30 March 2015

this is now.

If you're like me, too often you place the keys to your happiness in some future event or circumstance.

"When this project at work is over, then I'll be happy."

"When I finish final exams, then I can be at peace again."

"When we go on vacation next month, then everything will be okay."

If you're living that way, you're a prisoner of time. And probably super frustrated a lot. And maybe your face looks like this:


16 March 2015

we are edge people.

What would you say if asked, "What defines you? What are you about?"

Would you have your answer ready?

Recently we were invited to a dinner with our local Maryknoll community (lay missioners, sisters, priests, brothers) and some guests visiting from the United States. In about the first 18 seconds of the meal, one of the guests asked us, "What defines Maryknoll? What is Maryknoll about?" (I thought, "Whoa, take it easy buddy. Barely sat down and you're already dishing out the big questions.")


09 March 2015

getting down with the sabbath.

Back in the day, God said that we should keep the Sabbath. Every seventh day, we should take a break from the hustle and bustle of life to slow down and relax before the start of another week.


But somewhere along the way, we lost that. Growing up in American culture, I can’t recall anyone really observing it. In my family, Sunday meant that we went to Mass. But other than that, there weren’t any rules. One of my siblings would have a soccer game. Mom would do laundry and Dad would mow the lawn.

Well, Michael and I are getting serious about the Sabbath.

02 March 2015

let's talk about my bladder.

It's cropped up a few times on our blog, but let's just say it: health has been an issue since setting foot in Mwanza, Tanzania. The scorecard is not pretty. Mwanza is dominating.

we are not proud of this.

But this is not a pity post. This can hardly even be called a blog post. It's just a direct reproduction of an actual conversation I recently had with a Tanzanian in a hospital (in English, mind you). And it was very confusing.