Christmas

The Right Gift: Mandela, Todd Burnaman and more

The Right Gift It’s November.  Time to think about gifts.  As my momma says,  “It’s never too early to think about Christmas buying.” I’m reminded that the best gifts don’t have to be expensive.  They just need to be covered in love. When Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s president, he made a state visit to America.  President Bill Clinton and …

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Christmas Jelly: Coming soon to a stocking near you.

  Cool breeze in the pines. October afternoon at The Old House In the edge of Crooked Bayou Swamp. All quiet on the Southern front Except for the occasional acorn on the tin roof And a murder of crows taunting a cat squirrel.   Monday, October 8                           …

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Here we go!

Here are notes, quotes, and drawing from my current notebook.  It’s the 58th journal I’ve kept.           Every leader must be a reader. I’m a “LLL.”  Life Long Learner.  It means I must constantly be reading and listening.                                     …

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Two stories on forgiveness

    This chapter is from our upcoming short story collection,  Christmas Jelly.  It contains two of the most powerful stories on forgiveness I’ve ever heard. May Ruth and Biggie’s stories touch you as they have me.   On Forgiveness   Forgiveness: the greatest gift to give. You can receive it. You can give it. It’s the gift that keeps …

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A Christmas gift to you: “Medic”

I wrote the following story for a Christmas compilation a few years ago.  It’s still one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it.  Merry Christmas,   Curt MEDIC! By Curt Iles   “Medic. Medic.” Nazi sniper Unerfeldewebel Franz Schmidt didn’t know any English, but in the case of the nearby wounded American soldier, he didn’t need to. The man’s anguished …

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Stolen Christmas Trees… Thoughts on Holiday Giving

A Stolen Christmas Tree From the book,  Wind in the Pines, by Curt Iles   copyright 2004 Creekbank St0ries “I know I tagged a tree in this area.”  Those are the words of my neighbor, Mitzi Foreman, as she walks through our Christmas tree farm on a blustery Sunday afternoon. Together we search through where she tagged her tree last week …

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Back Home from the Congo

Curt and Lovely Habimana.Lovely is the granddaughter of Congolese Pastor Habimana Athanase . Back home from Africa. Thoughts from my heart. Two things to bring home from any international trip: jet lag and a full heart. Lord, my prayer is this: Help me get over the former and never lose the latter. Amen. There are six life words that drive …

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Medic! A WW2 Story

“Medic” The following is an abridged (shortened) version of Curt Iles’ Christmas short story, “Medic” featured in the new story collection, The Write Before Christmas. A compilation of nineteen stories by fifteen Southern authors (including two by Curt) it is available at http://www.creekbank.net. Copies are $10.00 each plus $5.00 shipping per order. An autographed book is the perfect Christmas gift! …

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Christmas Jelly

Christmas Jelly Of all the Christmas memories and traditions, “Christmas Jelly” is one of my favorites. Each year I receive this special gift from a very special lady in my life. Before I share what Christmas jelly is, let me share about the special person who gives it to me each year. Eleanor Andrews is my neighbor in Dry Creek. …

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Christmas Jelly

Christmas Jelly   This story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank, is one of the favorites of readers of all ages.   I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas -Curt Of all my Christmas memories and traditions, Christmas jelly is one of my favorites. Each year I receive this special gift from a very special lady in my …

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