A Pineywoods Manifesto

     It’s World Series time.  One of my favorite times of the year.  I always recall how my Daddy took this week off to imbibe in two of his loves:  squirrel hunting and the World Series. In those days,  the World Series began early in October  (there weren’t divisions) and coincided with the first week of squirrel season. I …

                  A word from Curt After all of these years, it’s still one of my favorite stories. A humorous story with a good lesson. Enjoy! “A $1000 Saddle on a $100 Horse” This story was told to me by my friend Diann Cain Brown several years ago and it is still among …

I’m a firm believer in having both a Life Song and Life Playlist. A Life Song is the song that captures your soul and always touches you when you hear it. My Life Song is “How Firm a Foundation.” The final verse is my favorite and I’ve leaned on it (and the Jesus it speaks of) for all of my …

combine with Joseph’s brothers and their 20 year lie Some are saying it cost him $10 million dollars in endorsements. The lower estimate is that Ryan Lochte’s string of lies cost him at least $5 million in future earnings and endorsements. $5 million or $10 million lost.  That’s a pile of regret. And it all goes back to a drunken …

Dry Creek’s finest and biggest pine knot pile in the yard of my friends, Mark and Kari Miller. The following is a short sad story on how I lost my own pile. Earthly treasures, pine knot piles, and 401 (K) accountsx All of a sudden, the February wind picked up and turned out of the south. Instantly what had been …

This is a story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank. It concerns a memorable person from Galveston, Texas. The plaque mentioned is at sidewalk level atop the sea wall.  A Good Epitaph to Have. . .   Have you ever thought about what epitaph you’d like to have? Recently as I walked along the seawall in Galveston, I …

This post is from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank. Enjoy!   Most Likely to Succeed It was Saturday in the middle of the busy summer camp season. After a great week of youth camp, I was enjoying lunch with some of our summer staff. Across the dining hall, a group from East Beauregard High was having their ten-year …

Reas Weeks   I never knew Reas Weeks . . . but I sure know some good stories about him. Reas (pronounced “Reese”) was a bachelor in Dry Creek who lived on the bank of Bundick Creek. He lived way back in the woods, never owned a vehicle, and supported himself by fishing, hunting, and gardening. Mr. Frank Miller always …

    Yesterday’s post concerned the issue of land ownership in Uganda.  If you missed it,  you can read,  “This Land Ain’t for Sale” here.     The story featured in both the podcast (audio) and post (below) is called “The Friendship Lane.”  It’s one of my favourites on the art of getting along. The podcast is a early draft …

A word from Curt The word is faith. It’s a hopeful word. It has to do with things we cannot see. Yet. Today’s blog means so much to me.  It was a life lesson principle that still guides my life. I shared “One Step” last week with a group of teens. I was astounded at how this story resonated with …

Proverbs for the day: The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.  Proverbs 20:12 Every blessing we have is from God, including our five senses.  Thanking Him for these things are part of living the Gratitude-Filled Life. My vision and hearing are not what they were when I was a younger man, but I’m so …

Western Louisiana is crisscrossed with beautiful creeks and rivers. This is Cherry Winche Creek that winds through SW Rapides and Allen Parishes. Thoughts on the Gratitude-Filled Life I’ve been convicted that “A poor memory is the root of the sin of ingratitude.” We forget the limitless blessings we have from God. I want to live the Gratitude-Filled Life beginning with …

A word to live by: Gratitude. Today, I’m thinking about gratitude. It’s such a powerful word. It’s more than simply being thankful for one event or blessing. It is an attitude that should permeate every second of our lives. It’s an attitude of gratitude. A thankfulness that flows out of the heart and examines every detail of our lives in …

One of the things I’m hungry to learn about is having a written plan to guide my life, decisions, and time. It’s called a Life Plan. I call my personal Life Plan “Ten Pins.”                         This plan, which I’ve used for over ten years, continues to grow and evolve. …