Leadership,

Thought Leaders Usually Aren’t

Summer time is here, so I’m recycling some of my favorite posts from past years. This one was especially fun to write because I was on a roll — or rather, on a rant! So I’m reposting this for your summer reading amusement: Please don’t call me a thought leader.

Book Reviews,

Books Worth Reading

The first half of 2020 has come and gone, and it was certainly a half-year to remember. Common themes of the first half include Covid-19, the economy, Black Lives Matter, and the US Election. My reading reflected some of these themes. Okay, so I didn’t read scientific journals about the

Junkyard Management, Leadership, Salvaged,

Impure and Unclean

Growing up in the junkyard meant working in the impure and unclean. Actually, not just working in it, but embracing it. It was routine to come home covered in grease, dust, oil, and sweat. After a long day of work with my dad, my mom would insist I go through

Family, Leadership, Salvaged,

The Power of Humor

Someone asked what my next book might be and I flippantly answered, “Jesus the Standup Comic. It’s the words of Jesus redone for a modern comedy club setting.” Everyone laughed and the conversation moved on. But I still wonder if such a book makes sense. We often tend to see

Junkyard Management, Leadership,

On mentoring

Every now and then somebody asks me to mentor them. I suppose this is God’s way of reminding me I’m getting older. But it is also God’s way of reminding me to give back. For much of my young adult life I wanted a good mentor but never could find

Junkyard Management, Leadership, Random Thoughts,

Yeah, but …

Have we forgotten how to listen? Have we forgotten how to communicate? Is it all just slogans, memes, and bumperstickers these days? Are those mostly written to be abrasive and provoke others, as they reaffirm our own bias? I’m not quite ready to say, “Yes, yes, yes, and yes.” But

Random Thoughts,

Lumberjack Jesus

This was a week unlike any other. It has been a week of sorrow, frustration, anger, and loss. Reflecting on what to write has left me dizzy and finding the right words is beyond me. Hopefully, in time a unique Junkyard Wisdom perspective on the recent events will come to

Random Thoughts,

What is the Church?

Jesus made it clear to the disciples: you are to be known by your love. Note that he didn’t say we would be known by our theology, our politics, our opinions, our anger, our success, or our popularity. Surprisingly, he also didn’t say we would be known by our intelligence,