the good around us....
Getting Out of the “If I Ruled the World” Mindset
At a recent conference, a fellow Ignatian educator and I were walking to the cafeteria for lunch, caught up in a passionate conversation about...