Articles written by Dan Hiland

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About me - Dan Hiland

Hi! I'm Dan Hiland, and I serve as Steward for Spirituality in the Religion and Spirituality Channel.

I have a BS in Informational Technology, a course of study embarked upon in desperation, after several decades of employment in jobs ranging from security

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Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Traveling: 1 of 204
Vacationing North, Katrina to the South Wednesday, August 24 After farming out our guinea pig to the neighbors, and handing off rabbit and cat- feeding assignments to others, we blasted off at 6:30 am from NW Oregon, on a Delta flight to Florida. Flying is not my favorite thing to do, so I was apprehensive about going up... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Suspense: 1 of 180
The Village Chapter 26: Escape I grabbed a towel from the dresser and went back down to the bathroom, grateful I didn't run into anyone along the way. While the shower warmed up, I sat down and pulled the sheriff's ticket out of my wallet, just for laughs. The first place I always look at is the little box with the dollar... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Falling in love: 1 of 144
NEAR MISSSingle and 31.I was, in the words of Brigham Young, a "menace to society".My search for an eternal companion was now in its 10th year. I'd seen most of my friends marry, many later divorced and on their second mate, but all of them enjoying some degree of wedded bliss.My dating life was less than dead, resembling Vir... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Travel: 1 of 83
Trial By GreyhoundTired of doing the same thing for Christmas, I suggested to my wife that we travel to Salt Lake City for the holidays. We had a place to stay there, so the cost would be minimal. She said it sounded like fun, but that we should keep it a secret from the kids. It would be a nice Christmas surprise.So the plan... More..
Creative Writing > Essays Essays: Freedom: 1 of 71
Freedom: A Choice Experience Sitting in my backyard on this sunny summer day, a gentle breeze rustling the trees and the grass as a butterfly bounces around the edges of the foliage, I wonder how I could be so lucky. My chair is comfortable, my stomach full, the temperature just right, and I haven't a care in the worl... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Raising boys: 1 of 48
As my wife and I approach the "empty nest" portion of our lives, I pause to look back at all that time spent raising kids. True, we still have a 13 year old teenage son in the house, but the way time flies assures me that it won't be long before he too is gone. As I reflect on the parental advice we received over the years, I... More..
Sports & Recreation > Biking Road tripping: Cycling stories straight from the asphalt: 1 of 37
Impulse Power The problem with being impulsive is that you always have to be on guard. The desire to do something will suddenly hit- and since whatever you're leaping into today has been simmering on the mental back burner for a while anyway, it shouldn't come as a big surprise- but it always does. That's why it's seen a... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Setting Life Goals Spiritual and personal goals to strive for: 2 of 63
I'd like to talk about New Years resolutions- more specifically, spiritual ones. While not a big NYR guy, I have had some experience with goal-setting- and it hasn't been pretty. Goals have always been difficult for me- probably because the mere mention of the word G-O-A-L makes me run for the exit. And I know that others fee... More..
Relationships & Family > Married Life Is marriage really worth it?: 1 of 30
As they used to say back in the Garden of Eden, "It is not good for man to be alone." And while I would amend that sentence to read "It is not good for woman either," the pronouncement is still true after all this time. The institution of marriage is one that has withstood societal changes of every type, to this day still th... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture Once saved, always saved?: 1 of 28
Concerning salvation, are we saved by grace, after all we can do? Having seen discussions on this topic revert to knock-down-drag-out verbal fistfights, I think it fitting to quote CS Lewis, who said of this dispute: "It does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary." On the one hand, many Ch... More..