Gratitude/Thanksgiving

Father’s Day 2024 As his oldest child, I had a front-row seat on my Dad, Clayton Iles’, evolution from a quiet, reserved young father to an exuberant middle-aged man. At each season of his life, he was consistently the remarkable man everyone loved. The Victory Dance During my sister Claudia’s basketball career, Daddy perfected his famous Victory Dance. After each …

“Help Needed On Aisle Three”   “Son, there’s only one thing you need to know if you’re going to marry my daughter . . . ” My cousin Mark Roy died suddenly last week.  I am saddened by Mark’s death and am praying for Debbie, their three daughters, and Mark’s mom, Aunt Florence Roy. If there’s one word to describe …

    The Best Trade: A Christmas Tree for a Basket of Jelly This story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank, is still a favorite of readers of all ages. I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas to all of my friends. -Curt Christmas jelly is probably my favorite holiday gift. Yearly, I receive this present from a …

Joseph on Forgiveness Part 4   Folks ask, “When did Joseph forgive his brothers?”   The rational answer is that this forgiveness occurred years later when the brothers show up in Egypt. However, the forgiveness was even now taking place after arriving in Egypt. . Here’s why: a person full of unforgiveness and bitterness will never be described as “The …

Trail Magic “Be ye kind one to another.” -Paul in Ephesians 4:32 Frank and I climbed up a steep ridge on the north Georgia part of the Appalachian Trail. We were on a remote and dry portion of the Trail and were parched on this warm day. Our water bottles were empty and we consulted a guidebook for the next …

For the next week, through January 1, I’ll share a daily short short story with thoughts to help us all navigate that wonderful week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I lovingly call it “Bah Humbug” Week. It can be the most difficult week of the year. Stay tuned  daily for a story, thought, or insight that hopefully will make …

The Sermon in the Hayfield   He was one of my heroes, and today would be his birthday. This is a story of what made him special.     Love is patient and kind. . .    I Corinthians 13:4 As far back as I can remember, I’ve been around Ed King.  He will always be one of my favorite people. …

Stay Curious Be Amazed Share Remarkable Stories As you end a fine Memorial Day weekend, may I remind all of us that our freedom isn’t free. Generations of Americans died on battlefields and asea to preserve the amazing freedom we have in America. I just finished a week-long hiking trip in North Georgia on the Appalachian Trail (AT).  From time …

A word from Curt curt@creekbank.net ___________________________________ Today’s post is brief, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t significant. It concerns what I believe to believe the most important word spoken in history. Telestai. I’m no Greek scholar, so I’m not even sure how to pronounce it, but in that language it means, “paid in full.” It’s the final words of Jesus and …

Growing up in a Small Community: The Rich Life of Mrs. Eva Cole “Oh, those small communities . . . “ -John Mellencamp   I grew up in Dry Creek, Louisiana. It would be an exaggeration to call it a town. It would be pretentious to call it a village. Reeves is a village. Dry Creek is a community. I like …

Friday, March 3 We’re keeping it simple at the Creekbank Tribe today. I hope you enjoy the quotes and have a great weekend. Please scroll down to help us select a new cover for Stories from the Creekbank. This year, I’ve fallen deeper in love with the woods. Trees are such a special part of my region of Louisiana.  I …

There are two life lessons I’m presently learning. First, is the power of the outdoors and nature. One of my keywords is L.L.L. Life Long Learning. I wish to finish strong in my life and constantly have a learner’s lean.  Eager to listen, learn, and grow. This corresponds with my three mantras: Stay Curious. Be Amazed. Tell Stories. Often I …

What is it about February? I read this excellent essay yearly on February 1. It’s written by Bobb Biehl. Thanks to Chip MacGregor for sharing this four years ago. Enjoy! Curt February habits Whenever we get past the January “new year resolutions” and starting moving into the February “reality of winter” season, it’s nice to spend a few moments taking …

Wednesday, January 25, 2017   This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. -King David in his wilderness time from  Psalm 34:6 In the Wilderness I’m still learning this: Sometimes God delivers us out of the wilderness, but often he instead chooses to walk with us through it. I guess that is …