Our Books

. The Sign Phantom of Dry Creek From the book, The Old House, by Curt Iles It all began in the Spring of 1974, just prior to my high school graduation. A rainy April had kept the local streams flooded in “Dry Creek.” (The world’s most overworked cliché, “Well, how wet is it in Dry Creek?”) One afternoon, I went …

Leaders Eat Last You can listen to the podcast episode of “Leaders Eat Last”  at our The Quiet Leader Podcast Thoughts on Servant-Leadership   “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 I’ve recently discovered a fascinating book, Leaders Eat Last by …

Audio Podcast of “Professor Cavanaugh’s Best Lecture. ”   A word from Curt Teacher. There’s no higher calling. Few professions can influence as much as a dedicated teacher. The best teacher I ever met was Charles Cavanaugh. This is his story. “Yes, God’s will—most often—is simply doing the best we can, right where we are.” Professor Charles J. Cavanaugh and …

“Six Foot Deep” in Trouble     A word from Curt: Emotion The best stories elicit emotion. Sometimes tears. Other times laughter. Even anger or sadness. A good story creates emotion. Today’s blog is a funny story from an unlikely location,  Dry Creek Cemetery. Enjoy. Laugh. Retell.   “Six Foot Deep” in Trouble   One of my ministries is helping …

A word from Curt Leaning Trees “When I observe a young person, I experience two strong emotions. First, I feel great affection for the young person they are. Then secondly, I feel a deep respect for the adult they will one day become.” -Louis Pasteur   On the morning before Hurricane Rita arrived, I made one last survey of my …

  Escalators Part 3: Once you get on the steepest escalator under Boston, don’t look back. It may disorient you and cause you to stumble. The way is always forward. Keep moving forward and upward. Life lesson: Always look forward in your life. The path is always up. Moving, Curt Iles You can read Parts 1 and 2 of “Escalators” …

    Scroll down to learn of ways you can be part of The Creek Family. My favorite passage from A Good Place. I read the following story to a senior adult group earlier in the week. One lady laughed so hard that I thought we were going to have to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on her. Here is it …

  I can’ t get this poem off my mind. My life has been a succession of travel on the road less traveled. This New England poem takes me back to Africa. The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood …

This is a story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank. It concerns a famous 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 Galveston’s seawall, I read a plaque: In …

“He went through life oiling squeaky doors.” -A good epitaph to have: He made things better wherever he went. May the same be said of us. He carried an oil can. We can do the same with a small can of WD-40. Most importantly, we can go around helping others daily, lightening their load, and encouraging them in tough times. …

    Bro. Hodges’ Best Sermon The preacher stood in the middle of the muddy red clay road, staring at the problem straight ahead.   It was a long way from his pulpit, so he had no idea he would preach “his best sermon” right here in a few minutes. This preacher standing in the middle of the road was Kenneth …

What is “Courage under Fire?” Most people run away from trouble, while others run toward it: David: ”This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” ”As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.“ * What is it in a man that causes some to run away, while others face it head …

The Evening Holler   This is the first story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank. Over thirty years later, it is still my most requested story. You can hear an audio version of the “The Evening Holler read by the author, at the Creekbank Podcast  as well as Spotify. Our YouTube Channel episode comes straight from my rocking …

  The 100-Foot Line     There’s a fine stand of young slash pine at Dead Man’s curve on the Longville Road. I’ve watched the growth of this forest since it was clear cut, then replanted in straight rows. The following year, the pines began to poke their heads above the grass. They’ve emerged above the surrounding bushes and scrub …