10Jun 2024 by CJ
Sign of A Good Leader? Leading with Compassion

Sign of A Good Leader? Leading with Compassion

Generosity & Kindness
“The sign of a good leader is easy to recognize, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion.” Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year If you were to ask what the sign of a good leader is in mixed company, respondents would inevitably draw upon their employment experiences and the many managers and supervisors they've interacted with throughout their careers. This would be a perfectly natural response, as we often equate leadership with those possessing managerial or…
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01Jun 2024 by CJ
Acceptance Is a Lifelong Struggle That Never Gets Easier

Acceptance Is a Lifelong Struggle That Never Gets Easier

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
"Acceptance doesn't mean resignation, that the circumstance goes away, or that we necessarily feel better about it. The impact and emotions it evokes is present irrespective of whether we accept it or not. The question is whether we're layering on the pain and further intensifying and exacerbating what already exists." - Michelle P. Maidenberg (psychologist and professor) The post you are about to read has been challenging for me to write, taking considerably longer to complete than any in recent memory.  While the subject matter for this post was clear from the onset, as were my intentions for writing it, I found myself staring at a blank page for hours, even days, jotting down a cluster of ideas, ultimately leading to nowhere. Anyone who writes understands there are occasions when the artistic energy…
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09May 2024 by CJ
A Child’s Anxiety May Be Caused By What You’re Saying

A Child’s Anxiety May Be Caused By What You’re Saying

Life & Living, Youth
"As a mom, I could feed my child's anxiety, or I could feed their peace. We set the temperature for our kids." – Beth Moore, President of Living Proof Ministries. This weekend, my wife and I attended a live sporting event near our home, and after its unclimactic conclusion, I found myself somewhat surprised by what I'd just witnessed. My wife and I don't frequent live sporting events, so we're not aware of or accustomed to enthusiastic fans' over-the-top behaviors as they encircle players from the sidelines with a chorus of harsh and negative comments that are hard to ignore. While I understand playing sports requires incredible concentration and the ability to dismiss a chorus of negative comments thrown at you by eager spectators, I'm unsure how players successfully accomplish…
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20Mar 2024 by CJ
Preparing Food is an Effort that Shows How Much You Care

Preparing Food is an Effort that Shows How Much You Care

Generosity & Kindness, Love & Relationships
“I think preparing food and feeding people brings nourishment not only to our bodies but to our spirits. Feeding people is a way of loving them, in the same way that feeding ourselves is a way of honoring our own createdness and fragility.” Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way The year was 1999, and a friend of mine from college had just introduced me to a remarkable young woman who, a few short years later, would surprisingly become my wife. At this point in history, my future wife and I were nothing more than acquaintances who associated with each other only in groups of mutual friends, not solely on our own.  One weekend, while my parents were out of town, I decided this was an…
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12Mar 2024 by CJ
Growing Old Makes Us Appreciate the Simplicity of Life More

Growing Old Makes Us Appreciate the Simplicity of Life More

Love & Relationships
"Growing old is a privilege, but growing old with you is a blessing beyond measure." – Unknown. Whenever I can, I like to visit my local Costco warehouse store as soon as it opens, especially if I only have to purchase a few smaller items.  With only fresh spinach on my list one morning, I was eager to be in and out of the store as quickly as possible to avoid those shoppers who filled their carts to excess and would soon be clogging up the self-checkout lines. While making a beeline toward the refrigerated, fresh vegetable area, dashing down aisles to avoid the inevitable congestion at the free sample carts (and that guy who always tries to sell me solar panels), I passed by an elderly couple, who, by…
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