Church of Glass Houses
Idols are insidious because they sneak in the back door of places of worship, take a seat in the pew, and sit there for years with no one asking them why they're there.
Is This Your Country?
"Is this your country?" a stranger asked me in amazement in broken English as I sat in a small food stall in Tokyo earlier this spring. I was scrolling through photos on my phone while waiting for chicken skewers to cook over a smokey charcoal grill. I was looking at some pictures of Edmonton's river valley, fields on the Alberta highways, and some scenes from the Maligne Canyon in Jasper.
Edmonton’s True Colors
This playoff run has not only unearthed the qualities of our community, but it has also revealed our true colors, which run deeper than blue and orange. Edmonton is a city of resilience and determination, a place where we work hard and love nothing more than having fun with friends and family. It's a city that we are proud to call home, a place where we can raise a family and build a life.
Values and Stolen Bikes
Being robbed is an aspect of urban life. It doesn't define life in the city, but it is a reality. When something like this happens, I'm angry and frustrated because we work as a family to make things better in the world, and it feels like our efforts are futile. In times like these, I feel like the world is laughing at our values, and it's humiliating.
Waiting to Fly
Life doesn't always give us defined waiting times. Life includes illness, job instability, tragedy, loss, and grief. Some phases of life can feel like an extended stay in a lonely airport.
Tables and Walls
With terror and horrific stories coming out of Israel and Gaza these last weeks, I feel the deafening roar of both sides of the conflict in my ears. I find myself feeling angry and sad all at once with no clear direction on what I should believe.
Be Unreasonable
After nearly two decades of working in hospitality and community, I've learned one thing: motivation is a non-renewable resource. There is often an infinite and unending demand for service. We only have so much energy to give, and it doesn't take long to give the little we have. We're only human.
Tasting Notes
A good cup of coffee doesn't just appear on its own. There's a process behind it, and it requires an entire community to bring it to your table.
The Kids are Watching
I'm asking myself questions about how my wife and I teach our two boys about the current provincial election. What do they need to understand? How should they respond to flag-waving and partisan rhetoric? What's helpful regarding civic, regional, and national pride?
The Stars We’ll Never Reach
There's a certain persistence required for hope. We might not see a peaceful present, but generations ahead of us will live in a better future.
The Picard Maneuvers
If you were to ask me which leader I admire the most, I might surprise you because, without a doubt, the leader I aspire to be is fictional. Of all the leaders I aspire to be like, it is Jean-Luc Picard , Captain of the starship Enterprise…
Cooking & Cast Iron
The sound of meat searing against a hot cast iron pan is exceptionally gratifying. It starts with a distinct hiss and then transforms into the sound of applause…
Love to the 22nd Century
Someday, in the early 22nd century, this head will wake up on a pillow in a very different world than the one we're living in today. It is possible that in that time, people may be facing similar challenges to the ones we're facing today. Perhaps even a worldwide pandemic.