In the mid-1950s, I was a teenager working with some men loading turkeys for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. We worked hard putting the turkeys in crates and loading them on trucks,...

During my training as a teacher, I had to implement a reward program in a classroom. Students earned tokens for good behavior and excellent work. These were traded on selected days...

One morning I looked at my flowerpots, and I was sad to see that they were overgrown with grass and weeds because I had neglected them. I decided to tend to...

I’ve said and done many things I’m not proud of in my life. When I consider these transgressions, I wish I could go back in time and skip committing them in...

Backyard bonfires are one of my favorite childhood memories. Recently, my neighbor had one in her yard. The air smelled like smoke from burning wood, and the dark summer sky glowed...

There is a legend about a cook preparing a meal one night about 2,000 years ago. As he stirred together a few ordinary kitchen ingredients, the mixture suddenly exploded, which led...

I am involved in two ministries at my church. It’s not a large church, and it sometimes seems like a relatively small number of people do most of the work. So...

One of my joys in retirement has been finding more time to read the Bible. I have been amazed by how many verses and stories pertain to humility. They have prompted...

I don’t enjoy cooking or washing dishes. So when members of the church prepare dinner each night of revival meetings, I don’t volunteer. “Are you going to be here to help?”...

Warm spring days often bring badgers out early, so my husband and I set out on our first badger watch of the year with great anticipation, hoping to catch sight of...