Featured Blog
A Lesson from Dad
Monday, April 28, 2014 by Sally Jo
Personal Background Investigation- Assignment #16
What is a lesson you learned from your father?
(Example)
Moving 100 lb. Sacks of Fertilizer
Sometimes I listened to my dad’s instructions, but many times his advice only aroused my curiosity until I tried what he told me not to do.
One day we loaded the mule wagon with several 100-pound sacks of fertilizer to put out on our plowed field. Dad knew about how far the fertilizer plow would go before it had to be refilled, so we were dropping off the bags at these locations. I was driving the wagon and my dad would drag a bag to the rear of the wagon, jump out, back up to the tail gate and gently pull the 100-pound sack onto his back. He then walked to the exact spot he wanted to leave it and dropped it. Naturally, I wanted to try this but Dad smiled and said, “No, it’s much too heavy. The sack weighs more than you.” I still thought I could handle it.
My opportunity came sooner than I expected. Someone came down the road on an old car, stopped at the fence and started blowing the horn. Dad recognized the man as a member of his church. He told me to sit tight and went to see what the man wanted. I got tired of waiting and decided to prove my dad wrong and unload a bag by myself.
I was 12 years old and thought I could do anything my dad did. I backed up to the wagon and pulled the sack on my back and immediately went to the ground, face down, with the 100-pound bag on top of me. I barely had enough space to breathe and holler for dad. I lay there until he came and pulled the bag off. The perfect imprint of my body remained on that freshly plowed ground.
My dad just smiled and continued to unload the bags. He asked if I wanted to try another bag and I replied, “No sir.” He always gave me good advice, but I didn’t always heed it. I learned I had a knack for unintentionally proving my dad right. (From LaVelle Pitts, memoirs)
Previous Posts
3 Ways to Feed Your Body, Soul, and Spirit in February
Sally Jo
1/31/2023
Attitude and health link together
Sally Jo Pitts
1/15/2023
A Simple Christmas Main Dish from Winter Deception
Sally Jo
12/13/2022
A Standoff food inspiration from author Patricia Bradley
Sally Jo Pitts
11/9/2022
SECRETS AND SOUP
Sally Jo
10/16/2022
A Novel Food Scene with Grits
Sally Jo
9/18/2022
Rich New Orleans Flavored Novel Scene by Mary A. Felkins + recipe
Sally Jo PItts
8/14/2022
Ready for a good cup of coffee?
Sally Jo
7/18/2022
Apricot Pie, A Novel Idea
Sally Jo
6/16/2022
"Zero Guilt Calories" makes an appearance in Novel Use of Food
Sally Jo Pitts
5/15/2022
Some Like it Hot!
Sally Jo
4/17/2022
Winner, Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference
Sally Jo
4/11/2022
Can you RUN FASTER?
Sally Jo
3/15/2022
Valentine's Day and Novel Traditions
Sally Jo
2/13/2022
Christmas Special & Chocolate Recipe
Sally Jo
12/16/2021
Breaking Bread with author Zoe McCarthy
Sally Jo
10/14/2021
African Pizza, A Novel Use of Food
Sally Jo
9/15/2021
"Taste & See" Davalynn Spencer's food scene and recipe from Always a Wedding Planner
Sally Jo
8/13/2021
Always a Wedding Planner--Food Scenes with Authors
Sally Jo
7/11/2021
Always a Wedding Planner--Food Scenes with Authors
Sally Jo
6/13/2021
Always a Wedding Planner--Food Scenes with Authors
Sally Jo
5/14/2021
Spring ... a time for Cheesecake ... and Betrayal
Sally Jo
3/15/2021
Love Inspired Cookie
Sally Jo
2/19/2021
A Taste of Small Town
Sally Jo
1/13/2021
Filet Mignon & Rosemary Potatoes a la Justice Delivered
Sally Jo
12/13/2020
Tis the Season for Cranberries
Sally Jo
11/23/2020
Winter Deception Ebook Available for Pre-order
Sally Jo
11/1/2020
Cuban Sandwich Celebration "Designed to Love"
Sally Jo
10/25/2020
A $1.99 sale & free book opportunity "designed to love"
Sally Jo
10/20/2020
Cozy Up to Autumn and Ablazing Grace
Sally Jo
10/12/2020
A Christian Writer's World--Blog guest
Sally Jo
10/2/2020
Just Released
Sally Jo
9/20/2020
Cover Reveal
Sally Jo Pitts
9/17/2020
Chicken & Dumplings and Dinner on the Grounds
Sally Jo
9/11/2020
Craving Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler?
Sally Jo
8/20/2020
Chicken from a Cozy Mystery
Sally Jo
7/11/2020
Novel Use of Food by author Kaye Schmitz
Sally Jo
6/13/2020
Novel Use of Macarons
Sally Jo
5/13/2020
A Favorite Recipe from Novel Writer Kathy Harris
Sally Jo
4/15/2020
Novel Giant Pancake
Sally Jo
3/14/2020
Agatha Christie’s Novel Use of Food
Sally Jo
2/1/2020
Can You Buy Love?
Sally Jo
1/3/2020
Banana Millet Muffins and a Taste of Grace
Sally Jo
11/15/2019
Novels and Food
Sally Jo
10/16/2019
Novel Strawberry Ice Cream
Sally Jo
9/15/2019
Hamilton Harbor Legacy book #2 Coming in October
Sally Jo
9/7/2019
Fried Pickles, A Novel Use
Sally Jo
8/19/2019
Fried Cornbread and Family Memories
Sally Jo
7/22/2019
Mashed Potatoes and Emotion
Sally Jo
6/12/2019
Food in a Debbie Macomber Novel
Sally Jo
4/7/2019
Puff Pastry, A Novel Delight
Sally Jo
3/6/2019
Apple pie and a good book
Sally Jo
2/8/2019
Investigating books and food
Sally Jo
1/6/2019
Nuture: December’s Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
12/1/2018
Endurance: November’s Inspirational Word
Sally Jo
11/2/2018
Tranquility–October’s Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
10/1/2018
Harmony - September’s Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
8/31/2018
Determination - Inspiration for August
Sally Jo
7/31/2018
Adventure: July’s Inspirational Word of the Month
Sally Jo
7/1/2018
Challenge: June’s Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
6/1/2018
Perspective: May’s Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
5/2/2018
Ambitious: April’s word of inspiration
Sally Jo
3/31/2018
Creativity - The March Word of Inspiration
Sally Jo
3/1/2018
February’s word of inspiration: STRENGTH
Sally Jo
2/1/2018
Envision: January’s inspirational word
Sally Jo
1/9/2018
A Healthy Christmas Gift Idea
Sally Jo
12/11/2017
Investigating Kitchen Tips for the Holidays
Sally Jo
12/4/2017
What to do with Thanksgiving Leftovers
Sally Jo
11/19/2017
The 66-Day Experiment to Redeem Time Finale
Sally Jo
11/1/2017
Concluding the 66-Day Experiment to Redeem Time
Sally Jo
10/29/2017
Investigating Bible Study Time
Sally Jo
10/21/2017
Find your Weak Spot in the 66-Day Experiment
Sally Jo
10/15/2017
The 66-Day Experiment and the Family Life Cycle
Sally Jo
10/8/2017
Finding Time in Your Day for the Want-to’s
Sally Jo
10/1/2017
Make Time for Bible Time
Sally Jo
9/25/2017
Make Time for Exercise
Sally Jo
9/16/2017
Planning Healthy Meals Your Family Will Eat
Sally Jo
9/10/2017
Why 66 days to redeem time?
Sally Jo
9/3/2017
The 66-Day Experiment to Redeem the Time
Sally Jo
8/27/2017
Writing with Momentous Meaning
Sally Jo
8/14/2017
Ezekiel’s Object Lesson
Sally Jo
8/3/2017
Jeremiah Writes Flaming Words
Sally Jo
7/29/2017
Commands to Write in Isaiah
Sally Jo
7/24/2017
How do you write on the heart?
Sally Jo
7/21/2017
Mordecai’s Life-Saving Letter
Sally Jo
7/2/2017
A Covenant Renewed & Sealed
Sally Jo
6/8/2017
Document, Document, Document
Sally Jo
5/15/2017
Write the record of a king
Sally Jo
5/2/2017
Write a Song
Sally Jo
3/31/2017
Join a Private Investigator
Sally Jo
3/6/2017
Write Upon Great Stones
Sally Jo
3/6/2017
WRITE: A Command Fit for a King
Sally Jo
2/13/2017
God’s Rewrite
Sally Jo
1/5/2017
Writing on posts and gates
Sally Jo
12/18/2016
The Bible and Writing
Sally Jo
10/16/2016
Ten Commandments Get a Second Chance
Sally Jo
9/10/2016
I will write upon these tables…
Sally Jo
8/19/2016
The Bible and Writing
Sally Jo
7/21/2016
Create a Legacy with a Play
Sally Jo
6/30/2016
The Wedding Letter
Sally Jo
5/31/2016
Beth Vogt’s new book to investigate!
Sally Jo
4/9/2016
A Teddy Bear Legacy
Sally Jo
3/19/2016
A Legacy Book
Sally Jo
1/15/2016
Christmas Nostalgia
Sally Jo
12/20/2015
What’s Cookin’ Thanksgiving?
Sally Jo
11/25/2015
Thanksgiving Tradition
Sally Jo
11/1/2015
Halloween Nostalgia
Sally Jo
10/22/2015
A Family Tradition Trip
Sally Jo
9/27/2015
Sundial-A Heritage Pass Along
Sally Jo
9/18/2015
A Vintage Birthday Banner
Sally Jo
9/4/2015
A Special Teen Promise Ring
Sally Jo
8/19/2015
A Family Heritage Shotgun
Sally Jo
8/3/2015
A Family Heritage Clock
Sally Jo
7/21/2015
A Scottish Family Heritage Wedding
Sally Jo
6/21/2015
Wedding Legacy Objects to Pass Along
Sally Jo
6/1/2015
Wedding Legacy Pass Alongs
Sally Jo
5/15/2015
Family Heritage Pass Alongs
Sally Jo
4/28/2015
Family Heritage Pass Alongs
Sally Jo
4/6/2015
Family Heritage Items to Pass On
Sally Jo
3/16/2015
Make a Family Valentine
Sally Jo
2/14/2015
Create a Family Cookbook
Sally Jo
1/30/2015
Out with the Old, in with the New
Sally Jo
1/12/2015
Background Memoir Check
Sally Jo
12/9/2014
Memoirs of Faith
Sally Jo
10/19/2014
Remembering Mother’s Cooking
Sally Jo
10/3/2014
Remembering Answered Prayer
Sally Jo
9/18/2014
Leaving a Worthwhile Legacy
Sally Jo
8/31/2014
Remembering Childhood Pets
Sally Jo
8/13/2014
Remembering Family July 4th Celebrations
Sally Jo
7/13/2014
Writing Family into Fiction
Sally Jo
6/17/2014
Hop Along on a Blog Hop
Sally Jo
6/2/2014
A Royal Heritage
Sally Jo
5/25/2014
A Visiting Preacher
Sally Jo
5/13/2014
A Lesson from Dad
Sally Jo
4/28/2014
A Lesson from Mother
Sally Jo
4/7/2014
Childhood Fears
Sally Jo
3/24/2014
Your Childhood Hometown
Sally Jo
3/9/2014
A Valentine Story
Sally Jo
2/28/2014
Remembering Your Grandparents
Sally Jo
2/9/2014
Memoir Writing–Twelve Easy Steps
Sally Jo
1/27/2014
What is Authorpreneurship?
Sally Jo
1/18/2014
REMEMBERING A FAVORITE ACTIVITY
Sally Jo
1/12/2014
A Special Christmas Gift
Sally Jo
12/27/2013
Remembering Mother’s Work
Sally Jo
12/1/2013
Remembering Your Father’s Work
Sally Jo
11/18/2013
Early Church Memories
Sally Jo
11/3/2013
Describe your childhood bedroom
Sally Jo
10/20/2013
Describe Your Childhood Home
Sally Jo
10/6/2013
What’s Your Name?
Sally Jo
9/22/2013
What is Your Earliest Childhood Memory? (Writing Your Own Background Check)
Sally Jo
9/5/2013
Write Your Own Background Check
Sally Jo
8/22/2013
