Six years ago, my wife Patty was searching for ideas for our oldest daughter’s tenth birthday party. She wanted the day to be full of memories, but she knew she had limitations. We can often feel that limitations crush creativity, but in reality they are one of the greatest factors that help to foster it. […]
Back Row Heroes
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” C.S. Lewis There are moments when someone slaps us on the back and says “good job.” There are times that a smiling person sincerely says, “Thank you”. There are occasions when we are awarded or even honored, but there are many more occasions […]
The Unexpected Blessing of a Writing Assignment
There I was, a scrawny, gangly twelve-year-old, standing with my back pack and tape recorder in front of a house I had never been to before. It was a small ranch house with mint green vinyl siding and white shutters. As my family car pulls out of the drive way, my mom waves goodbye and […]
Hard-Wired to Follow
Two boys run around the playground equipment skidding on the little wood chips carpeting the ground. They zap, pow, punch, and kick as they zoom about. One is wearing a red cape that flaps in the wind behind him as he flies around with his arms stretched in front of him. The other has on […]
There and Back Again
There I was lying in our room, listening to my wife read the Lord of the Rings aloud. It was the first time that I had heard the story. I felt warm and contented inside. The story was moving along just as all great stories should–the unlikely hero Frodo had destroyed the ring, the hordes […]