Sabbath Coffee Tour: Sisters' Sludge (Minneapolis)

For my latest stop on the sabbath coffee tour, I visited Sisters' Sludge Coffee in south Minneapolis. This tiny little shop (on the corner of Bloomington Ave and 46th St) is owned by three identical triplet sisters.  This shop serves beans roasted by UP Roasters  in Minneapolis.

I enjoyed a skinny latte (see picture below) during my time in this shop.  It was the perfect amount of foam, steamed milk, and espresso served in a glass mug, which is my favorite way to drink a latte. There were abundant (and fresh!) baked goods available, with muffins being pulled out of the oven while I was there.  Other snacks including yogurt, wrapped sandwiches, and oatmeal available.

This shop has numerous small tables available for seating, as well as some couches in a cozy grouping. When I first arrived, the shop was quiet, but soon filled up with neighbors enjoying each other's company.  This is clearly a neighborhood gathering place.  I was greeted warmly by the baristas when I walked in, and the baristas seem to know all of their guests by name.

This is a cozy gathering place on a very cold day.  There is free wifi, and abundant street parking, and the coffee shop is an intimate place to meet with friends.  I was doing some work while I was here, but the tables are not large enough to spread out too much. Overall, a comfortable place to chat with friends over great coffee.  There is a hot drinks menu, a cold drinks menu, a kids drinks menu and gourmet hot chocolates.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Bull Run Coffee

Katrina and I ventured out for another stop on the sabbath coffee tour today in Minneapolis, Bull Run Coffee.  This shop is located at Lyndale and 34th Street, as well as another location on Nicollet and 43rd Street.  They roast their arabica beans locally and are a small scale operation.

I ordered a latte and Katrina had a vanilla latte.  This was easily one of the best lattes I have ever had.  It was just cool enough to begin to drink immediately and was smooth and creamy enough that it did not need any sweetening.  So often lattes can have scalded milk or espresso that is bitter because they are too hot, but this one was perfect. Katrina remarked that her latte was the best coffee drink she ever had, made with real vanilla bean simple syrup.

The shop has plenty of street parking and is located on the quiet part of Lyndale, just south of Lake Street.  There is ample seating space, including tables, armchairs or bar seating.  Additionally, there is a room on the north side of the shop that has seating. A variety of baked goods, including a prominently displayed rack of gluten free items, are available.  There are ample outlets for laptops and the shop is quiet enough for working or busy enough for a conversation without disrupting the "mobile office" crowd.

Bull Run Coffee was one of our absolute favorites so far!

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Chicago Edition. Dollop Coffee Bar: Gold Coast

Also on my trip to Chicago I visited Dollop Coffee Bar, at their Gold Coast location, just a couple blocks off where Michigan Avenue meets Lakeshore Drive. This coffee bar is located on the first floor of a luxury condo tower, with the coffee shop entrance on the south side of the building.

Dollop brews Metropolis Coffee which is roasted in Chicago. I ordered an Au Lait made with the Honduras Mario Doreteo Perez roast and non-fat milk. It was warm and rich and delicious.  Au Laits (made with brewed coffee) usually require sugar for my taste, but this one did not.  It was bold and complex.  My wife had a latte made with Redline Espresso.

This neighborhood coffee shop was bustling on a holiday morning (New Year's Day) with people out walking their dogs and enjoying breakfast.  A popular item (although we did not sample it) was the breakfast sandwich, made on an English muffin with a variety of ingredients.

This coffee shop has a bit of a strange layout (most seating is in a bar along the front window), and the only way that you could sit across from the person you came with is in the small seating area composed of chairs and a couch. Since this was a pleasure trip, not a working trip, to a coffee shop Dollop worked great for my time of relaxation. Since there are no tables, it would not work well for laptops.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Chicago Edition; Intelligentsia at Millenium Park

While I was on vacation, I took my coffee tour to Chicago.  At the recommendation of my good friend Eric, I checked out Intelligentsia at Millennium Park.  I enjoyed a Black Cat Macchiato.  The Black Cat Espresso is an initiative put forth by Intelligentsia to create exquisite, single origin, espressos.  This Macchiato was delicious.  Intelligentsia roasts all of their beans at a central Roasting Works in Chicago.

This Coffee Shop is located just off the Red Line "L" near Millennium Park (Lake street stop), an easy walk from Lakeshore Dr, the Loop, or the Magnificent Mile.

The coffee shop was fairly crowded when I was there, so I sat at the bar near the pour over work station. There are just about eight tables and a few chairs at the bar, so seating is not plentiful.  I could not locate any outlets.

This coffee bar is fairly bustling, due to its location and large amounts of foot traffic on the street outside. This atmosphere, and also the limited seating, makes it perhaps not the best choice for working.  However, it is an excellent place for settling down with a cup of coffee and enjoying conversation, which is exactly what I did.

I was reading a provocative book on death (another part of my free time as a chaplain) and the man sitting next to me struck up a conversation. It turns out he was a Lutheran pastor in Boston, returning home to visit his family in Chicago.

The coffee was delicious, the baristas were skilled and friendly, and the atmosphere was warm.  Great job Intelligentsia!

Sabbath Coffee Tour: St Paul, MN. Quixotic Coffee.

My latest stop on the Sabbath Coffee tour is Quixotic Coffee in the Highland Park neighborhood of St Paul. I joined my good friends Heather and Jess here for some delicious coffee. Quixotic Coffee serves Blackeye Roasting  and Bootstrap roasters coffees, with a specialty of cold brews on tap.   Cold brew coffee is one of my favorites, and when served on tap, infused with nitrogen, it has a smooth and velvety texture, almost like a stout beer. Incredibly delicious. I would have normally stuck with my standard, dark roast with room for cream, but the novelty of cold brew on tap was too sweet to pass up.  It is not to be missed.  Quixotic also has pastries for sale, although I was there late enough in the day that the selection was limited.

Quixotic Coffee is warm and inviting.  There are plenty of tables, including booths, and a back room that can be reserved for meetings for a small hourly fee. There are plenty of outlets for working as well. Parking is on the street, and has an hour limit. There is parking enforcement on Cleveland, so be careful, as St Paul is serious about parking tickets. I have found this out the hard way a few times.  I parked two blocks away, on Highland Parkway, and did not have a time limit nor any issues with finding parking.

I will most definitely be making my way back to Quixotic Coffee!  Delicious nitro cold brew, inviting atmosphere, and friendly people.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Minneapolis. Dogwood Coffee (E. Lake Street)

For today's stop on the Sabbath Coffee Tour, I stopped at Dogwood Coffee on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. This roaster is based in Minneapolis and in Winnepeg, Manitoba.  This delicious roaster sources their beans with principles of "quality, reciprocal relationships, and balance." They advocate sustainable practices and fair trade. There are two Minneapolis locations, one on Hennepin Street in Uptown and the East Lake Street location.

I sampled the Honduras-Belen Gualcho , with a bit of cream.  This roast is described as buttery with hints of cantaloupe and malted milk balls. I tasted a rich and smooth roast (I generally dislike lighter roasts, but this one was delicious.  It did not even need sugar!

Baristas were extremely friendly, and eager to talk about my experiences touring Twin Cities coffee shops.  They were able to recommend roasts based on my tastes, which I always appreciate. This coffee shop is light and friendly, and is attached to some sort home goods boutique. There are plenty of outlets, warm wood booths, and delicious looking baked goods (although none that are gluten free).  I particularly liked that each booth had its own lamp. Parking is on Lake street (generally two hour, some one hour) or on side streets.  I was there in the middle of the day, so I am not sure what it would be like at a busier time.

Overall, this is a coffee shop that I will frequent again and again.  There is ample seating, it is warm and quiet, the coffee is delicious and the baristas are incredibly kind. Great job Dogwood!

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Minneapolis, Sovereign Grounds (48th and Chicago)

For today's episode in the Sabbath Coffee Tour, I stopped by Sovereign Grounds in south Minneapolis.  This coffee shop roasts their own beans on site, with the house speciality roast called Turkish Roast. 

I enjoyed a mug of the Turkish Roast (a medium dark blend) along with a gluten free blueberry muffin, made in house.  Both were delicious.  There are a variety of baked goods, as well as quiche, soups, and other light foods.

This coffee shop has a very large indoor playroom, with the intent of being Minneapolis' only family-friendly coffee shop.  It is filled with toys, and seemed to draw a ton of families into the coffee shop.  The coffee shop seating side has a few tables and some armchairs, although not as many as the playroom side. There is free wifi available, although I did not spot any outlets.  Parking is street parking  (can be crowded along Chicago) and mostly one hour.  I parked one block off Chicago, and did not have any issues finding a spot.  Additionally, this coffee shop has a $5 minimum for credit cards.

This coffee shop is quieter than you would think with an indoor playground, more pleasant than blaring music.  The Turkish roast was delicious and I enjoyed my gluten free muffin.  This is an enjoyable place for coffee with a friend, but I would not recommend it for working or quiet time, on account of the playroom, few tables and lack of outlets.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Minneapolis, Five Watt Coffee (Nicollet and 38th)

Today I embarked on a another stop on my sabbath coffee tour. I visited Five Watt coffee in south Minneapolis. This charming little shop is located at Nicollet and 38th street. Five Watt roasts their own brews at a St Paul, MN roastery as well as Kickapoo Coffee.

I enjoyed The Residency, the Five Watt house blend.  It is a medium roast with a deep flavor, doctored up with some milk and raw sugar. All brewed coffees enjoyed in house are bottomless, which is an added bonus! There is food available (including gluten free!) and an apparently legendary oatmeal bar on Sundays.

The coffee shop was extremely crowded this morning, I was lucky to find a stool at the counter. There seems to be ample outlets, but those seats were all occupied.  But the baristas were extremely friendly and made me feel welcome in the shop. Parking is street parking (a bit tricky along Nicollet) but ample on the side streets.

I spent a pleasant couple hours coloring mandalas while drinking bottomless coffee, and I fit right in among others who were knitting, writing, and drawing.

Five Watt coffee is an unexpected gem in a fun neighborhood.  I will be back to check it out!

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Keen Eye Coffee (38th Street and 28th Ave, Minneapolis)

Credit D.Gayman to Keen Eye Facebook

In my ongoing quest for coffee, I explored Keen Eye Coffee in the Standish-Ericcson neighborhood of south Minneapolis. This small neighborhood shop brews coffees from local roaster B&W Specialty coffee which has a roastery off Hennepin Ave in Minneapolis.

It was a cloudy and drizzly day, so I decided to have a little extra caffeine. I ordered a depth charge (shot of espresso dropped into brewed coffee).  I had the Columbian dark roast with a shot of house espresso. The Columbian was rich and deep, with no acidic aftertaste. The barista provided fresh cream in a server directly out of the fridge (no room temperature nastiness here!).

The space was welcoming and great for working. A bar along one window, with scattered armchairs and tables.  Free wifi is available, along with outlets. I spent about 90 minutes working on my mandala coloring book, enjoying my coffee and the quiet of the space. There was music playing, but it pleasant and added to the ambiance. Baristas (I think one might have been the owner) were friendly and welcoming to all customers.

There is food available as well, although I did not have any on this visit. There seem to be a variety of baked goods (with a note online about gluten free available) as well as soup and other lunch foods.

I walked to this coffee shop from my home, but there is street parking available. This coffee shop is located near the bustling brewpub Northbound Smokehouse, and the Hiawatha rail line, so happy hour and dinner time parking might be a challenge.

Keen Eye Coffee was a welcoming and cozy neighborhood coffee shop. I can't wait to go back and try their soups!

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Spyhouse Coffee Roasters (Nicollet, Minneapolis)

For today's coffee adventure I set out for Spyhouse Coffee in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. This coffee shop had come recommended by several friends in Denver and it did not disappoint.

Spyhouse has three cafes (Broadway, Hennepin, and Nicollet) in Minneapolis. Beans are roasted at the Broadway cafe. I selected this location because it is relatively near my home. In terms of parking, Nicollet has one hour parking on the east side.  There is longer-term street parking west of Nicollet on side streets. The coffee shop itself is decorated in sleek mid-century modern design with plenty of tables and seats at the bar. There is free wifi and abundant outlets.  The espresso bar is expansive and you can easily watch your coffee being made. The downside to this coffee shop is its blaring music. It is too loud for conversation and WAY too loud for working. I tend to dislike loud music, although that may not bother some other people.

I had a mug of the Ignacio Gutierrez of El Salvadoran origin. It is said to have notes of "blackberry, allspice, and chardonnay."  I put a bit of cream and a small amount of raw sugar in it. This coffee had a rich depth to it and I could note a bit of spice.

The coffee was delicious and the space was welcoming, but the blaring music was too much for me.  I will give this coffee shop another visit to see if today was a fluke, but its just too loud for comfort.

Sabbath Coffee Tour (Minneapolis): Blue Ox Coffee (Chicago and 38th Street)

I recently moved to Minneapolis and decided to continue my Sabbath Coffee tour here.  The first stop in the Twin Cities is Blue Ox Coffee Company.  This is within a short walking distance of my home, so it seemed a natural place to start. Parking is available in limited quantities along Chicago, but traffic is always a nightmare and the corner appears to be a major interchange for several bus routes. So in other words, be patient with parking.

The coffee shop is large and well-lit.  There are plenty of tables and outlets along the walls. There is free wifi, and board games for entertainment. There is a full espresso bar, as well as about a half-dozen roasts of coffee that can be brewed in a Chemex or a pour-over.  This coffee shop gets their beans from Madcap Coffee, a roastery in Grand Rapids, MI.  There are pastries and other foods available (and gluten free pastries available on the weekend!).

I had the Ethiopian Reko roast, which was a savory and bright (almost citrus) flavor, with a little bit of milk and raw sugar. It was delicious.

Because this is my neighborhood coffee shop, I will definitely be making my way back to this coffee shop again!

Living with Intention

A.Hanson, Denver Botanic Gardens, 2015

I am just a few short days away from fulfilling my contract as a CPE resident here in Denver, and then I will be embarking upon a drive to Minneapolis, where I will be settling into newlywed life. I have a part-time job awaiting me, but otherwise, my days will be mostly blissfully unscheduled.

My soul is crying out for Sabbath. I have been pushing my mind, body, and spirit to the breaking point for about eight solid years now.  I have made ten moves, lived in three different states, finished grad school, finished a pastoral internship, finished a residency as a chaplain, came out, and also got married.

As I was reflecting on what is next for me, the one word that is sticking with me is "intentionality." I am tired of living in a place of reaction instead of intention.  I want to be in a place where I consciously make my decisions instead of life making my decisions for me.

Part of this sabbatical is to care for my body in gratitude for all that it does for me. At times I feel like I am an extremely astute mind rather unfortunately attached to a body that needs to be feed and receive rest periodically. I push my body to the limit on a regular basis (forcing it to go without sleep, subsisting on coffee and whatever food I can shovel into my mouth to make my stomach stop growling, and not exercising), and I know that I am relatively young, and this cannot go on forever. I have already seen the effects in my thirties and I am not interested in living like this anymore.

I will rest when I need to rest. I will stop going to bed with my phone and having a frenetic looping between social media sites be the last thing I do before I go to sleep. I will eat good food (and perhaps kick the sugar addiction that has been my nemesis for years) and drink more water than coffee. I will get exercise in a way that cares for both my body and my soul. This means not falling prey to the trap of having exercise become another obligation or another obsession. I will not punish my body into a running program or a weightlifting program, unless that is what it wants.

I will work on noticing things around me. Things that are growing, things that are changing. My wife and I have two dogs, and dogs are just about the best creatures ever at reminding us to live in the moment. I plan on walking these two adorable little crazies as often as I can.

I will work on creating things. I have always been a creative person, and somehow that got lost in the shuffle that is paying bills and going to school and being a grown-up. Somehow creative pursuits are just not as valuable as some other things. Which is a lie that the world tells us. Creating things is about the only antidote to the stress of being human. A life without a spark of art is not much of a life at all.  I love music, particularly creating choral music together with others. I threatened to take up trombone again (my instrument until 12th grade), and my wife suggested that while I was welcome to do so, it might hurt the doggies' ears. In the past I have also loved watercolor painting, quilting, knitting, felting, jewelry making, pottery, and screen printing. I am looking forward to making some improvements to our backyard and to doing some maintenance inside the house.

I will work on meditating, before it becomes critical. Meditating can be sitting quietly, walking, writing, prayer, or some sort of devotional. There have been way too many occasions recently where I have had to set a timer for myself and force myself to sit still in order that I might not jump out of my skin. I will settle deeply into my own soul and actually be present with myself. In other words, actually do the things that I counsel other people to do.

I will live with joy and intention as a newlywed. I will live life abundantly as I continue to be a part of a community of friends and people of faith in Minneapolis/St Paul.

Above all, I am making an intentional decision to realize that I am a person with a mind, body, and spirit, and I need to care for all those things at once. Come, eagerly awaited sabbatical. I am ready for you!

Sabbath Coffee Tour, Part IV: Huckleberry Roasters (Pecos Street)

For Part IV of my Denver Sabbath Coffee Tour I visited Huckleberry Roasters. This local roaster has a roasting room and a cafe on Pecos and 43rd (in the Highlands neighborhood) and a cafe on Larimer and 25th street near downtown.

This part of Denver is mostly older residential homes and this coffee shop occupies a corner of the block. There is a shaded patio, and a big front window open to the outdoors. There a few big tables (encouraging patrons to share), a couple small tables, and a bar. The space is open, minimally decorated, and seems to draw a large number of people from the neighborhood.  There is wifi and plenty of room for enjoying coffee and pastries while you work. Donuts appeared to be a big hit with everyone who was coming in.  Parking is available on the street, and is ample.

I was greeted warmly by the two baristas working when I arrived. The warmth exuded by these two made the experience truly wonderful.  I ordered a pour over, today's brew was the Rwandan Kibuye Gitesi, a bright and sweet roast. I just needed a little bit of cream. Once the coffee cooled a bit, it mellowed into a rich and full blend.

I mentioned to one of the baristas that I was engaging in this coffee tour, and he suggested several other coffee shops to visit. He also suggested some roasters in Minneapolis/St Paul to check out while I am there.

Huckleberry Roasters has been my favorite experience so far on this coffee tour.  The coffee was delicious and the warmth and community created by the baristas and patrons made this an excellent stop on the coffee tour. I will definitely be making my way back to Huckleberry Roasters.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Part III, Amethyst Coffee (11th and Broadway)

 For the third stop on my Denver Sabbath Coffee Tour, I checked out Amethyst Coffee at 11th and Broadway. This light and airy coffee shop (with a Scandinavian style, mid-century modern vibe) serves coffee from Commonwealth Coffee Roasters. I cajoled my friend Vince into joining me, as he is also a big fan of coffee.

This coffee shop is in the remodeled/reclaimed Broadway Plaza motel building which is now called the Metlo. It is a haven of shops and artistic spaces. The coffee shop is in the former front desk space. There is a small parking lot in front, metered parking available on Broadway and non-metered parking on the side streets.  Parking tickets are given in abundance along Broadway, so make sure you feed your meter or watch the street parking limits (usually two hours on side streets). The atmosphere is quiet and open.  There are plenty of tables, a couch, some armchairs, and a shaded patio. It would be a great place for writing or working.  There was no music playing, just the doors open to the patio, with ambient street noise, which I find preferable to loud music in coffee shops. The barista working was friendly and helpful, and patrons were hanging out on the patio with their dogs.

I ordered a cold brew coffee over ice.  Today's roast was the Ethiopian, a light and fruity roast. The coffee was smooth enough that I drank it without cream or sugar. Usually coffee is too bitter for me to enjoy without doctoring it up. There is a pastry case, but by the time we arrived (around 11:30) there were no pastries left.

This was delicious coffee!  I highly recommend this coffee shop both for its delicious coffee and for its comfortable atmosphere.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Part II, Pablo's Coffee (6th and Washington)

Pablo's Coffee is a Denver institution, and has two locations as well as a roaster. Coffee is roasted at a small facility at 7th and Lipan, and coffee is served at the original location at 6th and Washington, and at a newer location at 13th and Pennsylvania.  Their coffee is served by a variety of Denver metro area coffee shops and restaurants.

Today I am meeting a friend for a mid-morning coffee break.  My standard drink for this coffee tour is a medium sized dark roast with room for cream.  The dark roast of the day is "Breakfast Blend" which is described as "milk chocolate, raisins, and roasted peanuts."  I do not particularly taste these notes, but the coffee is hot and fresh and smooth. I fix it up with two packets of sugar in the raw and soy milk. I also order a slice of gluten free coffee cake.

This coffee shop is crowded and crammed full with small round tables and chairs. Sitting on either the front or side patio provides for more comfortable seating. This coffee shop can get really crowded and loud, as there is really only one large space which includes the coffee bar. There also seems to be very loud music playing much of the time, which I do not particularly care for. One thing that I really love about Pablo's is that there is no wi-fi available.  This means that there are not people camped out at tables for hours on end and the space is more conducive to conversation.  This is an intentional way to build community (What's the deal with the wi-fi?) and it works.

In terms of parking, this coffee shop has street parking available as well as a very small lot with about 8 spots.  It is generally easiest to park along Washington, as 6th Avenue is quite busy.

Overall: Pablo's is part of my rotation of regular coffee shops, the place where I end up when I want to have coffee and conversation with friends.  Their Danger Monkey roast is my favorite. Baristas are generally friendly, although they sometimes seem to be more interested in talking with one another than with taking orders. Solid coffee, decent pastries (including vegan and gluten free!), and a space dedicated to community and conversation.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Part I, Novo Coffee (6th and Gilpin)

I drive by this coffee shop frequently and have never been in.  It is located on the corner of a residential area, in the same tiny strip mall as a local meat market. Novo has three coffeehouses in the Denver metro, as well as a roastery located at 3008 Larimer Street.

I order my standard drink, a medium dark roast with room.  I am informed that all Novo roasts are light roasts.  So I ask for the least acidic roast and am directed to the Shakisso (an Ethiopian roast).  I fix it up with two packets of Sugar in the Raw and some cream, enough to make it a beautiful "cafe au lait" color.

My first impression of the coffee is that it has quite a bite to it and I am not sure that I like it.  I decide to let it settle and sip more later. After it settles, the coffee is much smoother.  It goes down without much bite and it has a pleasing creamy aftertaste.

The environment of this coffee shop is simple, exposed brick and wood floors.  Minimal artwork on the walls.  Well-lit, courtesy of the wall of windows in the front.  There is music playing but it is neither too loud nor too distracting. There are plenty of tables and chairs, as well as stools at the bar.  Baristas are friendly and social. There seem to be an equal mix of patrons working and socializing. There do not seem to be many outlets available, I can only see one from my vantage point.

In terms of parking, I cannot comment as I walked to this coffee shop. It is located off a very busy street (6th ave) so parking could be a challenge at times.

Overall: this is a great neighborhood coffee shop that I will visit again!  The friendly and helpful attitude of baristas, the comfortable work space, and the delicious coffee.  Lots of patrons are drinking iced coffee, so perhaps that will be my next adventure.

The practice of being enough

A. Hanson, Taize 2009.

Lent is one of my favorite liturgical seasons (the other being Advent).  There is something profoundly liberating about acknowledging our own mortality.  No longer having to pretend that we have it all together and our lives are bright and shiny and happy.  Lent is about living in reality.  I know that some Christian traditions have customs for what happens during Lent, in particular, the Catholic practice of "giving something up" which is usually tied to the concept that our suffering during lent makes us know the suffering that Christ experienced.  I am sorry, but the fact that you gave up chocolate or coffee or Facebook has no bearing whatsoever on the suffering of Christ.  Back in 2006, I remember hearing from a pastor at a discussion of Lent, "Christ doesn't need you to give up anything.  During Lent, why don't you incorporate some intentional spiritual practice?"  I have made an effort to ADD something to my life every year since then.  Last year I incorporated a time of Sabbath from schoolwork and social media, and instead, on friday mornings I would spend time cultivating relationships and community.  The year before I incorporated a time of contemplative prayer each day before I went to bed.

This year, I am finding myself crying out for more than just a Sabbath or a time of contemplative prayer.  Just this weekend I began to realize that there is a very good possibility that I have taken on more commitments than I can handle.  I currently have seven classes and a teaching parish in which I preach monthly and am actively involved.  My life is filled with wonderful things and wonderful people.  But I am feeling weary. I have overloaded every semester for the past year and a half, and that is getting tiresome.  My summer "vacation" was working in a trauma center.  I am tired.

So this year for my Lenten discipline I am going to embrace mediocrity.  Not in the sense that I am going to be doing life as a half-assed slacker, but realizing that I cannot do it all.  That it is okay to say no.  That I can still work hard in my classes, but have time for relationships as well.  I am going to be working to embrace the practice of being enough.

New Spiritual Practice

A. Hanson 2012

So, I stumbled across a link the other day that I think I am going to try.  Anybody else in with me?

Two-Week Stress-Less Plan by Real Simple

wise words

A pastor friend of mine told me on Sunday, "Sabbath is what happens when you realize that your work will still be there and the world will be just fine if you rest."

Amen.

Big Fork, MT
A. Hanson 2008