Harold Stockburger
Writing stories of inspiration and recalling memories of a simpler place and time.
Admit it, the title to this message made you wonder what has happened, and why on earth would I ever say something like that. Like many of you, I had to pause and think about the words to this ...
There has always been something that fascinated me about the old west and the simple wisdom and truths that emanated from that amazing time in our nation’s history. The simple bit of cowboy wis...
Imagine for a moment that you are watching your favorite football team, they just scored the go-ahead touchdown and point after, they are three points ahead, but there are two seconds on the clock ...
Recently I came across a quote that stated simply; “you are only confined by the walls you build yourself”. Afterwards I started asking myself; what has or still is really holding me back in li...
Sometimes I feel like I have spent a large quantity of my life listening to someone speak. Whether it was the pastor of the church I attended, a political figure, motivational speaker, a trainer ...
Recently I was involved in a discussion about how as parents and grandparents we teach our children. One of the things we discussed is just how much of our teaching is not in words but in our act...
We have all heard the phrase “can’t see the forest for the trees”, but have you ever really thought about what that means. It means that if you look at things one at a time, you might not reali...
At the end of every day, you should be able to sit back and recall something new that you have learned during the course of your day. Years ago, I had a gentleman tell me that “any day that you...
Probably one of the most used phrases among writers and speakers is some variation that says; “Every Day Is A New Beginning”. Perhaps it is overused, but then again maybe not. Too often most o...
Often when you think of a bucket, many good illustrations that are really pretty elementary in theory come to mind. We have all listened to teachers and motivational speakers talking about filling...
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” These words spoken by former President Lyndon B. Johnson should be each of our credos going forward. Now I’m not saying...
Have you ever wondered why some individuals and businesses just seem to be more successful than others are? Have you ever for even a moment looked at someone’s success and said what do I have to d...
As a young child of six years old, one of my favorite television shows on television was Tarzan. Every week this hero of the jungle would save damsels and animals in distress. In addition he could...
With the recent passing of Prince, it seems that those who wrote the music that we sang, danced to, fell in love to, raised families who also listened, and even buried family to, is slowly being...
Good enough is dying, let me phrase that another way, good enough is never good enough. Recently I came across an interesting statistic that showed that the average S&P 500 company would only b...
Good customer service is hard work; it requires constant effort and focus. Unfortunately, one lapse in total effort can lead to a less than desirable reality. This is why I say that the custom...
Two boys were struggling with a huge table in a doorway. They pushed and pulled and upped it and downed it until both were exhausted. Between gasps for air, one managed to say, “We better give up...
As a young child, many of us think of the word deliberate as something that’s bad, and most often it was. Even today, I remember the confrontations that followed doing something on purpose, or ...
“It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste.” – Henry Ford
Before I get started just let me say I am a very optimistic person and generally can always see an effective way out of every situation that may arise. However, in regards to our once great natio...
Recently while walking down the sidewalk that passes in front of my home I caught myself longingly remembering the dirt road that ran in front of my grandparents’ house. To this day, I still reme...
Like most in my community, yesterday was a hard day for me. Most of my days off from work are consumed with catching up around the house on miscellaneous projects and activities, and this day was...
From childhood, one activity remains a vivid memory, and even today, a reminder of some of the best times of my life. Traveling down back roads whether paved or not has always been a source of c...
As Americans, we should be grateful every day of our lives, to live in a country bought and paid for by those who willingly sacrificed themselves for our freedom. Never in the history of the wo...
In the “adult” world most of us now find ourselves in, I long for something. A place and time that existed before the clock seemed so important, and prior to the political correctness movement, th...
For what now seems like an eternity ago, but in reality has only been a few years, my father had transplant surgery at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. As anyone can attest, when you have a ...
As a child how many of us have attempted to step in the exact footsteps of the adults around us? Thinking back, I still remember following close behind my dad as he walked down a sidewalk or even ...
On this cold and blustery morning, I walked across the still frost-covered lawn and my eyes quickly spied the color of one daffodil opening up from beneath the ground, which it had receded to, jus...
These modern times are rife with all of its new technologies, innovations, and conveniences. Many of us seemingly cannot get enough of them, and clamor for the newest release of the latest, gre...
Dirt roads will always hold a special place in my heart and mind, in this day where everything is paved; there is something soothing about just sitting back and reflecting on my own dirt road me...
As the harshness of winter now chills me to the bone, I reminisce of days of old. Days when layer upon layer of layer of clothing, prepared us for the long walk to the schoolhouse. Even now, I...
If there has ever been a year that I am looking forward to its end, it would surely have to be this one. While there have been many triumphs and things to feel very good about, the amount of de...
Last Christmas I remember making a comment that we need to cherish time with family, because we never know when it will be our last Christmas together. If this year has taught me anything, it i...
As a child, I lived for those times when I was out of school and could spend time at my grandparents’ house. It never mattered whether it was summer or Christmas vacation I was always ready to go ...
Throughout my life it has always amazed me that in my darkest hours, God has always managed to send me a sign. Even in those moments when I felt that He was a million miles away and had turned ...
A few weeks back I had the honor and privilege to write and give the eulogy for my father-in-law. Sitting here now, recalling the moment I put those words to paper gives me a stark realization ...
Far too many times in our lives, we miss the blessings that God has for us, because we spend too much time looking at the circumstances, or the giants that are in front of us, rather than what G...
Given by: Harold Stockburger 10/24/2014 Almost 13 years ago, I met Jimmy Hall for the first time. To this day I'll never forget that night his daughter, now my wife took me to meet her dad. I'm ...
As I step out my door on this misty mid-September morn, out of the corner of my eye I witness one leaf slowly drifting to the ground. Standing here for a moment, I realize that instead of a mul...
In today’s society when cynicism seems to rule the day and even our national leaders are inept at best, it has become abundantly clear that gone are the days when we had real American heroes. Her...
Stop and think about this for a moment, the doctor just told you that you have twenty-four hours to live; what would you do with them? Understandably, the impact of hearing such words would proba...
Arguably, the 1960’s were the golden era for the American automobile. With cheap gas and the Arab Oil Embargo having not yet occurred, this was without a doubt the heyday for fast Detroit machine...
A certain society in Africa once wrote to David Livingstone, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.” Livingstone replied, “If you...
One of the realities of growing older is how differently we look at birthdays. As a child, you look forward to being able to add just one more number to your life. Who can forget what it was l...
This week we will again celebrate Independence Day, complete with parades, picnics, and of course fireworks. In large cities and small towns across this country elected officials will stand on po...
The spring and summer between my second and third grade years was one of the most terrifying and trying times of my life. Looking back now, it was miraculous that in the span of only a few mont...
Do you remember what it was like to be a kid and to be soaked by a summer rain? Have you ever been riding down an old country road on a bicycle, loving the feel of a fresh summer rain hitting you...
Father's Day is the one day we set aside to honor the men in our life who have made us who we are. Personally I'm pretty blessed because I am fortunate to not only have my father still living, b...
Every year we start our annual ritual of trying to decide just what to get our fathers, and as a dad, we field many questions regarding just what we would like to have for Father’s Day. This year...
A few years back we spent some time sorting through old pictures while preparing for my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. Contained in those old boxes were many pictures of my parents, grandpar...
In the song Coal Miners Daughter, Loretta Lynn lamented the fact that in the summer they "didn't have shoes to wear". My parents by no means were wealthy, and most of us did not have a closet...
Life today can be so confusing, up is down, down is up, right is wrong, and what was wrong now is right. No wonder the youth of today seem lost, it is enough to give the best of us a headache. Pr...
While most of us will never even be a footnote in a history book, that doesn't dismiss the fact that each of us leaves a mark upon this planet, otherwise known as our legacy. Your legacy will ha...
As I pause to reflect on the significance of today (Good Friday), and this entire Easter weekend, I find myself not only thinking about the greatest event in human history, but also my own childho...
From the earliest of ages, most of us have heard to choose a path and follow it. Some always seem to do a good job at it, and others not so much. Just like traveling down the highway, some of...
Seems I have always been prone to Spring Fever. Reminiscing now, sitting in class during elementary school, staring outside those old metal framed windows, as the world seemed to become more al...
My childhood involved many days at one of my grandparents’ farms. As many who have grown up around a farm can attest, there is never a shortage of things to do in the country. However, for me t...
Surely, most of us are familiar with that great old country song “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”. This great song of mourning, mixed with hope for a brighter day of re-union in heaven, first orig...
Even as a chill still fills the air, there is certainty that spring is just around the corner. As I step outside, instead of the cold silence of winter I am now hearing the faintest sounds of h...
"Well I used to wake the morning before the rooster crowed Searching for soda bottles to get myself some dough." Many of you will recognize these words from The Ballad of Curtis Loew, written ...
A large part of my childhood centered on going to church or related activities. Sunday school, morning services, training union, Sunday evening services, and Wednesday night services were a give...
Sitting at a stop light the other day and staring at a sales yard full of very elaborately constructed, and I am sure very expensive, play yard equipment, caused me to reminisce about simpler days...
Sitting in front of a warm fireplace on a cold winter night, my mind begins to wander to other similarly cold winters in my childhood. A time and place where double pane windows and well-insula...
If you have only traveled to Florida on the interstate highways then you are too young to remember a time when most of America traveled a system of highways that by today’s standards most would co...
Thanks be to God, we now find ourselves at the beginning of another year! Three Hundred and Sixty Five Days, or if you really want to break it down, Eight thousand, seven hundred, and sixty hours...
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, The everlasting Father, Th...
Most of the time in the mid-south, December 21, is just another day, and winters bite never really takes hold until after the beginning of the New Year. Unlike our friends further to the north an...
Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you on this day of Thanksgiving, to offer thanks for your love that would send your only begotten son, to a wretched earth. That He would come to live among men...
Sitting here, staring at the absolute beauty of modern day decorating, and the works of art Christmas trees are today, I find myself dreaming about another place and time. How quickly my mind c...
As the calendar begins to count downwards towards that morning that every child anticipates all year, and just as sure as winters cold winds will soon arrive, my own memories of Christmas past are...
Throughout America in the days I grew up in, were little towns up and down the old highways, whose size you could almost determine by nothing more than the number of stoplights in them. If you ar...
When I was a child, Saturdays in many ways were the best day of the week. Not only was there no school, we were able to watch real cartoons. By real cartoons, I am talking about Bugs Bunny, Road...
The words to that little children’s song can take me back to my childhood faster than anything else I know. Of course, there were others such as “Jesus Loves the Little Children”, “The B-I-B-L-E”...
There is one attribute of motherhood, which we menfolk will never understand. I am talking about that sixth sense many mamas possess, to know just what is going on in their children’s lives, no m...
If there is one thing that is uniquely American, it is the pick-up truck. From the earliest of days, Americans have relied on their trucks for work and pleasure. While work trucks are still what...
Like many of us, I did not really have the opportunity to get to know most of my great grandparents. Both of my great grandmothers had passed before I was born, and my paternal great grandfather ...
With days getting shorter and cooler and with summers bright colors fading into shades of reds, yellows, and browns, I cannot help but recall many of my favorite memories of autumn. Whether it wa...
Some of the best times I ever experienced were where the blacktop ended, and an old country road started. Throughout my childhood, there were many old roads and trails, and the memories of experi...
Back before a good old-fashioned whipping could harm a child’s self-esteem, we were whipped. These were not so-called love pats or something parents and teachers had read from a book by a psychol...
For many years a small wooden plaque that stated, “Backdoor Guests are Best”, hung on the backdoor to my grandparents’ house. While these words just seemed amusing when I was younger, the older I...
To me the 1960’s was a decade of great contrast. On one hand, it was the last decade that much of our experiences were not very different from the previous decades. Life for many of us was sti...
The beginning of another school year brings back special memories of just how school used to be. Even today, I can close my eyes and smell the aroma of those freshly waxed wood floors in the ol...
Just how many times in life, especially as a child have we done things we knew were wrong even before we started? Then we tried to outwit everyone, especially our parents. If we could only realiz...
Throughout our lives, many people have inspired us. Whether it was a teacher, a politician, a celebrity, a pastor, or a family member, each of us have had some person or persons who gave us a rea...
As summers days begin to shorten, and the night air starts to cool, there is one certainty in life that it will not be long before fruit trees that have gone from blooms to mature fruit in one sea...
In my childhood there was one television program I never missed and that was Daniel Boone. I can remember today sitting cross legged in front of that old black and white TV, traveling back to a t...
Many memories from childhood have faded, but one I’ll always remember is my grandfather’s double barrel shotgun. Now I can’t tell you the brand because to be frank with you I never got close en...
In the opening scene of the Andy Griffith Show there is a scene where the young Opie is walking with Andy and can’t resist picking up a stone and throwing it into the river. Now the story goes th...
As most surely know the 1960’s were the heyday of the American muscle car. As a young boy I can remember dreaming about what it would be like to drive one of those beautiful shiny rockets that ...
Willie Nelson wrote a song many years ago called Family Bible. This isn’t a song we hear very often these days, but whenever I hear it I am quickly taken back to my childhood. In the first verse...
As summer is approaching and we have either already gone on vacation or are getting ready to go, I am reminded of my first trip to that Southern vacation paradise, Daytona Beach. The place that ...
One of the first rules when learning to drive is to adjust and check the rearview mirror before we ever move the car. Most of us will never forget just how nervous we were taking our driver’s tes...
In the fourth grade, my teacher assigned us a science project where we were instructed to create a scrapbook containing as many leaves as we could find. However, the challenge was not only did ...
It seems that I have always been a daredevil at heart. There was never a roller coaster built that was too high, or too fast. As a young man just about any time I got behind the wheel of a car, t...
Christmas is a time when most of us get a little nostalgic, and our thoughts begin to turn towards home. Even now, I still remember many a cold Christmas morning where we raced from our bedrooms ...
With life seemingly more hectic and complicated every day it is with a sadness that I focus on what I really miss the most. More than anything, I miss the simplicity that life once held, where ...
One thing is certain; our faith can get us through many adversities that come into our lives. It also sustains us every day, giving us strength and hope for our future. Life creates many obstacl...
The summers of my youth were extremely happy times filled with activities and time playing with friends and relatives. But they were also learning times where I was taught the value of hard work ...
