J. E. "Paw Paw" Tumlin is my father. He has been the best role model that I or anyone else could possible have with the exception of the ultimate role model Jesus Christ. When you look up the word ethics, integrity and character in the dictionary, his picture should be included in the definition.

I could go on and on about great things he has done but this page is about his writings. He started several years ago writing stories about his life. He did this so his grand children would understand where he came from and ultimately where they came from. He has done this with a great passion. Some of his stories are funny, some are serious and many have great spiritual meaning. All are entertaining. With his permission I plan on putting several on this page. Maybe someday he will let me publish his entire works. Please enjoy and may God bless.

Choose a story from the list below Paw Paw’s Place on the left.

Paw Paw’s Clan

     I want to point out some of life’s “stump holes” that I have fallen into in hope that you may be able to avoid a few of them.  Since you are my descendants you need to know something about “from whence you came”.  These essays are not intended to be literary works of art.  They are, simply, a senile old man writing to his grandchildren about days gone by.  They will tell you who your Paw- Paw really is. You will find many cases where I am not grammatically correct.  If it were grammatically correct, it wouldn’t be me.  There are certain advantages when writing or talking after you get old.  You can always blame any inaccuracies on your senility.  I’m really not suffering from senility, I’m enjoying every minute of it.

    The quantity and quality of your happiness is directly proportional (exponentially) to your ability to forgive.  We are never more like Jesus than when we forgive.  Make sure you always own a good pair of shoes and a good bed.  When you are not in one, you are in the other.  Laugh a lot.  God has a sense of humor, after all, he created the duck.  There are only a few serious things in life.  Identify them up front and give them their proper priority.  Someone once said “when we are up to our necks in alligators, we are prone to forget that the objective is to drain the swamp”

    When you come to the fork in the road, take it.  Remember, no matter where you are, there you are.

    PAW-PAW 10/18/94  .