Things I Loved in 2025

Hard to believe I got all this in.

I’ve had such a good year — it’s nice to look back at it, especially on those down days I’ve been having. (I’m fighting a cold.)

Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash

1. Last January, Lisa and I went out to Denver to visit Perry and Sharon. We finally got tickets for the Coors Factory Tour!

   

2. In February, we made the move from our long-time office to a new location about a mile away. The owners of the old building were no longer caring for it, so it’s nice to be in a place where the owner’s office is just a few floors below, and there is toilet paper in the bathrooms.

3. While I’m thinking about it, we reached our 21st year in practice this year, which is amazing to me. The Willow Wellness Center was started in 2004.

4. We had a great April in Paris! This was such a wonderful time - champagne tours, dinner in the Eiffel Tower, museums … I want to go back!

   

5. Our niece Melissa is a singing star, and headlined in Beautiful as Carole King in New Orleans and then played the Miranda Hillard role in Mrs. Doubtfire in Milwaukee. We loved these shows, and hope to catch Mrs. Doubtfire again in 2026.

   

6. My biggest and most rewarding undertaking this year was serving as a Mission Volunteer in México during May and June. I worked at Manos Juntas, a non-profit affiliate of the Methodist Church in Mexico. I met some wonderful colleagues who are making a difference for people on the Mexican border with the U.S., and I’m continuing those relationships.

   

7. I got tired of fighting to make my hair look decent, so I took the advice of a Mexican barber and went with a very short haircut. I’ve been glad I did ever since.

8. Every month I lead Peace Vigils at my church, and we put together a community-wide vigil in November. These prayer circles have nurtured my soul.

   

9. I drove up to Minneapolis to visit Chip and Sue for a few days and had a great time. Chip and I were in business school together, and he reminded me of some great Scam stories.

10. We went to New Orleans again in August to see Melissa perform with my brother Bill and sister-in-law Danielle. While there we took a day trip to the Tabasco factory on Avery Island. I do like my hot sauce.

11. In September, we spent a couple weeks with my favorite missionary, Willie Berman from Manos Juntas. Willie managed to survive on limited coffee while at our house, and we visited tons of churches in Northern Illinois.

12. Back to Denver in November, we gathered several members of our family for a fun dinner on an outdoor patio at Steuben’s, which I would recommend. When family gets together, those occasions can be really special. On the same trip we ate at Casa Bonita, which is a trip to another world.

13. I went to two very different conferences near the end of the year. The first was a hypnosis training on pain management. Hypnosis doesn’t work for everyone, but when it does it can be very powerful. Some people have had surgery with no anesthesia - only hypnosis. The second conference was for the Peace and Justice Studies Association, and included readings from the poet Padraig O’Tuama and some presentations that have really stuck with me. One in particular was about conversations with prisoners who were able to connect emotionally for the first time.

14. In the midst of all the turmoil that Donald Trump is creating in our country, it was heartening to participate with thousands of others in No Kings protests this year. It is good to know that there are others who are just as disturbed as I am. And I particularly loved the signs.

    

15. I continue to enjoy reading and writing, both in sermons and here at Fruitful Detours. This has been a good year for getting things down on paper (or putting things out in the blogosphere).