Morning Coffee Beans - Short Stories From The Heart

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One of the best memories I have from my childhood is the time my mother read to me. When it was cold outside, we sat on the couch late at night with the fire blazing in the fireplace. I leaned against her shoulder and watched the lines on her face disappear as she used her voice to mimic the characters in the book.

She laughed and pretended to cry to make the story come to life, and sometimes in those moments, she looked younger to me. It was our particular time together to read and talk about books.

It could have been her time to relax after taking care of children and a husband all day, but instead, she would smile when I slipped out of my bed and come tiptoeing back in the living room after everyone else was asleep. Being the youngest of 11 children; sometimes, it was easy to get lost in the crowd, and I cherished those moments; I could sit close to her and know it was just my time.

I had the opportunity to visit an elementary school recently to read to the first-grade class for National Children’s book week. The students told me that they loved it when their parents read to them, too. One young man, Juan, said he did it the other way a...

My Latest Featured Stories

How Not to Order Mexican Food

My husband loves Mexican food. When we lived in south Texas, he worked very hard to learn Spanish. As a hospital chaplain and a nurse, we needed to know how to speak and understand Spanish to better communicate with our patients.

One afternoon, not long after we had completed our Spanish classes, he picked me up from work early. He said he wanted to go to Mexico for some Mexican food. We only lived about 20 miles north of Progreso, a Mexican border town.

I pointed out the fact that we had great Mexican restaurants right...

Threatening our Children Causes Many Problems

The little girl ran from one side of the waiting room to the other, almost tripping the adult walking by. Her mother tried to stop her, but the three-year-old ran out of her reach. When she finally got her back to her seat, she stood up and began jumping up and down dangerously close to the edge of the chair.

The frantic mother told the child to sit down, or she would not get a treat when they left. It didn't work. When all other negotiations failed, the mother seemed to have had enough. She said to the child with exasperation, “...

A Different Perspective

Have you ever traveled down a road one way and noticed that things looked very different when you come back from another direction? Sometimes, when we change our routine, our world opens up a little more, and we see from a different perspective.

This time of the year, I have a morning routine that seldom changes. I leave the window by my bed open just a little to hear the dawn chorus that starts in late April to early June. Our backyard fills up with all kinds of birds. Their beautiful chorus sometimes begins as early as 4:30 ...

The Power of Compassion

Sympathy looks in and says, "I'm sorry.”Compassion goes in and says, "I’m with you.“

Sympathy looks in and says, "I would like to help."Compassion goes in and says, "I am here to help."

Sympathy says, "I wish I could carry your burden."Compassion says, "Cast your burden on me."

Sympathy often irritates with many words.Compassion helps and hears in quietness and understanding.

-Author Unknown

There is a difference between sympathy and compassion that demonstrates the critical effect of ...

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

It was just a small, round gold loop placed in his left ear, like the one many of his friends wore, but it bothered me. Why? I am not sure. It was probably because it represented a rebellion against the norm in our family; girls wore earrings, and guys didn’t.

It could have been the main concern that our friends might think our parenting skills were weak or the fear that he would reject other rules we thought were important. So, I did what frustrated mothers do; I scolded him, nagged him, and finally pleaded with him to take it...

Making Room For the Important Things

Sometimes our minds are like computers. When we are trying to enjoy those special moments in life, a message appears, “No more room. Temporary files too big, need to delete.”

When I complained to my friend about not having enough room on my computer, she showed me how to delete and transfer files to free up room for the important things I needed most.

The phrase, “There is no room in the Inn,” became very real to me when I was invited to a friend's home in south Texas to share in their family’s C...

Blinders

Have you ever been tempted to take a ride in one of the guided horse carriages? It seems so romantic and peaceful, trotting through the city or a quiet park.

I think about how difficult it would be for a horse, taken from a pasture, to be placed in a noisy city to be told where they should go. That is why the owners use blinders.

Blinders are leather flaps on the bridle that keeps the horse from seeing to the sides. It helps the animal to focus and stay on course.

Blinders were used on farm horses and mules to pull plow...

Barefoot Summer

Our bare feet grew tough, our hair turned gold, and our bodies browned and freckled in the sun that pursued us on long hot summer days.

Across the dirt road where we lived, there was an old abandoned building. Bushes, high grass, and broken tree limbs hid it from the road, but we found it and made it our secret clubhouse.

We swept the dust from one side of the room to the other and put a cardboard box in the middle of the huge open space for a table and cement blocks around for chairs.

We hid our peanut butter and crack...

Enjoy the Journey

“Stand still,” my husband whispered. “I think I've got it.” I tried not to move, even though something was scratching my feet. I glanced down to see prickly little bushes pressing against my legs.

He moved in closer, aimed, and clicked, but not quickly enough. The fickle little orange butterfly fluttered out of the camera's view to another blossom a few feet away. We tried to follow it, but we were waist-deep in yellow wildflowers and losing sight of our feet altogether.

“Wait, I told him. Here's ...

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

I had just started to play the introduction to the closing hymn at church when the sanctuary door opened and one of the members walked in.

Beautiful voices filled the small church as adults and children sang the sweet old hymn, Amazing Grace.

Everyone was standing, so he stepped inside the back pew, smiled, and nodded at those around him.When the song ended, the pastor stepped up to the pulpit and said the closing prayer.

The man started to sit down as others began to move out of their seats, and I saw the confu...

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My Vietnam Soldier’s Story

My husband was a cook in the Vietnam war. One morning after praying for God's protection for himself and his comrades, he felt he should go into the mess hall early to prepare his baking duties. He had to convince the head cook to do his work during the evening meal time. Normally, he started his baking after dinner and worked late while the soldiers stayed in the lighted building to do their letter writing and play cards. However, they all had to leave early when he closed the building for the night.

Next to the Mess Hall w...

Thank You Notes

Inside the small white envelope was a pretty little card with a bear and flowers on the front. When I opened it, a note written in a child’s handwriting read, “Thank you, Mrs. Landers, for the movie tickets. We’re going to watch Lizzie McGuire. I appreciate your letter. P.S. Thanks.” Signed Sami (with a flower over the I).

It was a thank you note from a child I sent movie tickets for a story that we published of hers for a contest.

When I finished the note, I thought about how wonderful it was th...

75th Holocaust Remembrance

“The time will come when we will be people again and not just Jews!” – 11 April 1944.

More than one million children under the age of 16 died in the Holocaust during World War II. Anne Frank was one of them.

This written excerpt came from her diary written while hiding in the secret annex of her father’s business. She wasn’t writing a book or an important document–just a journal that kept her occupied and helped her to cope with a difficult time in her life. However, in 1947 her diary, saved ...

Laughter

My daughter reminded me one morning of the importance of laughter in our lives. She was sitting on the floor, playing and laughing out loud with her six-month-old daughter.

I listened as her laughter, and my granddaughter's giggles filled all the space around me. She said she wanted to feel this kind of joy always and see the world through her child’s merry eyes.

We talked about the carefree laughter of childhood before we had bills to pay and so many responsibilities.

I asked my daughter, "So w...

Dear Mr. President

My husband is a quiet man, the kind that when the storms come, outside or inside, he's steady as a rock. While trying to figure out how to fix everything and everyone, he usually has three things to say. Deana, leave it alone; this to will pass. There's a reason why things happen, or what are you going to do about it?

I think the quarantining is getting to him, and like everyone else, he is ready for it to end. He sometimes edits my columns, checks my grammar, and reminds me to check the facts.

However, I think he may be stress...

Hope and Determination are Important Tools in Life

When we lived in Texas, I had a friend who needed to write a paper about Hispanic Heritage Month for an English assignment. She asked me what I thought was the most important thing young people in the Rio Grande Valley needed to succeed in life.

While I was thinking about the answer, she said everyone else had told her the answer was education. I agreed that education was definitely the answer for success in any person’s life, young or old, but we must have even to reach that goal. It is hope.

Even parents with li...

Featured Short Story

Please Read Me a Story

My Latest Featured Stories

How Not to Order Mexican Food

Threatening our Children Causes Many Problems

A Different Perspective

The Power of Compassion

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Making Room For the Important Things

Blinders

Barefoot Summer

Enjoy the Journey

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Trending Stories

My Vietnam Soldier’s Story

Thank You Notes

75th Holocaust Remembrance

Laughter

Dear Mr. President

Hope and Determination are Important Tools in Life

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