From Glades Springs Resort

I spoke at the State of WV Probation Officer's Conference at Glade Springs Resort near Beckley. The resort is big and beautiful - there is snow on the ground. The title of my presentation was "Effective Strategies for Highly Stressed Probation Officers." The room was packed and the the PO's responded with interested and enthusiasm. I really enjoyed speaking - I used principles from CBT the audience was engaging and participated. I also played my guitar - I opened with Grandma's Feather Bed by John Denver and closed with a song I wrote - Home Six Mile. Two of the PO's were from Madison and they said that a bar in Madison WV plays my music in their juke box - the especially liked "1981" and "Home Six Mile."

From Dallas Texas - My presentation at the Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education (AACE)

I am writing from my hotel in Dallas. I just finished speaking at the AACE National Assessment Conference and I am excited! I thank God for the opportunity and the way people responded to my research. The title of my presentation was "Using ENRICH to assess the marital satisfaction of interethnic couples". The first part of my presentation focused on the the instrument itself (e.g., it's content, it's psychometric properties, etc.) and the second part focused on the results of my research. The response amazed me! I thank God! People did not want to leave the room. I told them we had to go because the next presentation was about to begin. They came to me, ask for copies of my study. The AACE president Dr. Richard Balkin and another AACE leader walked me down the hall, talking the entire time - they asked me to speak at next year's conference in Virginia Beach and recruited me to serve in a leadership position. I am not sure what it involves but they way they described it sounded really great. If I understood them correctly - they asked me to consult and advise and colaborated with other profs in AACE as they create standards for clinical assessement and standards for training graduate programs. These men serve important roles in the counseling profession and influence the profession at a national level. The president of AACE is a prof at Texas A&M-Commerse - I do not remember which university the other man was from but he talked about how they work at a national level (e.g. NBCC). Anyway, I know God opened this door for me and I thank him for it. And now, I can't wait to get home to see Kim and the girls.

From Mackinac Island in Michigan

I am writing from the beautiful historic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Isaland in Michigan. Today I spoke at a state-wide convention for the Michigan Association of Healthcare Advocates (MAHA). My presentation was titled "Serving Others is What Life is all About". It was a mixture of CBT principles spiced up motivation, inspirational stories, lots of jokes and, of course, music. I always bring my guitar to these speaking engagements to sing and play. Music brightens up the audience and creates a climate for learning. The people received my presentation very well and I am happy! I'm grateful to Mary Lou McFadden (VP of Education for MAHA) for inviting me. My good friend Pat Chambers invited me to speak in Charlotte NC and Williamsburg VA. Mary Lou was at both conventions, heard me speak and that's how she came to invite me. Pat opened a great door for me which has resulted in numerous speaking engagements and I am so thankful for Pat. I thank God for the opportunity to speak here. It is a great privilege and I never take opportunities like this for granted. I thank God for being with me as I speak. I always put in a good word for Jesus, share my story and encourage people. They laughed, cried, bought all my music CDs. I sold out and people were standing in line expressing disappointment that I didn't have more. I gave them my website and instructions on how to download my music on itunes. The island is amazing. As beautiful as the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulfur Springs in WV but I believe this setting tops it. Out my window is a beautiful lawn, a large blue pool, a view of the great lakes, horses, buggies, lots of people - it's a self-sustained island of hotels, bed and breakfast inns, shops and historical buildings. No cars are allowed - only horses and bikes. I saw a beautiful stone church (congregationalists) on the way up the hill that was built in 1900. I wish Kim and the girls were hear. I miss them now and look forward to seeing them Wednesday at church when I return. For now I will continue to study through the night and try to make good use of this peaceful and quiet (and very expensive) hotel room before I catch my 11:10am flight back home.

From New York City

Kim, Amber, Tori, Shayna and I are in New York City on Vacation. We have had a blast! We stead in a Ramada just a few blocks away from the Empire State Building, which we visited at night to see the beautiful lights of the city. We took the ferry, saw the Statue of Liberty, went to China Town, Grand Central Station, two museums, art gallaries, St Peter's Cathedral, Central Park, Time Square, Yankee Stadium, Ground 0 where the Twin Towers collapsed, the Rockefeller Center, walked down Wall Street, walked through Tiffany's, and shopped in Macy's and much, much more! It has been fantastic and Kim, the girls and I have had a wonderfulful time - it's a vacation we will always remember. And it's not over because tomorrow we are going to an Dorney Amusement and Water Park in Allen Town PN - it has about a lot of big rollercoasters and water slides.

From Pepperdine University in Malibu California

I have had a wonderful week at Pepperdine University in beautiful Malibu California. I taught a class called "Wonderful Counselor: Chirst-Centered Cognitive Behavior (CBT) Training for Church Leaders. I have renewed friendships and had great visits with lots of people like Rick Atchley, Chris Siedman, Buddy Bell, Craig Kelly, David Martin and Lynn Anderson gave me a great big holy kiss. I'm looking forward to going home. I miss Kim and the girls.

From Williamsburg

I'm writting from Williamsburg VA. Pat Chambers invited me to speak for the SDVSHO Conference Pat is the president over the district which includes 13 states. I went to dinner at a very nice resturant with Pat and her friends tonight and I speak two times tomorrow. The hotel is beautiful and surrounded by history. The 301-acre Historic Area, with 88 original 18th-century buildings and more than 500 structures re-creating the colonial capital of Virginia, which is a brief stroll from the Lodge front entrance. I am grateful to Pat for the opportunity to speak. The people at these conferences are wonderful and I enjoy being with them. I pray I do a good job speaking.

1981 (Scott High 25th Year High School Reunion)

I wrote this song for my 25th year high school reunion. I graduated from Scott High School in Madison (Boone County) WV in 1981. I hope you like the song.

From Columbia SC

I'm in Columbia SC. I just finished speaking at the President's Summit for South Carolina's Hospital Auxilary. My presentation was a mixture of CBT, stories, jokes, and music. I really enjoyed it but I'm tired and ready to be home. My connection is Philadelphia which puts me in Charleston at 11pm and home late but it was worth it. They responded well to my presentation and my music. My music CD is now in SC! I have one more speaking engagement this month in Waverly Ohio. Next month I will be in Virginia. I will be in Malibu CA in May and at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan in June. I thank God for the opportunity to speak to a variety of people and audiences.

Six Point Buck (Deer #7)

The Lord gave me success this deer season. Jacob used these words to decieve his father in Genesis 27:20 Isaac asked his son Jacob, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied. Jacob lied. He wasn't serving wild game. He was serving a young goat taken from his father's flock. His mother prepared it and dressed him up so that he felt like and smelled like his brother. Jacob decieved his poor old feeble blind father. But his statement "God gave me success" is meaningful. Isaac did not balk at that statement because God can give a hunter success. God gave me success this season. The Lord gave seven deer and the last deer was a six point buck. My freezer is full and I'm eating deer meat (not goat) almost every day. It's really good. There is something special about eating the meat you hunted and killed. After every kill and before every meal I said a prayer of thanksgiving. It was a great season. I didn't get the monster I was hunting but I got a good buck. I'm tagged out and my season is over.

My Songs on Ourstage.com

Listen to my new CD at - http://www.ourstage.com/entry/UZWYDYTSTDMZ-home-six-mile-upload.

I've killed 6 deer this season

I've killed 6 deer this season. I killed four in WV and two in Ohio. My freezer is full! I'm sharing the meat with some friends. I have one more month to bow hunt in Ohio. For three years I've been hunting a buck that is larger than the one in the picture above. He's a huge monster and I pray I get him in January. At this time I'm sitting in a ski lodge at Seven Springs early this morning and I am thinking about the recreation that I am enjoying with my family and the deer hunting that I have enjoyed this past fall - my heart is filled with gratitude. Thank you Lord!

From Seven Springs Ski Resort (PN)

We are skiing Seven Springs. Carl and Sharon (Kim's parents) gave the girls a ski trip for Christmas! They are so generous. The girl's cousins Ally, Emma and Dillon are here and the girls always have a great time with their cousins. Carl just took Darren to Pittsburgh and is on his way back to Seven Springs. Pray for Darren, he's headed for Germany because he was deployed by the US military. Sharon, Kim, the girls and their cousins are asleep and I woke up at 6:30am and it snowed 15 inches last night and it's still coming down! Ski conditions are going to be great today and 7 Springs has night skiing so we can ski till 9:30pm. Last night Shayna had a little trouble on one of the slopes but it was so funny that we all stood at ski lift and laughed till it hurt. It was so much fun!