Author: Jim Auer

Lots of Love

His son-in-law drove. His daughter sat in the front passenger seat. He sat in the back seat behind her. His wife was next to him. “Good thing Brent is driving,” he teased his daughter. “I remember times riding with you. In my state I can’t afford to take any unnecessary...

The Easter Vigil: Liturgical Nectar

The night-blooming cereus flower is famous for its stunning, ethereal, starlike blossom. It blooms at night, once a year. If you’ve never seen one bloom, you’re missing a rare experience. The Easter Vigil is like that. It blooms once a year, on the evening of Holy Saturday. As liturgy goes,...

Madonna in Lavender

The Christmas gathering was their annual attempt to foster family warmth and congeniality that seemed mysteriously elusive. It would be safe to say that when the three Parnsley families gathered for the Christmas season, the result wasn’t likely to generate material for a heartwarming Hallmark Channel special. At least…never mind....

The Grocery Nuisance

The man was irritating, Clara thought as she put canvas bags of groceries into the cart she kept in her trunk. When she was thinking about buying a condo at this location, she had asked if it had a nice-sized pantry. “The pantry is huge, Mrs. Geraghty,” the real estate...

How To Be Stunningly Beautiful

Written by Jim Auer Published April 1998  A certain national magazine publishes an issue each year featuring “the fifty most beautiful people” in the country. Did you know that there are at least two hundred thirteen varieties of products to make your face beautiful? And that doesn’t include makeup! Click...