"For when there is a question as to whether a man is good, one does not ask what he believes,
or what he hopes, but what he loves." - St. Augustine in a letter to Laurentius

Steven Garber, in his book The Fabric of Faithfulness, expands on this idea that the college years are an important part of the development of loves that can sustain and lead to a coherent worldview and way of life. Gideon Strauss has further developed this through an exercise of making a list of what one loves: "it is in consideration of what we love that we come to know, most deeply, who we are and who we can become."

 
·         the ocean- the breezes, the smells, the waves, the water, the heat, the sun…

·         grace, without it there would be no loves

·         the Creator, whose truth continually seeks me out.

·         getting up in the morning, starting a brand new day

·         family- parents, siblings and their growing families

·         listening to music

·         playing basketball

·         playing the piano

·         ice skating

·         dark chocolate

·         intimacy with friends

·         conversations- especially the meaningful and philosophical kind

·         bananas

·         summer

·         films that initiate dialogue and open up conversations about big ideas

·         live concerts

·         the Eucharist

·         blogging

·         the poetry of Steve Turner

·         mocha flavored drinks

·         flying on airplanes

·         riding on trains

·         taking "road trips"

·         fall

·         creativity and innovation

·         collecting CD's and books

·         the story in the Bible, from beginning to end

·         working up a good sweat - followed by drinking cold water

·         Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1

·         a sense of home and belonging

·         computer technology - when it is working well

·         swimming

·         Neocalvinism- following Abraham Kuyper and Herman Dooyeweerd

·         Third Places

·         sugary breakfast cereals with milk, any time of day

·         living in community

·         engaging culture and helping others do the same

·         reading social theory, philosophy, and fiction- learning and pursuing wisdom

·         The relationships and conversations at the intersection of higher education, college students, and culture.

·         the bustle and energy of the city- the connection to culture, the solitude and quiet of the countryside- the  
     connection to the land

·         sitting on my front porch- being a part of the neighborhood

·         writing

·         Sunday worship, good preaching and old hymns

·         smell of freshly baked bread

·         the writing and ideas of Steven Garber, Wendell Berry, N.T. Wright, and Leslie Newbigin

·         my ipod

·         the TV shows – Seinfeld, The Office, and The Simpsons

·         the creation of culture in "every square inch"