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Five Books That Changed My Life

A few years ago, when I published my second book, I was asked to write a short article about the five books that changed my life (and the Bible was assumed so they asked me not to include it). I recently came across the article and thought you might find it interesting. Or not.

Full disclosure, a lot more than five books have changed my life. But when I had to cut it down to just five it made me reach across various literary genres and styles. That was fun, but it created an eclectic list.

So here goes …

Goble Properties, Junkyard Management, Leadership, PathLight,

Conflict and Peace

This story is about conflict that ended with peace and friendship. It’s one of those (seemingly) few happy ending stories, so it stands out amidst all the doom & gloom we often hear.

It begins, naturally enough, as a disagreement about real estate. Down the street from a property I own is a vacant commercial lot. The owner — who also happened to live nearby — partnered with another company to propose a use that I considered a horrible addition to the neighborhood. It was, in my opinion, going to bring in crime, traffic, ugliness, etc. Worse, it did nothing …

Family, Junkyard Management,

Trust, Lies, and Ice Cream

When you grow up working in a family business, you quickly learn that trusting your family is central to success. More than once I heard my dad say, “Never trust anyone but your brother, and keep a sharp eye on him.”

Truth is he was speaking to my brother, so I was the one to be watched closely. Which makes sense because I was over a decade younger and far more prone to do something stupid.

But whether applied to him, me, my sisters, my uncles, or anyone in the family, the point was the same: don’t trust anyone but …

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 …

Devotions, Goble Properties,

But I do own the damn road

Years ago, when car phones were just becoming a thing, our real estate business posted signs on an office building we managed. The building lacked parking, and the signs gave the usual warnings. They also encouraged people to call our number if there was a problem.

Sometimes, on short visits, I’d pull my car onto the curb to create a little extra room in the driveway. It wasn’t a legal parking space, but it didn’t harm anyone or anything.

One day somebody saw me do this and took real offense. I don’t know why it was such a big deal …

Junkyard Management, Junkyard Wisdom Book, Junkyard Wisdom Rebuilt, So you think you're a writer?,

ChatGPT

Have you used ChatGPT yet? It’s an amazing tool. Here is a quick example.

I asked “What is junkyard wisdom™?”

Now keep in mind the phrase didn’t exist until about 2009. And it’s been exclusively used by me (I hold the trademark) or reviewers of my work. It took me a few years just to figure it out myself.

ChatGPT’s answer came in ten seconds and was shockingly accurate:

Junkyard wisdom refers to insights and practical knowledge gained from experiences in difficult or challenging situations, often those found in everyday life. The term “junkyard” suggests a place of discarded or …

Devotions,

His Last Road Trip

Until a year ago, I never connected Lent with a road trip.

But then I realized there was definitely a connection. Bear with me, and (with tongue in cheek) I’ll explain.

Jesus went on several road trips. He was walking, I assume. No first century minivans.

Scholars debate the timing and route—but scholars debate pretty much everything. If only there had been a first-century Rick Steves with a Rand McNally atlas recording it all. A missed opportunity. Still, everyone agrees that Jesus moved around a lot during his ministry, and he likely visited Jerusalem several times.

So where in scripture, …

Uncategorized,

Mardi Gras

Tuesday is Mardi Gras so it’s your last chance to eat donuts without spiritual guilt. Um, sorta.

Either way, it means Lent is about to start. You might remember my Lent devotions from last year. They were fun to write, but honestly it was just too much work! So this year I’m shortening the series.

We will start March 20 and continue until Easter Sunday, April 9. Which seems like ages from now, doesn’t it? But when you write on a deadline it feels eerily close!

Like my other devotions, these Easter devotions will take us on a road trip. …