Choosing Compassion Over Criticism: Why I’m Giving Up Judging Others for Lent
At a 4:00 p.m. Saturday Mass in Overland Park, Kansas, during the preparation of gifts, I sat on the stiff, dark wooden church pew and…
letting go
The Suscipe: A Prayer for All Occasions
While I’m not sure if I believe in the cliche of “love at first sight” as far as human relationships go, I’ve definitely fallen in…
How Decluttering My Office Created Space for New Career Goals
Before I began writing professionally, I worked as a volunteer fossil preparator at a prestigious natural history museum. My childhood ambition was to become a…
Moving Beyond Tunnel Vision: Jesus Wants Our Presence, Not Our Perfection
I recently watched the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith. There is a scene in the movie where…
How to Cope When Other People Let You Down
My adult daughter and I have a “no guilt” pact. Although we do our best to stay in touch regularly, sometimes life gets in the…
Does It Spark Joy? Applying Marie Kondo’s Lessons to My Faith Life
“Does this item spark joy?” I asked myself for the hundredth time, holding an old but well-loved T-shirt in my hands. Like many people around…
Fish Tank Wisdom: The Healing Power of Forgiveness
One summer several years ago, we had 11 “fish funerals” at our house. I remember the last one distinctly because this particular guppy was named…
How I Learned to Let Go of My Worries on Vacation
Visiting Florence, Italy, was a sensory overload for me. Every corner held an exotic sight — museums filled with priceless works of art, a 14th-century…
The Thrill — and Fear — of Free Falling
Imagine a moment of complete free fall. If you have ever experienced that jolt in your gut, that razor chill throughout your body, that overwhelming…
Watching The Past Go Up In Flames
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” my friends asked. “I would love to, but I already have plans,” I told them. “I’m going to…
