Let Heaven and Nature Sing

  As a youngster growing up in a vibrant, multigenerational faith community, Sundays felt like gatherings of extended family. My church family was shared with my dentist, my band director, my science teacher along with many active citizens and role models in our town. That close-knit environment helped inspire my own journey of faith. I vividly remember the sixth grade especially the summer I spent at Camp Cho-Yeh in Livingston, Texas. One night, we sang “Here I Am, Lord.” I was flooded with emotion and full-body goosebumps. I knew without a doubt that I was surrounded by the presence of God. That moment marked me and turned on my inner compass Here I am, Again…lifted, forgiven, and wrapped in a mercy I did not earn but deeply need. Time and again, God meets me with grace, steadies me on my feet, and gently sets me back on the path. A few years ago, during a career transition, I returned to teaching part-time while also serving as a full-time academic staff member at a community c...

  Today, we officially set sail from Venice, Italy, embarking on a 7-day journey through the Adriatic aboard the MSC Opera, an Italian-owned cruise line that has clearly refined its process. Everything so far has been seamless and world-class. It's still early, just the first night, so we’ll see how the rest of the week unfolds. As for the food… it’s decent, but not my thing. I’m not a fan of buffets unless it’s a trusted Chinese buffet and I certainly avoid potluck-style dining. That said, I’ve done my best to find a few enjoyable items The dinner options are much more enjoyable with a great formal setting. Our server was from India, and his colleague, who helped as well, was from Honduras. I connected with her in Spanish, drawing from my past years serving in youth missions in her home country through the Episcopal Church. They were our servers throughout the cruise; the continuity was comforting. After dinner, Charles suggested a walk by the pool. I agreed and stopped at the poo...