Heretics Can’t Go Home
…But as much as I’ve loved the journey, there are times when I look back over my shoulder, and feelings of nostalgia catch up to me and tap me on the shoulder. In those moments, I find myself wondering if I’d be happier if I could go back to the start and enjoy the comforts of the familiar.
Eclipse and the End
“It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.” -J.R.R Tolkien “The Fellowship of the Ring”
Bob Dylan’s Voice
Diversity and collaboration look great on paper, but neither happens naturally or comfortably. I have no magic wand to make the awkwardness of diversity and collaboration go away. I've had to learn to be brave enough to be myself.
What if…Easter?
I’m now speaking for myself, but the story of Jesus’ resurrection requires me to ask this question. “What if you truly believe in the power of Easter? How does your story play out?”
Long Road to Osaka
I have experienced success, but I've always had to take the long, unscenic route to get there. It looked to me like these kids had found the shortcut that I had looked for, but I had never found it. While sipping my Old Fashioned, I wondered to myself, "Did I waste my twenties?"
Sake Runneth Over
Restaurants live and die by keeping a close eye on cost controls. A spilled tablespoon of Sake with every customer adds up quickly and ultimately requires the business to buy additional bottles with no opportunity to recover those costs. Restaurant owners want their guests to be happy, but not...too happy.
One Wild and Precious
It's my mom's birthday this week, but sadly, she's not with us to celebrate. When I think about the age she was when she passed away from cancer, I'm reminded that I'm not that far away from her in terms of my age. If I were to live as long as my mom did, I would have about four years to live.
Road Rules
Sometime early next week, I'll sit in an airport terminal waiting for a flight that will take me across an ocean to a new destination. I know that I'll feel anxious but in a good way. It's the unknown, after all, but I've adapted well to it. I do well in places where I don't speak the language.
Values and Stolen Bikes
Being robbed is an aspect of urban life. It doesn't define life in the city, but it is a reality. When something like this happens, I'm angry and frustrated because we work as a family to make things better in the world, and it feels like our efforts are futile. In times like these, I feel like the world is laughing at our values, and it's humiliating.
Dark, My Old Friend
As a species, we've evolved to have survival instincts around living in the dark and prefer to live in the light. While counterintuitive, we need to grow our appreciation for what the dark brings to our lives here on Earth.
Your Calling
If you could do anything else with your life, would you be doing it? It’s possible you could have selected another company to work for or pursued a different role and title, but you would still be you.
Waiting to Fly
Life doesn't always give us defined waiting times. Life includes illness, job instability, tragedy, loss, and grief. Some phases of life can feel like an extended stay in a lonely airport.
Our Way In The Cold
There's a great deal of sadness, anger, and grief with the challenges around our more vulnerable neighbors here in the city. I feel sad, even just writing out the word neighbors. The word neighbor implies a relationship of acceptance and coexistence. The forced evacuation of these sites has proven that we have a lot of work ahead of us before we can say Edmonton is a neighborly city.
You Should Read More
I've done my best to commit to lifelong learning. My quest to become wise has involved setting a reading goal for myself at the beginning of the year. The act of reading doesn't instantly impart wisdom, but the exercise of reading has made my brain ready to catch and retain wisdom when it presents itself.
Time in a Bottle
If you had an expiry date printed on your forehead and you were aware of the time of your death, what would you want to get done? I believe there's value in taking stock of how much time we could have left on this earth.
Shepherds and Short Ribs
I wonder if the fear the shepherds experienced in the Christmas story was not just because they were seeing a supernatural event in the sky but because it was an army. Powerful armies have always been used to push aside and kill their nomadic people.
It’s ok. Make New Friends.
I transitioned away from full-time ministry 18 years ago this month and forged a new career in hospitality. After moving back home to Edmonton, I started my first job in a hotel. That first week was so awkward and scary for me. I
Keep Going, Keep Giving
Showing genuine hospitality is a constant test of character. It's a test because offering kindness, generosity, and care to someone doesn't always yield the desired results. You can walk into any human interaction with pure motives and still be attacked and misunderstood.
My TV Show Pitch
Dear television executive
I would like to pitch an idea for a new 45-a-50-minute reality-based show called "The Great Canadian Campfire."