Follow Jesus. Lead the church. Change the world.
We just added a new page to the navigation menu above called Ethan’s Adoption. It’s an attempt to summarize the story of our adoption journey and to point to some of the key posts written along the way. We hope it will be helpful to those who are getting to know us in Clearfield as … Read more
Ethan is trying out several instruments in his young life. In July, we were impressed when he learned to blow into his recorder and make a tone. I guess we won’t be giving him a straw to drink from anytime too soon. He’ll probably blow bubbles rather than drink from it! (Cheap recorders are only … Read more
I recently started a series of posts called Life Realignment, reflecting on 4 key areas we need to work on as we get settled as new parents in a new home, a new community, and new churches. First on the list is nutrition. I’ve always been interested in nutrition, including the latest information and reports … Read more
There are several organizations, or causes, that are close to our hearts. We’ve written about a few of them before (see posts categorized as causes). One great cause is the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), a disaster response effort on behalf of the United Methodist Church. UMCOR is an impressive organization, one that’s well-respected … Read more
Vacations provide an opportunity to catch our breath. Just about every time Joleen and I are on vacation we usually end up talking about adjustments we need to make in our lives to maintain a healthy way of living so that we don’t get so “out of breath” along life’s journey when we’re not on … Read more
Life is full of boundaries — moral, ethical, and legal boundaries. There are some things you cannot do. There are limits. When you cross a boundary, there are consequences. Knowing the boundaries is important! This lesson was driven home to us this week as we spent time at Joleen’s aunt and uncle’s house in New … Read more
Ethan made his first trip to the beach on Wednesday. Ocean City, NJ is just a quick one hour drive from where my aunt and uncle live. We arrived late morning and spent the afternoon there. Ethan really enjoyed playing in the sand. We took a wagon of sand toys we had purchased earlier this … Read more
We’re finally taking some much-needed, long-overdo vacation time. Our last vacation time, spent packing in Mooresville, moving, and unpacking in Clearfield, certainly wasn’t restful or renewing! We’re in Woodbury, NJ (east of Philadelphia) visiting Joleen’s aunt and uncle, Jim and Wanda, whom Ethan is meeting for the first time. This morning, Wanda, Joleen, and I … Read more
This kid sleeps at the darnedest times! He occasionally falls asleep in the car, on walks, and during his mother’s sermons on Sunday mornings. Here, Ethan is pictured on our day off. Last Friday, we went to walk at the local Rails to Trails (abandoned railways converted to walking/biking trails.) Almost immediately, he fell asleep … Read more
Few people have influenced and equipped me for leadership like John Maxwell — through his books, conferences, and monthly leadership audio lessons in the last 18 years. One of the last Maxwell books I’ve read (it’s been a while since I read it) is Thinking for a Change. In the book, Maxwell discusses 11 thinking … Read more