: About Me

I was born, raised, and still live in the Southeastern Washington town of Richland. Unlike the folks on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, we get just enough rain to fatten the sagebrush and cheat grass for fire season. (Not all Washington is "evergreen.") Instead, millions of years of massive lava flows and gigantic floods have forged a rugged, desolate, and inspiring landscape in these lonely parts. The mighty Columbia River flows down from the north before bending west toward the Pacific. The Snake and Yakima Rivers dump into the Columbia nearby.  Eagles scout for salmon from tree tops.  Porcupines scavenge among the shrubs by the shore.  Water fowl of all kinds, deer, and an occasional moose forage the river bottoms.  Out on the steppe, coyotes and cougars rule.  I can’t imagine any other place to call home.

 Still, this bountiful oasis, degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering, and 25 years of technical work left me empty until I re-discovered the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Now, I hunger to know everything about Him, His Truth, and the life He promises.  Though I struggle daily to keep His commands, the raw beauty around me frees my mind to meditate on the overwhelming majesty of the Father Creator.  I often seek His wisdom and comfort in the natural spaces, whether hiking, fishing, or simply walking along the river.

 I've been blessed with a beautiful wife and two healthy, gifted boys.  The free time we find together is spent on outdoor recreation of all sorts, road tripping, and just sharing a meal.  I also love baking, reading, and, of course, writing.  Mostly, I enjoy writing spiritual essays that explore the struggles, insights, and successes of Christian living.  I also enjoy an occasional social commentary and expositions on our life and times in general.

My passion is ...

To discover, understand, and live a Christian life.

I know too much about ...

Baking. I love making good things to share and eat. Regardless, on this and everything else, I'm simply a student.

My parents always told me ...

Be yourself.

My childhood ambition ...

To be an astronaut - until I discovered fear of flying.

My favorite memory ...

My son's birth - when his purple, pudgy, pinched face finally appeared, I laughed: a giddy, spontaneous laugh at the strange sight and wonder of it all.

Why I write ...

To understand the world and myself.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I'm working my way through various books on spirituality, philosophy, theology, and the saints. I also enjoy EWTN.

My first job ...

Box boy at a grocery store.

My best moment ...

When I realized I didn't know everything and there was so much left to learn. And I really wanted to!

My inspiration ...

The saints. They started like us, struggled, but perservered.

Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) The answer to America's economic crisis

15 of 21

I realized I’m a socialist. And so are most of us.  This occurred to me when buying my teenager’s fifth meal of the day at a Northern Idaho Quiznos. We arrived after noon, and the tip jar was stuffed with bills.  I learned long ago to tip waiters, barbers, and other service workers.  But tip jars on fast food counters have confounded me since they first appeared.  Now, they’re everywhere.  Like many, I thought these other workers already shared an equitable piece of the corporate pie. Paying anything more seemed anti-capitalistic.&n...

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