Category: Freedom Tour

Becky and I (and Monte) love Coors Field. The home of the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club is a glorious setting in which to spend a summer evening. Everything about the atmosphere, the view of the mountains, the downtown setting, the amazing sunsets make Coors Field a truly magical spot. We even enjoy watching the baseball […]

We need more people who Get In The Way. John is one of the folks who drives the FREEDOM TOUR. He’s not simply along for the ride, he’s involved in building the community. The people, the process matter to him. We matter to him. Over a period of a few years John has become part of […]

My friend Phil takes a little boy fishing occasionally. They eat sandwiches and laugh and talk about stuff. I’m sure they even catch a few fish, though I don’t think that matters so much. What if Good isn’t a big, overwhelming, impossible-to-achieve abstract notion? What if Good isn’t something for God to accomplish in the grand sweep of […]

It’s winter right now. Snow. Cold. Ice. Ski racks and skating rinks. No one (in their right mind) rides a bike in that kind of weather unless they have to. And here we are, talking about cycling, asking people to invest in a dream that involves shorts and warm days and sunny skies and it’s […]

We invest a lot of energy in differences. Differences are an easy way to circle the wagons and close ranks. People like them don’t belong here. These pictures look pretty similar, at first. Wristbands, arms, hands together. You have to look closely to find the differences. That’s how it usually works. On the left, the […]

“Wow, this looks like fun!” It’s probably my favorite comment when people walk up to the FREEDOM TOUR table. They see the photos, the jerseys, the maps, and the whole thing looks like a big, crazy adventure. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the smiles, the sunshine, the friendships and the sense of accomplishment that […]

I know I’ll fail. Don’t know when, where, or in which direction, but at some point I’ll mess it up. That’s a given. No one likes to fail. I’d like to be the guy who always makes the right choice, always sees the big picture, always looks ten steps ahead. Sadly, I’m not. You probably aren’t, either. Failure […]

What do you want at the center? I confronted that question during the last few days in a totally unexpected set of circumstances. Had to answer What really matters? as I concurrently smile and tremble in fear. Took the first step on a journey with no clue about what the path looks like. And I’m supposed to be […]

What’s the heart of service? Helping those in need? Doing good? Supporting worthy causes? “I imagine that the first question the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But by the very nature of his concern, the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I […]

I love new ideas. I can’t imagine anything better than building something brand-spanking-new composed of fresh, original notions. Built from scratch, all original ingredients, hand-designed from the ground up. Reflecting yesterday on lessons from MLK Day, I realized my ideal might not be the way things actually work. Of course we need new ideas, new relationships, new […]

What’s your role in the story? The villain harms someone, but it’s never his fault. He refuses to take responsibility, so he re-casts himself as a victim. We’re asked to feel sorry for this villain-turned-victim. Most of us would have a difficult time casting ourselves in the traditional, idealized role of hero. But in a […]