Half The Conversation

Half The Conversation

Several years ago, Sarah and I shared one account for our phones.  That way we could share music and pictures and everything else stored on our phones…to be honest, we didn’t realize almost two decades ago that all of our life would be on our phones…that didn’t even occur to us.  
The problem with sharing one account is, occasionally, for no reason we completely understood, some of our texts, calendars, emails and other things would show up on the other persons phone without going through a series of menu options to change that or stop it from happening.  

We maybe didn’t send the initial text or send the initial email or initial calendar invite and yet, we had this bit of information that was intended for someone else and we were seriously confused. 

Have you ever tried to understand a conversation with only reading one side of it?  
Whether it is sitting there listening to someone talk on their phone, but have no idea what the person on the other end is saying.  
It is very confusing.   

Broken Printer

Broken Printer

If you were with us on Sunday, it was hot…like really hot.  Not only that, but we had 425 people at worship at 10am.  The Chapel only fits 175 people…which means we had about 250 people sitting outside.  

Right before worship started, I said to some of our volunteers,

“maybe we should do the whole ‘first shall be last and last shall be first’ and move people who are inside out and people who are outside in?”

This suggestion was not super well received…

Alcatraz and Sidewalk Chalk

Alcatraz and Sidewalk Chalk

The other day my son Keating came home from school and asked,

“Dad, who is your favorite prisoner held at Alcatraz?”

You know…I don’t know.  I have not once in my life given any meaningful thought about the prisoners once held there, let alone which one is my favorite.  I know vaguely that a few escaped and may have drowned…maybe…or may have lived the rest of their lives in secrecy and hiding…but I couldn’t tell you their names.

I knew that likely some infamous people in history ended up serving time there…but who they are, and who my favorite is out of all of them?  Zero idea.

Navigating Coffee and Prayer

Navigating Coffee and Prayer

For years I described myself as a coffee lover.  I would put it in my bio, I would talk about it when I met people, I would ask people about great local coffee shops, and I would buy lots of different coffee accessories for my at home coffee setup.  

And by coffee accessories, I mean syrups and stir sticks, a milk frother and collectible coffee cups.

As time went on, I kept on consuming copious amounts of coffee, but when I would start to visit with others who also said they loved coffee…I realized they knew way more than I did.

They could identify flavors and notes.

They would go to great lengths to buy fancy beans from exotic locations.

They would pick up subtleties in the unique coffee that I just couldn’t identify.

I thought I loved coffee…but I just really liked coffee and caffeine.  I was a young dad, working full time, and in seminary.  Coffee was more about survival than enjoyment.