jeff's blog
jeff's blog
Jeff Delp
My blog is a little bit of everything -- random thoughts, adventures, and encouragement ;)
Latest Posts
Some say it is dull. Drab. Dreary. Sterile. I see a palette of muted colors. Gold. Bronze. Ruddy. Amber. Shades of blue mottled by white and ivory. Glowingly beautiful. Accentuated by silence. Winter warmth.
I haven't written much the last few weeks. A lot going on. The holidays. My daughter's college graduation. Travel. But, that's okay. I'll get back on track soon. My struggle (or blessing) right now is that there are so many things I want...
Don't worry. The evidence is indisputable. I have a long history of worrying and I can tell you off the top of my head how many times it has helped. Uh, zero. What I can't tell you is the number of hours I have spent worrying about...
I had a plan to be productive today and sports cards messed it up. My goal was to make a significant dent in decluttering and organizing our garage. I started with the best of intentions and the first thirty minutes went well. I went...
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Pfft. That proverb is garbage. Our words matter. Said aloud, face to face, online…they matter. For our own health, as well as the well-being of others. Out of the...
Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you. - Walt Whitman I have a four-year old nephew that I watch from time to time. One of my duties is to pick him up from preschool. Until recently, he had been...
I am determined to sell or give away a lot of my possessions. The older I get the more I realize how little I need. In fact, owning stuff is a distraction. It costs money, takes up space, needs to be organized, and I have a lot of things...
A wonder, that a device so small, in existence for less than twenty years, can be so influential in one's daily life. An evolutionary appendage that serves a purpose, but one we can do without. Though, this is contrary to our belief. I...
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir Yesterday, my daughter (who will graduate from college next week..yay!!!) and I drove in the direction of the Mogollon Rim to cut the family Christmas tree. We...
The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder. — G.K. Chesterton Each Wednesday, I am responsible for picking up my nephews from school and keeping an eye on them until my brother gets off work. The...
I am a worrier. A worrier that comes from a long line of worriers. I’ve spent a significant amount of time worrying, so I am practiced. With all due humility, I’m very good at it. And, in spite of my skill level, the outcome of this...
In my career I invested a lot of time in an effort to be good at my job. Perhaps, too much. My sense of identity was closely tied to my work. People knew me as, "Jeff -- the principal at Willis Junior High School." I like to believe that...
Blessings often come in small packages. Blink, fret too much, or get distracted by the hurry of life and you are likely to miss these little bits of encouragement. An example. This morning, as I was having coffee and reading at my desk,...
Streets of Port au Prince, Haiti In December I plan on systematically going through my possessions and minimizing as much as possible. Not only do I want to reduce what I own, but I want to be more cognizant about what I spend. Therein...
The real enemies of our lives are the "oughts" and the "ifs." They pull us backward into the unalterable past, or forward into the unpredictable future. But real life takes place in the here and now. - Henri Nouwen I sometimes wonder how...