Religion and Church Stuff

Every year about this time our Ministerial Alliance holds it's annual Community Palm Sunday Service. I do not look forward to it. It seems every preacher wants his church to have some part in it, and when these guys get to pray or speak, they feel the need to preach some sort of min-sermon. ( Can you tell I don't like it?) I call it a dog and pony show. All the ministers will set together on the front row together. I guess its to show unity or something. Two years ago they made the mistake of asking me to lead worship. I stuck to my guns, so to speak, and had a worship service. ( I haven't been asked since then) Last year, I was reminded I needed to set on the front row, and to dress the part. Naturally, I refused on both accounts, and sat and dressed with the common folks. This year, I sat on the back row, and watched the parade.

My wife says I have mellowed over the years. I don't know about that. One of my minister friends greeted me last night, and asked how the rebel was doing. The very thought, put a smile on my face. Why, because I have always thought that Jesus was the ultimate rebel. Aren't we supposed to become more like Him as time goes by?

Get real- Get God- Get goin'- Life's too short for more dog and pony shows.

Another Week of Twists and Turns

Let's see I was in Uvalde on Thursday, for A Singing Men of South Texas Concert. It is a group of around 50 men who are music ministers that serve in Baptist churches in South Texas. We did a concert at the First Baptist Church in the evening, and did a mini concert at the First State Bank there. Here's the twist, the bank's primary stock holder is former governor Dolph Biscoe. He had requested we sing at his bank. It turned out to be a really big deal. Lot's of government types and bigwigs. The bank is not your typical small town bank. It speaks of money, lots of money. I found out that Dolph is the largest land owner in the state of Texas.( over 1 million acres) In the lobby of the bank there are hanging 2 original Rembrant etchings. The bank itself speaks of an elegance found years ago. You know the kind I'm speaking about, old Texas money.

Here's the turn. 3 week ago, Dolph Briscoe's twenty year old grand daughter was killed while riding a horse on his ranch. He was very close to her, and this was his first public appearance since that happened. He came into the bank using a walker looking very weak and frail. He was very attentive during the concert and very gracious. Towards the end of the concert, as we were singing Texas, Our Texas, I was close enough to see a change his facial expression. As we started the song, he sat up a little straighter, and about half way through the first verse, he pulled himself up, using his walker, and stood straight as an arrow, until the song was over. It made the hair stand on the back of my neck. Afterwards, he spoke with us. You could see the fire in his eyes and hear it in his voice. I don't remember to much about him as a governor, but he impressed me that day. Man oh man, I'll bet 30 years a ago, he was a force to reckon with.
Here is picture of me with him and one of the other Singing Men.

Back with Various Things

I have had two or three things interfere with my blogging for a awhile. First off, my dear sweet bride had to go to the emergency room for a kidney stone and a kidney infection. She had a pretty painful evening. It happened on Valentine's day. I told her it was the most expensive Valentine's gift I had ever bought her. (She didn't think it was funny then, and doesn't now.) The kidney stone?- who knows!

Second, I have been helping the RA's make pine wood derby cars, build a new race track and
then help out with an evening at the races. Here is a picture of some of their cars. I found out more about these kind of cars than I wanted to. They came up with some pretty good designs.
We did have 2 winners out the bunch.

Third, I've got a pile of sand (7 yards) in the driveway that I am moving to the backyard to fill in some low spots and to build a raised bed garden. I want to put in a salsa garden. You know, all the stuff you need to make salsa. I can tell you right now, I am sore, seven yards is alot of dirt to move from one place to another with a wheel barrow.

Fourth, the lime tree is blooming, and I think we will have some fruit this year. The tree is on probation for now. I have told it, no fruit, no live. You know, one nice thing about a tree, it can't talk back to you.

The rest of my free time is spent getting the choir and everything ready for the Easter musical. I took two different musicals, rewrote some of the dialog, and sort of spliced them together. I'm getting the choir ready, but I farmed out some of the other work. Like getting non-singing parts cast, building the stages, directing, lighting, etc, done by other people. That way we've got more people involved.

Strange Things

First, since it is getting warm and then getting cold the plants don't know exactly what to do. I've got one azalea trying to bloom. Also, my stupid lime tree, which has never bloomed, is trying to bloom or do something. I need an opinion, dig it up or give it another chance?

Second, last week end, after getting off of work, we discovered that our water was cut off. Naturally, the city offices were closed and couldn't be reached. So, we went all week end without water. Mad, angry, you bet. But I had my ammo, a canceled check showing that my bill has paid. We figured out what happened, the house next to us is vacant. They had turned off the wrong meter. Anyway, Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. Becky and I were there. They informed me that my water was not off and that I owed them no money. Becky was so mad she was shaking. Me, I had the evil eye thing going, and told them that city lock was on my meter, and that they had 5 minutes to get off or my bolt cutters were coming out, and don't even think about trying to fine me. The back peddling began when the city manager was brought in and I physically showed them the lock. Needless to say, they apolozied, and I got at least 3 phone calls from city council members saying they were sorry.
None of them will be getting my vote, next time around.
It just proves my point that anytime the government is involved things are sure to get screwed up.

Hard Times and Random Stuff

Ok, since the last time I wrote, a have been involved in several different kinds of things.

The Hard Times- It is always hard when you lose someone who is young. The young man who played drums in our praise team was involved in a hit and run accident and died last Saturday morning. (still no word on who did it) I was very close to him and his parents. It was bad enough it being a close friend, but it got harder when his parents asked me to have myself, and the praise team to sing at their sons funeral. They wanted not just a funeral, but a full blown worship service. Dave, the father of the young man who died, joined us on stage to play drums in his son's honor. It was very moving and very touching service. If someone was there who did not know about God, they did by the time they left. Needless to say, it took a lot out of me, but it really put life in the proper perspective. It's not about things, but about God and family, and time spent in the woods enjoying what He created for us. It sure isn't about things and stuff.

Random Stuff- I sang with the Singing of South Texas in San Marcos Thursday. FBC San Marcos has moved out on I35 and sold their old church in old downtown. The new owners have turned the old church into a coffee shop and apartments called the "The Sanctuary" go figure.

Here in Port Lavaca one of our Baptist churches just sold their church to a funeral home, because they are relocating in a year from now. So here is the picture, you got a funeral home sign hung underneath the church sign, a hearse parked in the church parking lot, and a sign that says visitation room where it used to say fellowship hall. Now that's what I call a full service church, you can marry'em and bury'em all in the same place.

More random- our church is having a chili cook off in a couple of weeks. I am looking for a good chili recipe. Ideally, I would like to make jack rabbit chili, but we have no jack rabbits around here. So any suggestions?

Even more- the picture at the top shows moss or some green fungus stuff growing on the top side of a big old oak branch. Here is my question, I thought moss and stuff grew on the north side of a tree? Not that I give any credence to such things, but food for thought.

In the woods in Goliad

I took a little time to get away Thursday and spent about half a day in the woods. I took a sack lunch, my camera, and my trusty .22 pistol in case I came across a squirrel. I was really just exploring more than hunting. I have a friend who owns this place down by Goliad. It's pretty close to the old Spanish mission where the Goliad massacre took place, so there is lot of history in the area. The picture on the left shows a winding road through the woods. I didn't go the down it all the way, but I walked it for about two miles, all the time under the trees.

Because all of us are so busy in today's world it is hard to get away, much less by ourselves. Once I was in the woods, and didn't see soul. It was so nice just walk at a leisurely pace, stop take picture or two, and not really worry or think about anything. I saw 3 does, and did shoot two squirrels. Shooting the squirrels for stew was a bonus. By the time the day was over I was tired. I had walked I figure about 3 miles up and down several trails and down a one track road. But it was a good tired.
Speaking of trees, I came across the oaks that were at least 40 feet tall. Man, they were pretty.
Naturally it could only happen in Texas. A pretty blue sky behind the state flag.

Winter on the Coast

It's 2008 and we finally have a little cool weather. It got down to 40 degrees here last night. For some of you I know that is nothing, but it sure feels good to me. My wife even out an extra blanket on the bed last night. And for the first time this year, I got my coat out and wore it today.

Before I forget, I shot a small deer last Friday, just a little four point, but I needed some meat for the freezer. I could have shot a couple of others that were bigger, (a 8 point or 10 point) but this one was limping and wouldn't make it through the winter. I was meat hunting and not trophy hunting anyway. I'll get another chance at a bigger one this week end.


Just like everyone else in America, I need to lose some weight, so I started my workout routine again and started watching what I eat. I rode my bicycle 5 miles today in the cold north wind. It was not fun, but I know it is something I need to do.

Well, I will post some pictures this weekend, hopefully of a nice 8 or 10 buck. Se Ya!