My Young Life leader called me last night. He had no particular reason; I think he was just checking in and doing some “contact work.” We talked for about 45 minutes, catching up on how my family and his family are doing. He encouraged my faith, spoke wisdom into my life, and reminded me how loved I am by him and by my Heavenly Father.

Our first full day in Siena, Italy was as magical as we had imagined when we booked our fifth floor apartment. That day my wife and I did most of the things we had imagined while planning the trip: we had pasta at an outdoor table. We tasted more of the local wine that we might admit in public. We had begun what might amount to a gelato tour of the city.

I think getting started has been the hardest thing. Unless of course you are starting tomorrow. I am starting a diet tomorrow. I will fix the sprinkler tomorrow and I will quit procrastinating tomorrow. See that is easy, but actually starting something you have never done before is difficult.