We’re in Dead Week, the last week of classes at Southwestern Adventist University, before final exams begin next Monday. It’s been a light semester for me, and I have taken advantage of it to launch one book and work on the eventual launch of another in March. In addition, next semester looks to be a … More Dead Week

I used to tell my students, “The difference between a professional and an amateur is that a professional gets paid.” Well, yes and no. But it’s not that simple. To explain myself, let me tell you about my fence. When we moved to Texas in 1998, we had a fence on one side of our … More The Professional versus The Amateur

When I started this blog back in 2007 (sheesh, has it been that long?) I did it as an extension of my work as a writer and author. A visit to Park City, Utah and a writer’s conference held there that summer told me that every writer needed to have a blog. What on earth … More One. Thousand. Followers.

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Mark 8:36 NIV It isn’t until you look the Devil in the eye for the first time–really look at him–that you realize that you have seen him before. I was actually going to introduce this story as the time I … More Short Story: “The Devil Went Down to Tulsa”

I just crossed a milestone, of sorts, this morning. I posted my ten thousandth Tweet on Twitter. This isn’t a blog to congratulate myself. Instead, it’s a moment to take stock of what all that means. Statistically, I joined Twitter in November 2008. Since that time I have attracted 26,300 followers and added 111 photos … More Ten Thousand Tweets

I have a confession to make. It’s been bothering me a long time, in fact my whole life. The reality is, I don’t tie my shoes the way everyone else does. It started off innocently enough. When I was little, my father taught me how to tie my shoes the “right” way, and I did … More The Truth About Tying Your Shoes

For those who haven’t been keeping up with my life, we are dealing with an aging cat that has congestive heart failure. After the sadness goes away, comes the medication, and the reality: how do we get pills and nasty liquid medicine down a stubborn tomcat’s mouth twice a day? The videos on YouTube make … More Tuna, Texas

I have to tell you about Booker. He’s my cat. He didn’t start off being my cat. My daughter Melissa rescued him 13 years ago on the street when he was just a scrawny worm-ridden kitten. She almost ran over him and immediately fell in love with him. She brought him home, and he immediately … More A Writer’s Cat

Sir Johnathan de Armes, first Captain of the White Guard, recipient of the Golden Medal for Valor, keeper of the second knights crown with double ivy clusters, and royal bodyguard to the Queen, sweated profusely in his bent, burned, and broken armor. He leaned heavily against the blackened stones on the walkway leading up to … More Short Story: “Paladin”

My wife says that I’m a very productive person. But I know the truth. I’m just as much a procrastinator as everyone else. Take, for example, my latest project. It’s been on the drawing board for at least two years, if not more. We live in Texas, which means the ground moves, and our foundation … More Getting Things Done