Christmas, Family, and a Loaf of Sourdough

Sometimes Leadership Looks Like the Kitchen Table

Christmas has a way of slowing us down, whether we plan for it or not. For me, that slowdown often happens in the kitchen, hands dusted with flour, a loaf of sourdough quietly rising on the counter.

I grew up in rural South Carolina, where food was more than fuel. It was how family gathered. It was how stories were told. It was how love showed up without needing fancy words. Baking sourdough during Christmas brings me back to that place. It reminds me that the most meaningful moments in life are often the simplest ones.

As a grandfather to teenagers now, I’ve learned something important. The season isn’t about recreating childhood magic. It’s about creating space. Space to laugh. Space to talk. Space to remind the people we love what truly matters.

Faith, Family, and Intention

Christmas also invites reflection. Not the loud kind, but the quiet kind. The kind that asks, “Am I present?” and “Am I grateful?” The birth of Christ reminds us that God often works through humility, stillness, and obedience rather than noise and performance.

That lesson applies far beyond faith. It applies to leadership. It applies to family. It applies to life.

A Simple Invitation

This season, I encourage you to slow down long enough to notice what really fills your cup. Share a meal. Bake something meaningful. Have the conversation you’ve been putting off.

Leadership begins at home, and sometimes it starts with a loaf of bread.