because we all have a story...

After a long day, the unexpected chorus of gray treefrogs from a rain-soaked ditch transforms a rushed evening into something quieter, softer. With spring’s trills, birdsong, fresh-cut grass, and home’s gentle rhythms, this story reminds us to slow down and find peace, hope, and belonging in the season’s simple gifts. 

 “Their rising and falling high-pitched musical trills provided the evening’s soundtrack, washing over my weary spirit.”  

- published in Tennessee Home & Farm, Spring 2025

Ron Eldridge's fiddle journey began in Kentucky, inspired by a rich bluegrass heritage and mentorship from legends like Kenny Baker. Balancing music, horse breeding, and a dental lab, he settled in Shelbyville and now dedicates himself to mentoring the next generation, keeping the bluegrass tradition alive. 

 "My New Year’s resolution was to play an hour a day for a year. I knew the only way I was going to learn the fiddle was to do some woodshedding.”  - Ron Eldridge

- published in Good News Shelbyville, Issue 7 2024 - Dreams Come True

When Mammie’s memories begin to fade like ink washed away by time, her family clings to the love, stories, and treasures she’s left behind. “Sorting Through Memories" is a tender journey through loss, legacy, and the unbreakable bonds that survive even when the mind forgets. Discover how one woman’s spirit lives on in the hearts of those who refuse to let her story slip away.

 "Like the empty canning jars covering the mini-barn floor, she's poured herself into her family, each of us a part of her." 

  - Country Woman, April/May 2021

The fire draws you in—but it’s the feeling that makes you stay. With every event, Kadillac Que brings more than Santa Maria-style barbecue. Pitmaster Makani Sarellano shares stories, samples, and a sense of welcome rooted in family tradition. This story celebrates what happens when food is made in front of you, memories are stirred up alongside the garlic bread, and conversation rises with the smoke. It’s not just a meal. It’s a gathering.

 “We want them to feel that they’re not just a paying customer to us. We want them to feel like family stepping into our home — our lifestyle. That’s what we want.”  - Makani Sarellano 

– published in Good News Shelbyville, July 2023

Motherhood wasn’t in Frances Clark’s plans—but when loss came, she opened her door and never closed it. Unexpected Motherhood traces her journey from single ministry worker to full-time mother of seven and a nurturer to countless others. Through late-night prayers, therapy sessions, and unwavering faith, she surrendered her carefully built life and stepped into one she never saw coming. This story is a testament to what can grow in the soil of surrender—how God’s plans, though unexpected, are never without purpose.

“I don’t know why He chose me, but He knew what I could give them—and what they gave me.”
 

– published in Light, May/June 2025

The porch swing creaks. A whiteboard squeaks. And a stack of photos brings Vietnam into focus through the lens of a quiet man who carried a camera in one pocket and a Bible in the other. King James & Kodak shares the story of Andrew Lane, a Vietnam veteran who speaks little of his service—unless someone asks. Through old photographs, sacred habits, and the stillness of a life lived humbly, his story reminds us that freedom has a cost, and many who paid it never came home. He did—and still carries every memory.

“I did my job. I did my job.” 

– published in Good News Shelbyville, July 2022

A quiet studio. A cobalt sky. A child dreaming in color. Eight-year-old Weston Johnson doesn’t just paint what he sees—he paints what he wants to touch, explore, and understand. Weston Johnson: Color, Compassion, and Creativity is the story of an artist in the making whose joyful curiosity and generous heart have already touched lives far beyond the canvas. With every brushstroke, Weston brings his imagination to life—and shares it with the world.

“There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just all about fun. If you get something on your shoes or your clothes, it doesn’t matter about that. It matters what you paint.”
 

– published in Good News Shelbyville, May 2024