While this is my first real attempt at writing a blog, it is not my first foray into the world of writing.  When I was in elementary school, I loved to write stories.  Usually, I would plagiarize movie ideas to tell some kind of fiction story.  Believe it or not, my sentimental mom decided to keep some of those stories.  She gave them back to me a few years ago at Christmas.  Let’s just say I had a vivid imagination back then, and those stories are not available for public viewing.  Actually, I feel that way about a lot of what I’ve written.  From my earliest sermon manuscripts to papers in college and seminary, some of my first writing drafts are just plain terrible.  During the last 6-10 months, I’ve been working on my dissertation, and yet again, I find that some of my chapter drafts are not that good.  Thankfully though, I have a patient wife who agreed to edit (read bleed red ink) my chapters.  And guess what! I actually think I may be getting better at writing.  Er, I mean re-writing.  Thus, the reason for this blog.  It is my attempt at pursuing the discipline of writing and re-writing.