November brings with it a number of seasonal peculiarities: falling leaves, premature Christmas decorations, cooler temperatures and now, in the New South, daily thanksgiving posts on Facebook. I’m not sure when the trend started, but taking the month of November to post “What I am thankful for today” status updates has caught on. Yes, there … Continue reading A month’s worth of thankfulness in one serving
Tag: relationships
Fiscal cliff
Lately my wife and I have been talking a lot about money. No, not the exciting “What would we do if we won the lottery?” kinds of conversations about money. More of the “If we refinance our mortgage what does our monthly budget look like?” kinds of conversations about money. During the seemingly never-ending presidential … Continue reading Fiscal cliff
Sick day
Raise your hand if you ever envied your sick child’s excused day of lying on the sofa watching cartoons and napping. OK, so I’m the only one? No? You say you have felt that way, too? You have been burning the candle at both ends until there’s no wick left and you still haven’t found … Continue reading Sick day
Matrimony in the great outdoors
I’m not really a fan of weddings. I guess I enjoyed my own wedding, but overall, they’re just not that appealing to me. They are too often a big production that has little to do with making a sacred vow before God, family and friends. The spectacle and expense are too much for me to … Continue reading Matrimony in the great outdoors
Commuter dude
I recently changed jobs, and in the process traded a consistent 30-minute commute for a nail-biting daily adventure into downtown Atlanta. Commuting is not a remarkable activity in and of itself. It is a necessary evil for those of us with kids, living the suburban "dream." And, unfortunately, it is one of those activities that characterizes life in … Continue reading Commuter dude
Can I have a second helping of home décor?
I’ll eat just about anything you can put on a plate, but I won’t admire just any plate you can put on a wall. Those plates must be historic. And Southern. And tell a story. When my wife of 15 years and I were concocting our wedding registry, (OK, let me restate that more accurately: … Continue reading Can I have a second helping of home décor?
When all the world was young
This June marked the 20th anniversary of my graduation from Troy University, and after spending this week with 140 college students at a conference in Alabama, I can’t help but reflect on how students are different in the New South. As a small group leader who did double duty as an interviewer and reporter covering … Continue reading When all the world was young
Guys’ night out
“Decompression” is the best word to describe my rare night out with the guys last Tuesday. The idea for the outing sprang up last week when I saw that the San Francisco Giants were coming to town to play the Atlanta Braves. Carla was amenable to giving me the night off, so plans were set in … Continue reading Guys’ night out
Separation anxiety
We tell ourselves it is necessary to send our children away on their own to prepare them for adulthood. I am beginning to believe we must send our children away on their own to prepare us for their adulthood. Last Sunday morning we dropped our 11-year-old son off at the Publix parking lot where he … Continue reading Separation anxiety
Playing catch up
I’ve spent the better part of the last week in Fort Worth, Texas, working long hours, enduring incredible heat and spending time with my youngest brother and his family. The 8-day odyssey to the place of my birth felt more like two trips in one. The first four days I was engaged in the annual … Continue reading Playing catch up
New South Essays 