Thanksgiving is a few short days away. The turkey is hopefully purchased, recipes are being reviewed, travel plans are set. As we begin this week, I have another way for you to prepare. I challenge you to make a list of 100 things that you are grateful for. Don’t think about it, just starting writing stream-of-consciousness style. I’ve done it, and the first few are easy, then I struggle for a bit, and then it starts to flow again. You can do it in one sitting, or leave it fo

It started with her trip around the world. The plan was to take a break from the daily grind of the marketing world and come back refreshed and ready for her next step. Little did my friend Caroline know that her next step was going to be in a completely different direction. After visiting a child that her traveling companion had sponsored through a Christian organization, they were invited to dinner at an orphanage. It was a home filled with children who clung to the two wom

I was at a retreat and had to answer two simple questions. Who are the five people you spend the most time with? Who are the five people who most bring joy and light to your life? It was pretty easy to answer both of them, especially the second one. When I thought of those five people who brought me joy and light, a smile spread across my face, and even a couple laughs. The follow up question was the one that hit me. Are the five people in each question the same? They most de

Whenever I teach a confirmation class, one of my favorite parts is helping the kids choose their confirmation Saint. This Saint is the one whose name they receive at confirmation and will have a special relationship with for the rest of their lives. When I chose my Saint (St. Catherine of Sienna), I didn’t really understand this very well, or more likely I just didn’t care. I liked her name, and I wanted to have it somewhere in mine. When someone asked me which St. Catherine