jeff's blog
jeff's blog
Jeff Delp
My blog is a little bit of everything -- random thoughts, adventures, and encouragement ;)
Latest Posts
Today I tried to complete a "simple" lawn irrigation repair for my brother. I'm not a very "handy" person, but I was confident this was within the scope of my abilities. I was wrong. After three trips to the hardware store, and several...
When my nephew was three years old, he went to a local park with his dad. They returned sooner than expected. Ezra was asked how the trip to the park went, and he provided a one word response -- with some exasperation. "People!?" Indeed....
I was too ambitious with my initial weekly sharing (weekly 15). I’ve decided to make it a bit more achievable — without a specific number. The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world. - Dr. Paul...
I've done a lot of quitting in my lifetime. Most incidents of throwing in the towel were rather insignificant. A fishing trip that wasn't going well. A round of golf (I'm a terrible golfer). A new year's resolution. A book that didn't...
Sometimes I feel a little off. Discombobulated. Struggling to find my rhythm. There is no shortage of advice on what to do in these situations, but here is a simple plan that has consistently worked for me. Take out a pen and paper (I...
This morning I was texting with my uncle. In response to a query about how he was doing, he responded, “Hanging in there. Trying to obey the yellow light” Obey the yellow light. Indeed! Slow. Down. In a world that is addicted to worry...
A raven I photographed (on Halloween) while walking the dog. It has nothing to do with my post, except that I now have time to take the picture and post it. As previously mentioned, I retired at the end of the last school year after 25+...
Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. - Alfred Adler The world seems to be operating on a shortage of empathy these days. Empathy requires a level of...
Yesterday I was driving home, in silence, and began to take notice of other drivers and people walking. Given just a few seconds in passing, it is difficult to ascertain how that person might be feeling — or what they are thinking. You...
15 things: 1 quote, 2 random thoughts, 3 things I'm working on, 4 gratitudes, and 5 things to share. Choosing to have joy is not naively thinking everything will be easy. It is courageously believing that there is still hope, even when...
Sunset on a dirt road, near my home. Today, I feel like writing about home. I have lived in Arizona for nearly half of my life, but I "grew up" in rural Kansas. For me, Kansas is home. Fields of wheat, alfalfa, and corn. The cold air and...
The world is loud. Sometimes we need a break. Peace and quiet. But, not all that is quiet is calm. Some of what we consume is nearly silent, but percussively loud. Social media. Mindless chatter. News reports. Advertisements....
I have a list of things I'd like to accomplish. These are things I would enjoy doing -- not chores or trivial items. Here is a sampling: Play the guitar Learn to sketch Hike the Grand Canyon Read the entire Bible Write a book Take some...
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus We have so many choices. Information is everywhere. We are bombarded by messages about everything we...
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. - Mother Teresa Several years ago, I participated in a community circle with twelve teenage boys and their teacher. The students had selected the topic...