Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

Oakdale Mill bluebird box. Notice log truck and cranes in background. My mantra: Stay Curious. Be Amazed. Share Remarkable Stories. I work Mondays as a chaplain at Roy O Martin’s Mills. Today, as I entered the Oakdale mill, I stopped by the bluebird boxes. It’s not on my job description, but I always check the boxes. I unhook the door …

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms   “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” –Deuteronomy 33:27   I know it is still there—page 276 in the old Broadman hymnal—that old classic hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms. What a blessedness, what a peace is …

  “There are three ways to ultimate success. The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” -Fred Rogers aka Mister Rogers On Kindness   Always be kinder than necessary. It’s a trait that both blesses the receiver and the giver. It leaves both with a spring in …

I’ve really been encouraged by this verse from Isaiah:   “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29   Wherever you are in your journey, God is there for you.

A word from Curt   The following comes via my friend, agent Chip MacGregor. He shared these questions back in 2012 and I try to take this “February Questionnaire” each year. Chip gives credit on the questions to Bobb Biehl. I’d encourage you to read this and jot down answers to these life questions. Wishing you the best in 2019. …

A word from Curt I’ve never liked the R word. Resolutions. I prefer to talk and think about the bigger issue of how I want to be a difference maker in this new year. I call it the 30,000 foot view. Personally, I craft a yearly Life Statement. It’s simply a short statement of my priority for this season of my journey. …

Let Your Word be Your Bond   “Your word and integrity is yours and yours alone to keep or lose.” –Preston Moses   In the Pineywoods, major business deals have been sealed with a handshake and a man’s word. We have a saying for it: let Your word be your bond. If you promise to do something, do it even …

Courage I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. –Nelson Mandela   Grandsons, you’ll be in situations where one man can make a difference: The difference in a win or loss. The difference in the right outcome or cowardly way. The following is a remarkable story of one high school student who changed …

Resilience   My father-in-law, a very wise man, once pointed out some ancient persimmon trees along an old wagon road near his boyhood home. “See how those trees are scarred along their bases? It’s from the logs bumping against them as they were dragged to the sawmills.” He paused for effect. “In spite of the abuse they received, they produced …

Integrity   Integrity is who you are when no one is looking, and what you will stand up for even if you’re standing alone. –John Maxwell   Rather than ramble on about what integrity is, I’ll tell a story. It’s a remarkable true story that won’t be easily forgotten. You probably aren’t familiar with the name of Hugh Thompson. He …

Book 1: Relationships   Everything rises and falls on relationships. –John Maxwell Shake like a Man “When you give a man a handshake, make sure it’s firm because it shows you’re a man.” –John Groves When I was a young teenager, Tubby and Agnes King moved to Dry Creek and joined our church. I soon learned a valuable lesson about …

Foreword: Dinosaurs “Tell me who you are, and I’ll tell you where you’re from.” –Wallace Stegner I was born in the Louisiana Pineywoods when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. Most of them are gone, and I still miss them greatly. They helped shape my life, and I’ll always be grateful for each of them. These older men of my Dry …

December 28 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 …

A Word from Curt The following is a second draft story that still astounds me. It will be featured in my upcoming book, A Pineywoods Manifesto: Field Notes on the Full Life. I’m writing it for my grandsons and other young men. I write because 1. I’m curious . 2. I’m always amazed 3. I love to share remarkable stories. I …