NEEDING A REMINDER
Jennifer’s children wanted a dog. That is normal for children, and Jennifer decided that maybe it would be good for them to learn responsibility. So Jennifer sat down with them and talked to them
Author: Daris Howard
THE STAY-AT-HOME CHALLENGE
Sometimes it is hard to find humor in our current situation. But I got an email the other day with an ad regarding having to stay at home during the pandemic. It was about exercise equipment. It started
WALK IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES
The recent COVID-19 outbreak, and the fear surrounding it, reminds me of a story I heard. It was based on an event during the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic.
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Earl was a hard-working, family-oriented man. He, his wife, and their children ran a litt
GASPING FOR AIR
Coach blew his whistle, which brought us to a stop. His favorite conditioning exercise was to have us run on our hands and knees back and forth across the wrestling room. He started us off by blowing
SHOULDER SURGERY
After finding out there was a bullet in my arm, I hoped that was what was causing the pain in my arm. I figured that if a bullet was removed, there would be less trauma and healing than if it was torn ligaments. But I was to have no such luck. The doct
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A REAL PATRIOT
A good friend of mine, Blaine, was a World War II veteran. He was one of the most patriotic men I knew, even if he had many reasons not to be.
As a young man, Blaine, like many others his age, found
CHOOSING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
When I first met my wife, she was a music major and played in a dance band. I was in athletics. My children have tended to follow their mother’s interests more than mine. Every one of them is an excellent
THE SUMMER VACATION
I knew that Brent had gone on an extended vacation, so when he returned, I asked him how it went.
“Well, I learned some things about myself, and I also learned some things about my family and what
GETTING TOMATOES TO GROW
My cousin Becky loves gardening about as much as I do. We often compare notes on what works and what doesn’t.
“How do you do on your tomatoes?” she asked.
“Oh, I do okay,” I said.
“Do you do
GLAD TO COME HOME
My daughter was in her mid-teens—those years when young people think that their parents don’t know too much. She chafed at the requirements of home, having to do chores, having a set time for bed,
A CHANGE IN PERSONALITY
My roommate, David, was dating a girl named Annie. She was beautiful, with blonde hair that hung down past her shoulders, and she had big blue eyes. But what made her especially beautiful was her kindness.
AN UNUSUAL ASSIGNMENT
It was the day after Thanksgiving. As a police officer, Samuel was preparing to go on patrol, but he had to fill out the required reports first. Paperwork was the thing he hated most. He much preferred
AN OLD FRIEND
Recently I was traveling along a dusty road when I stopped at a place in the middle of nowhere. The road from our high school in St. Anthony to the one in Salmon where we often competed, ran through a long, barren stretch of road. The trip on a scho
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SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING SWEET
When we walked into the buffet restaurant, the first thing that caught Jason’s eye was the chocolate fountain. It had three huge tiers with gallons of chocolate flowing over them.
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“That’s just about the most amazing thing ever!” he said.
Th
SOLVING THE CASE OF THE SCOUT CAMP BANDIT
Scout camp was going pretty much as usual. Gordy had had an Oreo cookie stolen, and he was sure someone was taking his candy, too. He was determined to find a way to catch the bandit. That was when I suggested that he paint the candy wrappers with
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COMMUNITY TEAMWORK
Too often it seems like all of the news we hear is bad; at least a high percentage of it is negative. That’s why I always look for positive, uplifting stories. There was an event that occurred over the last few weeks in our community that is worth
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JOBS AND SOFTBALL
“When will softball ever help you get a job and earn a living?” Dean’s mother asked in exasperation.
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Underhand fast-pitch softball was big in the communities before World War II, and Dean was a crazy fast pitcher at it, with an emphasis on cra
WE ARE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
I was with the youngest primary children at church last Sunday, when something happened that made me think about Civil Rights Day and the challenges this country has faced. One of the teachers was trying to help the children understand that
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A DIFFERENCE IN CULTURE
I was nineteen years old and living in New York when I first met Juan. His family had come to the United States from South America, and he was proud of his heritage. He was a pleasant young man and a jokester. But one thing he especially liked to
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VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
We attend a little country church in our rural community. I have been involved in many community events and have taken on lots of assignments that have come from the congregation leaders. Mostly I have worked in scouting.
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On Tuesday of one we
COMPETITION FOR GOOD
It had been a hard year in our rural community. Lots of older people had passed away, leaving their spouses alone. There had also been quite a few farm accidents from which people were recovering. To add to that, farm prices were low, and many i
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WHEN TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT
Cyrus was an old farmer and had worked hard all of his life. He was independent, but he was getting older and everything was just a little bit harder. Still, he was determined to maintain his independence and pride.
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When the Boy Scouts came aro
MURDER IN THE DARK
Donna and I had barely started dating. She played in the orchestra for a musical, so I went almost every night. One night after the musical finished, she invited me backstage. As we were mingling with other cast and orchestra members, one of t
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PAYING IT BACKWARD
My daughter Heather had had a bad day. In fact, the whole week hadn’t been that good. She had started school, and there was a mixup in her classes. By the time she had that straightened out, a few days of class had already gone by. She then had to ca
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