I'm Still Breathing, So It's a Good Day: Reflections on My Life as a Father, a Minister, and a Chaplain

I've been a father - three children who have challenged me, amused me, and taught me. I've been a pastor - first of a small country church, later of a mid-sized suburban church. I've been a chaplain - on board ships, on foreign bases, in combat with Marines and Sailors, and more recently in the Hospice and Palliative Care unit of a VA Medical Center. I don't know about others, but I haven't always been able to clean up my experience for Sunday morning. My struggles with God can be raw - and sometimes the language in this book will be a little raw. Sometimes things happen in my life that don't seem to have much point, but they're too funny not to write it up. This book contains some of the stories, poems, and little sayings that reflect my struggles and laughter on days other than Sundays. It also contains two cartoons I commissioned from Ms. Alustriel Day - one reflecting an actual incident that happened to me, the other an image I got in my head after one too many "Goddammits" from my Sailors and Marines. She did a great job translating my descriptions into actual artwork. Most of the little sayings between the stories and poems are original to me, but not all of them. Those that aren't were pretty current among my Marines and Sailors to the point it's no longer possible to know who said it first. Regardless, they provide some snippets of wisdom I've gained over the years.