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By Hugh, February 22, 2010 2:05 pm

It’s Hugh again. When she interviewed me for the new book, Karen and I talked a bit about day labor and the challenges that face folks who see this as their only option for honest work. One of the ministries we have is focused around getting people work boots – this post illustrates why.

Whenever people tell me they “know” there are jobs available for people willing to work hard, I tell them to go sit for a morning at a labor pool. Day labor, labor pools, very short-term temps – call them what you will, they’re at the bottom of the barrel. These are people who truly need the work (as in, I need to eat today).

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By Karen, February 12, 2010 7:20 pm

I had another one of those poetic meetings in B’ham yesterday. I stopped by Samford University to visit with the Dean of the Economics Department. I figured Dean Beck Taylor might be interested in some of the stories I’d collected for Doublewide. I know about Samford because it’s the place our son started his college education. I also had a pastor who was a Samford grad.

As it turned out Dean Taylor wasn’t there but I met a lovely woman, Doshia Bennett. I learned that Doshia’s daughter is a writer. Doshia asked if I would mind if her daughter, Ashley, contacted me. I received an email from Ashley later that night and we met for coffee the next morning.  How old do you think Ashley is?

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By Karen, February 7, 2010 7:09 am

The Books Alive event at Florida’s Gulf Coast Community College got underway @ 9 a.m. on a windy morning. Book lovers were already in class by the time I arrived.

There was a room full of gleeful people waiting on me. Some had been arm-twisted into attending. Some came thinking I was giving out free lottery tickets. But some came of their own free will.

I know that because Virginia Dixon, the moderator, asked, “How many of you are here because of the title of this book?” Hands shot up all across the room.

Most everybody likes to be read to, so I read them several pieces from the book but the one I think they liked best was the piece I read about The Ambassador. They laughed and laughed. Then they turned around and cried along with me when I read from The Missionary.

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By Karen, January 25, 2010 11:34 pm

Pam and I were moseying around Bend Sunday afternoon while Konnie and her friend Holly shopped at REI. We walked into one of those stores that sells spurs made from rhinestones and Justin boots. Yep. Western gear. The really chi-chi sort.

We weren’t buying. We were just poking around the shop when I turned around and lo & behold there was this huge sign right next to my feet. I liked to have died laughing. Pam grabbed the sign and said right off, “This is a gift from Gordon.” Then she marched up to the counter and bought me that sign.

We are putting it in the back window of the car as we head off in the morning for the trip across country. Our plan was to drive to Reno but that’s already been changed. We’ll drive the California route instead, all in an effort to avoid snow. Flagstaff has oodles of it.