So in the midst of this entirely unanticipated new season in life, I find that I am taking some time to begin to reflect on various life decisions/choices. And to aid me in that process, I have turned to a Catholic writer by the name of Henri Nouwen. Oddly enough, for all of our talk about having a "personal relationship with Jesus," evangelicals are shamefully inadequate when it comes to writing about what that looks like on an interior level. I wonder why that is ...?

Anyway, if you're not familiar with Henri, I would suggest tracking down an out-of-print text entitled "The Genesee Diary." It details the events that surround his decision to step out of academia and into a Trappist Monastery for a period of seven months. Just amazingly reflective stuff that really challenges some of our conceptions about how we live life and what values we hold dear.

On a totally separate note (or perhaps as a direct result of the aforementioned reflection), I found myself curious to know more about your (Greg) winter retreat to Florida. You mentioned that you were planning to be there for two weeks, and something else that you said lead me to believe that this may become an annual ritual. Is that true? And if so, how does your/her family feel about that (particularly as it relates to the holidays)? Just curious.