Did You Hear?

It's come and gone again! Christmas for us is a lot different than it used to be. Our titles have changed from "Mama" and "Daddy" to "Nana" and "Papaw" and we are reconciled to the fact that we are no longer the integral part of our children's lives that we once were. They still call on us occasionally for this or that, we still see them once in a while, they still like Nana's cooking and always take the left overs home with them, and we know they still love us even though they really don't have time to be with us much.

I must admit that being a grandparent has a few perks.  You can pick up grand kids most any time, keep them till they wear you out, then take them home to their parents! If some are far away, travel opportunities abound! They often confide in you things that they might not want to share with others..the list goes on.

I do not begrudge my children's status as joy bringers to my grandchildren. It is their rightful place just as it was ours with them, but one never forgets the wide-eyed excitement in the eyes of his children, the fun of picking their brains to determine what they wanted Santa to bring, the family dinners at various relatives' houses, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and just the general noise a big family makes when all are in the same house.  We miss all of this terribly.

There is a saying that "What goes around comes around!".  As it was when we first married, we had a quiet Christmas eve, not silent mind you, just quiet compared to years past when the house was filled with the sounds made by small children in anticipation of the big event on Christmas morning. Mama and Daddy (now Nana and Papaw) were just as excited for the pleasure of seeing the focus of their love, their children, happy, healthy, and thriving because of their effort to provide for them...the wonder of it all given by God Himself!!

Yes, it is now a quiet holiday season for us, but it will never be silent. The love of family resounds throughout the heavens and earth whether we are gathered together or separated far apart. We love our family...hear it loud and clear!

Happy New Year from the Old Coach's bunch....well...'bout half of 'em anyway!

The One that Haunts Me

Two very good high school teams had made it to the South State Championship game that year. We were fortunate to be one of them. That particular group of young men were exceptional in that along with being talented, they were also very coachable.  We were downright undersized by today's standards, but every one of those kids had worked very hard in the weight room and had made themselves strong.  I remember in one playoff game, we were taunted during warmups by the opposing team as being a " junior high" team because they were so much bigger than we were. Well..they WERE bigger, but, they found out that they weren't stronger!  We whipped them that night on their own field...made them cry! This was the team we had that year, not overly talented in any area particularly, but, solid in all areas....enough so that we believed we could be state champions.

The team we faced that night was no different...we were outsized again, and this team had some very talented players. As a coaching staff, we had decided early on that we would not be out coached, and the plan we had for this game was the absolute best we could do. The guys executed it very well and with little time left in the game we were leading 7-0, but facing a punting situation. The ball was punted and rolled dead deep in our opponents territory.

Sometimes in spite of having the correct defense, an athlete can simply out maneuver the defenders and this happened late in this game. Somehow one of their athletes got loose and ran the ball through our defenders from around his own 20 yard line to inside our own 10 yard line.  With time running out and a couple of plays later, they scored to make the score 7-6.

There may have been a few seconds left on the clock or maybe time had run out, either way, the extra point would be the play of the game, and, it is the one play that haunts me to this day. I don't know if the opposing coach knew how exhausted both teams were or if he had no confidence in his kicker, or what else went through his mind, but, he elected for a 2-point conversion. Once they lined up for the play we called time out to set our defense. From my vantage point on top of the press box, I relayed the formation and suggested that it would probably be a running play. Our defensive coach adjusted his 5-3 allinement, moving the linebackers up close and having the linemen close every gap inside.The plan was to make the ball carrier bounce to the outside where we had the advantage with speed and quickness. When the play was set, they lined up in a pro I formation with a slot to the left. They snapped the ball and ran a fullback lead toward right tackle....exactly what we expected. Our linemen did their job closing the guard and tackle gaps and our end took on and stuffed the fullback forcing the tailback to bounce outside. Our outside linebacker had read the flow perfectly and was able to square the ball carrier up...looked like game over! I don't know if what happened next was planned or just an act of desperation, but, the ball carrier while in the process of being driven back and tackled was able to twist so that his back was to the tackler allowing him to hoist the ball over his head and toward the end zone. There was a mad scramble of course and one of their linemen came up with the ball. The officials did not call the illegal forward pass nor incomplete forward pass, nor lineman down field....they let the play stand! I was flabbergasted as was everyone in the stadium who had eyes to see.

That one no-call cost us not only the South State championship, but probably the State Championship as well because the team that got by us dominated the north team the following week. We protested the call as much as we could, even sending film to the state association for review, but, to no avail.

A lot of things happened during my career as a player and coach, both good and not so good, but this is the one play that makes me feel disgusted every time I think of it. Those kids deserved to win, they played their hearts out!

Approximately $4.50...

I have found that in today's market, the human body is worth approximately $4.50. That's a pitiful amount, barely enough to buy a Big Mac, a couple of gallons of gas, maybe a gallon of milk. Is this all we're worth? I suppose if a person wanted to sell each organ individually he could get much more, but, not a very practical option for obvious reasons. There are people who have accumulated a lot of wealth and we say that they are "worth" whatever the total of that wealth might be, but, truthfully our bodies are all worth approximately that same, almost nothing, $4.50.

Of course, the value or worth of our bodies to each of us is priceless. There are some lines of thought, even by Christians, that project that in eternity we will not need our bodies. Some believe that we will be spirit entities not housed in flesh and bone. The Scriptures teach us differently.  The resurrection of the dead does not involve the soul really, it is the reformation of the body! Not only is our body important to us, it is very important to others as well. When a person that we love dies, we do not mourn the soul for the Scriptures tell us in II Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We mourn the absence of the body before our eyes. We can no longer see, touch, or hear the body of the person we loved, therefore, we grieve the loss of it.

There can be no doubt of the value and importance of the body to God. We were wonderfully and fearfully made by Him. The evidence is clear beginning with Enoch. Genesis 5:24 states "Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.". God took Enoch body and all...He didn't leave the body and take only Enoch's soul. So it was with Elijah...2 Kings 2:11, "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.". Lazarus was reunited with his body when Jesus called him from the grave. What do the Scriptures tell us when Jesus was crucified?... "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.", Matthew 27:52. Jesus himself appeared after the resurrection to the disciples in His body, inviting Thomas to touch Him to dissuade his doubt. In Jude 1:9 we see the angel Michael confronting the devil over the body of Moses. As the jewel of His creation, God places great value on a person's body.

It may be asked, "Will a person whose body is in the grave have a body until the final resurrection of the dead?"....well...Moses appeared in bodily form on the Mount of Transfiguration. We don't know what type of body it was, but, it was certainly recognizable to Peter, James, and John as they witnessed the event (Matthew 17). I think we will have some type of body during that time, fit enough to house our spirit until that great day of resurrection of the dead, and then, the actual bodies we inhabited here on earth will be resurrected and changed in a way that would suit them to spend eternity with God in Heaven.

It may be true that the value of the trace elements and skin that make up our bodies are worth a measly $4.50, but, in essence it is our most valuable possession. For Christians, the resurrection of the body is the basis of our hope and faith and as we approach the Christmas season, let us not forget that Jesus sacrificed His body on the cross for each of us that we might receive the greatest gift of all....Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving ....my way of thinking!

It's the season to be thankful and I certainly am. This great country, family and friends, good health, and the good food are primary reasons to be thankful for most people, but along with these, I present the following things for which I am very thankful.

1)  I am thankful that I live out in the sticks. I can often see deer or turkey out back of my house along with a group of resident squirrels that enjoy the hickory nut trees on the edge of the woods. In the springtime the smell of honeysuckle permeates the air with a fragrance like no other, and in the heat of the summer I enjoy working a garden and sitting on the porch late in the evening with my wife ( mostly listening to her account of the day).  Hunting or fishing provides for much entertainment year round, so, I'll take the country living anytime.

2) At my age I am thankful that I still have teeth!...well most of them anyway. I have lost  two or three over the years, each damaged playing football in my youth which contributed to their demise.  Yesterday I chomped down on a bite of hamburger steak with a bone shaving in it and broke another of my enameled jewels...looks like it will have to go as well. I hate it, but, at least so far it doesn't hurt and I still have plenty left!

3) I am thankful for expressions of the south.  Southerners say things to each other that only they can understand. Here are a few examples:
   
     "Bless ye heart!".....an expression of sympathy, love, consideration, exclamation at circumstance
     "Happy as": a) a pig in the sunshine, b) a duck in the water, c) a baby "knawin" on his first chicken
                          bone ( and many more).....blissfulness
     "Like a mule staring at a new gate"....confusion, caution, hesitation
      "A long row to hoe".... A difficult task...time consuming task..etc.
      " treated like a red headed step child"... being ignored or put aside
       "crazy like a fox"....presenting oneself dumber than he really is
      " he's got rabbits in that briar patch"..... He needs a hair cut
      " hotter than a $2 pistol.....reference to a pretty woman; reference to a sports team on a winning
         streak or an individual player performing at a high level
      "even a blind hog will find an acorn once in a while"....encouragement to persevere
       "Old as Methusala".... Description of an elderly person
There are many, many more!

4) I am thankful for SEC football. This season has provided some great games and I really believe it's
the best conference in America.  Certainly the conference winner and possibly a couple more
should play for the national championship this year...trouble is, by the end of the season all the
SEC teams are so beat up from playing each other, it might be difficult to beat a healthy Florida
State or Oregon team who has played a much lighter schedule!

5) I am thankful for the smells of the holidays and the sound of children playing. The aromas of the           different foods cooking and the anticipation of the mouthwatering goodness along with the squeals of laughter coming from children having a good time provide a sense of contentment like none other!

6) I am thankful that I still sleep through the night. I seldom have to get up during the night and I wake up feeling rested and ready to meet the day.

7) I am thankful for new underwear...silly I guess, but true nonetheless! It didn't use to matter much as I was younger but now it's a wonderful feeling to put on a new pair of underwear that fits like it's supposed to fit...feels mighty good!

8) I am thankful for gas logs...a wonderful invention! I know how hard it is to heat a big house with firewood in open fireplaces or inserted wood heaters, and I know how expensive it is to run central heat. With one turn of a knob, I have instant heat, something you can back up to, the unit is thermostatically controlled, and the propane is affordable....a marvelous thing!

9) I am thankful for veterans. These men and women deserve the utmost admiration. My Dad and Uncles along with many others in our area served in World War II and Korea, many my age went to Vietnam, I have a son in law who has been to Afghanistan twice. Their valiant and heroic service has allowed me to live a most blessed life and I am very thankful for what they have done for me. God bless every one of them.

10) I am thankful for love...the love of God who sent His own Son to offer us eternal life, the love of Jesus who offered Himself a living sacrifice for us all, the love of the Holy Spirit who remains within us today to guide us through life, the love of my wife and children and their families...my legacy if you will...that comforts and sustains me, and the love of my Christian brothers and sisters who support and encourage me.

These are just ten things that I am thankful for. Some may seem odd to the reader, and I suppose they are, but, to a man like me, based on my life and experiences, they are truly reasons to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

A typical day...Busy, busy, busy!

I am astonished at how much there is to do with my time now that I have retired. I honestly don't know how I got it all done while I was working.....guess I just let a lot of stuff go.(no reference to "Frozen" intended!)

Knowing that I have decent remodeling skills, my wife gently demanded that I rework her kitchen cabinets again. Of course I agreed and after a trip or two to the local building materials store for paints and new cabinet hardware, I was ready to begin. By today's standards, we have a small kitchen, but, that thing is full of cabinets that were hand made when I built my house back in the 70's. There are 24 doors and 9 drawers as well as the facings all coated with a dark wood stain.  Over the past two weeks, I have removed, sanded, stain blocked, painted (2 coats), and replaced it all, and I must say...it looks pretty good!

Yesterday, Thinking I was about through and deserving a restful, fiddle around day, I had just settled into my chair when I hear, "We need to replace the contact paper on the shelves...I'm gonna run up to the dollar store and get some...be back in a little."  I'm thinking this won't be too bad, just peel and stick..right?

The old paper comes right out, my wife uses it to cut the new paper then peels back about a foot of the slick paper. It's to be my job to hold one end while she " works" the sticky end into place...trouble is, the lower shelf is 4" off the floor!  Hands and knees and backsides are the only way to go, so, down we go!

If you've never seen two 60+ year old people flopping around on the floor, well, just wait...you'll probably be there someday. We managed to get the shelf covered and then we looked at each other both thinking the same thing...how in the world are we going to get up?  We both unfurl our legs and attempt to rise but we are both tall people and the space in the kitchen floor is tight, so, we knock each other around a little and then I say "time out...one at the time, me first!" I manage to get my knees under me and raise myself up, then I grab her hands and pull her up....flexibility is a fleeting thing for sure!

Today, I was putting the finishing touches on the cabinet doors when my cell phone rings. It is a fellow trustee of our church calling. A new commode was needed in the parsonage and he had it in his truck and he just wondered if I could maybe come down there and put it in.  So here I go down to the church already sore as the devil from the previous day shelf paper extravaganza. Truthfully, putting in a new pot is a one-man job and I was the one man. My friend is a great organizer and facilitator, but, not much on actually doing the work...but...I knew this a forehand so, I begin to take out the old pot.  Invariably, the nuts on the commode bolts will not come off easily, and I wind up on my knees with my head stuck down under the pot for nearly an hour before they finally come off.  I then put the new commode together and set it up  quickly ...no leaks!

While all this is taking place, my wife calls from her cousin's house and says " She's bought a new couch and she's giving me her old one and it's just what I've always wanted... Come get it!"  I tell her what I'm doing and that I'll be on as soon as I can. I'm thinking " What's wrong with the couch we have? I wonder how heavy it is. What will we do with the one we have? How am I going to move it by myself?".  Anyway, I go get the couch, load it in my truck, haul it home, back it up to the front porch steps, wrestle it out onto the porch then through the front door...whew!

Tonight as I write this post, I know tomorrow brings my annual wellness checkup at the doctor's office and probably a stint in Walmart. After that, who knows? In any case, I am very grateful that I am blessed with good health at my age and as happy as a pig in the sunshine to stay... " Busy, busy, busy!

Smoke on the Bottle

Psalm 119: 83: For I am become like a bottle in the smoke, yet do I not forget thy statutes.

In David’s day, most people did not have houses as we know them today. The majority lived in small huts or tents, others lived in mud brick structures in towns or small villages. They were poor folk who didn’t have much. For warmth and for cooking, they would simply build a fire somewhere in the room and since there was no fireplace and chimney to hold the fire, the room would soon fill with smoke. They would build their roofs leaving a small opening in the top so that the smoke could escape, so, I suppose the women would light the fire, then leave the room until most of the smoke had a chance to rise and clear a little. 

Also, water was not readily available to every household. Most all of them had to walk to a well or stream somewhere to get water, so they would make bottles out of goat skins and bring it back to their homes. The best place of safety for these bottles would be to hang them on a nail inside the house or from the rafters someway. Of course, each day the bottle hung in the house, the rising smoke from the fire began to blacken it, even to make it shrivel above the level of what it contained. David lamented that he was like the bottle in the smoke.

God’s people have their trials and tribulations don’t they? Throughout the Bible we can read about Godly men and women who went through terrible trials and tribulations.  Jesus himself tells us in John 16:33...”In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. 
  
What are the sources of the smoke in our lives? Many people will tell you that the main source of trouble in their lives is their job. A wise schoolteacher once sent a note home to the parents on the first day of school that read “If you won’t believe everything your child says happens at school, I won’t believe everything that he says happens at home! Being a retired school teacher, I fully understand the significance of this statement! Things happen on every job and the more salary you command or the more you can advance in the workplace, the more responsibility you have…smoke!

Often trials arise from the things that make us comfortable. Many people want the finest houses and all the modern conveniences of today to the point that they will take on more than they can handle. Think about the fire that warmed those people in their huts. Did it not also smoke the bottle and the warmer they kept the house with a fire, the more the bottle blackened. In today’s world, the more comforts we have, the more responsibility we have to take care of them---smoke!

Most of us have children and they certainly should be a comfort to us as they are one of God’s many blessings, but, they often do things or don’t do things that are against the way we tried to teach them…smoke!

Many people are losing their livelihoods because of economic conditions. It is very troubling when a company dissolves or moves to a place where labor is cheaper. People who have devoted their entire careers to a company are left out in the cold…smoke!

Even the church can be a source of smoke to the Christian. Have you ever come to church thinking that all is well, going good, and then the preacher delivers a convicting sermon that sort of bursts your bubble? Maybe you’ve come to church with a warm heart toward your brothers and sisters and then left with a heart blackened by something that happened during church or by what someone said. Perhaps you try to perform a Christian service for someone with your heart in the right place and the person you tried to help takes it the wrong way or seems unappreciative…smoke!

Personal health issues like high blood pressure or diabetes, caring for an elderly parent, sickness in a family, the death of a loved one, abusive relationships, terrorism, war and many other things are ever present contributors to the smoke in our lives.

A question: Does being saved mean that we should not feel the effects of our trials and tribulations? Think again of the water bottle in the hut. Does it feel the effect of the smoke? Of course it does, it turns black, it shrivels up because of the smoke. It is not a single puff that does it but rather a daily bombardment over a long period of time. So it is with us, we feel the hurt and pains of our trials and tribulations, often, to the point that we think they will get the best of us, and they never seem to let up on us. But realize this, although the smoke aggravates and damages the water bottle, it does not destroy it. It would take the flame of the fire itself to do that and the water bottle is kept safely away from the flame. A Christian will most certainly feel the pain of his smoke throughout his life, but the Holy Spirit within us will keep us away from the fires of this world and they will not consume us unless we let them.

Perhaps we feel as David did, a bottle in the smoke. What then can we do to make it through? David said though he felt like a bottle in the smoke, he would not forget God’s statutes. The smoke could harm the outside of the bottle, but, it had no power over what was on the inside. Could this be our source of strength and comfort in the face of trials and tribulations? Most people think of statutes as laws, the ten commandments, and we will do well to remember them in the face of adversity, but if you think about it, isn’t everything God says a statute? The Bible is God’s word and it is absolutely true, so, shouldn’t we remember His promises also as statutes? This seems to me the only logical way to withstand the smoke in our lives, remember His promise to those of us who believe. Jesus said “Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is going to return for us. He promised! Well, “when?“ do we say. No man knows the answer to this, so, what are we to do in the mean time? Jesus says “If ye love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever“(John 14:15-16) “ Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28) In the mean time, we are to keep Jesus’ commandments, i.e., love God with all our hearts and souls and love each other, the second causing all the other commandments to fall into place. If we do this, Jesus promises another Comforter, the Holy Spirit will reside inside us forever.

Although we all have smoke in our lives from various sources, as believers we all have one thing in common, that steadfast faith that God will not desert us. We must hold tightly to our faith even when we cannot understand why the God that we love allows things to happen to us His children. The promise that Jesus will return for us is our comfort, our strength is the presence of the Comforter-the Holy Spirit-within us, and our peace is the promise that there is a place of rest awaiting those of us who refuse to let the smoke in our lives cause us to forget God‘s statutes.  The future seems uncertain but God’s law and his promises will stand forever. If you feel battle scarred and wounded by life’s trials and tribulations, uncertain about the future, or beaten down by circumstances, remember the example of the bottle in the smoke, blackened and wrinkled on the outside but clean and safe on the inside.

God bless us all!

(adapted from a sermon given by C.H. Spurgeon, March 23, 1856)

"Aww, it don't matter."

"What do you want for supper?" she asked. "Aww..it don't matter." I said. Dang! All I meant was that I loved her and..I appreciated the fact that she was willing to cook for me and...I was trying to let her know that I would eat anything she wanted to fix and..she didn't have to go to a lot of trouble.  It didn't go over with her that way...."Just tell me what you want and I'll fix it!", she exclaims and so, I start making suggestions.

I must admit that first thoughts in response to the question were steak and potatoes, or fish and hush puppies, with pies or cakes and ice cream and such...but..in reality I know better. I like plain food........ham sandwiches....butter beans, peas, cornbread, biscuits, potatoes, greens, or anything out of the freezer..and she can make any of it taste really good.

I have found that "It don't matter" is not a good response for other questions as well.  "Do you like this outfit or this one?"  Best not answer "It don't matter."... even though you mean " you look good in either one.", she reads that answer as you don't like me in either.  "Do you want to go out or stay at home?" ....to her "It don't matter." automatically means stay at home. You get the idea.

Communication in any relationship is very important and sometimes it requires reading between the lines. Most men like me are not well schooled in this ability. We make our remarks without thinking about feelings. This often gets us into trouble!

I guess it's just a gender thing mostly. When menfolk say "it don't matter", it usually doesn't and they are giving the lady the choice.  Women read it differently apparently.  Make the choice ladies! We're just happy as a baby gnawing on his first chicken bone that you put up with us, so...what do I want for supper?........"Aww....it don't matter!".

C'mon Mikey! Let's play ball!

My brother and I are not quite two years apart. My youngest brother was born during my twelfth year on this earth. Both are fine, upstanding, Christian men and I'm proud to have them as brothers.

For those first twelve years, it was " me and Mikey" (Mike-ee), and you would'nt see one of us without the other. Being the older, very early on I was ordered to "look after" Mikey.  To me, that meant I could order him around some, make decisions for the both of us, and get him to ask our parents for permission to do something.

Early on we both took an interest in sports through Little League baseball, but it played out fairly quickly that I had the much greater interest. I loved sports, especially baseball, and I wanted very badly to be good at the game. I would start early in the morning begging Mikey to play ball with me out in the yard. I think he knew what he was doing when he would say "Naa...I don't want to". I'd use every ounce of reasoning ability an eight or nine year old boy could muster. Bribery was out of the question for neither of us had anything much to call our on, so, I'd beg and beg, pester and plead until finally...he'd say "Ah-ite, but I get to bat first!".

Finally, the game was on. I always had to set up the bases and hunt up the bat, ball and gloves. A two man baseball game was a bit difficult to play. Out of necessity, we used imaginary runners, boundaries in the field for singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. If the player in the field could get to a bag before the batter could get to first, he could force out an imaginary runner, etc..

The game would begin with me in the field and Mikey at bat. I would run myself to death nearly, trying to get him out so that I could bat.  At last, the third out!....then I'd look up and see Mikey cackle out loud, throw the bat down and run for the house as hard as he could! That would do it for me every time! I would light in after him with brotherly thoughts of murder on my mind and when I did catch him, I'd fist him on the shoulder, get him down and hold him, threaten him to an inch of his life, or, all of the above! I'd not have much to do with him for a day or two, but much like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football knowing that Lucy is going to pull it away,  I would soon start begging him again.

You might think I never got to bat...well, I did bat sometimes, and on the times he'd quit and run, after I reckoned with him, I'd go get my stick bat and bat rocks...hey!...if you want something bad, you'll figure out something!

I'll never forget those times, and, all in all, it helped me to become a player good enough to pay most of my way through college and enable me to have a successful coaching career, so,  Mikey did me a great favor every time we played, even the times he'd quit and run!.... Thanks Mikey!

Teach Your Children

My wife and I have been watching the TV series Once Upon a Time by Netflix DVD rental. I really like watching TV this way as there are no commercials. I'm spoiled. The show is full of fairy tale characters and it is interesting how the writers have intertwined the characters of the different fairy tales to make a progressing story line on the series.

So far, we've seen Snow White, Prince Charming, the dwarfs, and the evil Queen, Jiminy Cricket,  Pinochio, Rumplestiltskin, Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Belle, Frankenstein, Ariel, Mr. Shmee, Robin Hood, Tinkerbell, and now the Wicked Witch and flying monkeys from Oz.

We are now at the point where we try to guess who the next character introduced into the show will be.  In the current season, the Wicked Witch is the meanie. My wife keeps asking, "Why don't they just throw some water on her and melt her?".  I say, " Maybe they want to bring Dorothy in to do it.". Sure enough, Dorothy shows up, dashes water on the Wicked Witch and melts her down! (Doesn't put an end to her though, guess she plays the evil too good).

I don't think today's kids know nursery rhymes and fairy tales very well. Whatever they do know comes from an iPad or computer and that's sad to me.  They have heard of some of the characters, but, they don't know the stories very well, so, I'm afraid that eventually, this method of parent to children interaction will be lost, along with part of the way parents communicate to their children that they want them to grow up to be "good" rather than "evil".  The TV programs and computer games that they watch and play make the difference between good and evil a bit of a gray area. I mean, from what I've seen, the hero/ heroine contributes about as much to the violence and mayhem as the villain!

I realize that the world changes with every generation,  but, that change is controlled to a great extent by the people living in that time, and if the difference between good and evil is a gray area, what will life be like?  Teach your kids the difference! Take them to church, talk to them, let them know you want them to be good people, tell them fairy tales and nursery rhymes...be a parent!  They will love it and you will too!

"Smart" Cars and DTV

Last February, we bought a 2013 Ford Taurus and we really like it. The car is a six cylinder with power everything and it provides us with a quiet, comfortable ride. From the outside, the car is easy on the eye, but appears as normal as any other machine of its type. That's where the normality ends. The car has no ignition switch or key! It's a "smart" car. It comes with a keyless remote that allows you to unlock and open the doors simply by walking up and pulling the door handle. You don't have to ever take the remote out of your pocket or purse...I like that. Once you enter the car, the steering wheel telescopes out and the seat adjusts to where it was the last time you rode...when you turn the engine off, the steering wheel telescopes down and the seat moves all the way back..that's good...makes it easy for us old codgers to get in and out. To crank the engine you mash the brake pedal and press a button...the thing fires right up. It has bluetooth technology, dual zone heating and cooling, GPS, radio and CD player, and many other buttons and whistles that I have yet to discover. Everything is accessible through a touch screen or buttons on the steering wheel. It's an amazing machine! Wait..it is a machine isn't it? One day shortly after we got it my wife got out of the car and left her remote on the seat. The car immediately started blasting the anti-theft horn...how did it know to do that? Does it have a mind of its own? Twice now I have found the car sitting in my garage with both front windows down and the doors unlocked...I don't like that! We always lock the car at night, so I know neither of us just forgot and left it that way. What's going on with this thing? Imagine taking a trip somewhere and leaving the car in a busy parking lot, locked when you left it, but wide open when you got back! Shortly after it happened the first time, I asked the manager of the service department at the local dealership if he knew why this might happen. He had no clue about it...said he'd never heard about it before. I just shrugged it off as a freak occurrence that would probably never happen again, but then, it did! Now I'm really scratching my head, so, when all else fails, read the instructions! I pull out the manual (about 3 inches thick) and start searching for the reason that my car would do this. No luck there, so, I do the modern day thing....Google! It turns out that my car along with many other late models from all companies have a feature on the remote that not even the salesmen nor the mechanics know about. If you press and hold the unlock button on  the remote for about 5 seconds, the doors will unlock and both front windows will come down! I carry my remote in my pocket all the time and apparently the button was being pressed by some other item in my pocket long enough for this to happen. Mystery solved...maybe...or is this "smart" car just trying to aggravate me? Hmmm! I know it couldn't happen, but what if that thing decided one day to crank itself up and drive off somewhere? Sure hope it tells me where it's going before it leaves! Naaa...it couldn't do that...could it?

We now watch digital TV via microwave technology. This is supposed to be quite an improvement over the old analog TV which received the radio waves. I really can't tell any difference between digital and non-digital broadcasts, they look the same to these old eyes. I agree that the picture is sharper and clearer, but I'm not convinced that it is because of the microwave signal..might be that TV sets are just made a lot better. *shrug* What I don't like about it is that if the wind blows just right or there's a cloud in the sky, you have no picture or sound at all! With the old system, there would be a picture, maybe fuzzy but watchable, and sound, either the actual program or frying. At least you knew the set was working properly. Now you get a silent dark screen with a message "No signal or weak signal" and that's it!, or the screen freezes right in the middle of what you are trying to watch. It drives a person nuts!

Technology challenged? As fast as new things come out, who's not at least a little bit challenged? We try to keep up, but, change is a slow process for us. My kids tell us all the time that we need new and updated stuff. Why? Our old stuff still works..I don't have to watch movies on my phone! I still use the old fashioned dial a number and talk to someone approach. I don't need a text plan....shoot...I don't text much! Facetime is great, I can see my grandkids regularly, but, I lived 55 or so years without it and made it all right. It's a wonderful, fascinating techno world that we live in, but hey, I know how to live without it and still be happy.

If you see a car moving down the road with no one driving it, it'll probably be mine taking a trip without me! If you do, just don't try to out"smart" it!

God bless us all!

The Silent Type

"You're not talking to me today?", my wife said not fifteen minutes after I had wished her good morning and inquired as to how she had slept. I mean c'mon now...we just got up and not much conversation sparking things happened to either of us during the eight or so hours that we were asleep.  I answer her with "Well...yes..I'll talk to ye, just don't have a whole lot new to tell you right now...dahhhhh-lin."  For some reason beyond my comprehension, this seems to aggravate her even more. She snaps back "You never talk to me...I'm not saying anything else to you again!".  I'm thinkin " Sheesh!"!

This scenario seems to play out quite often at my house. We are both retired now and we are in close proximity to each other most all the time. I rather like it and we get along fine...except when it comes  to me just making chit chat. I could go for days and not say a word....would'nt bother me a bit! My wife on the other hand is a big talker and is well practiced in the art.  I think she expects me to talk to her...even when she already knows everything that I know!

Thank goodness for cell phones, FaceTime, and messenger. This technology takes some of the pressure off us men folk. While the wives are on these devices, they don't want us talking to them! Trouble is, when they finish, they feel compelled to recount their whole conversations and their only available audience is us men! This is not all bad, we learn much pertinent information this way.  You know, stuff like "The fair has nearly killed her!", or "So and So's baby has the colic.", or "Somebody is renovating their kitchen.". Men really are interested in such things, we just don't want to "appear" that way. Our responses to questions regarding these newly discovered facts are always manly answers.."Yep!", "Nope!", "Uh huh!", "Naw", "Whatever!" to name a few. We also use the nonverbal manly communication gestures ...nods, shoulder shrugs, head scratching, and the infamous eye roll. Responses such as these are fairly common for men everywhere I would think, and are innocent enough, but women interpret them as indifference prompting them to say things like " You wish I'd just shut up don't you?", or "is that all you have to say?" ..heh heh..."Yep or nope" fits well here but adds fuel to the fire!

I reckon "the silent type" fits me pretty well most of the time. I can carry on a good conversation when I have something to say. I can write and speak correctly, even eloquently at times, if I consider my topic worthy.  Chit chatting is my weakness and even while writing this post  my wife asked, "Why won't you talk to me?"? * Rollin eyes*...the cycle continues! *Smile*

Another day in paradIse!

He wakes around five, glad he's alive, and thankful for all that he has.
His coffee tastes good, the night air is cool and he waits for the sun to rise.
He thinks of his children, how they are doing, and he thinks of his loving wife
He's had a good rest and he knows he is blessed, ...another day in paradise.

He puts on his shoes, turns off the news, grabs his hat as he crosses the floor.
He's headed outside with his chores on his mind, he reaches and opens the door.
The cool of the morning, the birds on the wing, the sun beginning to rise,
God's glory surrounds him, majestic and clear...another day in paradise.

He no longer works a regular job, a teacher by trade he had been,
He enjoyed his work, knows he made the right choice and would do it all over again
He thinks, " Do I miss it?", a question he's heard, the years just seemed to fly by
"Not enough to go back!", he knew in his heart...another day in paradise.

He wishes for things as any man does, but is not obsessed by the thought
Of spending money on frivolous things, happy with what he's got.
A house, a car, and a wonderful wife makes a man rich in this life.
The laughter of children now with kids of their own..another day in paradise.

Late in the evening he sits on his porch watching his neighbors go by
Coming home from their work, they wave as they pass and he thinks, "How blessed am I!"
To be home all day, to work or to play, sometimes it's hard to decide
He smiles as he thinks what's up for tomorrow....another day in paradise.

He remembers the words of the apostle Paul, to " think on more excellent things",
He knows in his heart that he's safe in the arms of Jesus our Lord and King
And one day he'll know those excellent things and see wonders through awestruck eyes
With loved ones about, the truth will come out...another day in paradise!

A. Harrison

Breaking the Rabbit's Teeth

When most people picture a bunny rabbit, they think warm, soft, cuddly, and gentle as can be. "Sweet li'l bunny rabbit!"...,yeah right!  My grandmother raised rabbits for food, and, occasionally someone would come by looking to buy some. My Dad and uncles had built some hutches up off the ground. They were basically wooden boxes toward the back enclosed with chicken wire that extended out a couple of feet. This allowed the rabbit a place to lay out and cool as well as drop his business through the wire.

Grandma lived right across the road from us practically and so, we stayed with her all day and every day during the summers and every afternoon while school was in session until our parents got home from work. You talk about "old school".... She believed in hard work, so, as soon as I got big enough, I was put in charge of the rabbit business.

She would buy a little feed in the winter, so, that was fairly easy. In the warm weather, we gathered food for them most every day. Wild vetch and kudzu was abundant and they seemed to like it very well. We often kept around two dozen rabbits, which were composed of an older buck and doe that we used for breeding and the rest different ages. The buck and doe were kept separated until a group had been harvested, then they were put together to breed another clutch. That's more or less how it worked.

Keeping water and feed available was a big part, but, there was also keeping the hutches clean. Manure had to be removed from under the cages  periodically and it had to be hauled off and scattered over the cow pasture or garden spot as it was a good fertilizer. Yes..farming of any kind is a nasty business, so, when you see these TV stories about poor conditions on a farm, take it with a grain of salt, it has always been that way and our farms continue to feed the nation.

The worst part for me was breaking out the teeth of the buck and doe. That's right, I had to break them off with a pair of pliers. Rabbits are rodents and just like rats, they have to knaw on stuff to wear off their teeth.  Rabbits that were harvested were no problem, but, the buck and doe in their hutches had nothing to knaw on other than food, so, their teeth, two on the top and two on the bottom would get longer and longer until the rabbits had trouble eating. I've seen the two bottom teeth reach almost up into the rabbit's nose!...talk about looking grotesque!

I don't know how much it hurt the rabbits, but, I would always come out looking like I'd been in a hatchet fight without a hatchet. Not only did they have teeth, they had claws as well and even though their brains were small, they knew what was up with the pliers! It was a sight. Here I was 12-13 years old trying to hold down a big old rabbit without hurting it so I could get hold of a tooth with a pair of pliers. The devilish things would squirm, flop, twist and squeal...all the while scratching and clawing. Finally pinning the rabbit, it would give up and I would snip the 4 teeth. The buck was even worse!

I despised doing it, but, it was just something that had to be done for the good of the animal and the welfare of the family. It and other experiences are what made me the man I am today....very thankful that I don't have to raise rabbits!

Secret of a Good Marriage

My wife  is a fine cook. She can put a meal on the table that will make you want to slap something! Even while working, she would get up every morning and fix a pan of biscuits or something to get the day started right for all of us, then, after work, she would come in and make a fine supper of whatever we might have. Early on in our marriage and especially while the kids were growing up, money for trips to the grocery store was tight, so, we ate a lot of vegetables that I could grow and meat that I killed by hunting, or harvested off the family farm.  Quail, dove, chicken, deer meat or whatever all went well with a pan of her fine biscuits. Peas, butter beans, corn, tomatoes, greens and potatoes all seemed to taste good because she knew how to fix them.We thought we were eating like kings because of her cooking. I was always very appreciative of this and always bragged on her cooking...and her biscuits!   Hoo-eeee!

There's a lot being said today about obesity in young children...hey!...Parents, they'll eat what you feed them! Feed them a lot of vegetables and they will learn to like them. Mix in a hunk of meat once in a while and make them some biscuits! Cook their food at home and set down at a table as a family and eat! They will remember it as they get older. Cooking is becoming a lost art, but it's the best way to feed your family!

Although most of us would rather it not be told, southern men can cook pretty good too...especially using a grill or a pan of grease. Some of us can do very well with stoves too. I can hold my own either way and knowing this, occasionally my wife now walks by and says " You got supper buddy!", or, "I want some of your biscuits in the mornin!". I gladly oblige!

She likes my biscuits. I take a small sifter of flour and cut in a pretty good glob of Crisco shortening with a fork. Just roll the flour up on the grease and mash it through over and over until the mixture takes on a yellowish tint and becomes a little tacky.  Next, pour in some buttermilk and stir with a fork. If you want spoon ( catheads) biscuits, use enough buttermilk to make the mix loose, then use a spoon and drop the dough into a greased skillet. If you want patted out biscuits, use enough buttermilk to roll a pretty good ball of dough on your stirring fork, but also leaving a film of flour unmixed under the dough ball. Remove the fork from the dough ball and then roll the dough around in the loose flour coating it all around. If I think I'm wasting too much loose flour, I squeeze as much as I can up into the dough ball. Now, just pull off small pieces of dough and flatten them in the palm of your hand, then place them in the skillet. I bake at 480 degrees until brown.....they ain't bad!

She and I will soon celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary. I've never bought her expensive gifts ( don't want to spoil her *wink*). We usually go out to a good meal somewhere and I thank her for staying with me all this time. She sometimes asks, "What if I decided to leave you?". I say, " Awww shoot Dear, you ain't gonna leave....you still like me and I know ye like my biscuits!".

So there you have it. The secret to a good marriage...make each other biscuits!

What I think about...

Grand children.....one of the best perks of growing older.  I enjoy their company immensely and  I want them to enjoy being with us as well. Our pastor encourages us to pray a fence around our kids and grand kids....I'm sure tryin! I hope that as they get older, they will still want to see us from time to time. God bless them and that's what I think about it.

The idea of entitlement....where is it written that if you are born in the U.S., you are "entitled" to  a free ride in life?  Doesn't  our constitution entitle us to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Focus on the word "pursuit"! In my mind it means to chase something, which in turn implys action. The idea that a man can be or have whatever he wants in America as long as he's willing to work for it (pursuit of happiness) seems to have been replaced by the idea of entitlement. I despise the fact that I must give such a large percentage of my hard earned money to the government each year, knowing that it is used in part to fund these entitlement programs. Corruption is rampant. People who are perfectly able to work and be productive are taking advantage of the system. How else could a person drive a Cadillac and purchase groceries with food stamps? It doesn't seem right to me...and that's what I think about it.

Obamacare.....scares me to death!  I have read parts of the original bill that I don't like at all. The full impact of this monster has not fell upon us yet. I believe it was designed to force hard working, honest people to foot the bill....another exertion of government control over the people. In time, healthcare as we know it will be no more. Look at countries that have government controlled healthcare systems. Ask their people if they like it...they despise it! People who are in great pain must wait weeks or months for minor surgeries that would alleviate their problems. In my own experience, I have paid out of pocket over $3000 more since the healthcare law has taken effect than I would have paid last year. Why?....Obamacare forced my insurance carrier to raise the out of pocket expense per person from $2500 to $6500! Thanks a lot Mr. President!

I worry for people my age and older. Healthcare for us will be sparse if the law is not changed or repealed. Of course our illustrious congressmen, senators, and president along with their staff are exempt, so, no worries for them. I cannot understand how a so called president was able to force such  a burdensome and unpopular law on the people. It needs to be done away with...and that's what I think about it.

Strange coffee and grits....it is said that variety is the spice of life, but c'mon now! Since I am now retired, I get "sent" to the grocery store a good bit. I get to the aisle with grits or coffee on the shelf and I'm supposed to buy a certain flavor. Why does there have to be 40 different flavors of grits and 75 different flavors of "strange" coffee?  Plain grits and plain coffee would make my shopping experience much easier.....that's what I think about it.

Gun control....another effort in futility. Recent random acts of violence have escalated the talk of gun control. Throughout the ages, there have been acts of violence whether calculated, premeditated, or random in which many precious and innocent lives have been lost. Whether it be with a club, sword, bow, or an AK-47, the act is heinous. How can it be prevented is a question like why is water wet! Taking away a man's guns is certainly not the answer. I understand why some people think that the average citizen does not need an assault rifle, but at the same time, this is America where we are guaranteed the right to bear arms, and, if a man is willing to work and pay for a rifle to possess legally, then by Granny, he ought to be able to have it. That's what I think about it.

Marriage....an institution ordained by God between a man and a woman. Call me a bigot, call me biased, call me whatever, but honestly, the thought of two men or two women interacting as more than just friends is repulsive to me. The mutual love and respect found in a marriage nourish and sustain peace, contentment, and fulfillment. Liberalistic views of today's culture condone and promote the so called "same sex marriage". As the Ol boy would say, "They ain't no such thang!". That's what I think about it.

Pierre's Ghost (The Legend Of Juzon)

We've all heard those scary, strange, unknown sounds in the night. Most could be explained away as a screech owl,  bobcat, or some other creature that, once determined, is not scary at all. My generation grew up without air conditioning, so, we slept at night with windows wide open in order to feel the cool from the night air. As a result, we could hear many sounds in the night from the outside...some far off in the distance and some just outside the window.

One night the yard dogs began barking. Most of the time you could simply holler at them and get them to hush, but not that night. Suddenly, we could hear off in the distance what the dogs had been hearing all along. It was a hideous cry, and, it was getting closer....and closer! I promise it would make the hair on your body stand straight up! By now the dogs had crawled up under the house...the thing was close and its cry was deafening. Daddy made us get in the house and shut the doors and windows, I mean, it was right close and we didn't know what in the world it was...still don't know for sure. Speculation was that it was probably a panther, but, who knows.

The next day while visiting with my grandmother, we told her of the strange sound that scared us nearly to death. With a funny look on her face she said, "It was probably Pierre's Ghost lookin for gold to steal and murder on his mind!". Of course, being 8 or 10 years old, we begged her to tell us the tale and so she began..."Well boys, back before the civil war, a Frenchman named Pierre Juzon came up here and settled on some land along side the old Jackson Military road down yonder just north of  Hickory. The Talasshee creek ran through his property and fed a small lake and they say it was a bottomless lake! Ol Pierre built himself an inn on the bluff overlooking the lake and along side the old Jackson road, where he lodged weary travelers as they moved between Jackson and Mobile. He had buddied up with a ol Choctaw Indian that he called Billy. They say Ol Billy was a mean'un and they couldn't nobody do nothin with him, 'ceptin Ol Pierre himself.  He'd take in the farmers and traders who had sold their goods in Mobile and were heading back home with their money. People say that many boarders were never seen again..that Ol Pierre would send Ol Billy to sneak into their rooms at night and cut their throats for their money and jewels. They would then gather up their bodies and throw them into the bottomless Juzon lake where they could never be found. Some say their spirits still haunt the lake and a lot of folk claim to have seen ghosts flittin just above the water on moonlit nights. Folk say that when Pierre heard that Sherman's army was headed his way, him and Ol Billy took all the blood stained gold and jewels they had gathered up and hid them in the lake somewhere. Later on when they went back to get it, they couldn't find it and in a rage and blaming the Indian for losing the hiding place, Pierre pulled out his pistol and shot Ol Billy dead. Screaming and cussin and moanin, Ol Pierre searched the Juzon for his lost gold...he never found it and nobody knows what become of him to this day. Some think the ghosts got him, some say he drowned, some say he just disappeared, and on some nights you can hear him squalin and moanin as he wanders around lookin for his gold." Then with a wry smile Grandma said, " I bet that was Ol Pierre y'all heard last night!". We sat there for a minute thinking about her tale of murder, then after looking at one another, I said ,"Aww, Grandma it wad'nt no ghost we heard..had to be a animal of some kind." She just smiled and said, "Well maybe so....maybe not!"

There is another version of the tale where Confederate soldiers on the run from Sherman dumped a load of gold in the Juzon lake in order to keep it away from the Union army. In either case there is some truth in the tale..there actually was a man named Juzon who owned the property there, many folks through the years have tried to drain the lake in search of the treasure to no avail....just can't get the water out! You can google Juzon lake, Newton County, Ms and read about it if you like. I found that the Choctaw Indian friend was not named in the historical record, so, Grandma must have  just used "Billy" in her story to aid in the telling of it.

Anyway, the next time you hear a strange, eerie sound in the dark of the night, as your skin begins to crawl, just remember....it might be something as common as a screech owl, or, it might be Ol Pierre"s ghost looking for his gold...who knows? Bwoo-ha-ha-ha! *evil laugh*

The Last Season

During my career as a coach I had two "last" seasons. The first was the last season at BH before consolidation ripped our school away from us. The second occurred at NC toward the end of my school career as I approached retirement.  Both were sad times for me, but the last season at BH was much more so because of the forced consolidation that was about to take place.

I was in my second stint as head baseball coach at BH, taking over after Coach M had left again for better things.  We were one season removed from a state championship and after a 500 season the year before and just missing the playoffs, we felt ready to make a run again.

I had been thinking about my players and what positions they could play to improve on last year and as the season started, I thought I had the best line up ready to go...I knew we would hit, just wasn't sure about the defense, as the Ol boy would say," we wadn't too swooft!".  Well, 4 games in and we were 0 for the season, then I made one defensive change at shortstop. We reeled off 16 straight wins and made the playoffs again.

Our kids knew the situation well...win, or it's over forever at BH. They wanted with all their heart to end the last season at BH as state champions once again. The first game of the best two of three series was played at home and we were shut down by a big, strong pitcher who later went on to play quarterback at the University of Southern Mississippi. Having played five games over the last week and a couple more days had worn us down physically and it showed in our pitching.  Even so, my kids were gamers. They grabbed their gloves and bats and took it to our opponents in the second game. Now the series was tied at one game each with the third game to be played at a neutral site. I was never more proud of a group of kids than I was of them. They weren't  big, strong, or fast, but, they were hard nosed, gritty, and determined. They played their hearts out, but, in the end, that "big Ol cornbread eatin football signee" had the fresh arm against us and we lost the third game. Now the finality was realized and tears began to flow, not because we lost the game, we knew we had given our best, not because we didn't win the state championship, we knew the nature of the playoffs, but because it was the last game of the last season ever played for old BH school.

I often think back to that day and wonder what would have been in store for that group had consolidation not separated them. They were back on the verge of another state championship..very well could have happened the next year! In any case, I hope they remember what I told them in that last huddle, "Hold your heads high boys, you are part of the heart of BH school and what you have done this season puts you on same level as all those who have come through before you. You, the last team from BH, have represented her well and I'm very proud of you!"

The "last" season will always be the first of my memories, and I'll always shake my head and think, "Why did it have to end?". Are we really a whole lot better off? I suppose in some ways yes, others no, and that's the nature of change. *sigh*

Oops! Sorry dear!

I reckon most men are much like me. I enjoy doing things that often cause my hands...feet...clothes...and generally my whole body to get dirty...even nasty a good part of the time. It is the nature of man I suppose to track dirt into the house. "Oops, sorry dear!" is a pretty common utterance from my mouth this time of year. With eyes like a hawk, women can spot a speck of dirt on their floors from a mile away!

According to my high school Ag. teacher, the soil around here is called orangeburg... we call it red dirt. It is a good soil for growing vegetables, but it sticks to everything! I try not to track it in...I mean I always check the bottom of my boots before I come in, wiping them on the grass most times...I even take them off sometimes, but it still makes it in some how. "Oops! Sorry dear!".

It's not that men folk don't care, we really do. It's just that our minds are wired differently. If a woman sends her husband to the grocery store with a list, he'll do his best to bring back the items on the list, nothing much else, but he'll have the list. If she says,"We need two loaves of bread and if they have green peppers, get 6.", guess what he'll bring home....that's right...there will be 6 loaves of bread sitting on the counter for sure! Hey, we just try to please! *grin*

I know that women work very hard to keep their house neat and clean, and it's a great source of pride for them. I assure you that a man appreciates it too....he just doesn't think about it in the same way. "I worked like a dog all day cleaning this floor and here you come trackin that dirt in!", I've heard my wife say! "Huh?....What dirt?", I'd always say. "This dirt right here!", she'd say with a hand on her hip and the other pointing at a footprint or a dirt clod. "Oops, sorry dear!" *sheepish grin*

I know this trait of tracking in dirt is not unique to me. I know of a statement made by my wife's grandmother regarding her husband John. She said, " I could be moppin the floor in hell and here would come John justa trackin mud everywhere!". She was quite a character, but she understood how men do..."Oops! Sorry dear!" Ain't life a blast? *smile*

"What is truth?"...Pontius Pilate

It's been a long cold winter. You can tell by looking at me that I have been pretty much hugging the fire all winter. Bet I've gained ten pounds and it's all right here! *patting belly* I guess I'll have to go back on the dog food diet again...lost nearly 40 pounds the last time...just load up your pockets with purina and eat a couple pieces every time you feel hungry. It contains sufficient nutrition to maintain the body without any fat or other additives that might cause harm, it'll make your hair slick and shiny, and you get used to the taste. Be careful though, I heard of a man that was on it who walked out of a store, saw a cat, chased it out into the street and got hit by a car!

As I told this yarn, before the cat statement, were you thinking that it was believeable and therefore truth? Why?...because there were some facts in it that you knew were true?...because it was me telling it in a “matter of fact” way? 

John 18:37-38

³⁷ Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
³⁸ Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

There are two prevalent views as to the question “What is truth?”.... the correspondence view and the relativistic view. The correspondence view is based on a statement being true if and only if it corresponds to or agrees with known facts, or objective reality. In other words it is a belief in absolute truth. What is absolute truth?...a truth based on fact or agrees with some known occurrence. Example: The human body will die without oxygen. This is an absolute truth which can be backed up by scientific fact and by occurences as well. Any clear declarative statement must be either true or false. It cannot be neither, nor can it be both true and false. This view promotes the testing of a statement to determine whether or not it can be backed up by fact. A statement can be proven false if it can be shown to disagree with objective reality. At one time in history, most of the educated world thought that the world was flat! They believed and accepted this as truth for years and years. They must have been very dissapointed when the theory that the earth was round began to take hold and the ships began to prove it. So it will be for those who refuse to accept that truth is absolute.

The relativistic view is that truth depends on views or cultures, not on objective reality. Truth for one may be totally different than truth for another. It allows each person or society to live by whatever they decide is true. You'll here a relativist say things like:

“Well, if that's true for you I guess it's ok.” or, “ we can't judge other cultures.”

People of this mind set do not believe in absolute truth, yet the statement that there is no absolute truth is in essence an absolute truth, at least for them! When truth is dependent upon the individual, one person might say Jesus is Lord while another might say Allah is lord. Both statements will be true to the one who spoke them, but, the very definition of Lord requires the title to belong to only one. Those who say there is no absolute truth make decisions every day based on things they believe are true or false. They turn on a light believing in the reality of electricity. They drive a car believing in the dependability of it. Not one of them would want to be operated on by a brain surgeon who did not believe that some things about the brain are true and some are not true! If there were no absolutes, there would be no right or wrong. I could kill someone and because I believe I should do such things, it has become my personal truth and who are you to judge me?

In the absence of truth, power is the only game in town.

The true Christian view is the correspondence view. We believe in absolute truth, because truth is what is real. We believe the Bible is God's word written down by men inspired of Him. There are many passages that tell us that God is Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by me.” We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, He died on the cross, was buried and was ressurected on the third day and we take it to be an absolute truth. My Savior lives! He will return someday to take His followers home. 

Some may think” Well, how can you accept this as absolute truth?”...remember the definition..based on fact..what facts?..the factual evidence presented by the Gospel writers. How can you believe them? They were reputable men of their day, their stories matched closely even though they were in different parts of world when they wrote, and none of them ever wavered in their accounts! Think of a place you've never actually been...how do you know it's true that its there? You believe because of the testimony of reputable people who have been there. Several years ago, my Dad told me he saw a bear, my neighbor Charles said he saw it, the Motley boys said they saw it....I never saw it, but, I believe it was there because of the testimony of these reputable men. If I can believe in the truth of a place I've never been, or, the existence of a bear I didn't see, then surely I can believe in the truth of the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. My Savior lives! You say, “but, what if they're wrong just as the earth being flat was wrong?”. I say that the word of man is often wrong, but the word of God is absolutely true and has stood for all the ages.

You can't argue a person into heaven. In order to make an argument, one must accept the fact that some absolute truth exists. They can't see how illogical their side of the argument is, nor can they see how logical your side is. If a person says there is no God, the statement itself must be an absolute for him, else he has no basis for argument. His statement then by definition must be based on fact..no way..because all the historical facts that we have back up the existence of God.

So, to answer Pilate's question “what is truth?”, God is truth. Go back now to verse 37 above and substitute "God" for each phrase "the truth". Can you see why Jesus came? Pilate had no clue. A person can call himself whatever he likes, but, he can't call himself a Christian unless he holds the correspondence view of truth. Christians believe in the moral absolutes of right and wrong. Christians accept Jesus and His Word as the ultimate source of truth regarding morality and salvation. Because we know and speak the truth, the world hates us. We are often called bigots, hippocrites, and judgemental. Even so, we must continue to speak and demand the truth. Hold fast to the truth of God's word as we defend the faith. Speak it  when given the opportunity with tactfullness, compassion, and love for our fellow man.

 

 

"Open ye mouth and swaller this!"

Growing up in the 1950's and 60's was quite an experience. Our parents, who had grown up tending livestock and working in fields, were now beginning to earn wages from factories or from trades that they had learned after World War II. Families began to acquire things that made living a little easier, yet, the mentality was still buy what you need to just get by. Frugality ruled and people worked hard trying to live without borrowing money.

In those days, a trip to the doctor or dentist only took place after all the home remedies failed and sufficient time had passed to make sure a body would not heal itself! We didn't like going anyway because in those days you expected to feel pain to get healing. Doctors and dentists can do some terrible things to a body...guess that's why they call their business a "practice"! *rollin eyes*

Houses were not built as tight as they are today and the "frugality" factor always took hold at night, so,
in winter, gas heaters were turned off at night and fire places were raked up and bedded for coals the next morning. We slept under piles of quilts and blankets.....it was cold! The croup was a common occurrence and I still remember what it feels like. Usually within a few hours after waking, your voice would return to normal, but, there would be a little tickle in your chest. The cure?....Vick's salve...on your chest, neck, and face and then a rag poultice of it worn around your neck until the croup was gone.

Sometimes a cold would get in your chest and cause a cough and maybe fever. The cure...A tablespoon of sugar with a little turpentine dropped into it. "Open ye mouth and swaller this." Mama would say. Eating sugar laced with turpentine!...don't know if it cured or not, but, it did seem to sooth the croup and made you quit complaining for sure!

Small cuts were "doctored" with merthiolate or mercurichrome (not sure of the spelling) which were basically rubbing alcohol. Both solutions came in small bottles with application sticks attached to the lids. Parents would swab a cut with it then say "Blow, blow!". The stinging would make you dance for sure!

For more serious cuts or bruises, they would pull out the coal oil. It was a well known fact that coal oil would take out soreness. Many cuts that should have been stitched were wrapped up tightly and then the bandage would be soaked in coal oil. I bear a scar from a vicious cut that was treated in this manner.

The vilest "medicine" we were made to take was castor oil. Parents believed that it did a child good to take it, whether they were sick or not! Grandma used it as a form of punishment. I had rather take a whipping with a switch than swallow castor oil. Mama would say "Open ye mouth!". I wouldn't. She'd say "Open ye mouth or I'll call ye daddy!" That would usually do it. I would take the dose. Horrible, vile, terrible, nasty, disgusting...all rolled up in one..that's the taste of castor oil.

I don't have any statistics, nor do I know of any studies proving that my generation was tougher than this one, but, logic tells me it must be true. So it was with our fathers' generations and I expect the cycle will continue. We just didn't visit the doctor much in those days, we took care of ourselves. "Open ye mouth and take it! It's good for you, it'll make ye grow!" still rings in my ears as I remember those days. It's a wonder that we survived!

The Death of a Lady

Her given name came from the small community in which she stood back in the 1920's. It was a time when one room schools existed where there were sufficient numbers of children within a small area. When automobiles began to appear, transportation became less an obstacle and the one room school began to disappear in favor of a large campus housing all grades in different rooms. So it was with her. Several small one room schools came together to form a bigger school, and because of the most central location, she was built in the community containing Beulah Baptist Church, therefore, her given name was Beulah.

Her surname came from the founders of the school out of respect for the state superintendent of education of the day, a man named J.F. Hubbard, who apparently had a part in the consolidation effort of the time. In any case, the school became known as Beulah Hubbard school, and it churned out its first graduating class in the 1929-30 school year.

She was built of rough cut timbers and lumber with handsaws, hammers and nails. Her floors were of heart pine that were oiled on a regular basis to prevent rot. Her walls were lathed with strips of hardwood and then plastered over. Restrooms were built inside the building which was quite innovative and a novel thing at the time. Each classroom was well lit by huge windows that lifted up easily for ventilation during the hot August days. Early on she was heated by coal burning heaters and later, large butane heaters in each classroom provided heat on the colder winter days. She was a marvelous construction in her youth, a long hall of classrooms with a large auditorium attached to the back, a gymnasium within a few yards of the north end that also had a small lunch room on the back and a bus garage underneath and people were proud of her. Teacher's housing was made available across the road from the school, and as numbers grew, an additional building was constructed to house grades 1-5, the old house that had been used to house home economics and agriculture classes was replaced with an add on to the south end of the school, and a new stand alone cafeteria was constructed. Her district lines were permanently fixed when the northeastern and east central part of the county were taken in. Now, the family called Beulah Hubbard was almost complete. Integration became law in 1968, but, black students had a year of choice before they were compelled to attend the public schools. Some chose to go ahead and attend, but most waited until the 1969-70 school year to begin their education in the "white" schools. Now, the family was complete.

The little country school called Beulah Hubbard produced graduates who became doctors, lawyers, school teachers, business men and women, bankers, preachers, and farmers, all of which were successful in what they did with their lives. Very little money was allowed through the county for her maintenance, most needs had to be met locally by fundraising efforts, and though everyone contributed as much as they could, age began to wear her down.

It's difficult to explain how important the school became to the community. The smaller communities...Beulah, Hopewell, Greenland, Rock Creek, Pleasant Grove, Battlefield, Duffee, Center Ridge, Oakland, Hebron, and a few others now had a common thread..the grand old lady Beulah Hubbard. Life blood, fabric, focal point...all good descriptors, yet, they fall short in trying to explain the atmosphere surrounding the school and community. Most of the staff were local people and those who came in from other places quickly bought in to our way of doing things. The student body averaged about 250 grades K-12. They knew each other well and all were accepted no matter about social status. They were taught at home to act right and respect their elders, and they allowed themselves to be taught. They were great athletes and able to play with most schools with much larger numbers.

The talk began in earnest around 1986...that dreadful word..consolidation..became the desire of the controlling interest on the county school board. Much debate took place over the next few years, many tempers were lost, many ideas were presented to the school board in hopes of saving all or part of her to no avail. Every vote was 3 to 2 in favor of the controlling interest until the death sentence was pronounced in 1989.

Beulah Hubbard school is no more, the lady is dead, yet, those of us who attended or worked there remember that sense of belonging to something very special...just a little country school, made up of country people who loved each other and loved their school. Deep down inside, each of us who were a part of her still harbor a hope that she will someday be resurrected in some way. As the consolidated school becomes larger and larger, perhaps...just maybe...only time will tell!!

For Christians only....not!!!

Knowing God's Will

One of the most difficult things in the Christian life is to know and do God's will. We hear sermon after sermon where doing God's will is mentioned at least once somewhere. We all must make decision after decision each day and many of them on the spur of the moment. How do we know we are following God's will as we make these quick decisions? Other times we make decisions on things where we have plenty of time to think and pray on them. How do we know in these cases? What is the will of God? It would be nice if God had placed a flashing neon sign in our minds that gave us specific directions on every decision, but, that's not the way it is! The thing is, God's will is not the same for every Christian...if it were, we would all be carbon copies of each other, with the same intellect, the same likes and dislikes, and the same gifts....no, it must be something different for every one of us. How then can each individual Christian ascertain what God's will is for his life?

Romans 12: 1-2    1.  I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and perfect, will of God.

A traveling salesman was headed to his next stop through a range of remote, rugged mountains when his car broke down. He was miles and miles from any help, but luckily, there was a monastery close by. He walked to the monastery explained that his car had broken down and he needed some help. The friendly monks took him in, gave him food and a bed, and promised to get help for his car. As he stayed the night, from deep  within the monastery, he could hear a hauntingly beautiful and very mysterious sound. He had never heard anything like it. It was pleasant to his ears and reached inside and grabbed his heart in such a way that he had to know what it was. He left his room and began to draw closer to the mysterious sound. Finally, he was standing in front of a huge wooden, padlocked door. The sound seemed to be emanating from behind it, so, the next morning, he asked the monks what was making that beautiful, mysterious sound. The monks said "We can't tell you, you're not a monk!". Smitten by not knowing what it was and desperate to know, the man replied, "Well then, how do I become a monk?". The monks answered," You must count all the blades of grass and all the grains of sand on the face of the earth and then you can become one of us!". The man left and 45 years later he returned to the monastery with two astronomical numbers that correctly met the requirements of the order. The monks accepted him and immediately he had to know what was making the mysterious sound. The monks provided him with a set of keys and said "Go..see for yourself!". The first key opened the gigantic wooden door...the sound was louder, but, now there was an iron door. A second key opened it. Next was a door of silver, then one adorned with jewels, and finally one of pure gold, each of which required a key. Finally, the man slowly opened the final door and looked inside...

You might ask, "What in the world has this story got to do with knowing the will of God and the scripture passage?". Maybe we can draw some parallels. To know the will of God, (vrs 1), we must present our bodies unto God. Just as the man in the story had to sacrifice 45 years of his life to become a monk, God expects us to sacrifice our bodies to Him. God can make this claim because we were bought with a price..1 Cor. 6:20, For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Why does god expect this?...the body is the seat of our sinful desires and we tend to allow our bodies to affect our minds. Satisfying the flesh tends to cause an unrepentant mind. Paul calls this a "reasonable service" which simply means it follows logic. Christ sacrificed himself for us, we must give our all to him. This is the first step in knowing and doing God's will. If we are not willing to give ourselves to the Lord, we will spend a lifetime asking questions for which there are no answers from the world's standpoint. Jesus taught in Luke 9:23, And He said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Secondly, we must separate from the world (vrs 2). This doesn't mean we should become hermits, nor does it mean that we should set some impossible standard to reach. Paul teaches, "Be not conformed to this world"...to be conformed is to shape one's mind and character after the pattern of another. We are not to shape our thinking or character after the world, meaning, not to be like he world in actions, words, and in example. Two reasons for this come to mind...1) because of what the world will do to us as a Christian. 1 John2: 15-16, Love not the world, neither the things in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world., and 2) because the world is enmity against the Lord...James 4:4, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  How do we separate from the world when we must live in it each day of our lives? Paul says we do it by being transformed, that is, to transfigure our minds, and, the way to do this is to have a steady diet of God's word....study the scriptures, know the word! Without it we become more and more like the world, conformed in mind and body to worldly things. Don't you know that the man in the story had to separate himself from the world? Imagine what people thought as they saw him out counting blades of grass and grains of sand...they thought he was crazy just like they did as Noah took 40 years to build the ark on dry land. Well, what can the word do for us if we study it? It cleanses our minds from the filth of the world. Psalm 119: 9, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. It prevents us from sinning. Psalm 119: 11, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. It guides us in the path of righteousness. Psalm 119: 105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. There are many more things the word can do for us. Study it, live by it, heed its warnings, obey its commandments, count on its promises, and hide it in your mind.

The third parallel we can see concerns the understanding of God's will. Even after dedicating his life to the task of counting blades of grass and grains of sand, and separating himself from the world to do this, the man still needed a set of keys to open the doors hiding the source of the mysterious sound. What then are some keys that we can use to help us understand God's will? One key is the biblical examples of the Godly men and women of the Bible. One must not confuse God's will with His purpose for us. Our purpose is to glorify Him and increase His kingdom. His will for each of us, though different for each person, collectively allows us to accomplish His purpose..a marvelous mystery! A second key is prayer. Prayer is a powerful tool in understanding God's will when done with a regard for others rather than self. We should pray regularly...it always helps. The third key is a willingness to accept things that come our way as the working of God in our lives. I don't think we should agonize over all the decisions we make daily. I believe that we make them based on our Christian lifestyles and beliefs, guided by the Holy Spirit within us. When our conscience is clear, not troubled by a decision, I am confident that God is guiding us, even when a decision leads to trouble of some kind. Jesus prayed in Luke 22: 42, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Accept the things that come your way as the working of God; have faith that all things are for good for those who believe.

So, there you have it. To understand the will of God, we must give our lives to Him, a living sacrifice, separate our minds from the world, being transformed, not conformed, and understand that the decisions, situations, and occurrences that present themselves in our lives are the working of God. Now, back to the story, the man sacrificed 45 years to the quest, he separated himself from the world by his actions, and he acquired the keys to the doors that protected the mysterious sound. Can you imagine his sense of fulfillment and excitement as he slowly opened that last door? What was making the mysterious sound?...Well...I can't tell you!...You're not a monk!! Neither can any man tell you what God's will is for you in your life...you have to search it out yourself, but, using the advice of Paul, praying regularly, and studying the Bible can help us know and follow God's will. God bless us every one. Amen

Honey, where did we put that.....?

There had been a glass coaster on which my wife had set a red candle on the kitchen table for months. As the Christmas season approached, my wife thought it would be pretty to use the whole set of glass coasters to help decorate her table. "Now where did I put those coasters? I remember I was gonna put them up somewhere, but, I can't remember where that is!" she said. Of course, no matter what I'm doing, immediately we begin rifling through drawers, looking in closets, cleaning out bookshelves, and generally wrecking the whole house trying to find the coasters. ('cause if Mama ain't happy..ain't nobody happy!)  All the while, questions and comments abound. "Looks like you could remember where ye put 'em...where'd ye have 'em last?" I might say. "Oh hush, you're just as bad as me!" she responds. "Can't ye just use somethin else?" I say moaningly. "I got to find them...can't stand not knowin where I put 'em!"she says with a tone of aggravation. I'm not sure if she's aggravated at me or at herself, so, I dutifully continue to search a few more minutes then I say "Well..I give up!" then mosey on back to my chair to rest my eyes a little. *wink* I get "the look" as she continues the dragnet search. After a couple of hours with breaks in between, finally I hear "Here they are! Now I remember putting them right here because....". I'm just shaking my head thinking "Good grief!". Ok..finally the mystery is solved. With the set of coasters in hand, she moves toward the table to retrieve the one holding the red candle. Lo and behold....it's gone! "Did you see where I put the one that was on the table?" she asked. I'm thinking "Oh no..here we go again!". We begin to look through the house again for the one coaster that we had to start with. We search and search, wrecking the house a second time.  This time I even search through the garbage can in the kitchen..it's not there. "It's got to be right here somewhere. Think! Where'd you set it down?" I said. "It was on the table, now it's gone, that's all I know. It just wasn't meant for me to have a pretty table this year." she moans. "Aww, we'll find it..it'll turn up somewhere 'round here.", is by now about all the sympathy and comfort that I could muster. We search and search until finally she says in disgust, "Just stop lookin for it, it's just gone!" A day or two later she is sweeping under the table and pulls a chair all the way out from under it and there on the front edge of the seat is the coaster with the red candle. We had both pulled the chair out a little and looked in it as we searched, but, neither of us had pulled it all the way out. The table cloth had hidden it from us as it sat on the front edge of the seat. Scolding her  I said " Who in the world would put the thing right on the edge of the chair like that? Most folk would put it in the back of the seat where it wouldn't be likely to fall out!" Uh oh!...you could see sparks in her eyes as she lit into me with a list of my escapades along the same lines as the search for the coasters. Of course she was right, I misplace things too and just can't rest until I find them. I've been known to tear the place apart looking for my pocket knife!...just can't do without one. Shoot! I find a lot of my stuff while we are looking for her stuff! "Hey look!...found that screw driver I been lookin for!"

It's funny how we take comfort in knowing where our things are located. I guess for my generation it's because we never had much more than bare necessities while growing up, and, we were taught to take care of things. We are not pack rats, we do throw things away, but only after they have been worn out! We think seriously about things before trashing them.The result is, there's a lot of stuff that we know we have, we're just not quite sure exactly where it is!

Hey! Where did I put my glasses?

"Don't 'no nothin 'bout birthin no baby!"

Those of us who are my age often long for the "good ole days" when life seemed much simpler. I find myself thinking back to the time my kids were little and wishing I had spent more time with them. My profession as a teacher/coach actually caused me to spend more time with other people's children than I did my own!  Even so, I loved them dearly and did my best to provide for them.

This past week, one of my daughters brought into the world another sweet grandchild. I must admit that modern times have the "good ole days" beat by far in the area of birthing babies.. When mine were born , the father was treated as if he had the plague! I was not allowed in the delivery room at all. I was made to wait in an area outside the nursery with other expectant fathers. Even though we were total strangers, nervous conversation flowed constantly. "Is this ye first 'un? This'll be my third!", or, "Ye think I'd figure out what causes this by now!", and "One more and I'll have me a whole basketball team! " are a few questions or comments that were made.

One by one the new fathers were informed of their baby and the condition of his wife until finally a nurse appeared holding that "little bundle of joy". You could look at it for a moment, but were not allowed to take it in your arms. You would think that once your baby was born, the waiting was over...not in those days! The fathers still had to wait until the mother was "situated" in her room. Finally, a nurse would come and lead you to the hospital room where your wife was kept. All the while you're thinking,"I'm finally going to get to hold my baby.". Not yet! You go in and there's your wife, but, no baby. After a while a nurse comes in with some sort of gown and cap and says " here! Put this on and you can hold your baby." Finally, they bring the baby in and you hold it close for the first time. Man! What a feeling that is!

Now days, the father is allowed to observe the entire process! I feel a bit cheated. My sons in law have all experienced things that I missed. A nurse no longer brings the baby out for the family to see, the father gets to do that and oh what a look on his face!

Some say that God no longer provides us with miracles. I disagree. Every birth of a new baby is a marvelous miracle. It is not by chance, but by heavenly design that a human baby is wondrously and fearfully created. Praise be to God!

'Nuff said....time for Papaw to hold his new grand baby!!