Curt Iles - The Mockingbirds Song

and A Good Place

Copyright 2011 by Creekbank Stories LLC

Dry Creek, LA USA

Smashwords Edition

Unless otherwise identified, all scripturescited are from the New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright 1982 byThomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

To order copies or contact the author:

Creekbank Stories

PO Box 332

Dry Creek, LA 70637

Creekbank.stories@gmail.com

Other titles by the Author:

A Spent Bullet

Deep Roots

A Good Place

The Wayfaring Stranger

The Mockingbirds Song

Hearts across the Water

Wind in the Pines

The Old House

Stories from the Creekbank

Creekbank Stories exists to connect peopleshearts to God through stories.

Be sure to visit our web site and blog pageat www.creekbank.net.

Title

Prefac e

Dedication

The Challenge

The Thin Red Ribbon

A Word for the Journey

How to Survive a Train Wreck

Burned, yet Blessed, by the Fire

A Tight Rope Held by a Tight Friend

Best Place to be in the Storm

A Friend Named Ivory

Twisted Vines

Ten Things

A Few Thoughts on Pondering

How Could A Man of God...?

Keep on Moving!

In the Rock Polisher

An Ever Present Help

R and R

A Bundle of Prayers

Being the Poster Boy

Tough or Hard The Choice is Yours

A Jar of Marbles

Faith, Medication, and Healing

On Desperation and Resolve

Lost in the Fog

In the Valley of the Shadow

When Prayers Seem to Bounce BackTravelingwith Good Company

BelumA New Word to Learn

Keep on Paddling

Without the Rocks, the River Loses itsSong

Epilogue: Looking back

End Notes/Bibliograph

This being my fifth book, I have long agolearned that publishing a book is a team process. Just as a climberonly gets to the top of Mt. Everest with the aid of so many unnamedhelpers, I know this is true with The MockingbirdsSong.

Id like to especially thank my many friendswhove encouraged me to share these stories and essays. Among themare Kristi Gallien Watkins, James Newsom, Mark and Kari Miller,Terry Iles, Geri Richardson, Joe McNeill, and Michelle Williams.The careful editing of Paul Conant has made this book better andmore useful for readers.

To my friends at Wise Publishing, I say:thank you for your ideas, support, and expertise. You are a keypart of this book and the lives it will help, affect, andencourage.

So many other friends, too many to name,have traveled along with me on this journey. To each of you I saythat I appreciate you and value your friendship andencouragement.

While editing this book (the most tryingpart of the writing process), I would reward myself when I finishedre-writing a chapter. I had sliced an apple and would get a sliceafter each chapter.

The sweet taste of the apple made the workworthwhile. Eating it slice by slice was so much better than eatingit all at once. I was able to deliciously enjoy each bite.

That is how this book is best digested. Itis designed to be read one bite at a time. It is purposelywritten in story/essay fashion. I firmly believe a story can carrythe truth where just words may not go nor penetrate.

Because of the story chapters, TheMockingbirds Song is designed to be read one chapter at atime. The subject of depression is weighty and emotional. Due tothat, reading a chapter a day is a good way to make this book yourown. I encourage you to use it as a daily devotional guide.

Because depression is a tough subject todiscuss, an entire book on it could be perceived as overwhelming.Therefore, I would encourage you to read it one slice at atime.

The desire of my heart is that TheMockingbirds Song will encourage, inspire, and aid each reader one life at a time.

Curt Iles

Dry Creek, Louisiana

January 2007

But at midnight Paul and Silas werepraying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listeningto them.

(Acts 16:25)

Its the middle of another restless andsleepless night. Being exhausted both physically and mentally, yetunable to get the thing you need mostsleepis so frustrating. So Ifinally wearily rolled out of bed. Thats what all of the sleepbooks tell you to do when you have insomnia. Get out of bed and dosomething. Read. Eat a snack. Watch TV. Pray.

Ive tried all of these night after night,and very seldom do any of them work. My mind and heart seem to beracing along at one hundred miles per hour. Nothing seems to beable to slow down the sadness and anxiety inside me.

On this particular night, I decide to walkoutside. Its about midnight, cloudy, and there is no moon. In therural area where I live, outdoor light is not overwhelming so theyard is very dark, even as my eyes adjust to being outside. Ivealways loved being outside at nightlooking at the stars, tracingthe path of an overhead jet, and just soaking in the soothingsounds of a country night.

But in my depression and insomnia, my soulfeels just as black as the darkness surrounding me. Im completelyenveloped in it. I stand there, trying to concentrate and pray inthe quiet darkness. I think back to the books Ive read by thosewhove been depressed. These books all have something in common.They always describe their depression in terms of darkness, night,or blackness. One writer called it, The black night of the soul.Author William Styron described it as The black dog ofdespair.1 Winston Churchill, also a depressionsufferer, called it my black dog.

Tonight the silence is deafening. It is asif even the night creaturescrickets, owls, frogs, and barkingdogshave found a hiding place to escape the darkness.

Then suddenly from the river birch tree inour driveway comes clear, beautiful singing. It is a mockingbird.If you arent from the South and havent heard this bird, it ishard to describe its song. It is loud and is made up of about sevensequences of soundssome stolen from other birds or nearby commonsounds. In the classic book, Louisiana Birds,2ornithologist George Lowery tells of a mockingbird that sosuccessfully imitated a dinner bell that it frequently caused thefarm hands to come out of the field expecting their noon meal.

This midnight bird in our tree is a realsinger who sits up high in the tree as the guardian of our yard.And he singsand sings loudlywith passion. To him, it doesntmatter that it is a dark, moonless night when any respectable birdshould be silently sleeping.

This mockingbird is going to sing even if itis midnighteven if it is darkeven if no one else hears his song.He is chirping away for the simple, pure joy of singing. Moreover,the fact that he has the entire sound stage to himself makes hissong seem louder and fuller. It is the end of the opera and thegreat soloist is singing the ariahe needs no accompaniment. Anyother sounds would only diminish the incredible beauty of thisvirtuoso solo.

This bird unknowingly gives me a greatgiftIm reminded of how a follower of God can singeven in thedarknesseven in the toughest of circumstances.

Moreover, Im reminded by this bird, andreally by the God who created both him and his song, that I willget through this time of darkness. There is still hope for therestoration of joy, and even though now it seems Ive lost my song,it is still deep within me and one day will be sung loudly andjoyfully again.

Id like to say my depression ended on thatnight, but that would not be true. The mockingbird that sang atmidnight was only one of a thousand steps on my road to restoredhealth and joyful living. I firmly believe it was a gift from Godjust for me. It is a gift that I now pass on to you.