A Blurred Reflection

Tag: ask

  • 5 Ways to Keep Holiday Gatherings Merry & Bright

    1. Announce Your Hugging Game Plan A simple fix to the awkwardness of choosing the appropriate greeting for varying levels of acquaintance is to let the other person know what you are going for. I like to ask, “Would you like a hug?” or, if I know they like hugs but don’t know if they…

  • Courage

    Isn’t it crazy that even when everything I know and see is on the downstream side of insanity, just hanging on to hope by a thread, Jesus’ name is STILL ‘Deliverer’? Even when I feel like a skittering mouse, MY name, because of my divine heritage, is STILL ‘Courageous Victor’? I’ve thought to myself, “Maybe I’ll find a…

  • It’s Gonna Be OK

    Ever have those days when you just want to sock yourself in the face? You’ve tried so hard to do the right thing, to be that person you want yourself to be, but in the end you crashed miserably and burned a whole pile of people in the process. All the time and effort you’ve put…

  • He Gave Me a New Name

    I stood on top of Fort Fredrick two days ago, and while ants bit my legs and the sea breeze whipped my hair, Jesus and I had a conversation about love. You gotta understand, I’m not so good at loving. Really though. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true. I’m just learning now…

  • But He Always Offers Rest

    2 weeks ago, I was part of an amazing scouting adventure in the Florida Everglades. A recon. Research, networking, exploration and a harvesting of as many Glades skills as we could scavenge. My co-guides and I all knew it would be, to borrow the favorite expression of my friend Kathy, a very “interesting situation”. New adventures…

  • That Bum On My Couch

    I was in the second-to-front pew at church the other week, and I was feeling the morning blues. Do you know what I mean? That sandy-eyed, groggy-voiced, brain-not-quite-awake feeling of sluggishness that isn’t really ready for 120 decibels of worship music being emanated directly in front of oneself. Don’t get me wrong, the band was great. I…

  • Innumerable Gifts

      Recently, most people have been asking me the “What next?” question. You know the one. The one where it’s incredibly awkward to say, “Well, I plan to study, write, do some renovations and work out. That’s it.” Why me? Why is my path so full of “What if?” and “What next?”s? Why do I love doing…

  • What I learned about Jesus from the Ironman Triathlon

    Think about what it means to be strong in the Lord, and tell me what you see. I always knew better in my mind, but when push came to shove I used to believe that God wanted macho, 6-pack body-builders of the faith. The ones who overcame all odds by pure determination. Somehow, I switched out the word…

  • Love Ambush

    I’ve been a crab for twenty-four hours. It all started when someone asked me a question, and I responded defensively and then the father of lies jumped in with all of his hogwash and made a mess of everything. “You’re not worth fighting for.” he said, “You are selfish at the core, and think of…

  • The Time When I Started a Church

    Driving along a cold, forsaken road one dark night, my radio croaking out a mournful song,  I saw a church. A church that had a lighted cross by the highway, and warm, welcoming lights on inside, as if it was open to strangers and a crackling fire was burning in the hearth. “How strange!” I…