28 crazy
The number 28 is celebrated in the Jones family because of the famous-only-to-Joneses phrase “28 crazy.” My father’s brother Jack created this designation in a moment of tormenting his brother …
in the arms of jim
A couple weeks ago I was in St. Louis for the American Association of Pastoral Counselors national conference. There were many people there I love, the speakers were good, it …
are you pete gray?
It snowed again last night, and this morning the wind is ripping down Swan Mountain in violent bursts. Trees are swaying, the wind chimes are ecstatic, and the forsythia are …
what I came to tell you
Last week I read, and loved, Tommy Hays’ latest novel, What I Came to Tell You. This is a book about living in the presence of death. A brother and …
the family that chainsaws together
My dad was a high school principal and my mom a high school teacher. They did a lot of good for a lot of years, and when they retired they …
the good lord bird
I just finished reading The Good Lord Bird, James McBride’s fantastic novel that won the 2013 National Book Award. The novel tells the story of John Brown’s 1859 rebellion at …
rest and be thankful
I’m looking through the window at the woods below our house. The earth is resting on one of the last mornings of winter. Poplar, hickory, cherry, and oak trees bare …