(*Before you freak out, the above photo is of James holding a friend’s newborn. We do not have a baby…yet! Read on to learn more.) We’ve been absent from this little corner of the web these past 10 months because we’ve been in a huge […]
“Happy” Birthday
Today I found myself writing a thank you note to a donor, and instead of following my normal script, I started down a different path. Instead of the usual thanks, I explained that I celebrate each gift that comes across my desk; I celebrate ‘you’ […]
Disconnect to reconnect
I do not love well when I’m addicted to technology. I ignore the dogs, my husband, my roomie. I lose track of time and slack on my chores. I’m perpetually distracted, and when I’m not distracted, I’m seeking distraction. It’s a cycle. Because we all […]
Unbranded
A month ago we decided to take the cabinet doors off of our kitchen cabinets to create open shelving. In doing so, we needed to simplify and make the kitchen a clean and calming space. That meant less plastic and colored-ware, more mason jars. We […]
2016 in review
Years ago, Haley was challenged to choose a word of the year instead of a New Year’s resolution. In 2011, her word was trust, to trust God and to trust others. Now, as we sit attempting to summarize 2016, we return to the concept of […]
The Christmas Story: a podcast
Well, folks. Since the marriage podcast was so well received, we thought we’d try it again. Following our Christmas eve service, we recorded our conversation as we headed to our family dinner. Listen in to hear our thoughts on the Christmas story…maybe you’ll even gain […]
Marriage: a podcast
Going into this conversation on marriage, we knew that we did things differently from each other. Sure, this could apply to how we do or do not fit into stereotypical gender roles, such as Haley preferring dishes over cooking, while James is happy to cook. But […]
The weight of waiting
Written for Awaken Community‘s Advent Art series, read Nov. 27, 2016 Mary was waiting I’m sure she had thought about having children – likely she even anticipated what it would be like to experience pregnancy. She dreamt of marrying Joseph, then having kids. She dreamt of […]
Through the eyes of others
It’s easy to doubt, to feel self-conscious and inadequate, and thus to squelch the talents we have. It’s the ever-present desire of the enemy to do just that: repress your gifts. And lately, that temptation has been strong as daily interactions cause me to doubt […]
Remaining relational
In the midst of politics, it’s so easy to become wrapped up in policy and personality. It’s a struggle to balance my role, how to have calm conversations, and when to step back. It’s difficult to trust that even our government is in God’s hands. […]
Looking back: Our wedding day
It’s been two years since that brisk autumn day where all our preparations led to one marriage certificate. Thinking back, there are some things that we would highly encourage, and many that we’d stray from. Here’s a bit of a rundown. What we loved: Keep […]
Given or taken, let it be
Luke 6:30 has me thinking. I mean, rethinking. When I (Haley) started working at the Rochester Salvation Army in 2014, it was right before the peak of local discussions on panhandlers. Everyone has their own approach on how to handle people soliciting money. Perhaps the […]
