Family

- - - | written by Jason on 3/30/2025 | - - -

From Gold Stars to Gut Checks: Grading What Matters Most

My dad tells a story from his childhood when he received a report card with less than stellar marks. He didn't want to show his mom but knew she'd have to sign it before he returned it to his teacher. So he had the bright idea of placing gold foil stars over the offending grades, explaining they were a new sign of stellar performance. Once the signature was secured, he joyfully skipped to school, chucking the carefully peeled-off stars to the wind. Years later, when cleaning out Grandma's things, we found the evidence: an old brittle report card with a few stars still holding on for dear …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/23/2025 | - - -

The Need for Nipkins

The gauntlet had been thrown down. What choice did I have? We were on a road trip...somewhere. The details don't matter, but I'm pretty sure we were rolling up to Dairy Queen for some Blizzards. Someone in my family, probably my wife, challenged me to request extra "nipkins" at the drive-thru window. Not napkins, NIPkins. And with that, my honor was on the line. I could not allow myself to be shamed in front of my own children by failing to accept this summons. On that day, I am proud to say, I rose to the challenge, growing three feet taller in the eyes of my wife and children …

- - - | written by Jason on 2/11/2024 | - - -

48 Things I’ve Learned in 48 Years

Well, today is the day. The cultural event where millions of people are unified in celebration of what many have called the biggest secular holiday in the United States, and possibly the world. Of course, I'm referring to my birthday. I'm not sure how I'll mark the occasion, but perhaps there will be something interesting to watch on TV? 🏈 #SuperbOwl It's true; as of today, I am 48 years old. Is that old? It feels kinda old, but still a few years shy of fifty, so that's something. I do relate to Margaret Atwood who believed, "Everyone else my age is an adult, whereas …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/7/2024 | - - -

Why You Need Water Balloons & a Wingman

Life is amazing. It is also hard. The war against Adultitis is a grueling one that will last your lifetime. But that shouldn't keep you from trying to soak it with water balloons. Your happiness depends on it. Now, you'll need two things in the fight against Adultitis: water balloons and a wingman. A Water Balloon is anything joyful that induces playfulness, laughter, merriment, or wonder. The most powerful ones appear frivolous, done for no particular reason other than fun. My late father-in-law Gary had a long fight with chronic pain. His faith …

- - - | written by Jason on 12/10/2023 | - - -

Is This Really The Most Wonderful Time of Year?

“Are you making deviled eggs?" he asked the day before Thanksgiving.“I wasn’t planning on it, but I could. Want me to?" I offered.“Well, sure if you have time,” he said graciously.I did. And he appreciated them.And Ben and I ended up having so much fun, as I taught him how to make this family favorite for my Dad.I'm grateful for these memories from last year at this time. This was the beginning of a journal Kim wrote on Thanksgiving, reflecting on how last year was the last time she'd "get to" make her dad deviled eggs. He passed away in January. The "firsts" in our lives get a lot of …

- - - | written by Jason on 11/19/2023 | - - -

How to Fix the Whole World

The current state of the world is...not great. So many of our problems are global, governmental, and systemic, stemming from conflicts spanning thousands of years. Perhaps, like me, you wonder, "What the heck can one person do?" When I am overwhelmed by an avalanche of things I can’t control, I find it helpful to focus on what I can. And then I came across this quote from St. Teresa of Calcutta: "If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family." Ah, good ol' Mother Teresa. What a pleasant thought from a sweet old lady beloved the world over. …

- - - | written by Jason on 6/4/2023 | - - -

Everyone Needs an Angel in Their Corner

We offered my daughter a chance to make a million dollars and she turned it down. OK, "millions" might be stretching it, but adjusted for the economy of childhood, one could make a strong case. Here's the story: Virginia Rose drew a picture of an angel for her grandfather during his last days. He displayed it prominently in the hospital and at the hospice center, and it seemed to deeply move everyone who saw it. It became a source of great joy and comfort for him, and he requested that it be placed in his casket at the time of his burial. A copy made its way to a wall in our kitchen, …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/10/2022 | - - -

How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving

My young traveling companion poked me on the elbow with a request I didn't see coming. From the moment Kim and I made the decision to move ahead with taking Ginny on her first Daddy Daughter trip despite the storm that had wrought havoc on our home, my mind was in overdrive. From forcing it to focus on what needed to land in my suitcase, to finding a gas station that had power so we could refuel, to asking the gate agent if he could make sure our seats were together, my brain was busy anticipating and solving every challenge that presented itself on our journey to …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/3/2022 | - - -

Life Keeps Going

I woke up. The face of my bedside clock was expressionless. Still no power. It felt like time was standing still, but I knew otherwise. A quick check of my phone, whose battery was holding on for dear life, confirmed that I'd been asleep for exactly one hour. I was awake, but unfortunately, the nightmare persisted. It was 1:30 am, but no more sleep would be had by me that night. Eerie lightning flashes periodically silhouetted the stripped and broken trees rising from the backyard like a witch's bony fingers. It's an image I'll never forget. I had to leave for the airport …

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- - - | written by Jason on 4/24/2022 | - - -

Beautiful Questions from Ugly Cookies

QUESTION: Is it possible to create a working Volkswagon Beetle out of rice cereal treats and fondant? I don't think so, but I wouldn't be surprised to fire up Netflix one day and see it happen. I am awed by the mind-bending confections people create on those baking competition shows. It's entertaining television. But watching them make their beautiful creations don't teach us as much as the ugly stuff we create ourselves.A few years ago, I led an unusual workshop. Instead of whiteboards, charts, and slides, we rolled out frosting, sprinkles, and sugar cookies. There was only one …