Category: stories

Apr 19

VBS Development Diary #11: Act 3

This week marked 4 months since we started working on this year’s VBS. Typically at the 4 month mark we are getting ready to perform, but we haven’t even created any props, sets, or costumes, and haven’t rehearsed a line. In fact, the performers don’t even have the script yet. The reason is this: despite …

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Mar 11

A Valentine’s Day Lesson

I had just gotten on the interstate a little before 6am. It’s February, it’s cold, and I see this woman walking on the side of the highway wrapped in a blanket. Now I don’t pick up a lot of people that I see hitchhiking, but I do pick up some. Many times I have been …

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Feb 26

Mustache Twirler

The villain in a story who is evil for no other reason than that he is a villain.

Jan 21

R.I.P. Jim Richey

I remember the first time I heard of Jim Richey; knowing my weakness for the blues, my friend The Celt told me about him. “Imagine there’s this amazing blues guitarist, and he’s an older middle-aged white guy who lives out here in the sticks and works out at the Hab Center as a janitor.” I couldn’t …

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Jan 08

VBS 2013 Development Diary: #3: Refinement

The story and script are constantly refined through every stage of the process. The greatest refinements are earliest in the process, and the finer ones later–providing no glaring story problems are discovered. When we first plotted this story we had three villains, each with specific attributes. I had an idea for one of the bad …

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Jan 05

VBS 2013 Development Diary: #2: The Joke

It was Sherry’s idea to do our VBS themes on a five-year rotation, that way we would only have to write five skits, develop five sets, and 5 sets of materials. And since VBS is aimed at 1st through 6th grades, the most you (as a kid) would ever see the same skit would be twice—five …

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Jan 04

VBS 2013 Development Diary: #1

Every year since 2004* I either write or co-write the script for the skits that we use in our church’s vacation Bible school, as well as acting, directing / co-directing, designing the logo, and creating and/or supervising the production of the sets, props, and costumes. It can be massively rewarding, and a ton of fun. …

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Dec 24

Steve Jobs story

While I was looking for the email address of one of our missionaries, I found this this anecdote about Steve Jobs.

Nov 24

One More Ride: Chapter 3: Anniversary

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Norville drove down Mystery Lane and out onto state highway 10, past the orchards and further out of town, then hung the right on the recently paved Little Texas Road. It wasn’t named after the state, or the cheesy country band, but after one of Theodore Roosevelt’s horses. Fitting. He pulled …

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Nov 20

One More Ride: Chapter 2: Two Tragedies

Chapter One Norville just stood there in the kitchen, angry. Angry at Fred for his alcoholism, for his philandery, for his temper, for his stupid remarks. But mostly angry at himself. Why had he let stupid Fred stupid get to him? Stupid. Then he remembered the anniversary. He sat down in his chair to finish …

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