Last week Michael Powers published an autumn story I authored, called “Harvest Moon.” It was published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series a few years ago. When Ray Reiman read it he began to reminisce and sent me a delightful note. As you can tell Ray does some writing, too and has something to say from his rich life.
LETTER FROM RAY RIEMEN:
Hi Ken!
Great “Heart Touchers” story about your granddad harvesting corn! He was much like my dad–a hard working, very honest farmer who died …

On a late-October night in western Ohio, twenty-five years ago, a young couple checked into a hospital in the little village of Coldwater, Ohio. The young woman labored through the jaws of death into life. At about quarter of ten in the morning, I became a father. The baby was a boy, a fine, first-born son.
We named him Kyle Dale. His first name means integrity, his middle name was taken from a man who had died a year before in October, my grandfather, who …

It’s been blustery in the Western Suburbs of Chicago lately. Saturday we enjoyed a drive in the county and a visit to a fall festival complete with pumpkins, and Indian corn, a hayride, music, and a huge craft barn. We may only have a little over a week of autumn color left to enjoy.
Sunday morning we drove south again to First Baptist Church in Momence. I preached on “America in Scripture” from Romans 1:18-32. Why America is under the judgment of God, what happens when a …

Saturday evening I was out redeeming my Sweetest Day. I was preoccupied in my thoughts weighing weather I should buy candy, flowers, or a cookbook for my Sweetest. I should have been paying more attention to my driving. I paused at a corner in a shopping center parking lot and without realizing it I rolled through a four-way stop. I pulled away from the stop sign before the fellow who had the right-of-way. He laid on his horn and his car lunged forward as if …

I went to refill my coffee cup at Panera this morning. A woman was there rooting through her large bag, which she had set on the counter along with her pastries and enough coffees for what appeared to be a small office staff. She was talking on her cell phone. Waiting to refill my mug, I was a captive audience.
“I don’t have them – . I’m sure I don’t have them,” she was saying. “Are you sure you didn’t use them last?” “Wait, I …

It’s October. Locust leaves fell like snow from the trees yesterday. The furnace kicked on last night. Just before drifting into sleep I meditated on one of the beautiful “harvest passages” of the Bible:
“In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Act 14:16-17 ESV)
It’s that time of the year again.
I …

On November 8th, 1991 there was a rare display of the aurora borealis in the cold, clear sky over our farmhouse in south central Ohio. I missed it because at that very moment our sixth child, a boy we named Daniel, was coming into the world. I will always consider that phenomenon a special sign from the Lord for good in Daniel’s life. The rare beauty of God’s magnificent creation exploded in the sky the very moment that our son Daniel was born.
When the last …