Traditions They are powerful. Emotional. Binding. And deceptively simple to create. All you have to do is: do the same thing—say, cook blueberry pancakes for breakfast—at the same time each week or month or year—say, Sunday morning— with the same people—say, your...

A friend called today and said she wanted to see Wind River, the new movie out with Jeremy Renner, Kelsey Asbille and Julia Jones. And I suddenly remembered—I’m in that movie! Well, sort of. I’m an extra, bringing my “daughter” to school in one scene, and at the park...

My class at Georgetown, and one of our professors, Marc Busch I've been thinking a lot about embracing my fears lately. I'm in a master's program at Georgetown, studying International Business and Policy-- a program run jointly by Georgetown's Walsh School of Foreign...

Productivity Cheats There are only 24 hours in each day, and until someone starts selling time turners on Amazon, that’s all we’re going to get. The good news is that 24 hours translate into 1,440 minutes in each day. And a lot of yours are going to waste. From time...

Stephanie was edging her grass when I walked across the street this morning to say hello after getting back from my trip to South and Central America. She shaded her eyes with one hand and smiled. “You’re home!” We talked for a few minutes and I gave her the chocolate...

This year we made a short Christmas music video as our family's Christmas card. Merry Christmas! And may the peace of our Savior be with you all year. <3 Silent...

I went to Italy last week, and the trip was, of course, amazing-- in all the ways you are imagining, and in some ways I'm pretty sure you're not imagining. I went to church in Vicenza, in a small American military ward (congregation), and it felt like home. I looked...

Tonight after CrossFit, where I’m getting better, I had a reality hit me.  I’m completely single. Not temporarily. Not for a moment, sort of a little bit single. I’m completely single. I looked around my bedroom and it was shocking. Everything is only,...

I’ve been on a roller coaster lately with great highs when something beautiful happens and I find myself soaring in the clouds, seeing the big picture and feeling so blessed I can hardly comprehend it.  And then the stresses of life hit me full force, my knees...