The Versatile Blogger

I got caught in a pincers movement. And it's actually kind of nice.

Twice on Sunday, I got listed for a "Versatile Blogger" Award, once by Diane Bainbridge at Contemporary Photography and once by Louise Gallagher at Recover Your Joy. The award is actually for whatever reason the giver designates -- and both Diane and Louise were more than generous in designating me. So, in turn, I am designating others (up to 15 at a time is allowed) and also doing the optional "seven things you may not know about me."

Thank you, Louise and Diane. You have been more than kind.

Here are my designees (and I've omitted some because Louise, Diane and Maureen Doallas have designated a number of bloggers I would have):

Duane Scott at Scribing the Journey. Duane is a young man wiser than his years and a heart for God.

Michael Perkins at Untitled. I read Michael's posts each day, and I come away encouraged. What a great heart he has.

Scott Couchenour at Serving Strong. Scott has a calling -- to serve ministry leaders.

David Rupert at Red-Letter Believers. David is one of my favorite bloggers on work.

Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience. One of the best bloggers online.

Marcus Goodyear at Good Word Editing. He writes poetry, he's a great writer, he's a great editor, and he battles zombies. What else can be said?

Justinian at Delight and Glory and Oddity and Light. I love the poetry this man writes.

Pete Marshall at, well, Pete Marshall. A poet with a truly human heart and a vulnerable soul. I was introduced to Pete's poetry by Lesley Moon at Moondustwriter. Lesley is a poet with one of the most generous hearts you can find.

Karen Eck at Karenee Art. A poet, an artist and a thinker.

L.L. Barkat at Seedlings in Stone. A poet, a writer and a friend. She's currently very busy not writing a book.

Kathy Richards, the incomparable Katdish.She writes unbelievably funny, unbelievably irreverent posts. And yet my favorites tend to be her serious ones -- this is a woman with a serious heart for God, and she knows how to laugh..

Kelly Sauer. Her writing and photography define the words "transparent" and "vulnerable."

Susan Etole at Just...a Moment. Susan combines beautiful photos with a few words that are absolute perfection every time.

Jay Cookingham at Soulfari. Jay has a heart for dads. And kids. And wives and moms. I love his blog.

That's 15. I have 15 more. Since I got this twice, I think I should get 30. I'll assemble the other 15 and post it soon.

And now the optional part of the Versatile Blogger Award.

Seven things you might not know about me.

(1) The summer between high graduation and the start of college, three friends and I drove to Cape Kennedy (or Cape Canaveral or whatever it's called these days) for the launch of Apollo 11 to the moon. We joined one million other people from all over the world.

(2) I collect stamps -- U.S. and Canada.

(3) I started biking some three weeks before I turned 53. My first ride was three blocks, and I collapsed. My longest ride in one day (August 2009) is 93 miles. And I didn't collapse.

(4) My heritage is English, Irish, French and German. Or one half Redneck and one half Coonass.

(5) My youngest son (22) and I saw all three of the Lord of the Rings movies together three times each -- at the movie theater. We also bought the DVDs as soon as they were released, and the extended edition DVD set. Yes, I'm a Ringhead.

(6) For six years, I wrote speeches for a CEO named by Fortune Magazine as one of America's seven toughest bosses. Fortune did not lie.

(7) I was president of my fraternity in college.