A couple of days ago, we heard a woodpecker in our backyard.

Bap bap bap bap… the sound was mesmerizing, like a drumline in the woods.

Did you know woodpeckers strike their beaks against timber around 20 times every second? The bird may even hit a tree 10,000 to 12,000 times a day.

You’d expect a scrambled egg situation inside that tiny head. But amazingly, its skull spreads impact through spongy bone and muscle, with a tongue extending far beyond the beak. Wrapping around the back of the skull, it helps absorb the force during pecking.

Engineers have studied woodpecker skulls to improve areas such as football helmets and concussion research.

A few other findings about these remarkable creatures:

• Woodpeckers hunt tree insects, and during outbreaks of beetles or borers, they’re fantastic pest control.

• Pecking doesn’t just mean feeding, since they also “drum” to mark territory or attract a mate.

• Tiny feathers around the nostrils keep wood chips from entering the nose.

Yes, this small bird with incredible engineering has some truths for us.

Protection isn’t in the beak (the tool), but hidden inside the skull (the structure). Since true strength is often internal, design your life so that your habits and environment serve the future you want.

The woodpecker was built for the pressure it faces.

So were you.

Creation amazes me.

• A blue whale’s heart is the size of a car, and its tongue weighs the same as an elephant.

• A hippo’s skin is so thick it’s essentially bulletproof.

• Cheetahs sprint as fast as 75 mph, reaching that speed in just three seconds.

• A lion’s roar can be heard five miles away.

• A kangaroo is able to leap 25 feet in a single bound.

If those creatures seem too distant from your daily life, just look in the mirror. Behind your eyes sits a brain with an estimated storage capacity of around 2.5 petabytes. That equals roughly three million hours of Netflix.

Yep, your head holds more than most of us could watch in several lifetimes.

Always keep your sense of wonder… our world overflows with the fingerprints of a creative God.

Amazingly, the Hawaiian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

And the little upside-down comma you see in words like Hawaiʻi is called an ʻokina. It counts as a real letter, and if left out, another word can accidentally emerge.

When missionaries helped develop the written system in the 1820s, they removed letters representing sounds Hawaiians never used. With fewer choices, rhythm matters more.

Hawaiian carries an almost musical quality when pronounced correctly.

Thirteen letters, endless meaning.

Whatever you tackle, remember simplicity creates clarity. Depth does not require complexity.

Where will you explore next?

Travel is more than luxury, it’s an education. Think of travel costs as tuition and the memories as degrees.

So, here’s a fun pop quiz. Do you know how many cities are in the world? Go ahead and guess.

It’s actually surprising…

Officially, there are over 50,000 cities.

Let that number stretch your imagination. Even if you somehow visited 10% of those, there would still be forty-five thousand locations waiting, with each one showcasing unfamiliar accents, new rhythms, interesting ways to cook food or greet a neighbor or celebrate a birthday.

The planet is less like a map and more like a library with fifty thousand unopened books. Or how about this — the world is a giant buffet and many people have only sampled the breadsticks.

Get out there and explore. Stop nibbling and start feasting.

What’s the fastest you’ve ever traveled?

Most people would answer an airplane ride, since commercial jets fly about 550 mph while cruising at altitude.

But you’ve moved much faster. Actually, you’re going faster right now.

A little fact that melts my mind: the Earth travels around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour.

While sipping a relaxed cup of coffee, you’re hurtling through space like a rocket.

So technically, sitting on your couch makes you roughly 122 times quicker than a jet pilot, which really puts your productivity into perspective.

You deserve a break today.

Let’s say you’re an astronaut in space, and the majestic Earth floats below.

You’re wearing the multi-million-dollar NASA suit with the helmet and bulky gloves. And suddenly… your nose starts itching.

What do you do? You can’t reach your face or remove the helmet, so it’s pure, maddening torture.

This is a real problem NASA had to solve, but they devised a solution. Hint: no redesign required.

Inside the spacesuit helmets, engineers added a tiny Velcro patch. Whenever there’s an itch, astronauts just lean forward and rub against it.

No hands required.

Innovation isn’t always a rocket engine. Overthinking is expensive. The most elegant answer usually hides in plain sight while other people are busy designing something complicated.

Sometimes effective breakthroughs are low-tech.

The best tool is the one that works.

Recently, for the first time, I heard Brandi Carlile's song, “Crowded Table.”

As I worked, it played in the background and the chorus grabbed my attention:

I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we're young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done

A crowded table is one of life’s greatest gifts. Coming home to people who are looking for you and folks who want to hear about your day. It’s a reset from all the stuff faced during daily obligations.

You could have every dollar on earth, but returning home to empty seats and silent rooms is the deepest kind of poverty.

Near the end of the song, another lyric got me, too:

The door is always open
Your picture's on my wall
Everyone's a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, everyone belongs

Always choose full tables over treasure.

Everyone wants abs by Friday.

The problem? You’re eating Cheetos in your pajamas at 2PM on a Tuesday.

We all desire the medal, the promotion, the beach body, the standing ovation. Craving the trophy requires zero effort.

Everyone has a willingness to win, but not everyone has a willingness to prepare to win because… preparation is hard. It means showing up when you’d rather stay in bed.

Preparation is doing the thing again when you’ve already done the thing twenty-seven times and you’re still not good at the thing.

But winners are forged in the dark, when no one is watching. The gap between wanting and winning overflows with work most people refuse to do.

Yes, success has a very boring origin story, but you must lean into it.

Champions aren’t made in the ring; they’re simply rewarded there.

This started as a small idea.

A quiet one. And then I jumped in.

Three hundred sixty-five days. Three hundred sixty-five blog posts. January 12, 2025 through January 12, 2026.

Some entries flowed easily. Others felt like a root canal. But still, the habit stuck. One day led to the next, and the calendar kept flipping.

And somehow, here we are.

I set this goal for two reasons:

1) To freeze snapshots from our everyday family life
2) To challenge myself as a writer

Well, I finally landed the plane. The year wrapped up.

Thanks for reading along over the past twelve months. And especially for the encouragement.

The blog will stay, just not daily. Weekly feels right. Or whenever the itch shows up and the cursor starts blinking again.

Adios, until next time.

January 12th means… Kate’s birthday!

On Sunday, we celebrated with her in Richmond. After church and gifts, Kate, Jess, and I enjoyed brunch at First Watch, followed by window shopping in Carytown. We capped off the afternoon with a dessert stop at Sweet Frog.

During our meal, we continued a tradition started years ago, asking the same set of birthday questions.

The list runs about twenty deep, covering everything from favorite colors and sports teams to future dreams. And the big ones are always fun: career plans, marriage, kids.

It’s interesting to see how the answers change over time.

One of the questions is, “What do you love?” And Kate responded in the most Kate way possible:

“Life.”

That single word captures her completely. She dances through her days, quick to laugh at herself. Sunshine seems to follow her around. Want to groove to music? She’s your girl. Feel like going out for a meal or settling in for a movie? Sign her up.

She moves through the world with a natural, wonderful mantra: “Why not?”

This fearless spirit has guided her through high school choir and track, two summers at a child development center, a college role as a Resident Advisor, and a campus marketing position.

At one point on Sunday I asked, “What job do you want to have in ten years?” She thought for a minute and then answered confidently.

“I’d like to teach hip-hop dance.”

Wow… I didn’t see that one coming. But it’s perfectly Kate.

And with her passion for life, I’ll be the first to enroll.

Happy Birthday, Kate!

The container of time.

Long before planners and phone alerts, calendars followed the Moon. Early farmers watched the soil and skies.

Then the Babylonians invented the seven-day week.

Centuries later, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII approved a new approach. Today, this Gregorian system serves as the official one for nearly the entire planet, a combination of astronomical observations and religious reforms.

For me, a calendar holds more than dates. Each square freezes a moment.

Here are my favorites with Jess:

August 24, 1995
First date — a baseball game then an evening beach stroll.

September 9, 1995
First kiss at a quiet park.

October 13, 1995
First “I Love You” — stated by me, not her. She took almost 24 hours to say it back.

May 17, 1997
Engagement — on the beach with a big conch shell.

March 7, 1998
Marriage — a walk down the aisle at Talbot Park Baptist Church in Norfolk.

And then, our story expanded with more miraculous days involving our children.

It’s nice to have a system that captures these special milestones, reminding us of what matters in life.

Shout out to the Pope.

Getting ready.

What to do when a huge event happens in a couple of months? Grab some paint, of course.

Today called for brushes and drop cloths. Jess, Jake, and I showed up at McKenzie and Will’s house prepared to put color on some walls.

We rolled up our sleeves and cranked up some music. Then cracked open paint cans.

But this wasn’t just a standard refresh. Not even close. Our granddaughter arrives soon, and these four walls will become her first space in the world.

Each stroke felt intentional, knowing the room will hold tender moments. Late-night feedings. First giggles. The colors painted today will be among the earliest shapes and shades her eyes learn to recognize.

Painting a nursery is like writing a love letter to someone you haven’t met yet.

For several hours, we helped shift the space. From bare to a place of belonging. Each pass of the brush becoming an act of welcome, filling every inch with warmth and love before she arrives.

Sometimes anticipation smells like fresh paint.

There aren’t many constants in life.

But a sibling is one of them.

Mark is my younger brother by three years. And it’s amazing to have someone who shares so much history with me.

Since the early days, he holds a front-row seat. We have a secret language and inside jokes that come from a lifetime together. One weird phrase can make us laugh like kids again.

We’re the two people on earth who speak the dialect of our childhood. A shorthand needing no explanation. He’s my living scrapbook, an archive of dusty memories.

Only a handful know the deep stories of Trail 8 and Everett Street. Just a select few can tell the tales of Bud Apple and Stump, G.W.F. Bates and Roll-A-Bout, the Atomic Small and the Pacer, along with all the wacky neighbors and family vacation trips.

Spending your youth with another person is a gift, because memories make sense to those who lived them beside you. You never have to carry the past alone.

Yesteryear feels richer when someone else can remember the same kitchen, the same weekends at the grandparents, the same Sunday meals.

One of Mark’s greatest strengths is his mind, a steel trap for remembering things. Especially numbers and dates. Ask a question and the guy turns into a human search engine.

Plus, he’s a whiz with analytical and mechanical puzzles. And since the start, animals and roller coasters have held a soft spot in his heart.

To top it all off, Mark also gave me a sister-in-law, Isley, and a nephew, Chandler. Two special gifts.

Growing up side-by-side is like being co-sailors on a voyage, experiencing both the storms and calm seas of childhood from the same small, rocking boat.

Someone once said, “A sibling is the only person who can look at you and see the child, the teenager, and the adult all at once.”

All this to say… reach out to your sibling(s) today.

There’s no one else in the world like them.

Faith.

People toss this word around, but what does it really mean?

My favorite definition: Faith is trusting God in the dark.

Think of faith as a seed.

A kernel enters soil without visibility. The most important work happens underground, germinating.

Faith grows the same way.

And just as a seed must be planted, so faith demands burying our own understanding and control.

It’s letting go to let grow.

Miraculously, a tiny acorn holds the genetic code for a mighty oak. It’s all there, packed into something small and unimpressive. Likewise, faith contains a divine blueprint.

Embrace this truth at your core, before a single sprout.

Growth is often hidden in the early stages. But believe the root is reaching downward, establishing the evidence of life. A quiet revolution taking place below your feet.

And since a seed cannot be rushed, this requires patience. That’s why faith and waiting go hand-in-hand.

Trust in the mysterious process. The ground itself shifts. Soil cracks. Space expands. What once felt confining begins to change shape, a structure rising toward the sun.

Faith is like the first step on an invisible staircase. But how do you take the step?

By planting a seed.

And how do you plant that seed?

By saying Yes in the dark.

Work hard to not be possessed by your possessions.

I love that Warren Buffett, considered one of history’s most successful investors, still drives an old car. It fits his “frugal billionaire” lifestyle.

Despite being worth over $140 billion, Buffett drove a 2001 Lincoln Town Car for nearly a decade. When he finally gave it up, he bought a used Cadillac.

When does he upgrade his vehicle? Only when his daughter says it’s becoming “embarrassing.”

Each morning, he visits the McDonald’s drive-thru and chooses between three breakfast items ($2.61, $2.95, or $3.17) depending on how the stock market is performing. And until recently, he used a flip phone.

For Buffett, standard of living is not the same as cost of living.

Collecting possessions brings the burden of storage and maintenance. So hold tight to your purse strings. When you accumulate treasures, you assume obligations.

The things you buy eventually end up buying your time.

Wealth is found in the absence of need, not the presence of stuff.

This phrase has always motivated me.

Speak up for those who cannot speak out.

This begins by watching the margins. That’s where you’ll find the vulnerable and oppressed.

They often hide in plain sight, existing in the gaps of our attention, easy to miss and even easier to overlook.

Your first job is simply to notice.

True advocacy starts not with speaking, but with seeing. Be aware of those who are not being defended.

Their silence doesn’t reflect contentment but rather exhaustion or fear. Translate that quiet into a call for change.

Your ability to speak without consequences is a form of privilege.

And your platform becomes meaningful only when you use it for others.

A riddle of epic proportions.

Back in the 70s, a cartoon commercial mesmerized a generation of kids. Featuring a popular lollipop, the ad asked, How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

The world, the commercial said, might never know.

Determined to find out, I grabbed one and sat down with paper and pencil. After each lick, I’d make a mark.

This seemed to take days.

But when I finally hit the brown tootsie middle, it felt like winning a gold medal. Then I counted my scribbles. And the grand total came to…dramatic pause...

429 licks.

Excited about my groundbreaking discovery, I mailed a letter to the Tootsie Roll Company, telling them the secret info. Satisfied with my accomplishment, I didn’t think about it again.

Until a few weeks later.

That’s when a large, important-looking envelope arrived, addressed to me. Inside, a fancy certificate stated these words:

TOOTSIE POP AWARD
Be It Known To All People
The world may never know how many licks it takes to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop... but a few strong-willed young men and women know. The bearer of this AWARD is one who KNOWS.

A company official had signed the bottom.

One of the proudest moments of my young life. And to this day, that certificate is kept in a scrapbook.

Curiosity starts most great adventures.

Ask questions and see where it leads you. The best learning will always require some work, but the process is part of the prize.

Bonus points if the ending includes chocolate.

This day’s for you, Will.

Today we celebrated his birthday with a surprise lunch at a waterside restaurant in Hampton. Our big table included me, Jess, McKenzie, Will’s parents, his brother and sister-in-law, and sweet niece.

Long ago, when McKenzie was small in my arms, I started praying for her future husband. This mystery person existed only as a hope, a face I couldn’t yet imagine.

I asked the good Lord for a man of integrity. Someone who would love generously, with a humble heart for God and others.

Watching how the dots connected still leaves me amazed.

God answered that prayer.

And then some.

A little wisdom nugget.

Joke yourself instead of someone else.

If anyone has to be the butt of your jokes, make it you. Punch up at yourself, not down at others.

If your wisecrack leaves a person feeling smaller, rethink the punchline.

Self-deprecation is a superpower for diffusing tension in a room. And your own flaws are an infinite goldmine. No need to spotlight someone else’s.

A laugh earned at your own expense costs nothing.

Here’s a shortcut for determining a person’s character.

If you ever wonder if someone is the right one for a second date or the perfect candidate to hire, then try this free test…

Put them in a room with a kid.

You can tell a lot about a person by observing how children respond to them.
-Steve Gutzler

Children are tiny truth detectors, and they’re drawn to the real deal. There’s a specific frequency they gravitate toward. And this cannot be faked.

It’s funny how an adult might charm a boardroom, but they can’t fool a five-year-old’s intuition. Watch how they handle a toddler’s sticky hands or the endless questions. Their actions will speak volumes.

Kids are like a mirror to the soul.

If you want someone’s quickest biography, listen for the laughter of little ones.

Or their silence.