Tag: five minute observations
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With Me When It’s Scariest
I was five the first time I dialed a phone. A yellow rotary on the wall. My grandmother’s number. My dad behind me on the barstool. I’ve been dialing scary numbers ever since.
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UFO Sighting in Missouri: She Wasn’t Lying
She pointed at the blurry picture on her phone. “This right here — this is a real UFO.” Traveling these curvy Missouri hills, she waved it in front of me. For a second, I thought we might crash.
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I Knew His Face
I didn’t know his name. I knew his face. About a man at a round table, a string of numbers in blue ink, and the question I’m still asking about whether I got close enough.
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Writing That Happened
I read a faith column in Sunday’s paper. Three numbered points. Charlie Brown opener. A tidy bow at the end. And nowhere did the writer tell me what he was afraid of. New post on Five Minute Observations. What does showing up actually look like? Link in bio.
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The Tomb He Owned
One man steps into the story of Jesus without introduction, almost a footnote. Joseph of Arimathea. A member of the Jewish High Council. A good man who had been quiet until one afternoon, when he wasn’t. What would I have done? What would you?
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Three Doors In
Three doors. A diner. A highway. A social media post. Three stories that have nothing in common, except me showing up, paying attention, and then getting out of the way. Which one stayed with you?
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You Almost Walk By
Most storytelling describes values. Incarnational storytelling makes you feel them before they’re named. The difference between an audience and a witness.
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Do You Remember When?
One flavor of Doritos. Three sizes of drinks. A show inside a show inside a memory. Yesterday’s break room conversation turned into something bigger.
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Embers
I smacked Ray’s arm out of the way, waiting for him to swing back. He didn’t. His older brother held me back. Fifty minutes later I was kneeling in front of the wood stove, still burning. And the fire wasn’t mine.
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What If They Say Yes
Most people won’t admit they’re afraid of good news. Or that time passing terrifies them more than failure does. I’ll go first. Two overlooked fears. An ancient promise. And one question: what if they say yes?
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Between The Buildings
pass through the breezeway at Gibson without thinking about it. Most days I hurry through, dodging conversations. This time someone called my name. I almost didn’t stop. I’m glad I did.
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Be Nice
GeVonee said two words that stopped me cold. I laughed. Then I thought about it all day. Read more about it at Five Minute Observations.
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Leave It Alone
Paying attention is hard. But what do you do when you see something you can’t unsee? Pass on something you should have? In that moment do you see anyone else in power asking the same questions you are?
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Noticing
The armadillo stopped you. He didn’t. You tell yourself you’ll pay attention when it matters. Then you pass a man outside the DQ and order a Blizzard. You were noticing. Just not him.
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Like Apple Jacks
Two miles today. First run since December. Hard and slow and so good! Something clicked this morning. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to get back to the thing you love, this might be it. Today was the day for me.
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The Presence on E Main Street
The presence behind me on E Main Street was real. And she was driving a Cadillac.
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From Behind the Counter
Terry pressed his face against the glass and peered in at us. “Smokers,” he said. “In their natural habitat.” This is a story about a breakroom, a movie, and what we were promised.