Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

Corporal Howard Vidrine When I came to work at Dry Creek as a thirteen-year-old, one of the first people I met was Howard Vidrine. He served as the camp night watchman during my early years at camp. “Bro. Vidrine,” as we called him, lived in the Evangeline Parish town of Reddell, which is next door to the unique village of …

A Word from Curt “Why in the world did y’all move to Alexandria?” It’s a question I hear often and it’s a fair one. The answer is simple.  At this time, seven of our eight grandchildren live in Cenla. Dee and I strongly felt God’s leadership to spend this season influencing and impacting their lives. Here, in full color and …

It’s amazing that my deepest image of Easter doesn’t come from a memorable sermon, movie, or a book. My Easter theology was shaped by a simple country woman married to a former Texas Ranger.  Her name was Lucille Mosley and she lived on Greentown Loop in Dry Creek. This is her story.     The Tomb is Still Empty From …

        “Disregard that first message…” This is a funny story concerning our words. It’s a good reminder for that our words, once spoken, will either bring harm or blessing. And once spoken, they are out of the bag and cannot be pulled back in. Any school principal knows that phone calls from about 3:30 PM to suppertime …

When you pray, you’re holding the rope.  Here’s how to pray for us.   DeDe and I are both working as Chaplains for Marketplace Ministries. I’m assigned to Roy O Martin’s two mills and trucking fleet. DeDe also works at the Martin facilities as well as two  two nursing homes. It is a rewarding and challenging ministry. Pray for God’s …

A word from Curt  This is one of my favorite African images. It’s near the entrance to a large refugee camp in northern Uganda. The sign is homemade and heart felt. If you love people, people will love you. 2. Trust God.   About 82.7% of all human problems are solved by adhering to those two truths. Love people. Trust …

  Hope. Such a fine word. When you have hope, you can endure anything. Without hope, it’s difficult to put one foot in front of the other. Where does your hope come from? The best hope always comes from the Lord. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they …

The Civic Center Doors This is a warning: Be careful with the doors at the Lake Charles Civic Center! I was there last week and as I entered the men’s room, I recalled Roy Greene’s story. The Lake Charles Civic Center opened thirty years ago. Amazingly, it was constructed on sand pumped out of the adjacent lake that gives the …

Trelvis and Phil Thomas. The inspiration for this story from The Wayfaring Stranger. Miz Girlie’s Prayer Tree The follow scene from our first novel, The Wayfaring Stranger, tells of Irish immigrant Joe Moore’s arrival in western Louisiana. The Irishman has been befriended by Miz Girlie Perkins, an old Piney Woods widow:   Joe slept each night on the porch. Miz …

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A Word from Curt Fighting It’s a word a man must know if he’s going to win in life. I’m not talking about fists or knives. I’m referring to the soul.     We’re all familiar with the adage, “I’d rather fight a bear.” After watching that grizzly bear tear up Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) in The Revenant, I’m not sure …

It’s a tree planting day on my Dry Creek land. It’s proposal day on my book, As the Crow Flies. A proposal is the written package sent to an agent/publisher to “sell your book.” I never thought of these two actions as related. Planting pines. Proposing a book. You start with what you have. And you plant it the best …

Today is February 7, 2016.  It’s Game Day. Super Bowl 50, and we’ll  make another string of pearls. Memories. We’re in a season of making memories. And there’s no more important people to make memories with than grandchildren. How do I know? I simply go back to Super Bowl I. I watched it with my grandfather and my dad. In …

Up to the Task I watch him run around the yard with his cousins. I have one thought: this isn’t fair. Rylan is a precocious tow-headed five-year-old. He is precocious. That’s just a fancy word for full of life. He is precious. That’s special.   Rylan has seen a great deal in his young life. He lost his father through …