I just wanted them to do what I’d asked of them. But week after week, about half the middle-school kids in my home school writing group would show up without their writing work done. Since my class plans depended heavily on having each of them share their writing with the group so we could discuss…

Last week, our household received a postcard from our local megachurch, advertising its Easter service schedule. There were multiple services, designed to invite people to consider the empty tomb. It occurred to me that the numerous identical services strung at regular intervals across Saturday night and Sunday AM were not too different from Catholic mass…

I am glad to be back in Chicago again after nearly a week in California. I discovered Jesus in some of the unlikeliest places at the Mt. Hermon writers conference: – I felt Him embracing so many who’d come with high hopes, only to be told by an acquisitions editor or agent that their idea…

A couple of months ago, I ran across a contest on The Writers View e-mail loop. This loop is a networking/information/encouragement portal for…you guessed it…writers. The prize for the essay contest was a full scholarship to the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference in Cali. I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my writing vocation,…

Grandson Gabriel and I went to Kohl Children’s Museum today. My kids and I were regular visitors to an earlier (smaller) version of the museum. Those visits with my kids seem to have happened about 6 minutes ago, instead of…um…more than a decade and a half ago. Gabriel spent about a half an hour in…

Picture this with me: a church’s worship team on a float in a parade. The float’s speakers are blaring out the latest Christian music Top 40 hits. The team is smiling and waving to the crowd…maybe even karaoke-singing along as the float crawls up the parade route. The float features a sign with the name,…