Kindness can travel with us
You know those super awkward moments where everyone is standing in an elevator and no one is talking? They seem to happen anytime we find ourselves in a contained area with a bunch of strangers. I had a moment like that recently when I was flying somewhere by myself. I had parked the car in
Delight yourself and others with kindness
Want to really enjoy this holiday season? Try giving to others out of delight, not duty. Sure, there are gifts we feel obligated to give. But the magic of Christmas comes when we re-create the spirit of the season for another person just because we feel like it. It’s not hard. Ask Katie Kringstad, the
When you have no idea what you’re doing…
Over the years, Saul and I have added to our family. First it was a dog (RIP Robby Dog Phillips). Then it was our three biological children. Then it was another dog (Dakota is currently sleeping next to me in my office). Then it was two precious boys, the same age as our middle son,
Kindness can bring us to our knees
Have you ever bitten off more than you could chew? I’m not talking about the Christmas ham — I’m talking about a project you thought you could handle, but couldn’t. That’s what happened to Oscar Bergos from Moorhead, Minn. Luckily, kindness pulled up to save the day. “About 15 years ago, I had a cottage
The Chains of Sin
I’ve been followed around the last few weeks by these words… “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” My youngest son, Ben, and I have been having some deep philosophical conversations about decision making. Ben
How would you react to such a sweet gift?
For the record, you should never do anything in front of children that you might find embarrassing when talked about in front of adults. When we go on vacation, I like to hunt down the town’s best specialty bakery. I have a tendency to buy two flavors of cupcakes at a time because it just
Untangle your tinsel
Have you ever had to draw a hard line with the “tinsel” in your life? You know, those little, seemingly harmless things that quickly take more than their fair share of attention? I sometimes think I have to jump in and fix every subtle snag in my life before it gets completely out of control,
