Photo: Loni Ingraham, Towson Times As I was making my usual rounds of the online news sources this afternoon, I stumbled across this story and picture that, at first, disturbed me. This statue of the Virgin Mary has stood just about a mile from my house since I can remember. I have passed it nearly…

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I believe in you. I know that, at times, the journey seems so long and so difficult that the very thought of taking just one more step seems, well, impossible. You struggle with what lies ahead of you as much as with what remains behind you. You look in all directions, but there seems to…

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After years and years of searching for a trail name, I have finally found the name that best fits me: Bodhi Bear. A trail name, for those of you who may be wondering, is a name hikers give themselves and use while on the trail. I’ve hiked many sections of the Appalachian Trail, but I’ve…

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Yesterday, I said that this would be a three-part series; I lied. I’m cutting it off at two parts. Everything I want to say about this topic (right now) is in this post. Tomorrow, I’m moving on to new things. 🙂 This question about what is “normal” in our lives stems from my daughter’s reactions…

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I am reposting an entry that I wrote two years ago (2/14/08) after a school shooting. My mind has been racing today with thoughts and concerns about what is happening in Japan and how we are reacting to it. This weekend, I’m going to do a three-part series on this topic. For now, I will…

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*sigh* Being a big believer in surrounding yourself with positivity and support, I am pretty darn surprised how hard it is for me to keep that balance. The picture above sums it up pretty nicely. My wife and best friend (see pic above; they are the ones who are not “bound by their own limitations”…

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I am absolutely smitten with Christian pop these days. The music is good, the message is solid, and the singing is absolutely phenomenal. Britt Nicole, pictured above, is one of those singers. One of her recent hits, “The Lost Get Found,” is one of my favorites, and I play her music all the time. Last…

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There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better or worse as his portion; that though the universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him butthrough his toil bestowed…

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You should have heard it. It was awesome. When I came home from school today, I ranted like a steel-toothed madman about the way in which education is viewed in America. Amy sat back and let me rip words from my heart and throw them on the table. It was a good moment. But then,…

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photo of Cunningham Falls State Park: Dave Buller I took Braeden up to Cunningham Falls State Park today for the Maple Syrup Demonstration (the Maryland State Parks do great things all year round that are both educational and enjoyable for the entire family; you can find a list of seasonal activities and events here). It…

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