(I originally ran this story on May 1, 2018. I've made a few updates.) I met Sam eight or nine years ago. He wore a flashy jacket and tie and was shaking hands like a local politician running for office. He was gripping and grinning, trying to make contact with as many people as possible.... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Oh, the Places
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, June 15 – 21. What I'm grateful for: —Power when we need it. Scotty,... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: One girl’s words
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, June 8 – 14. What I'm grateful for: —Sweet dreams. A good night’s sleep.... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Standing up to bullies
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, June 1 – 7. What I'm grateful for: —A sunny day. I wrote this... Continue Reading →
Giving poetry a chance: I Am From
When I was in fifth or sixth grade, I had a teacher who would use the Mad Libs books or some version of them to help make grammar fun and interesting. The Mad Libs contain short stories on each page with key words replaced with blanks. She would prompt us for specific parts of a... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Ice Cream!
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, May 25 – 31. What I'm grateful for: —Ice cream. The first taste of... Continue Reading →
My obsession: Beating the early bird
(A version of this story ran on May 31, 2016. I've made updates throughout the piece.) The clock in my head was going off: beep, beep, beep. The blaring sound got louder with every passing moment. I was late and the alarm wouldn’t stop until I got to my destination, my local county courthouse. I... Continue Reading →
The Big Three: Memorial Day
The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, May 18 – 24. What I'm grateful for: —A regular Johnny Appleseed. I love... Continue Reading →
And peace to you
Last Saturday night, a thundering boom shook the house. When I looked out the window, I could see lightning flashing across the sky. I watched all of it from a cushy living room chair. Despite the chaos outside, I was filled with an inner peace. Earlier in the day, my wife and I had taken... Continue Reading →

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