My wife always says that one of the best parts of enjoying something is sharing it with others. So, with that in mind, allow me to share just a few of my favorite things.

It was by chance that I stumbled upon Aaron Lansky’s “Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books”, but the writing and the subject matter gripped me from
page one.

In a humorous, yet poignant style, Lansky recounts how a boring university class turned into an action-packed hunt for the last remaining Yiddish books in the United States. It might sound dry, but it was a page-turner that kept me up into the wee hours of the morning to see how it all ended.

Potency, not humor, is Andree Seu’s specialty. Her “Won’t Let You Go Unless You Bless Me” is a slim volume that requires some thinking and a good dose of humility. Her surprisingly direct writing style may not be your cup of tea at first (it wasn’t mine), but give it a few pages; her brief essays are filled with reminders of God’s goodness, man’s sinfulness, and the redemption made possible through the shed blood of Christ.

Prior to leaving for a trek up north, my wife and I had an early anniversary dinner just around the corner from our home in Metamora, at the White Horse Inn. It was our first time visiting the famed restaurant, but it won’t be our last.

I had the honey plum salmon, doused in a honey-plum-teriyaki glaze, accompanied by seasoned asparagus and potatoes. She had a homemade buffalo meatloaf, served with grilled onions, mushrooms, mashed potatoes and gravy. We both gave our meals five stars.

The next morning, we drove to Sleeping Bear Dunes. I have been to my share of national natural treasures and was, frankly, not particularly excited about hiking up giant piles of sand. But my mind changed as soon as we hiked a short trail and saw the splendor of Lake Michigan before us. As we watched the autumn sun make its descent, we made up our minds then and there: we’ll be returning next year.

Whether motoring to northern Michigan or running brief errands into town, my drives are always accompanied by a good podcast.

The World and Everything In It is the weekday news program you wished you had found years ago. It’s got the professional sound of NPR, minus the leftist bent. You’ll hear daily headlines from around the country and around the world, as well as human interest stories, book reviews, and an overview of every Supreme Court case being heard, all coming to you from a biblical worldview.

If it’s history you’re interested in, download Andrew Roberts’ Secrets of Statecraft. A British historian, known for his comprehensive biographies of Winston Churchill and Napoleon Bonaparte, Roberts interviews high-profile public figures to learn how the study of history has influenced their careers and the pivotal decisions they have made. His Sept. 6 interview with Dr. Condoleezza Rice is a particular favorite.

At the end of a long week, our family likes to unwind with a good movie. Recently, we watched Disney’s 2022 production of Pinocchio.

Although many remakes of older movies fall flat, this one does not.

While the story and scenes mirror many of those found in the 1940 cartoon, the lessons about unbridled pleasure and the dangers of autonomy are far more vivid and affecting. And it doesn’t hurt that it features the singular Tom Hanks.

Winston Churchill famously said, “My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best.” I don’t know if my tastes are as rarified as Churchill’s, but I do know that my wife is right: sharing good things
with others is half the thrill.

Considering that I can’t shuffle a deck of cards to save my life, and that my idea of an exciting Friday night is settling down with the family to watch reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, visiting Las Vegas — let alone living there — was never on my bucket list.

But, against these odds, Vegas has been home for the past eight years.

It all began back in 2014, when I went to Vegas for a nine-month internship. Following the completion of the program, I accepted a position with the organization with which I interned and decided to stay in Las Vegas.

Like most tourist destinations, the tourist version of Las Vegas is not very alluring to locals, including to my family and me. Sure, we enjoy taking out-of-town guests to see the Bellagio Fountains, to have their pictures taken in front of the iconic Las Vegas sign, and to tour the Mob Museum. But the Strip is not the Las Vegas in which we live.

Our Vegas is mom-and-pop coffee shops, hole-in-the-wall eateries, and backyard get-togethers with friends. It’s our church, drives through the desert, local parks and visits to Boulder City. And we have enjoyed “our Vegas” these past several years.

But warm weather and palm trees can’t compensate for the desire to be closer to our families, to our roots.

A few months into our marriage, in fact, my wife and I began talking about the possibility of moving back to Michigan, where we are both from. Five years and two children later, we finally decided the time had come: we move into our new home, in Metamora, this week.

I have a running list of things I have missed about Michigan and which I look forward to enjoying once again...

• Family get-togethers.
• Holidays.
• Day trips.
• Outings with friends.
• Grass.
• The Henry Ford Museum.
• Autumn colors.
• Dow Gardens.
• Koegel’s hotdogs.
• Fourth of July.
• Afternoons at the lake.
• A stellar state library system.
• Summer days below 110 degrees.

Although we will undoubtedly need to be reminded of these perks when the snow begins to fall and when we cannot feel our faces, for us, Michigan will always be home, and we’re grateful to be back.