Category: Reflections

As a kid I thought the only thing that really mattered in the Olympics was gold medals. Silver was okay, bronze seemed like a crummy consolation prize. I had no idea why the guys who finished twentieth even bothered. I’ve since realized my perspective was skewed by limited and somewhat biased television coverage. In those […]

“What’s wrong with competing if you’re trying to accomplish something positive?” Now THAT’S a great question. The guys in the workshop were discussing self-defeating thought patterns that arise from treating life like an endless competition. I thought for a few moments. “There’s nothing wrong with competing—in the context of a game. Just be aware that […]

Words matter. Anyone who believes Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me hasn’t felt the sting of “four eyes” or “cripple” or “retard.” Words matter. An interesting article popped up in my Facebook feed in the aftermath of last weekend’s Super Bowl game. The title: Peyton Manning Is A […]

I was good at school, but I wasn’t a good student. I had three talents. I could absorb information, take tests, and I liked to please adults. Turns out those are pretty much what’s required to be good at school. Sadly, they have little in common with actual learning. As long as I got “A’s” […]

Our culture tends to view everything as a competition. It’s all about winning and losing, success and failure. It’s a perspective that encourages a good deal of guilt, shame, and other self-defeating behavior that God never intended. A while back I analyzed this notion in a free ebook titled LIFE IS NOT A GAME. It’s […]

How do you get past the regret? The guy’s probably mid-forties, said he’d spent most of his life hiding in the bottom of a bottle. He’s tired of that life, made a commitment to figure out how to stay sober, and that’s how he ended up in the group of guys I spoke to Monday […]

Today’s MKL Day, a “holiday” set aside to commemorate the legacy of a great man who challenged our national conscience. A year ago Becky and I looked through the window from which a bullet fired in anger silenced a voice that changed a nation. I wrote the words below for today’s post over at Bouncing […]

Do you like living in fear? I didn’t think so. I don’t, either. I’m struck recently by how much we accept fear as a normal mode of operation. # # # As a beginning teacher I was taught to think of myself as a manager. Students were the workers; my job was to manage their […]

I have some great advice if you want to fail at just about any task. Last time I suggested Stop trying. Start training, using my invitation to join the team for FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR 2014 as an example. But this isn’t about bike-riding. The same formula works to derail accomplishing any big dream. It’s […]

It’s probably the most common question about God. Even people who don’t believe in Him wonder why He allows bad stuff to happen. I’ve been there. I’ll bet you have as well. I became unsatisfied with platitudes. When you’re drowning in despair, “It’s all part of God’s plan” really doesn’t help much. So I put my […]

Last time I invited you to Start Training for our bike tour. I’m serious. We’d love to have you on the team. Whether you ride your bike or help with support, you’ll have a lot of fun and contribute to a great cause. I’ve talked to a lot of people about long-distance tours. One common […]

Don’t start over on January 1st. Okay, so that’s not the conventional advice. And you’re wondering what’s wrong with a new beginning in a new year. Isn’t God all about a fresh start? But what if you forgot? What if New Year’s Day was football and junk food, and now it’s back to same-old-same-old? Did […]