As the stage designer for an 1100 seat church I get to share in a lot of large-scale creative fun. It is great to be able to sweep my hand across our stage and say, “I see a big swoop of color there!” Of course that is followed by me getting the ladder out and… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Article
Notice and celebrate small moments too
Each day brings us many small moments of success and contribution, both for us and the people around us. When we pay closer attention to people around us we get to share in more of life's goodness. A great model for this in my life is my Mom, who is not just a wonderful cook,… Continue Reading
Being the gears instead of giving them
We all know what it is like to be part of our society: lots of things on the go, and ever-more things to buy. Threaded through most of the things we do are the people in our lives — our family, friends, work mates, service people and those driving by us. As a former computer… Continue Reading
Trees only get one channel
When we get out into nature one thing becomes clear: nature is a fantastic experience, in all its variations. Nature is reality TV in its purest form. A friend and I went walking yesterday in a hill-top park that holds our city’s water supply, suitably called Reservoir Park. It is an inspiring combination of urban… Continue Reading
Maybe Smarties maybe balloons
Things that look alike can turn out to be very different as we get closer to them, and get to know them. I have always been a fan of Smarties, the colorful candy-coated chocolate treats (Wikipedia). Round but also flat, small but easy to grab — they are fun to eat and easy to share. … Continue Reading
Growing upward in the autumn
Each autumn a diaspora of children, young and getting older, spreads into schools and communities across the nation. As the parent of a university-aged daughter, I hold dearly my role in helping her grow from a teen to an adult. Yesterday my wife and I helped our daughter move into her new home, using two… Continue Reading
Cookies make us kids again
There is one thing that can bring people of all ages and cultures to a shared smile: cookies. Our local deli-restaurant is a gathering place on Sundays, where family and friends get together. Everyone gets to order their own meal from the various counters so we tend to grab our trays and spread out when… Continue Reading
Celebrating endless love
Today we celebrated the truly endless love of family and friendships — the love that each of us can be part of. I had the honor of helping to celebrate the life of my daughter-in-law’s grandfather. Bruce lived to be 91, and he and Ida had been married for 70 years. That is a long… Continue Reading
A Windy Day Fan
One of my favorite natural events is a windy day. Feeling the strong but invisible push against my face is a joy that I have felt since childhood. Barring flying grit, rain or the need to ride a bicycle, a windy day is a great way to have fun. I don’t need a kite or… Continue Reading
Popsicles are for Sharing
When I was six years old my class participated in a track and field day at a neighboring school. It was a bus trip away and the spring day was hot and sunny [a rare weather condition in that Northern area]. Being frugal, my Mom had packed me a lunch, which I devoured between running… Continue Reading