Have you ever wondered about what kind of legacy you’re leaving? I mean more than an estate or an inheritance we bequeath to our children or our church. I’m thinking more along the lines of how will people remember us. Maybe a better phrasing is how do we want to …
This one of the top five questions I get from beginning writers, ranking right up there with finding the time to write. Unless you’re a hermit, you decision to be a writer is going to impact people around you. Especially your immediate family. Serious writing is a commitment of time …
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about weird Christmas traditions. As the day of Jesus’ birth draws closer, I’m reminiscing more and more. I’m not sure how accurate the memories are but they’re bringing back feelings of warmth and some head-shaking reminders as well. When our first child, Sean, …
It’s December already. And it got here so soon. I was reminiscing with some writing buddies about family traditions and the discussion reminded me of a tradition I’ve decided not to pass on to our now-adult children. My father was a very generous man. He loved giving gifts and blessing …
Thanksgiving—a time of reflection, of appreciating and valuing, of acknowledging and expressing gratitude for all we have received. As this year winds its way into the holiday season, I find myself thinking of time. Eleven months ago, Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed so far away. How did they get here so …
It’s not often one of life’s most embarrassing moments can also be part of one of life’s most exciting moments. Several years ago, early in our marriage, my wife, Linda, and I had two sons, Sean and Scott. And I thought we were pretty well set. I was working as …
One of the complaints I hear from writers, especially those just starting out, is they can’t find the time to write. I’ve written on this before but it came up again recently and I’m led to revisit it. First of all, you will never find the time to write. To …
Are my stories autobiographical? I’ve been asked this question on several occasions. For many authors, their stories, especially their first ones, are autobiographical. So I pondered this question and compared myself to the hero of my first novel, Michael Archer. Michael used to drink, so we have that in common. …
Victor Borge once said, after a performance, “I’d like to thank my parents for having made this night possible and I’d like to thank my children for having made it necessary.” The gift of family is so precious. There we meet people who love us, test us, encourage us, …
