Monthly Archives: February 2025

How I Discovered the Real Me

Posted on February 9, 2025 by mitchteemley

I prayed before sunrise this morning, confessing my failings, admitting my fears, seeking to better know my God. Later on, at the bathroom mirror, I was startled to see the face of an adult staring back at me. Why? Because … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

You Can’t Always Give What You Want

Posted on February 8, 2025 by mitchteemley

Tips for Writers Writers, you’re probably thinking, “Well, of course. When I’m creating characters and storylines, my primary source of advice is always the Rolling Stones. Or maybe not. But Jagger does have a point. Don’t build a conventional dramatic … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Popular Culture & Entertainment, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Windows Are Never “Just Windows”

Posted on February 7, 2025 by mitchteemley

Few objects are so suffused with meaning. Windows are symbols of the past or of the future, of possibilities or missed opportunities. They taunt us with freedom. Or separate the unruly world outside from the neat little worlds we’ve made … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Five Years Ago This Month

Posted on February 6, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago, my wife and I took a spur-of-the-moment Valentine’s Day trip to Florida. We had no idea it would be our last vacation before something called a “coronavirus” was re-labelled COVID 19 and turned the world upside down. … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Movies, Popular Culture & Entertainment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

It’s Hard Being the Short Month

Posted on February 5, 2025 by mitchteemley

April: Let’s throw a party! October: Awesome! Who shall we invite? April: Oh, you know, all the cool months. October: What about what’s-his-name, February? April: Oh, him. Everybody loves his partner Valentine’s Day, but kind of ignores him. So he … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Dangling by a Thread of Hope

Posted on February 4, 2025 by mitchteemley

My Real Memoir I’d just turned twenty-five, and was recovering from multiple goodbyes, while pushing back against that old recurring sense of purposelessness. So I clung to what remained: I still had friends, even if the tide had carried some away. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

What if “There Is No There There”?

Posted on February 3, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week The next time you meet someone with a strictly “realistic” (materialistic) view of the universe, that only what can be seen (physically observed) exists, point out the following: 96% of the universe is un-observable and is … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

God, Make Me Such a Fool

Posted on February 2, 2025 by mitchteemley

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  ~Jim Elliot Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and half a dozen additional team members shared the vision of bringing God’s love to one of he … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

Tapping Into the Power of Story

Posted on February 1, 2025 by mitchteemley

How to Choose a Blog Name I admitted in my last post that, while I can construe my name to mean almost anything, it really is simply my name. Hence, the need for a subtitle. I’ve always been a storyteller. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments