Category: Newsletters

I am not poor. Poor are those who desire many things. Leonardo da Vinci ​ READ THIS Greed. This is probably one of the hardest things that we (and I’m definitely including myself in that ‘we’) struggle with. If I’m honest, most of the times I feel discontent are when I compare myself to those…

READ THIS There’s a good chance every person has had some feeling of God / the gods / the universe / the force is not happy with them. A sense that you’re not trying hard enough, not accomplishing enough, not obeying well enough, not making enough sacrifices – or whatever. A feeling that you just…

READ THIS For those of us who were raised in a western cultural mindset, ‘justice’ is one of the most important values we hold. Fairness, equity, getting what we earn, what we deserve – these are all things we value deeply. We believe that the innocent are (or at least should be) acquitted, and the…

READ THIS Our family has lived in several places where there is a significant ex-pat population. Groups of people living and working not in their ‘home country.’ To be frank, sometimes you see a fair bit of entitlement from ex-pats. In Africa, it can look like an employer saying to someone: ‘this is going to…

READ THIS Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real. Thomas Merton Someone who is full of pride is impressed with who they are, what they have accomplished – or what they could accomplish if their true potential was unleashed – and expects others to share that perspective. I know this – because I’m…

READ THIS We like to think we know what’s best. For others, for our employer, our friends, our community, our family – and especially for ourselves. The problem with this attitude is when it’s adopted by people who claim there is a perfect divine being. These two beliefs clash pretty hard: that I know what’s…

READ THISI have no idea how I missed this, but back in December there was a focus piece in the New York Times on the Chartreuse monks. You really should go read it … BUT NOT YET…(that’s today’s DO THIS). (seems to me they could have saved a lot of time and just linked to…

Fear Can Get You Two Ways​ READ THIS Fear is a natural reaction to many events in life. It is a knee-jerk response to things that happen – or more often – what we think could potentially happen to us. It’s easy to imagine all the bad things that may crash into our lives. You…

READ THIS:In the capital city here in Burundi there is a “zoo” that has a number of small concrete enclosures. One of the few things you can do at this “zoo” – other than wrap a snake around your neck, or hand soda or beer to the chimpanzees, (yes, seriously; and no, don’t get me…

Last week we looked at how contentment is like love, and how both are not something that just happens. This week we look at three specific false beliefs we can get trapped in when we don’t accept that contentment ( & love) requires effort. READ THIS: ​We (Paul & I it would seem) are saying (and this…