There is an expensive lesson that life offers, and I wish I’d had the currency to afford it sooner. It’s this: it is a profound waste of your finite time, energy, and spirit to court the approval of people who only value your utility. For most of my life, I have existed on the periphery.…
Tethered to The Rock
There are places we visit, and then there are places we belong. For me, the journey back to Newfoundland is not a vacation; it is a homecoming. I have just returned from my seventh trip to the island, and with each visit, the tether that binds my soul to that rock grows stronger, shorter, more…
Bombs, Bibles, and My Closet [Not that Closet]
So, the Middle East is getting spicy again, huh? World War 3 anyone? I mean seriously, can we please knock it off with the unprecedented times? I'd be willing to bet we're all some level of anxious about the Israel/Iran/US/Whoever-decides-to-start-lobbing-bombs war that's happening right now. For some of us who grew up in evangelical Christianity…
The Slow Way Home
Confession time: my weekend trip to see my sister in NYC involved a distinct lack of geographical prowess on my part. I took the highway, as one does, a rainy four-hour slog punctuated by a lovely phone call with a friend. But somewhere in the nebulous land of NJ just outside the city, my focus…
And the Preacher Said, “Amen.”
Every year, come late May, I get this… twitch. It’s an undeniable, deep-seated urge to purge. Suddenly, my closets look like they’re staging an intervention, the basement is giving me side-eye, and I’m eyeing that dusty box of “sentimental” (read: questionable) belongings with the cold calculation of a seasoned decluttering ninja. For years, I just…
Sushi Shenanigans and Finishing Well
Last weekend, I embarked on a culinary adventure with my two youngest kids: their inaugural voyage to an all-you-can-eat small plates sushi restaurant. To say they embraced the spirit of 'try all the things' would be an understatement. Imagine the scene: a whirlwind of tiny, colorful dishes descending upon our table, each holding the promise…
The Incredible Un-Forever
Why "the end" isn't a dirty word...
The Glorious Art of Napping in a Dumpster Fire
Right? Just… right? If you’ve recently found yourself staring blankly at your phone, possibly wondering if you accidentally subscribed to a 'Daily Dose of Global Despair' newsletter you don’t remember signing up for, feeling like you’ve run an emotional marathon sponsored by existential dread… hello, kindred spirit. Welcome. We have stale virtual coffee and collectively…
Asleep at the Wheel
Road trips. They sound romantic, adventurous, maybe even a little nostalgic, right? Visions of open highways, curated playlists, questionable gas station snacks... pure Americana. It is a truly Hollywood-tinted, romanticized, and slightly nostalgic view of road trips we have, as Americans. Reality, as it often does, tends to slap a slightly damp, vaguely sticky handprint…
Of Farewell and Forever
This past week held a profound weight in my spirit, a stark and beautiful illustration of life's wild, circular nature. As the ministerial consultant for my congregation, I often stand in the middle of two very different, yet similar roads: the quiet and solemn space of a memorial service, and the vibrant and hopeful celebration…
VoyagersHeart 