Do elk have the choice of being a morning person? Are there some elk, hidden away in the woods, "sleeping in?" Some who stayed up late contemplating the universe, or were up all night partying with other woodland creatures? Alas, I assume that elk are wired the way they are wired, and they don't have the choice of whether they are a night elk or a morning elk. No, but we do. I used to be a night person. I rolled my eyes at the people who annoyingly championed the virtue of early rising. I loved staying up to work on art when the world was quiet. I'd go to bed way past midnight and …
Waiting for Answers
Have you ever texted someone a question and then those three little dots pop up as they formulate their reply? You know the three dots. Depending on how consequential their response is, that delay can feel like an eternity, right? We want answers now, but sometimes they take a while to come. From the very beginning of our relationship, Kim and I talked about living in a lake home one day, surrounded by tall pine trees. It took over twenty years to come true, which was approximately nineteen more than I expected. Over that prolongated waiting period, I asked God what was …
A Message in a Bottle
On our very first date, Kim and I agreed to live on a lake. As we began the process of getting to know each other, we got talking about our ideal place to live. For some reason, Idaho was mentioned. (When you grow up in a small town in Illinois surrounded by cornfields, almost everywhere feels more exotic.) We talked of mountains and potatoes (obviously), but pine trees and lakes took precedence. We both agreed that living on a lake surrounded by tall pine trees would be an ideal place to settle down. (We didn't necessarily know it would be together.) The two of us dated for …
How Many Seeds in a Watermelon?
What do motivational posters, charismatic preachers, and embroidered pillows have in common? They regularly tell us to count our blessings. If we're in the midst of a good day, we'd probably admit it would take a long time to count all our blessings. Maybe even longer than it would take to count all the seeds in a watermelon. But theoretically, both could be done. This painting was inspired by the saying "Anyone can count the number of seeds in a watermelon, but only God can count the number of watermelons in a seed." Today is the second anniversary of the day I needed a …
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 …
A Moonrise to Remember
I pulled out a notebook and pushed aside the bowl of creamers and the container of jellies. My family was at one of our favorite breakfast spots, our go-to place for celebrating big milestones. This day was decidedly less joyful, however; more of an escape from a nightmare we recently experienced. A few miles away, our house was an island in an apocalyptic landscape. A week before, a hurricane force straight-line wind mutilated an idyllic stand of 150 pine trees into an ugly riot of splintered, uprooted sticks, violently strewn about. Amidst the aftermath, it was hard to imagine …
I Got a Rock
In the immortal words of a trick-or-treating Charlie Brown...I got a rock.It wasn't just any rock, mind you; it was a kindness rock. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, people hand-paint ordinary rocks with inspirational or encouraging messages and leave them in a public place for someone to find. This particular one was shaped a bit like a heart, painted red, and included the words, "Love you." I found it on a walk, near the lakeside bench where I like to sit. I immediately recognized what it was, but completely resisted the idea that it could actually be intended for me. After all, …
How is Not Your Job
"Where there's a will, there's a way!" they say.But what if you can't find a way?Can you relate to this? Sometimes I trample my dreams before they've even had a chance to take root. For example, when something epic bubbles up from my heart – a fabulous, joy-sparking dream – I immediately go into logistics mode. How would this work? How can I make this happen? How do I make this dream come true?And then, nine times out of ten, I realize that I don't know how. I don't have the knowledge, the connections, or the resources to make it happen. It feels too hard, too unlikely, too out of reach. I'm …
How to Live a Joyful Life
Piñatas are great fun, but only if they actually contain candy. We may be drawn in by the bright colors that promise a good time, but it’s quite a disappointment if, after a few whacks, it’s revealed that there’s actually nothing inside. Whomp whomp.The thing that makes a piñata so irresistible is what’s inside.The idea behind this painting is that if you’ve got a piñata, you’ve got a party, even if you’re in the middle of a barren wasteland. It was inspired by a song by the Newsboys, called "Wherever We Go."Here are some of the lyrics: Wherever we go, the dumb get wiseAnd the crime rates …
Big Dreams Don’t Come True the Way You Think
Big dreams don’t come true the way you think.At least not the way the movies have taught us. You know, with magic wands and pixie dust and a few clicks of your ruby slippers. The best ones come little by little, over a long period of time, and often appear like they'll never come true at all. You may recall me mentioning a few weeks ago that we were outbid in our effort to buy our dream home. In a near miraculous turn of events, that home is now...ours! What the what?!? In January, our family of five will be moving to Sheboygan, the Malibu of the Midwest and official Bratwurst Capital of …
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