During my days of teaching Natural Resources, I often invited guest speakers to come and tell students about their occupations. Conservation Police Officers, Game Biologists, Fishery Managers, US Fish and Wildlife personnel and more visited the classes to share experiences, advantages, and disadvantages of their jobs in the natural resource…
Hurricane Helene has wrought massive destruction throughout the southeastern United States. Heartbreaking images continue to remind us of the devastation caused by massive amounts of rain. I’m thankful for the thousands of individuals and ministries that are providing help and hope to those affected. Samaritan’s Purse has been the tip…
Most Wednesday evenings, our church hosts over 100 elementary and middle schoolers for the BLAST program. This Believing, Loving, And Serving Together ministry includes snack, recreation, dinner, and class learning time. In addition to driving the bus, my main responsibility is to teach Bible lessons each week. Since the themes…
I still get goose bumps every time I remember that warm summer day in the White House Rose Garden. I was privileged to represent the Virginia FFA Association at the State Presidents’ Conference in Washington, DC and what an incredible week it was. We met with our Representatives and Senators,…
Having grown up in a taxidermy shop, one of my lifelong dreams is to take an African safari to see the variety and abundance of game and to experience all that continent has to offer. I recently visited with a friend who has been on two such trips and admired…
Many readers are familiar with the Food Network Channel’s culinary competitions. One of the longest running and most popular of these is Chopped. In this fast-paced reality show, four contestants are given a basket of four identical mystery ingredients from which they must prepare a dish in limited time. They…
It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Nicolas Cage starred in the movie, National Treasure. The action packed thriller features the hunt for a fabled stash of incredible riches from antiquity that had been hidden by our nation’s founders. Cage’s character, Ben Gates, searches for clues in our…
Thirty-eight years ago this month, I started my career as an instructor of Agricultural Education. I taught my first two years at Culpeper Jr. High School and was thankful to make my beginner mistakes away from home. In 1988, I returned to my alma mater, Central High School, to teach…
Another Fair Week will soon begin in Shenandoah County and festivities are gearing up. The days to come hold much excitement, entertainment, entrees, and exhaustion. While children gravitate toward the rides, most adults enjoy the livestock, poultry, and exhibit buildings. Many of us just like catching up with friends we…
Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? Nearly every person asks these questions at some point in our lives. The search for their answers has motivated some of history’s greatest minds to consider all manner of possibilities. Because we all bump into reality every…