Growing up, life wasn’t easy. Every Saturday, my mother and I had a standing appointment with the dermatologist. I suffered from allergic reactions, hives, swelling, and painful skin infections. From the outside, I looked like a healthy child—but inside, I was battling something fierce. There were days the pain was so bad I wished I didn’t have to wake up.
But even in the middle of that pain, faith was planted.
One night while watching the Billy Graham Crusade, Billy said:
“You can accept Jesus Christ right where you are. Just touch the television.”I wanted to! But in our house, touching the TV without permission meant a guaranteed whooping. So I waited.
Later that night, I snuck into the living room and touched the TV. I whispered a prayer and sprinted back to bed, terrified the Holy Ghost might show up too loud and wake everyone up! I’d seen church folks catch the Spirit—shouting, running, flipping benches. I wasn’t ready for that in the hallway.
As I lay in my bunk, something strange happened. I felt something move under my skin. Not once—but three times. I freaked out, jumped up, and ran into my parents’ room, talking like a madman. They barely opened their eyes:
"Okay son, we’ll talk in the morning."I was like, “No, this is the part where you say, ‘Come sleep with us!’” I sprinted past the TV and dove back into bed. A few weeks later, I was baptized at our local church.
My dad had a colorful way of expressing love and life lessons. His favorite nickname for me?
“Dumb stupid kid.”
My dad once said, “Son, I want you to learn something new every day—and come home and teach it to me.” I remember thinking, This man is trippin’. Every day? My head would explode from all that learning!
After work, he’d ask: “What did you learn today?” I’d fake it with something I learned weeks ago like, “Giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans.” Then I’d walk away smirking like, You are not gonna make me learn something new every day!
My dad and I would often work on the family cars. One day, we were under the old Chevy Impala. From the outside, it looked roomy—but once under there, it felt like the car could fall at any moment.
My dad would say: “Son, hand me the 9/16 socket ratchet.” Panic time. I'd fumble through sockets, blindly guessing sizes by touch. One wrong one and he’d say:
"Boy, that’s 5/8 — I said 9/16! Dumb stupid kid."Nothing builds character like fear, tools, and a low-hanging muffler.
The most dreaded sentence in my childhood: “Boy, go get me a switch.”
I’d stroll outside like I was shopping for twigs at a yard sale. I’d find the softest, most pitiful branch and *test* it on myself: “Whip! Hmm... Not bad. This one’s the winner.”
I'd proudly hand it over and wait. My dad would inspect it and say:
“Boy, go back and get me a real switch!”I was out there crying, negotiating with bushes.
And when the whooping finally came, he’d always say:
“This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you.”Yeah right, Dad. To this day, I’m still not buying that.
I was in middle school, and my mom was in a rush. She handed me some cash and sent me to the corner store to grab “coffee and pantyhose.” But when I got to the register... I didn’t have enough money. 😳
What would YOU do?
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So what did I do? I bought the coffee — thinking, “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!” ☕
WRONG!
Turns out, what my mom actually meant was “coffee-colored pantyhose!” 😆 I was 10 years old — I didn’t know anything about pantyhose!
Moral of the story: It’s always great to have a clear understanding. Communication matters!
I was the hardest sleeper in the world. My mom had to get creative. She invented a system to wake me up: I had to count out loud from 100 every morning so she could hear me from anywhere in the house.
“100, 99, 98…” Then, silence. I’d fall right back asleep. Next thing I knew, she was standing over me: “Start over — and don’t make a mistake!”
Years later, I asked her why she made me do that. She said:
“Because one day you’ll be working with space professionals.”
And guess what? That’s exactly what happened. I eventually worked at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as a computer consultant.
And here’s the kicker — the area code where I now live and work is 321. Just like a space shuttle countdown.
Full circle.
Even my mom laughed and said: “Lord, that can’t be right. He’s just a dumb stupid kid!” 😄
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Management. My tech career began in Kansas City in the 1980s when I bought my first IBM PC for $3,800. Since then, I’ve:
In 2008, I became legally blind. But God wasn’t finished with me. I was accepted into Florida’s Division of Blind Services and selected from thousands for a $20,000 sight-saving surgery—completely free. Even during the pandemic, I kept serving, working, and believing.
This mission isn’t just about apps, games, or stories — it’s about hope. It’s about sharing faith through laughter and truth, turning hard stories into healing ones. For the kids who feel like “dumb stupid” nobodies… we’re here to tell them: **God’s got a plan for you.**
Let’s laugh together. Let’s grow. Let’s make something eternal.
Welcome to our story. We’re glad you’re here.