Browsing Category

Random Thoughts

D'Oliva Olive Oil, Junkyard Wisdom Advent, Random Thoughts,

Top Seven Christmas Gift Ideas

Surgeon General’s Warning: This post contains entirely too much sarcasm and attitude. Proceed at your own risk.

If you’ve been to Costco lately you know Christmas is near. Nevermind Halloween, Thanksgiving, and whatever else in between … gift giving season is already here.

A lot of people ask, “Roy, you are wise, and creative, and thoughtful . . . what makes a great Christmas present?”

It’s exactly the kind of question a 60-something chubby bald white guy who grew up working in a junkyard is qualified to answer.

So here are my top ten Christmas gift ideas:

If haircare is

…

Family, Leadership, Random Thoughts,

Sarcasm

My blog went silent for a few weeks as the devotions were sent, so I’m overdue for a post. Thought you’d get a kick out of this story.

A friend sent this meme:

“I once got sent out of class at school for being too sarcastic. The teacher yelled at me, “What would your parents say if I called them?” I replied, “Hello?”

I laughed, and it reminded me of a childhood story.

I was about 10 years old and playing with my buddy Larry during recess. We were taking paper towels out of the dispenser, dampening them, folding them …

Goble Properties, Random Thoughts,

One of my first projects at Goble Properties was to build an industrial complex on a piece of land in San Jose. It was a weird shaped parcel, but a good location. The project was big enough to test me but small enough to get my arms around.

A curious thing happened when the buildings were framed. A huge wind storm came through and knocked everything over. Boards and planks were piled up like so much drift wood pushed ashore by rough seas. Nobody had ever seen anything like it, and the consequences set everything back by weeks. Not to …

Random Thoughts,

Rollercoaster Retirement Year

The year is done, thank goodness. Not that it was all bad — some really wonderful things happened in 2023. Those were the highs. And then there were lows. It was a rollercoaster year.

One event of the year was my 65th birthday. Typically it’s the age a person moves into retirement. Not me. The form filling lady at Medicare kept asking me why I continued working, and when I answered, “Because I enjoy working,” she was truly flummoxed. I suppose I’d be flummoxed too if I filled out forms for Medicare all day.

But I did wonder, what would …

Generosity, Philanthropy, Random Thoughts,

Theological Fatigue

I’m tired of theology.

To be more specific, I’m tired of seeing theology wielded as a weapon against supposed “enemies,” the way an attorney might use court precedents against an opponent. When theology is nothing more than a logical position to be argued, then real people get hurt. When theology is used solely to judge and exclude others, then love—the primary action Christians should be known for—becomes an afterthought.

I’m fortunate to know a few world-class theologians, and to have been a student of a few more. They have offered me insights into the meaning of Scripture, yes, but more …

Philanthropy, Random Thoughts,

Love or Temptation?

I recently attended a conference with a lot of young, driven, smart, faith-driven entrepreneurs. From time to time, someone in this group asks me how they can best make a difference in this world. They usually have a great job, but they don’t feel like they are really contributing to the world. In their minds, their faith isn’t being fully expressed through their work. At the core of their question is something more specific: they wonder if they should quit their jobs, move to a developing region of the world, and serve the poor.

I’ll be honest – sometimes I …

Junkyard Management, Random Thoughts,

The things we don’t know

Not far from the Goble Ranch, a couple hundred feet down the side of a steep hill surrounded by oak trees, sits the ruins of what is probably a 1940 Ford. Not much is left – just the body and frame. The serial numbers and license plates are long gone, as is the engine.

Nobody knows how or when it got there. But it’s been at least 50-years because that was when I first found it. It was an old wrecked junker even then.

We’ve made up stories about the car for years. It was used by bootleggers, or it …

Apocryphal, Generosity, Leadership, Philanthropy, Random Thoughts,

Five Ways to be Countercultural

Last week I attended a conference with a plenary session featuring two Senators (one Democrat and one Republican). The facilitator, a former Governor, led them in a conversation about how our faith can inform our public engagement.

A lot of the conversation focused on how we can transcend the worst aspects of partisan politics. The idea of vilifying and demonizing those who disagree with us was rejected, and the politicians shared examples of how to disagree with respect. It was a good reminder for all of us, and the Senators navigated the conversation beautifully. They received a standing ovation.

An …