Author: Martin Wiles

In life, we often feel as if we're under attack. Tradition says that the running of the bulls began in northeastern Spain during the fourteenth century. Why people would want to run down a crowded street with angry bulls chasing them is … Read more

Feeling forsaken can make things appear as if life's caving in. I've always thought that of all people who should stand shoulder to shoulder in tough times, it should be family. Recently, a particular family member had the means to help … Read more

Some silence is golden. The sound of silence was written by Paul Simon — of the duo Simon and Garfunkle — over several months between 1963 and 1964. In 1966, the song — which tells of a man who failed to communicate — hit number … Read more

Some truth never changes. I don't remember whether Mom and Dad explained the importance of what I was watching on the television or not, but I remember watching with great interest. Just shy of nine years of age, I sat in the den of a … Read more

The news stung like a hornet against bare skin. For thirteen years, my wife and I celebrated Christmas with our two children on Christmas Day. We considered it a sacred tradition, and we thought that they did, too. We loved watching them … Read more

She longed for their presence. The military had called her husband and her son to fight a Middle Eastern war. She worried night and day — never totally focused on anything that she did. What if both were killed? Or suppose that they … Read more

My parents assisted me with burdens for the first eighteen years of my life. From tending to my basic needs to teaching me responsibility and getting me jobs, they helped me to carry the burdens that accompany growing up. Since then, … Read more

Riding roller coasters is not my forte. I recall getting on Thunder Road at Carowinds Theme Park once — and only then to please a girlfriend. I clung to my seat — and my girlfriend — as the row of cars inched its way to the top of the … Read more

Accepting reality is not always easy. My maternal grandfather raised hogs. The old farmhouse seemed to be surrounded by hog pens. Since hogs are notorious for rooting under fences, I suppose that it made sense to keep them within sight. … Read more

Like body posture, good prayer posture is important. "Clyde, don't slouch down in your desk." I was in the third grade when I first became familiar with the definition of posture. Though my teacher, Mrs. Early, didn't use the actual … Read more