I've read a lot of books about "following your passion" and "discovering your dream," but Quitter by Jon Acuff is the most down-to-earth I've read. He obliterates prevailing wisdom that you should give up everything to pursue your dream. He de-bunks the myth that quitting your job to do what you love is going to…
Today I received my first rejection letter from a literary agent. You'd think I'd be bummed about that, but I see it as a step in the right direction. To receive a rejection letter means I actually wrote something and made the effort to put it out into the real world. That's progress. I like…
I love Peter H. Reynolds' work. His stories always make me feel like a better person for having read them. And his illustrations are likewise inspiring, albeit deceptively simple. The Dot is no exception. It is a picture book, but its impact is not limited to children. This book speaks to the voice in each…
In the lesser-known TV special It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown from 1992, there is a funny exchange between Peppermint Patty and her friend Marcie. Peppermint Patty wants to play the part of Mary in the upcoming school Christmas play. Marcie tells her multiple times that she, Marcie, has already been cast as Mary. But…
Zookeeper Joe is trying to secure all the animals for the night, but a mischievous gorilla steals his keys and lets the animals out after he says good night to each one. Joe finally heads home and slips into bed, not realizing that his room his fuller than usual... My family's copy of Good Night,…
My Dad, My Hero could be embarrassing for its accurate portrayal of fatherhood if it weren't so fun to read. This is one we have read over and over again in our house, and it elicits laughter every time (don't let the photo fool you). There are relatively few words, so it's not a huge…
It's been a challenging year in a lot of ways for many people. We are anxious for 2020 to end. We look to the new year with optimism, hoping we can leave our troubles behind. Hope is important, of course, but let's make sure we keep a proper perspective. One of the things I remember…
Scott B. Shepherd 