I literally live in a war zone. Actually, my house sits on a Civil War battleground. I can see a large 19th century house called “Oaklawn” outside my back window. It is where Confederate General John Hood camped out with his soldiers on November 29, 1864. The war had raged for years, and both the […]
For some, like me, cereal is a breakfast staple. I can’t help it. It’s just easy to fix and I like the taste. Some brands are even fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and, of course, milk is a basic and a necessary source of so many good things. Right? When I was a kid, […]
A few weeks ago, I sliced the end of my finger off. Completely off. It bled and bled and bled. A lot. Anyway, when it started to heal (it’s almost there) I realized that the print on that finger will forever be changed. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe not. Either way, it’s forever different […]
Mike and Cindy met on a blind date. A mutual friend had set them up. The friend had told Mike a little bit about Cindy. He said, “She’s really beautiful, she’s smart, she’s sweet and I think you’d make a great couple. But,” he added, “she has really big feet and she’s quite sensitive about […]
A modern urban myth, “The Frog in the Kettle” has been told many ways and for many purposes. But most agree that it is an allegory for life. The basic story goes that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it’ll jump out, but if the frog is put in lukewarm water and […]
Hey everyone. This is an article I wrote a while back and it was published in a couple of newspapers. However, I haven’t ever shared it on my blog. Here goes: Where have all the flowers gone/Long time passing/ Where have all the flowers gone/Long time ago? Remember this protest song recorded by the trio […]
Goofy 5. Mickey 10. These were rows of parking designations we used to find at Disney parks. There were signs with an iconic cartoon character on them and then a number so we could remember generally where we left our car when we entered. If we could remember that one character and that one number, […]
I’m preparing to substitute teach a Sunday school class this week. The lesson is from 1 Kings 18 and 19. You may or may not know this story, and I’ll admit it isn’t one that I learned as a child. It is a great biblical story with a profound lesson, nonetheless. Elijah was a prophet […]
Every year or so, a few of my friends from long ago reunite. We all grew up in the same small Southern town and have known each other since infancy. One of the last times we got together we reminisced about Friday night football games, Sunday morning church, family dinners, and pre-teen campouts, and we […]
Remember the game Marco Polo? We played it at the pool almost every day of the long, hot summers in Southeast Alabama. It’s basically a call-and-response game—on land called Blind Man’s Bluff. The point is there’s an outcast, the “it,” who with eyes closed, calls out “Marco.” The others play by responding “Polo.” “It” must […]