jeff's blog
jeff's blog
Jeff Delp
My blog is a little bit of everything -- random thoughts, adventures, and encouragement ;)
Latest Posts
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...
Life can be challenging. Stressful. Hectic. Busy. Overwhelming. Our capacity to deal with the world around us varies and is finite. When we reach our limit, we have to accept it. Don't give up. Reduce the load, or do something...
Last week I was doing some work in a field of our family’s Christmas tree farm that borders a neighbor. They have quite a menagerie of animals — chickens, goats, sheep, a horse, rabbits, goats, pigeons and greyhounds. In addition, they...
I'm reading a good fiction book right now (This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger). Inexplicably, I feel a bit guilty because it is my third fiction book in a row. I like to mix in nonfiction to feel like I'm "learning" something. I...
I'm spending a few days in Kansas, helping my brother on our family Christmas tree farm. The work is physically challenging (dragging, lifting, netting, stacking, and loading Christmas trees), but I finish the day "good tired." Not the...
I will not allow anyone to walk in my mind with dirty feet. — Mahatma Gandhi Many of us spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think. I don't have immunity, or a remedy. I am, by nature, a people-pleaser. While this isn't...
When I am in Kansas (my home state) I enjoy going for a drive in the country. I typically depart with a general direction in mind (say Quivera National Wildlife Refuge) but without a specific route for getting there. I'll choose any of a...