To continue my series this week of the “Best of” 2011, I thought I would do a series on my Best Tunes for the year. As with the books, this list is merely about stuff I discovered during the year. It doesn’t mean that it was created or released during this year. Anyway, here it is in no particular order- [...]

I love to read. If you’re reading this post then you probably do as well, so I’ll skip my section where I talk about how wonderful reading is and get straight to the post. Here is a list of the best books I read this year. Not all of these books were new in 2011, but this just happened to [...]

Here we are, suddenly face to face. I’m not sure if I invaded his space or if he invaded mine, but we are definitely close. Is he black? Or white? He’s obviously both, but which is the primary? And why is he just staring at me? He’s small. Not tiny, but definitely diminutive. I wonder what he’s thinking of me? [...]

I hope one day I learn to party like Papa Jack. I first met him as he thrust a glass of beer in my hand. “No, thank you,” I objected. “You must have a beer.” “But I don’t drink.” “Tonight you do.” With that he turned and walked away, back toward the party. We laughed. After all, we were here [...]

Avast Ye! Mateys and scallywags, get off your dungbie and weave me a tale! A tale of the high seas or the hempen halter or anything ye fancy. If the jolly roger be flying, then we wish to hear. Time be short, though, for the seas be calling me. Our treasure of tales will be displayed on Monday, September 19 [...]

“I’m not going to miss any of this stuff,” he said, pointing at what remained of his house. Where his house once stood was now just a foundation and floor with a single room standing in the center. A range of emotions swirled inside me as I looked at the piles of rubble. The one room that didn’t get blown [...]

“And I awoke in the house of God.” That is my favorite line from a Rich Mullins song. Rich’s writing made you think. It made you want to go deeper in your spirituality. That line is so pregnant with meaning and truth that it begs the listener to think. Even if it means missing the next few lines of the [...]

There are some people you are glad you met and some people you wish you had never met. There are also people you wish to meet. We would all be better off if we simply tried to be one of those people that others wish to meet. As I started thinking about “People I Wish I Had Met” I decided [...]

Childhood should be… …about swimming, not sex. …about baseball, not brothels. …about watermelon, not wars. …about comfortable friendships, not constant fear. …about love, not lust. …about being a child, and nothing more.   About 1.2 million children are trafficked annually. Those of us who had a childhood need to do something. Join with organizations who are making a difference. Organizations [...]

I recently received the Versatile Blogger Award from Mari Juniper (which, it turns out, is not her real name). If you don’t know Mari you should check her out over at Mari’s Randomities. Her “Sweetest Troll” series is full of action and lovable characters. She also posts other things as well, ranging from book reviews to short stories. Random facts [...]