“Why is that man so ugly, and the mommy so pretty?” Five-year-old Nancy tugged on her mother’s arm, and pointed. “Sh! Sh!” said her mother. “You wouldn’t want them to hear, would you?” “But Mommy, he’s ugly! How can that pretty lady stand to look at him?” The mother glanced toward the couple her daughter was pointing at, quickly taking … Read More
There was a young man who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as he was getting his things in order, he contacted his pastor and had him come to his house to discuss certain aspects of his final wishes. He told him which songs he wanted sung at the service, … Read More
~ Jumping on the bandwagon ~ Wading through paperwork ~ Running around in circles ~ Pushing your luck ~ Playing in traffic ~ Spinning your wheels ~ Adding fuel to the fire ~ Beating your head against the wall ~ Climbing the walls ~ Beating your own drum ~ Dragging your heels ~ Jumping to conclusions ~ Grasping at straws … Read More
The Envelope It’s just a small white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so. It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas — oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of … Read More
I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering … Read More
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator. I’ll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person, I’ve gotten impatient and upset. I’ve huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I’m … Read More
Seventeen Inches Thirty years ago, in Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA’s convention. While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the line-up of speakers scheduled to present during the … Read More
Thank you for the Thorns of the Past Sandra felt as low as the heels of her crocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a “minor” automobile accident stole her joy. … Read More
Imagine that you had won the prize in a contest. Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 into your private account, with rules that read: 1. Everything that you did not spend during each day would be withdrawn from your account. 2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account. 3. You may only spend It. 4. Each … Read More
THE PEARLS The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. “Oh please, Mommy, can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?” Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into … Read More
