by greg stone

Mom's Thanksgiving Rolls

Mom's Thanksgiving Rolls

As good as the meal and dessert was, however, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was going back later, grabbing one of Mom’s rolls, bathing it in butter, and heating it up with a layer of ham on top. This to me was the ultimate joy of Thanksgiving, of course also being with family and relatives. But those late afternoon/evening snacks of Mom’s rolls with ham are forever etched in my memories.

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Rollie Pollie Races

Rollie Pollie Races

I would gather a handfull of rollie pollies and line them up on one end of our concrete porch. With an ivory detergent container filled with water I would line my racetrack, then set the rollie pollies off for the races! Of course, they often didn’t stay within the lines, but many times would as the water formed a barrier. I guess rollie pollies don’t like getting their feet wet!
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The Simple Joy of Innocence

The Simple Joy of Innocence

We can all learn wonderful lessons studying the little ones. For myself, Jack is teaching me to have a heart of gratitude and wonder. I stepped outside last night and stared into the night sky, observing the stars and the moon. It brought me back to the many times as a child I stared at the stars, their reflection in my eyes of wonder and delight. I remember at an early age my awe of the reality of a God who created all of this, and who created me. How I wanted to know this God of wonder.
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Fire in the Hole

Fire in the Hole

Roller Coasters. They have been a joyful experience over my years as a kid and an adult. As an older adult, I can’t ride the ones that spin you around. Motion sickness comes easier now. But I can still recall the powerful joy of Thunderation, Powder Keg and Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City, and roller coasters at other parks like The Screaming Eagle, Zambezi Zinger, Timberwolf, Mamba, and the Mind Eraser. Many of those rides lasted less than a minute, but filled me with excitement, fear, and adventure.
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Bill

Bill

Bill Gilkerson was my father-in-law for close to 30 years before his passing on September 17, 2021. He was an amazing man, who spent time in his life as a rancher, electrician, beautician, tournament fisherman and pastor. He helped wire our home we had built 20 years ago. He became a second father to me.
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Dancing in the Fourth Grade

Dancing in the Fourth Grade

Mrs. Amos did something unique as a teacher. Every day after lunch we would take about 30 minutes and dance. That’s right. She taught us several dances. I remember vividly the Virginia Reel and the Highland Fling. On some occasions instead of dancing to music she would have us jump rope to music. That’s right--right in the middle of our classroom half of us would be attempting to jump rope to old music from her record player!
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Summer fires and fireflies

Summer fires and fireflies

I want to walk the speed of love, of gratitude, of contentment. I wonder if Jesus came to earth today instead of 2,000 years ago if he would still walk from town to town rather than drive. His pace was the pace of love – slow, steady, and sure…never frantic. He was busy at times, but never hurried. He drank in each moment of each day as precious opportunities from the Father.
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Driving

Driving

Time seems to slow down while I’m on the road. Various landscapes, dawns and dusks, lightning, snow showers and enveloping fog bring back memories of my travels. In all those memories, I sense my truer self rises forth while alone and on the road.
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