Tagged: short story

The Carpenter

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I ‘m looking for a few days’ work,”...

A Rose for Rose

Red roses were her favorites; her name was also Rose, And every year her husband sent them tied with pretty bows. The year he died the roses were delivered to her door, The card said “Be My Valentine” like all the years before. Each year he sent her roses and the note would always say, “I love you even more this year than last year on this day, My love for you will always grow with every passing year,” She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear. She thought he ordered roses in advance before this...

The Arbor

Behind an apartment at the edge of town stands an arbor. Six feet high, it was designed and built to support climbing plants, and it has been put to good use. The residents have planted climbing roses at the base of the arbor posts, and then added trellises to help the roses climb to the top. Beneath the arbor are shrubs, flowering bushes, and statuary. Hanging from the rungs at the top are bird-feeders. The arbor is beautiful to see, and undoubtedly a source of great pleasure to its owners. Nearby sits a second arbor. Almost identical to the first,...

Your Job is to Love

My kitchen table was covered with papers. It was the end of the month and I was trying to get all of my paperwork done and taken to the office on time. I sat down in a chair, picked up my pen, and started writing on the first page. Just then a flash of motion caught my eye. I looked out my window and saw my neighbors’ white beagle standing on my back porch. She had gotten free from her yard and was having fun running loose. Knowing my neighbors were at work I looked at my paperwork, sighed, and...

God Saying “I Love You”

Each of us in this life wants more than anything to be loved. We work for love. We strive for love. We make fools out of ourselves for love. We long to feel that love warming our hearts and souls. We strain our ears each day for just a whisper of those three glorious words: “I love you.” What most of us don’t realize, however, is just how much God loves us. God is showing us and telling us how much He loves us everyday. When you see the sun rising over the mountains, feel the cool breeze kissing your...