The Finger of God

Some things are so out-of-theordinary and rare that when they occur, if positive, like miraculous healing in a chronically ill person, we refer to them as “Finger of God” events, because nothing else has such all-encompassing power over people, events, life or death.

A Rural Reality Check

Spend enough time in a small town and you’ll hear it everywhere—sometimes whispered over coffee, sometimes declared at the city council meeting, sometimes baked into the way we talk about our neighbors: “They should’ve handled that differently.” “She should be more involved.” “He should know better.

“Reflecting on Progress”

It’s human nature to tell stories about the past, and doctors aren’t immune to that impulse. The second year medical students rotating through my clinic have me reflecting on my own years as a fledgling physician, and the changes I’ve seen in my decades of practice.

PRESSED BETWEEN THE PAGES: Hair Curling Stories

Curl-coveting and straight-hair envy has endured a long and winding road throughout history. The stories could make your hair stand on end! Egyptians wore curly wigs held together with beeswax. Greeks and Romans used hot metal rods to curl their hair.

Home Country

“Well,” said Steve, the tall cowboy, “at least it’s Friday and we all have the weekend to look forward to.”Doc glanced up from his paper at the philosophy counter of the Mule Barn truck stop and world dilemma think tank.“Fastest Friday you’ll ever experience, Steve,” said Doc.

Pump handles and public health

Health care is often thought of as something that happens one patient at a time in a clinic or hospital. Public health takes a broader view and is focused on improving the health of entire populations.

PRESSED BETWEEN THE PAGES: Beautiful noise

All it takes is a small, seemingly insignificant sound. The whisper of wind through the trees. The pounding of wings as a bird escapes from her nest. Distant “peeps” from the back aisle when entering the farm supply store. Rain pounding on the roof. A lone cow mooing from a remote pasture..

Home Country

When we first noticed the baby sparrow, here at the house, it saddened us all. He had fallen from his nest and was slowly walking around the front yard under the tree while his mother and father had an absolute fit.

Cause and Effect

Are you a new graduate ready to take on the world? Or are you a new graduate with, as yet, no plans? Success in life depends largely upon two things: 1) The degree to which you prepare for your future, or 2) Your commitment to the pursuit of opportunity.

Not just fun and games

Long ago, it was called “The three R’s.” Though based on phonetic word beginnings, the term has withstood time as a summary of the foundations of education: reading, writing and arithmetic. .