Jan 18Member-onlyI Was Blind, But Now, I SeeAs part of my daily routine, I try to start the day by reading the Bible. I find that my days proceed more smoothly if I absorb God’s word and try to figure out what He would have me do on that day. By contrast, when I simply rush into…Jesus15 min readJesus15 min read
Dec 6, 2022Member-onlySoccer Could Be Even BetterNow that the United States men’s soccer team has been eliminated from the 2022 World Cup competition, I will probably go well into the new year before I watch soccer again. Yes, I will watch the United States women’s team compete in the World Cup next year in Australia and…Soccer5 min readSoccer5 min read
Nov 29, 2022Member-onlyRoll Up Your Sleeves, Spit On Your Hands, and Finish That Term PaperA while back, my dad was helping me install a 12-by-20-foot carpet in our living room. We had already installed the padding underneath the carpet, and we had the new rug pretty close to where we wanted it, but we were struggling to move it just a few more inches…Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Nov 10, 2022Member-onlyClassroom Strategies to Prevent PlagiarismDo you ever sit in class and wonder why your teachers do certain things? Why, for example, do teachers make such a big deal about plagiarism — taking the words or ideas of another and using them as one’s own (“Plagiarism”)? Or, why do teachers ask you for handwritten writing…Plagiarism5 min readPlagiarism5 min read
Sep 10, 2022Member-onlyDo I Really Kneed a Knee Replacement?Earlier this summer, Barbara and I were leisurely enjoying ice cream cones outside at a nearby store when a teenager ran by our chairs as if he were fired from a cannon. “How is he moving so fast?” I wondered aloud. “He’s young,” Barbara answered nonchalantly, as if that were…Knee Pain4 min readKnee Pain4 min read
Sep 2, 2022Member-onlyMy One and Only Grand-Slam HomerunThis past weekend, my wife and I visited a local high school to see our grandniece Sarah perform in a summer production of Peter Pan. She was one of the pirates, and while she didn’t have any lines, she did have a patch over one eye, and she did a…Baseball6 min readBaseball6 min read
Aug 2, 2022Member-onlyWriting a Book Is an Organized MessAs a writer, I am fortunate to have a finished basement where I can spread out all the materials I need to work. For example, I have a huge writing desk where I keep my computer and my printer, I have three big bookcases, I have a couple two-drawer file…Writing7 min readWriting7 min read
Jul 27, 2022Member-only“Bird by Bird” with Anne LamottIn 1994, author Anne Lamott published a book of essays entitled Bird by Bird. On the surface, that title sounds like an odd choice from a writer who at that time had written four novels and a memoir about the first year of her son’s life (Operating Instructions: A Journal…Writing5 min readWriting5 min read
Jun 30, 2022Member-onlyThe Commencement — A One-Act PlayANN: Good morning, parents, teachers, and friends. As a representative of the senior class, I would like to thank you all for being with us on this very special day. For we know that without your help and concern, this day would not be possible, and, therefore, it is only…Commencement7 min readCommencement7 min read
Jun 23, 2022Member-onlyWhy Am I Reading a Dozen Books at Once?Have you ever read a feature story about a celebrity where the writer/interviewer asks, “What books are you reading now?” Or “What’s on your bookshelf?” Usually, the answer includes two or three current books and maybe one or two classics. The question and answers are intended to reveal another side…Reading6 min readReading6 min read
