I got to spend the weekend in Hocking Hills. But not for a personal retreat or an anniversary getaway. It was basically for an event to mark the death of a church. It sounds morbid, doesn’t it? But I actually … Continue reading
I’ve now lived in Kent longer than I’ve lived in any other place. On the one hand, that sounds crazy to me. On the other hand, I look at the family portrait from our first fall in Kent (see above), … Continue reading
I’m going to make a bombastic statement here, but I think Rex Orange County’s newest single, “Keep It Up” is already a prime candidate for song of the year. I would love the music and lyrics on their own, but … Continue reading
I’ve been listening to a new podcast called The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It describes the unique legacy of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, along with its pastor, Mark Driscoll. The entire life cycle of this church was … Continue reading
Negen jaar geleden, woonde we nog in Amsterdam. Onze huis stond wel leeg met een boordje in het raam: “Te Koop.” Maar onze vrienden… onze kerk… onze gezinsgeschiedenis… Die waren allemaal nog steeds daar, in Nederland. Tot de ochtend van … Continue reading
Dutch people go crazy for ice-skating. When a hard freeze starts, it’s a topic of casual conversation and serious news reporting. They know exactly the right conditions and the right period of time that’s needed for the right amount of … Continue reading
We’re in the midst of a hard freeze here in Ohio. For the past two weeks, we haven’t gotten more than a degree or two above freezing — and even those “spikes” in temperature were only for the briefest stretches … Continue reading
The last week of January was a big week for our family back in 2003 — a week of miracles and transformations and shock. Looking back, eighteen years later, I can hardly believe that so much happened in such a … Continue reading
I recently finished reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s autobiography, Infidel. I heard about it from my friend Joe. But my real interest in the book came from my years of living in the Netherlands. Our Dutch years fell squarely during the time period … Continue reading
Smoke! Fire! An alarm rings out. Someone makes an emergency call to the local fire department. Still you can’t wait inside the building. So you make your way to the exit and reach the door. Does that door swing inward … Continue reading