Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

“Oh God of second chances, here I am again.” I’m glad God gives second chances (or more). We all need a mulligan at some time in our lives. And He is a God of forgiveness and restoration. A God of second chances.   Don’t believe me?   Take a trip with a world traveler named Jonah. He made the most …

Hope is Mandatory You can’t live without it. If you have hope, you can face anything. Without hope, life is difficult and tedious. Have hope. Keep hope . . . Because hope is mandatory.

How to tell a panhandler from a truly homeless person. Living in the city has been an education for me. Homelessness has always bothered me, but I’ve never been able to get my hands around the presence and problems of homelessness. This led me to become involved in the homeless ministry in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana. I’ve also learned to differentiate …

I looked up at the full moon as it rose last night. “Boy, you’ve had a busy April. First, you totally blacked our closest star, the Sun, during that Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th. You were in the new moon phase but helped put on a show for the ages. “Now, here you are as a full moon showing …

“Jessica” Allman Brothers’ guitarist Dickie Betts died last week at 80. His songs, especially ‘Jessica,” have always been my favorite ABB cuts, and he will forever hold a special place in my heart. I’ve listened to the Allman’s since 1972 and still circle back to them several times a year. “Jessica” is an instrumental written for his baby daughter Jessica. …

“Help Needed On Aisle Three”   “Son, there’s only one thing you need to know if you’re going to marry my daughter . . . ” My cousin Mark Roy died suddenly last week.  I am saddened by Mark’s death and am praying for Debbie, their three daughters, and Mark’s mom, Aunt Florence Roy. If there’s one word to describe …

    Bro. Hodges’ Best Sermon The preacher stood in the middle of the muddy red clay road, staring at the problem straight ahead.   It was a long way from his pulpit, so he had no idea he would preach “his best sermon” right here in a few minutes. This preacher standing in the middle of the road was Kenneth …

She smiled at me, and I was changed. Thursday, April 18, 2024    Atrium Oschner’s Hospital  New Orleans, Louisiana   I saw the lady as she passed my table in the busy atrium of Oschner’s Hospital. She was walking briskly, and I immediately saw she had no arms, only nubs that ended past her shoulders. Then I noticed something else. …

First Snake of the Year   Tuesday, April 16, 2024 It’s mid-April, and the snakes are crawling out of their winter homes.  The warmer nights are the impetus for them to stick their heads above ground. I’ve spent the winter months not worrying about where I walk or put my hands. But that is changing. I’m waiting to see my …

When Venus and Jupiter Came Out Monday, April 15, 2004 I’ve purposely waited until a week since the eclipse to write about it. I wanted to let the dust settle from the event and my soul. I won’t try to describe how it looked when our sun was completely covered by our moon. You’ve seen the photos, and the images …

    The Unoffended Life “The unoffended life is the best way to live.” What is the unoffendable life? It’s the mark of a person who doesn’t easily get bent out of shape. They don’t carry a chip on his or her shoulder. They let offenses roll off their back and choose to overlook slights, real or perceived. In the …

Thoughts on a Manly Handshake It’s an art every leader must master. Let’s delve into the cultural significance of the manly handshake, a unique aspect of our Louisiana Pineywoods region. Sometimes it’s called a manshake. A man-shake is firm instead of its opposite number, the dead fish/damp washrag handshake. Men in our area are judged by their handshake. It can …

Beautiful Cherry Winche Creek near Bethel Baptist Church in Rapides Parish area of Plainview. How have you seen “Cherry Winchie” spelled? What story/stories have you heard on the origin of the creek’s name?

An Obituary I’d Love to Have. One of the reasons I still receive a paper copy of The Town Talk is to read the well-written obituaries submitted by families. I was touched by the concluding sentence of the obit. of Judge Frank Alan Little, Jr in Sunday’s April 7, 2024 edition. “He often remarked that his wife, family, and friends …