As I rode behind a tow truck that was pulling another tow truck the other day, the first thing I thought to myself was, “that awkward moment when you are a tow truck that needs a tow truck yourself.” You are on your way to help, and now you, the helper, are in need of…
Just as language itself creates culture in its own image, each new medium of communication re-creates or modifies culture in its image; and it is extreme naïveté to believe that a medium of communication or indeed, any technology is merely a tool, a way of doing. Each is also a way of seeing. Neil Postman,…
Chapter Three—Word Fussers and Who-whomers In which Wilson offers the other side of the coin so forcefully tossed in chapter one—namely that having something to say by no means guarantees that you will have the ability to say it. Chapter Four—Born for the Clerihew In which Wilson points out that writers in a rut may…
The Humbled Mother “It’s okay to be tough when we need to be. But, it’s imperative that we are humble and contrite and repentant when we need to be… Our children need to see that we need grace from God and people, and that they have the power to extend it to us. They know…
There is something which unites magic and applied science while separating both from the “wisdom” of earlier ages. For the wise men of old the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality, and the solution had been knowledge, self-discipline, and virtue. For magic and applied science alike the problem is how…
A Roman Centurion was the equivalent, more or less, of a non-commissioned officer in American military today. Typically promoted from the ranks, a centurion would normally have charge of 100 men (a “century”), though the actual number could be somewhat flexible depending on circumstances. As there were no Roman legions stationed in the land of…
We would live differently if we realized that we lived in a war zone. It is socially acceptable to complain about the amount of foam in our coffee when the sun is shining and flowers are blooming. But soldiers know how to appreciate even lukewarm coffee. It is also socially acceptable to complain about the…
In the big picture, the hallmark of the Christian life is not about how well-organized or structured (or, for that matter, how spontaneous) the church is. Rather, it is whether we have built our faith, our church, and our ministries on the foundation of the gospel. A passion for the local church should stem not…
Chapter One—Know Something About the World In which Wilson points that if your desire to write is the only thing you have to write about, your writing will be as lame as you are. Chapter Two—Read Until Your Brain Creaks In which Wilson offers his permission, free of charge, to read far more than you…
12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Posting Something Online “What might be some indicators to consider before you publish a blog, Facebook status, or tweet? I want to offer 12 brief questions to ask. Think of them as indicator lights, the kind a pilot checks before take off.” Set an Example in Your Purity “Young…
