Category Archives: Memoir

The Baron of Second Avenue

Posted on June 24, 2019 by

Grandpa Frank was fearless. Born in 1902, Frank McLaughlin was of rugged Scotch-Irish stock, descended from the founders of New Hampshire. His genteel French Canadian mother tried to tame him, but never succeeded. He ran away at fifteen, and with … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Only One Life

Posted on June 17, 2019 by

I avoid “Christianese” like the plague. I can speak it fluently, but it’s not my native language. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bona fide Jesus follower. It’s just that those who speak in code seldom reach anyone but themselves. … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

Toby the Turtle

Posted on June 11, 2019 by

Two True Fables: Part Two To read Part One (Fat Cat) click here. 1960s families loved turtles. Some eventually flushed theirs down the toilet (resulting in an outbreak of sewer-dwelling ninjas). But our neighbors the Cartingers couldn’t bear to part … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , | 37 Comments

Fat Cat

Posted on June 10, 2019 by

Two True Fables: Part One We didn’t look for cats. They would just show up and say, “I live here now, and you’re going to feed me.” It was a pretty sweet deal, though. They were free, they were cute, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Story Power | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Intermittent Fasting

Posted on June 6, 2019 by

I didn’t know IF was a thing when I started doing it. I’d read that a major study proved intermittent fasting (basically, eating just one meal a day) could increase longevity by around 20%. And since I come from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Mixed Motives

Posted on June 3, 2019 by

If it weren’t for mixed motives I’d have no motives at all. I’m an idealist. I want (earnest cliché alert) to make the world a better place. But I’m also a hopeless egoist, and no matter what I do I can … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Memoir, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments

When is the Impossible Possible?

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

So a guy near where I live died. But he’s feeling much better now. In 2013, Anthony Yahle went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to Kettering Medical Center. Doctors tried for 45 minutes to restart his heart. They finally … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 38 Comments