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The first spiritual gifts test I took as a part of a church group came back and listed my primary spiritual gift as the gift of hospitality. A few years later I took another spiritual gifts test and the results were the same— hospitality. Then, 20 years ago, as a part of a parenting workshop,Continue reading “Hospitality”

There were a lot of crappy foods in my childhood meal rotations— cereals with way too much sugar, cheap meats, odd sandwich combinations, and frozen dinners— but I never ate macaroni and cheese until I was in my 40s. To this day, I have only eaten mac and cheese a few times. It’s not becauseContinue reading “Mac & Cheese”

We are smack dab in the middle of wedding season. The American South is a brutal place to host a wedding in the months of June and July. When I scan the periodical section of bookstores and pass by the wedding magazines, all of the brides and grooms look cool, fresh, and happy. Those peopleContinue reading “Summer Weddings”

Memories come in all shapes, sizes, sounds, smells, and sights. Occasionally a song strikes a note that trips a memory, other times we’ll see something that reminds us of another thing, that reminds us of still another thing. Sometimes all of those components come together at once to bring back a vivid recollection. A fewContinue reading “The Best Decision My Mom Ever Made”

LAS VEGAS— Road trips have existed since the wheel was invented. In the Italian villa we take our travel groups to in Tuscany (a road trip, by the way), there exists a road, just outside the villa, called Via Roma. It is the road that connects Bologna to Rome through Florence. It is the roadContinue reading “Father-Son Road Trip (before college) 2019”

Author’s Note: Portions of the following column are included in a foreword I wrote for the upcoming book, “Life Lessons for Our Grandchildren,” by Marilyn Tinnin. You’ll be able to find the book in all of usual places this fall. My paternal grandmother, Eunice Holleman St. John, was the greatest influence in, and on, myContinue reading “My Biggest Regret”

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about how certain senses are inherently connected to my memory. The strongest of those memories are from my childhood. Certain sights, sounds and smells are so deeply rooted in my early years that— even as a 57-year old man— when I hear a song, taste a food,Continue reading “My Mississippi Childhood Summer Top 10”

“Dad, can we cook supper together tonight?” Are there any more beautiful words in the English language? Well, probably, but those were some pretty sweet words when I heard them last week. I’ll put it this way— in that moment, there were no better words I would have rather heard from my 18-year old son.Continue reading “Cooking with Dad”

Every parent has a go-to breakfast. In our house, my wife typically makes the before-school morning meal. Most days, I was already at work while the kids were preparing for school. I fill in on occasion with daddy breakfasts. Daddy breakfasts are usually reserved for special occasions or out-of-town sojourns with the guys. Typically, it’sContinue reading “Daddy Breakfasts”