What to Do With the Things You Hate About Yourself

We all have things we don't like about ourselves. We all have ideal images of ourselves that we wish we could be. And we've all heard different pieces of advice on what to do with those parts of ourselves that we wish we could change. It's like there are two doors to choose from. On …

How to Win Back the NFL

Lately I've seen politics getting much more blatant in the NFL. Whether or not I agree with any particular political spin is neither here nor there. For me (and I think for a lot of other people), the issue is that there are politics in the NFL at all. Most people noticed politics being added to …

An Arrow Pointing to Heaven: The Power of One Man’s Pain

Have you ever heard of Rich Mullins? It's ok if you haven't. He was a singer/songwriter who purposely stayed out of the spotlight and instead allowed other artists to perform his songs on the big stages. He died on September 19, 1997, and his last concert was performed in a living room on September 13. If …

Let’s Talk School Shootings

Let's talk school shootings. I’m a teacher. I haven’t been at it long - it’s my second year. In this short time I’ve seen, and continue to see, a lot of things. I see hurt. I see children living in broken homes without a sense of stability. On many separate occasions kids have told me …

Beauty, Friendship, Emptiness

Beauty, friendship, and that emptiness that shows up in the pit of your gut. All compelling topics. They may not be the easiest topics, but somehow discussing them with friends makes them more interesting and less overwhelming. So, friend, let's begin. The Setup A friend of mine posted this link on facebook: http://elitedaily.com/life/greatest-moments-clarity-life-realizing-things-didnt-work-youre-better/773523/ It's an …

Whose Fault is it Anyway?

 The Setup I just read something that challenged my entire view of the world. It was... A bunch of comments on the internet. They weren't full of snappy one-liners. They didn't sound inspiring or encouraging. And they certainly weren't deep or hopeful, or really even all that thoughtful. No, these were just the everyday run-of-the-mill comments we've all …

Homeward Bound 5

Basil felt the stranger's approach before he saw it. He had been huddled by the campfire waiting for the stranger's return, warming himself by the fire and reciting poetry to pass the time. Suddenly the air around him filled with a bitter chill. His breath came out in clouds. Raw currents of frozen energy cut …

Homeword Bound 4

The fight was over in less than a minute. First there was a blur of furious blows, neither assailant giving ground. Then the stranger jumped to the roof behind him. He whispered a word as Emil leaped to follow him up there. Suddenly, the staff flew from the rooftop and slammed into the side of …

Just Do It: Diligence in a World of Laziness

This is probably going to be the least polished post I put up on this blog. That's because I'm just writing; the post itself is an example of it's subject (pretty meta, eh?). This post is not about efficiency, or doing a job well. This is about doing your job in the first place. If …

Elements

The wind is lonely. It dances around the fire's warmth, giving a show of the mirth it wishes it felt. It envies the fire's warmth and light. On cold, dark nights the wind cries, waiting for someone to listen. It howls in solitary places where no one can hear. The fire gives.There are two kinds of fire. The fire that takes, …