Hi, I’m Allen.
After decades of marriage, parenting, teaching, and just everyday life, I’ve learned that life’s most important lessons often come wrapped in ordinary days. Becoming a grandparent has only deepened that lesson—along with the ability to laugh at myself and the world around me.
What I share here isn’t Instagram-perfect—it’s honest stories of grace, growth, and insight, sometimes serious, sometimes lighthearted. If you’re looking for hope, encouragement, and the occasional laugh in the middle of real life, I’m glad you’re here.
Newest Content
The Man Who Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Thirty years of teaching taught me that shame doesn’t fade easily. Hardworking kids absorbed correction like wounds, while others brushed it off without a thought. Years later, I realized I was living out that same pattern myself, carrying old mistakes long after everyone else had forgotten them….
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The Spinach Can
Growing up, I thought my father was just being cheap—no air conditioning, a black-and-white TV, and hand-me-down clothes that set me apart. At the time it felt like nothing but frustration. With years and distance, I see every choice for what it was: a quiet act of sacrifice. The things that once confused me and embarrassed me became a clear lesson in love….
Words After the Storm
When Hurricane Harvey swept Houston’s Bay Area, I didn’t lose everything, but the storm unsettled me. Returning to class two weeks later, I faced students carrying grief far heavier than mine. Had I suffered a major loss like so many others, maybe the words would come easier. Monday couldn’t just be about economics—it had to be about steady ground and…
One Teacher’s Journey
Tomorrow begins my 24th year of teaching, yet I still remember the first hour of my first day—hands shaking, voice thin, wondering what I was doing there. Since then, the classroom has been both a crucible and a gift: seasons of exhaustion, unexpected laughter, heartbreak, and joy. I’ve taught lessons in economics and literature, but life always had lessons waiting…
A Con in a Can: The Relentless Chase for More
As kids, we thought a ham in a can looked glamorous—until we tried it and found it slimy and disappointing. That quick lesson stuck: packaging can lie. Casinos push the same fantasy—flashy lights promising big wins, but mostly draining pockets and hope. And real stories? Like the lottery winner who cursed his fortune instead of celebrating it, remind us that…
The Servant’s Heart: Gratitude in Action
Looking back at a photo of Kyle Field during the pandemic, I was reminded of how often ordinary people are called to extraordinary service. Teachers masked up, doctors worked endless shifts, and countless quiet acts of love carried us through uncertain days. Servanthood rarely looks heroic—it’s usually disguised as persistence, sacrifice, or care. I see it most clearly in Becky,…