Fun days

I have spent the last two days with Maddie and Ella--Maddie on Tues. and Ella today. What a blast!

Maddie is getting so big that we actually have real conversations now--she is so interested in things creative. And she always has to find something in my drawers to give as a gift to Sheryl. She loves wrapping packages, writing in cards, and sharing her love. Love that!

Ella is so different, but just as much fun. We played restaurant, had a tea party, and played with an old Playschool Village that belonged to Brandon. It has been a long time since someone told me "Pretend that...."

With both girls, we revisited a little history. The cedar chest of Sam's mother (Mow) holds family treasures that I am keeping because I can't bear to get rid of them. One is the ancient hearing aid (acutally a long, hollow hose) that belonged to Sam's great-grandfather. Maddie found Poppy's (Sam's) harmonica and was very taken with it. She wants one for her birthday, but it has to be pink. Don't know if such a harmonica exists. There was also a "juice" harp there. Sheryl had to show us how to play that.

Today Ella and I went through the antique dresser in my foyer. There we found Brandon's baby shoes, his Levi jacket, and his Cub Scout shirt.

There were also three of his blankets and pajamas there. Ella wanted to take one of the blankets home, but she forgot it. The one she liked best was Brandon's favorite--blue with very worn edges. Good memories.

Thanks girls for two good days.

Confessions II

Some time between middle school and high school, someone gave me a copy of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. It became my favorite book although I did not know anyone who had a horse, nor did I ride one until I became an adult. It was a good story with a sad ending--perfect for a middle school girl.

As a high schooler, I became a library aide and plunged into checking out as many books as I could carry. The high school library was not large, nor particularly well-stocked, as I have said. So my reading was not broad, nor deep. This is where I read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. I remember reading some semi-religious books by Thomas B. Costain and Lust for Life by Irving Stone. Any "good" literature or classic lit was the province of textbooks--I never read, for example, the Iliad or any Greek lit, nor really any world literature--the school texts contained very little. We read Shakespeare, Chaucer, and essays, poetry, etc. We were never assigned extra books outside the text as is done today. My knowledge of great literature was sadly lacking when I went to college.

Paperbacks were not ubiquitous until much later, but I did begin buying some for college assignments and adding them to my library. My budget was very tight, so I could not afford many. I would take them to work to read at the switchboard where I worked at Foremost Dairies. It didn't take me long to tire of long Victorian novels and Greek epics, so I went on to other reading, mostly mysteries of the Agatha Christie variety. I never liked reading romance fiction. My tastes turned to history and biography as I took some of the history courses for my minor in history.

After graduating, one of my first jobs (after Levelland where I taught reading) was Eula High School as the English teacher of all grades. It seems the new English teacher immediately became the librarian, so that is where I first practiced library science. Sadly the library was very small--almost book closet size. The superintendent had a penchant for buying books from traveling salesmen--mostly remainders. These were usually black and white science books no self-respecting kid would read. Donated National Geographics, Readers Digests and Life Magazines lined the shelves. What a mess!! And I had very little expertise to deal with it. ( I need to write another blog about my life in libraries).

About that time, ACU was offering library science classes being brought to the campus from North Texas State University, and I began to take those. I soon became a certified school librarian with a "vast" knowledge of good books and a sad realization of about all the books I had missed.

Through the years, I have collected many good children's books, biographies, poetry collections, and a good array of religious and inspirational books by great writers.

It has been fun and rewarding, and I don't see myself coming out of this addiction any time soon. I do hope you three will love reading and share my love for books.

Confessions of a Bookaholic

This is for Maddie, Ella and Sam.

Dear Sweeties,

This is the story of how Nonnie became a bookaholic:

There were no books in our home (except a Bible) when I was a toddler.
Poverty precluded books. I do remember our getting a box of hand-me-downs from a friend of my Granny Tucker (your great-great grandmother). In that box was a book about bears through the seasons. I do not remember its title, but I treasured it until it fell apart.

When I began school, there was no school library in my elementary school in Hamlin. I do not remember being read to by any teacher. There was an occasion I remember when a first grader came and read to our third grade class. His name was Ted Wright, and he was obviously very gifted. He skipped several grades, and we graduated from high school together. My fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, had a few books in her classroom--most were old readers and other cast-offs. We could read them in the classroom, but were not allowed to take them home. Mrs. Griggs, my sixth-grade art teacher once took a trip to New Orleans. When she came home, her mouth was full of tales about beignets, thick coffee and Oysters Rockefeller. She read us Frances Parkinson Keyes' Dinner at Antoines. I can't imagine a sixth grade class listening to it today, but it was a very special time for a book-starved student like me.

In the days between elementary and middle school, my brothers and I would save our pennies and go to town to buy comic books for 25 cents each. My favorites were the Classic Illustrated comics which took a classic book like Treasure Island and illustrated the story with comics.
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Archie and Veronica were favorites too.
After we had accumulated several comic books, we could take them to town and trade them by giving 2 used books for 1 free used book.

My mom loved reading, and when she got a few pennies ahead, she would buy magazines like Redbook and Ladies' Home Journal. That was before Redbook became so salacious. Redbook always had a novel
in each issue, and I remember reading that avidly. Our town had no public library, so that was really my only link to fictional reading.

Chapter 2 tomorrow.

Eat, Drink, Think III

One of my favorite books on the topic of The Lord's Supper is Come to the Table by John Mark Hicks. The subtitle is "Revisioning the Lord's Supper." I like it because I agree with it--but it also helped me think through several troublesome issues. As mentioned yesterday, instead of a funeral-like atmosphere, we should have celebration around the Supper. "The church should revision the supper as a table rather than an altar." And "the church should revision the supper as a family event, including children." I have always thought that children should be invited to the table where they can grow spiritually--it is an opportunity for teaching them about God's love.

Hicks also said a table rather an altar mentality would solve the problem of who serves at the table. Who cares who passes food around a table? Those who do not believe that there women at the initiation of the Lord's Supper are sadly mistaken--who prepared the food? Who brought the food to the table? Who picked up the used dishes? Women of course. As someone has remarked The Lord's Supper is the only table around which we do not allow women to serve. An altar mentality carries with it the idea of authority and priesthood, etc.
A table does not.

Above all, Hicks says that the Lord's Supper must be a communal event transcending all cultural, ethnic and gender boundaries which is full of hope,grace and joy.

William Willamon's book Sunday Dinner says virtually the same thing. It ends with the plea of John 6: 34 "Lord give us this bread always." And that is the way I will end these sessions of thought.

Eat, Drink, Think II

In regard to the frequency of observance of The Lord's Supper, there is no direct command in the New Testament. Acts 20:7 states that when they met on the first day of the week to break bread, Paul preached. My fellowship has taken that as an example to be followed. I. Cor. 11:25 says that as often as you drink, do it in memory of Christ. Acts 2:46 states that the new Christians were day by day breaking bread. Henry Nouwen has written that he partakes every day to keep his mind attuned to Christ. Constantine once ruled that it should be observed on important holidays like Christmas and Easter. Other churches have chosen to partake once a month, once a quarter, etc. I am thankful for our weekly observance which sets the pace for the rest of the week. And no, it never becomes rote or boring for me. Maybe for others, but more on that later.

Some aberrations have taken place through the years with us and other churches:

Some felt that since one cup was used in the initiation, we should use only one cup today. Knowledge about germs and disease changed that. However, there are still some who are doing it that, and we call them "one-cuppers".

Some have believed that not partaking can lead to loss of salvation and go to great lengths to have the elements with them on Sunday wherever they are. I had a friend in high school who carried a kit with a small vial of juice and a cracker in his pickup. Churches often make it a practice to take the Supper to those are in the hospital and rest homes or who are shut-ins, so they will not miss it. Before Sunday night church gradually disappeared in favor of small group meetings, the Supper was always offered to those who had been "providentally hindered" (whatever that meant?) from attending Sunday morning church.

Some feel it necessary for the priest or someone else to bless the elements before they are passed. because the KJV says, Jesus took the bread and blessed it, etc. A better translation reads, Jesus took the bread and after a blessing, He broke it. NASB Seems that he was blessing God for His gifts instead of blessing the bread.

How about transubstantion in which the bread and wine supernaturally become the real body and blood of Christ? Christ's Jewish friends around that table did not think any such thing. The Jews abhorred the eating of human flesh and drinking of blood. And those who sat with him were very familiar with the metaphors, similies and parables of Jesus and they knew that he was speaking figuratively.

The KJV of Matt. 26:27 says to "Drink ye all of it." And because of this many have taken great pains to drain every drop of the juice from the container and even dry it out before passing it on. A better translation would be "Drink ye--all-- of it. In other words, everyone should drink it.

Some churches refuse communion to those not identified with their fellowship thus practicing "closed communion". At Otter Creek, we welcome anyone to partake--the Lord's Supper is not an act of identification with a church, but rather an act of identification with Christ.

II Cor. 11:28 says we should examine ourselves lest we eat and drink unworthily.
Some have taken that to mean that since they consider themselves too sinful, they should not partake. A better reading of the passage shows the word "Unworthily" is an adverb which describes how we partake--unthinkingly, ritualisticly, etc.

Another wrong-headed celebration is one which is more like a funeral rite rather than a celebration. When the early Christians partook of it, Christ has arisen and many of them had seen him. They had nothing to mourn, but rather celebrated his sacrifice and their salvation.

One more tomorrow.

Eat, Drink, Think

This is my 700th post since Musings began May 31, 2004. Who knew I had that many words in me?

My tribe calls our weekly celebration The Lord's Supper or Communion. Never, Eucharist (too Catholic, too denominational). We observe it during worship on Sunday morning . We are very big (read= obsessive) on restoring the New Testament primitive church. Someone asked me about it last week, and I began running it through my mind with these questions:

1. After that first supper, how long did it take for the symbolic observance to take hold in the new Christian's minds?

2. And in observing it, what were their elements (no, we never call them sacraments)? Fermented wine and unleavened bread as used by Christ in its institution?

3. Did the early Christians observe it only in worshp as we do, or was it part of a community meal as seems to be the case in Acts 2?

4. Did they use intinction (dipping the bread into the wine) or take each element separately?

5. As the years passed, were the elements filtered by custom into grape juice and crackers. When exactly did that begin?

6. When were the portions of the elements reduced to a tiny sip and a small piece of cracker (always broken off)?

More tomorrow.

More About Books

Here are some more quotes about books. If you have a good one, send it along.

"Books are delightful society. If you go into a room and finding it full of books--even without taking them from the shelves they seem to speak to you, to bid you welcome. " William Gladstone

"Is there any excitement comparable to opening a fresh parcel of books?" William Targ

"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without them, history is silent, literature dumb, science
crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill." Barbara Tuchman

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore!" Henry Ward Beecher

"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird

"The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strenghens our most fatal tendency--the belief that here and now is all there is." Allan Bloom

"I cannot live without books." Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Adams

"You can never be too thin, too rich or have too many books." Carter Burden

" I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library." Jorge Luis Borges

"A classic is a book everyone is assumed to have read and often think they have." Alan Bennett

"The covers of this book are too far apart." Ambrose Bierce

"One of the greatest gifts adults can give--to their offspring and to their society--is to read to children. " Carl Sagan

Books, books, books

Here are a few of my favorite quotes about books:

" A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." Italio Calvino


"Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting one as the end of a long day makes that day happier." Kathleen Norris

"There is a space in everyone's bookshelves for books one has outgrown but cannot give away.
They hold one's youth between their leaves, like flowers pressed on a half-forgotten summer's day." Marion C. Garretty



"When I get a little money, I buy books; and if there is any left, I buy food and clothes." Erasmus

"Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other people have lent to me."Anatole France

"A home without books is like a room without windows....A little library,growing every year,
is an honorable part of a man's (woman's) history. It is a man's (woman's) duty to have books.
A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities of life." Henry Ward Beecher

"When we are collecting books, we are collecting happiness." Vincent Starrett

News item: 70-year-old Eleanor Barry of Long Island was a long-time collector of books, magazines, and newspapers. Police were summoned to her house in December, 1977, when neighbors reported they had not seen her for several weeks. When they entered her house, they found it full of floor to ceiling books. They had to use an axe to break down her bedroom
door because a collapsed stack of heavy books blocked it. Faint cries for help led them to an enormous stack of heavy books which had fallen onto the bed and trapped her there. They were with some effort able to rescue her from the pile of books, but unfortunately she died on the way to the hospital, killed by her book collection." (What a way to go--JAT)

"Never read a book through merely because you have begun it." John Witherspoon

"The man (woman) who does not read good books has no advantage over the man (woman) who can't read them. " Mark Twain

"Every man (woman) who knows how to read has it in his (her) power to magnify himself (herself), to multiply the ways in which he (she) exists, to make his (her) life full, significant, and interesting." Aldous Huxley

" A book must be an ice-axe to break the seas frozen in our souls."Franz Kafka

Quotes from A Passion for Books by Terry W. Glaspey

Getting to Know Me III

Are you saying, "Way too much information?" Well, there are more things I love:

1. The Zoe Group
2. Otter's current Sunday morning class on The Creator and Art. Speakers have
been songwriters, poets, artists, photographers, etc.
3. Tim's sermons on Romans
4. Powerpoint--the creative addition it is to our worship time together with its
graphics, art, etc.
5. Communion at Vespers.
6. Otter's offering of classes by Amy Jill Levine. She is a prof. at Vanderbilt's
Divinity School, an orthodox Jew and a world-renowned scholar of the New
Testament
7. Antiques Roadshow
8. 24
9. Most PBS TV
10. All Things Considered on NPR
11. Fresh fruit
12. A thick garlic-flavored steak at Joe Allen's in Abilene
13. Bluebonnets
14. Bradford Pear Trees
15. Publix Grocery Stores
16. Pictures of my grandchildren
17. The Puffy Muffin
18. Real Coca-Cola
19. Good children's books that are written for children and not adults, ones that
make sense, and that don't talk about poop and belches
20. Sam's developing vocabulary (you knew I would get to them eventually)
21. My beautiful, smart Maddie
22. My beautiful and funny Ella
23. Their mom and dad

Getting to Know Me II

Here are 20 more things I love:

1. Pink carnations
2. Matlock
3. Good movies (It's been a long time)
4. Broadway musicals (Except Cats--I never got that one)
5. Good poetry--Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, T. S. Eliot
6. Spiritual books--Anne Lamott, Frederick Buechner, Madeliene L'Engle,
Luci Shaw, Kathleen Norris, Eugene Peterson
7. The Message
8. Red
9. Purple
10. Eating at Mere Bulles
11. Lipscomb's Life Long Learning Classes
12. Rainy days
13. Fireplaces
14. Candles
15. Reading the Tennessean unhurridly
16. Crossword Puzzles
17. NBC Nightly News (I miss Tom Brokaw)
18. Mix 92.9 radio
19. Hallmark cards
20. Bluegrass music

Getting to Know Me

Here are 20 things I love (kids and grandchildren are a given!) Random Order


1. Turtleneck blouses
2. Matching socks for the blouse
3. Matching earrings for the blouse
4. Starbucks' Strawberry cream
6. Chili's chips and salsa
7. McAllister Deli's potato soup
8. Cracker Barrel's chicken and dumplings (I am hungry)
9. Netflix
9. Davis-Kidd Bookstore
10. Border's 3 for 2 paperbacks
11. Vespers at Otter Creek
12. The Gathering Room at Otter and the idea behind it
13. That funky worship leader at Otter
14. Some Bill Gaither videos (I am, after all, 69 years old)
15. My Buick and being independent enough to drive it wherever I want
16. Eating with my family
17. Movie night at 5405 Barton Vale
18. Sheryl's popcorn
19. Movies at the movie theater
20. My cozy house

More tomorrow--I love a lot of things!

National TV Turnoff Week

Since this is "turnoff the TV week", I thought I would list 10 things on television I can do without:

1. Reality shows
2. Most every sit-com (supposedly funny comedies based on sex and body function humor)
3. David Letterman
4. Daytime dramas
5. Wrestling
6. 10 minute commercials
7. Political pun-dits
8. Most religious programming (when will we ever learn how to do it?
9. The Cartoon Network (we have come a long way from Tom and Jerry)
10. Repeated, and repeated and repeated movies (How many times can one watch Dirty Dancing, Urban Cowboy and Cold Mountain) AND all those John Wayne movies (How many did he make anyway? 1,000?)

Rainy days in Nashville

As I returned home today, the extremely white clouds lay in three layers against a deep blue sky promising rain. This was white white, the pure white one thinks of when one speaks of The Lamb of God. It was a gorgeous sight, and as one who likes rainy days, it was a sight I appreciated for its beauty and promise--just as I appreciate Jesus for the beauty of His promise.

Tennessee is so beautiful.

Ella Visits

Ella came today. I helped train her for her future. She cleaned my bathtub ( from lint which accumulates from disuse--I am a shower person). As she cleaned she said, " I will be a "cleaner" when I grow up. And she did a very nice job too! My bathtub is too wide for me to reach to opposite side and if I ever got in it, I would never get out of it. So it was a real service.

We played restaurant and she delighted in being the waitress (maybe good training for the college years). Smart girl that she is-- since she can't yet write yet--when she took my order, she drew the items. Pretty good for age 4. I gave her a $50 tip (play money).

It is so good to be able to have the children in my home frequently. Sam was able to walk in today for the first time! He is getting so big! And is really into trains.

What fun!

11 things I think about late at night

1. What will the world my grandchildren live in be like?
2. Is the Bible correctly translated? Particularly those gender passages of Paul.
3. Why did Sam have to die so young?
4. Is there really going to be a rapture? Nahhhh
5. What will heaven be like? Yes, I have read Revelation.
6. What can I do to stop violence here?
7. What more can I do to serve God?
8. Will tomorrow come?
9. What will my grandchildren grow up to be like?
10. Why are there so many versions of church. And how does God really view that?
11. Where will I be in 5 years?

Bothersome things

Things that DIDN'T bother me as much before I approached age 70:

1. Two Story houses with steep stairs
2. Uneven terrain
3. Low toilets
4. How much time I had left to read all the unread books on my shelves
5. Driving at night in the rain
6. Driving at night to new places
7. The distance from the car to the front door of a store
8. The distance to a store in the middle of the mall
9. How long I had to stand in line
10 How much water I drank or didn't drink
11.How few handicapped parking places there are in some venues
12.How much light there is to read by
13.How cold the temp in a room is
14.How much stuff I have
15.Climbing ladders
16.How fast the days and weeks fly by
17.How long it takes me to do some things
18.How easily I forget things

Medieval Music

Doris Colvett and I attended a concert at Lipscomb on Saturday. It was the Chorale, the Reunion Chorale and the Early Consort Group. For many years, the direct Dr. Gerald Moore has been collecting medieval and unusual instruments from all over the world.

Saturday, the songs sung and played ranged from hymns and medieval madigral material to African, Australian, Persian, Palestinian and Scottish tunes. One African wedding song consisted only of the words: " I got him." The event was so good! There was even an early bagpipe.

It made me want to come home and read Shakespeare.

Good work Lipscomb!

Play Day

Maddie came over yesterday. We played with the Hot Wheels cars. We played Hide and Seek. We colored and made cards for Mommy and Daddy. And we ate Chicken Nuggets with Chick-Filet dips and Apples with carmel dip. Then we watched some of Curious George.

It was a good day!

Stars Shining in the Universe

I will be speaking at Vespers tonight on this wonderful verse in Phil. 2:14-16:

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORDS OF LIFE...."


How this world needs those who will hold out the words of life today--Bless those at Virginia Tech--I just wish those in charge would have listened to that English teacher's worries about Cho. The heart does spill over in writing, and the English teacher recognized that this young man was very troubled.

But back to shining like stars, wouldn't it be nice if when coming out of baptism a halo popped over our heads (as in the medieval paintings) or a luminescence would appear on our skin so the world would know we are children of God. But on the other hand, the world is supposed to know we are children of God by our love, right?

Book club day

Today was one of my favorite days of the month. The Church Chicks book club met. And today we met at my house.

The 11 people in my group are all Otter Members and all above 40 years of age.We have been meeting two years and have become a very cohesive group. While we don't all like the same kind of books, we all always have something to say about the month's book.

This month's book was Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout. It is the story of a minister who almost loses his faith, his church and his children after his wife dies. Very good writing.

Sharing literary things, church things, and children things is very fulfilling, especially with this group which likes to laugh.

Thanks Ladies for a fun day!

Easter, 2007

What a glorious day! The worship on Sunday morning was outstanding with deeply affecting testimonies moving everyone. The huge cross covered with flowers was beautiful and uplifting.

Then lunch with Kevin Penna, Kim Girdly, Kyle Rigsby and Brandon, Sheryl and the munchkins. Honeybaked ham, orange salad, hashbrown casserole, Dot's potato salad, Candied Pecan Sweet Potatoes (from scratch by Sheryl) and Strawberry Pie. Yumm, if I do say so myself.

The Easter musical was wonderful and uplifting--we all had so much fun!

Thank you God for bending down and breathing new life into your son on this day.

Dogwood Winter

What a lovely name for what is happening this weekend==Dogwood Winter. The winter will surely ruin the dogwoods that are blooming as well as the tulips, pansies, petunias, etc.

I covered my small flowers with old towels and they seem to have weathered it so far. Last night the temp was in the 20's and today at 5:30 it is 36 degrees. Brrr. I guess we will all have wear coats over our Easter frocks tomorrow.

No matter, Christ has arisen. Hallelujah!

Revivals

I am taking a course in the Life Long Learning program at Lipscomb about American Revivals. We have studied the Puritan revival and the First Great Awakening. Key figures in the First were Cotton Mather and George Whitefield.

George Whitefield was amazing--His feat of bringing John and Charles Wesley to active faith counted for so much. He studied one of the great Shakespearean actors to see why people would pay to go to the theater, but would not attend church.

And then he incorporated what he saw into his oratory. When he came to America, church attendance was about 10%. He built his audiences to around 8,000 a night. Very itenerant, he rarely stayed more than one night in a place. When he died, the percentage of attendance in America had risen to 60% because of his expertise. What a man.

I remember revivals growing up in Hamlin. Actually we called them "gospel meetings". A rather well-known preacher would come and stay about a week, and we would go to church every night--always watching to see who would "come down the aisle" to salvation. Two of the preachers I recall are E. W. McMillan and Horace Busby. I remember enjoying it because the visiting preachers were always better than the resident one, and we kids got to play after church. Often there were pot-luck suppers too. You can see I was deeply religious at the time.

Harley Sadler Show

I don't know what prompted the thought, but I had a backflash of memory this week. Back to when I was about seven years old and got to go to the Harley Sadler Tent Show.

Sadler toured the show throughout West Texas in the 30's and 40's until the air-conditioned movie theaters put him out of business. The show came to Hamlin frequently, and wonder of wonders, they set up the tent across the street from my grandmother's house. I got to watch the tent go up and all the beginning activity, not thinking that I would get a chance to go.

I don't know how my folk afforded it, but we went and saw the show--much like vaudeville. Sadler played Toby the Clown. I don't remember any of the show, except the band and the music, but I remember what a treat it was to go. I think we even got cotton candy and popcorn. Maybe that is where I got my taste for Broadwayl

Sadler eventually retired his shows, moved to Abilene and ran for the Texas Legislature where he served three terms. Even then the Legislature was filled with eccentrics like Toby the Clown!

Texas Monthly

Reading Texas Monthly is like a visit home. The magazine is so thick and full of stuff to read, I usually put it at the back of my pile waiting for a longer span of time. Today, I just sat down and finally read the August '06 issue. Yes, I am behind on my other magazines too.

From the editorials to the advertisements, the Monthly shouts Texas and all it uniqueness. A review of the last governor's race and interview with an illegal immigrant who has been in Texas for 16 years lead the articles. My favorite feature now is a series of columns "Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch" detailing what it is like to live on a Texas ranch in the 21st century. The advertisements beckon one to Mexican restuarants in San Antonio and Austin, and try mightly to see buyers expensive condos in Horseshoe Bay. Texas furniture is displayed and lighted as if it were works of art. Paul Burka, another favorite writer, writes challenging columns on Texas politics which pretty well help me sort out my belief that no state in the Union has such strange bedfellows serving in state government. At least I thought that until I moved to Nashville!

Recipes for Southwestern dishes abound and make me yearn for Perini Ranch in Abilene.

Oh, well I am in the land of trees and gorgeous springs now, and I do enjoy that.

Vespers at Otter

Sitting in the darkened sanctuary last night, I marveled at how much Vespers means to me. John Catchings and Jonathan Vest, two master musicians, were playing "How Deep the Father's Love" on cello and keyboard. Dawn Whitelaw had just testified about her spiritual experiences while painting the Stations of the Cross canvases we have been using during the season of Lent. Our huge cross lay on the steps to the stage outlined by the canvases and candles. Talk about ambiance! And the various stations revolved around Mary, the mother of Jesus.

These quiet times each week have grown my faith and my appreciation for the many ways in which God can visit us.

Thanks Scott Owings, Matt and Mary Hearn for your work in guiding these Wednesday nights.

Children are the same

I have seen too many pictures lately of dead and wounded children in Bagdad. Why, oh, why can we not do something about this dead-end (no pun intended) war? It seems as if our administration were frozen in some Alice in Wonderland scenario--both weird and hard to escape.

Mem Fox is one of my favorite children's authors and critic of current education. She coined the term "to ache with caring" in regard to teachers in her book Radical Reflections. If we all ached with caring maybe we could stop the war.

I recently discovered one of Fox's latest books Whoever You Are in which the proposition (certainly no new discovery) that children all over the world are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. While they may not look the same or speak the same language or live the same life--they are the same inside.. Kirkus Reviews said the book acknowledges in the simplest of terms our common humanity. I wish all adults could acknowledge that and quit trying to kill their young.

Amazing Grace

Hollywood these days seems to be in a downward spiral as it tiptoes in and out of the boundaries of PG and R toward the rating X. I really don't have words to describe the state of movies now. Tawdry, obscene and depressing seem apt--but they really don't get at the depth to which movies have sunk.

That is why all who raced to see Mel Gibson's Passion should race to see Amazing Grace now playing. It is what those of us who are Christians have hoped for on the silver screen: beautifully filmed, not preachy nor boring, unique in its subject, and certainly moving to anyone who has any decent emotions left after viewing the movies nominated for the Academy Award this year.

The story of Wilbur Wilburforce who almost singlehandedly (for a while) led the opposition to the slave trade in Britain is the story of an unsung hero that everyone needs to meet. John Newton, the former slave trader, who wrote Amazing Grace was Wilbur's mentor from an early age.
Newton is the one who advised Wilburforce to use his gifts and his zeal for God in politics rather than to enter solitude. The result was years of fighting, submitting bills, and failure until Wilburforce and his Quaker friends finally wore Parliament down. While the history may sound dull to those who do not favor history, the movie is never dull. One can wait for the DVD, but the scenery and setting of the movie need to seen on the big screen. You will not know any of the actors except Albert Finney who plays Newton, but they are all good.

Go see it and support it! The viewing I attended Saturday was full, but more person to person recommendations need to be given.

On the subject of the hymn, which is played by a bagpipe band at the end of the movie (chillbump time) Steve Turner's Amazing Grace, The Story of America's Most Beloved Song, is one of my favorite books and also deserves putting out a few bucks.

Forwards

I don't usually like forwards; however, I got one this morning that struck a chord:

May you have
enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human,
enough hope to make you happy.

And that is what I wish for you today--a glorious 80 degree day in Nashville.

In praise of Concord Road

Concord Road is a long, winding, twisty road that begins at Franklin Road and ends at Nolensville Road. I travel it about 7 times a week. At first it was scary with all the hairpin curves and twists, but I have grown used to it and now enjoy it.

The long road these days is lined with trees in full spring bloom--redbuds against Brandford pear trees surrounded by yellow forsythia and intersperced with green pines and dogwoods. The glory of God's artistic creation is present--what a sight!! I wish David were here to write a Psalm about it.

Monday with Jackie

This has been a very special day. I met an old friend from Abilene at the Frist today for lunch and the Picasso and Matisse showing. Jackie Williams and I have been friends for many years dating back to our days at Minter Lane. We also shared the Minter book club together. Her boys grew up with Brandon in the church. Dustin is now a luthier (look it up) in Nashville and her other son Kenyon now teaches percussion at the U. of Min.

We ate a nice lunch and caught up. Jackie and her husband Art (who taught art at ACU when they were in Abilene) were victims of Katrina in Gulfport, MI. They now live close to Nashville. Katrina retired Art a little early because the university he was teaching in lost the classroom building for the art department and William Carey has decided to do away with the art dept. --to the student's detriment. Art has written several definitive books on sculpture which are being used around the country. Jackie and he nicely gave me his latest--a sculpture reference book--it is beautiful. Jackie is a retired premier music teacher.Such an accomplished family.

After viewing the exhibit ( it was fabulous, by the way--although not my favorite style of art), we went to Dustin's business on Music Row. He is evidently doing a booming business for all the string players in Music City--I am so glad. He is an extremely talented young man. Dustin
didn't have many kind things to say about music education in the Metro schools--a fact I have heard from many other people. Seems Nashville's Metro system needs a lot of help in the music and arts division. AND HERE IN MUSIC CITY!!!! The country music people have begun a non-profit org. to begin raising funds for music in the schools. Maybe they can help.

It makes me sad when fine arts are neglected in a school system despite multitudinous (is that a word?) research about all the benefits for students who take art and music.

The best of Broadway

I have been blissfully listening to a cd called "The Best of Broadway" as sung by the origanal stage casts. There is no music like those songs today. Where are the haunting gorgeous melodies like "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" "Memory" and "Bring Him Home"? Where are the crisp witty lyrics of Cole Porter, Rogers and Hammerstein?

In the last few years we have seen musicals set in low-rent districts and beauty shop and many revivals. It seems that creativity has left. We have heard music from Abba and Bob Dylan. There is no comparison of these with the older musicals. Today's music develops shouters and screamers not singers like John Riatt, Patti LuPone, and Michael Crawford. What a dark period in the history of Broadway!

I long for Lerner and Lowe, Rogers and Hammerstein, and for his muse to return to Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Disneyification of Broadway has helped some. I am waiting for Mary Poppins.

Sanctuary meet Thomas Campbell

After studying Thomas Campbell's declaration and address on Sunday morning and listening to the Sanctuary Band pound out praise songs on Sunday night, I found myself caught between two eras. I wondered what Thomas and Alexander Campbell would think of the Band and if the Band could ever understand the importance and courage of the Campbell discourse.

How do I blend these two entirely different ingredients into the batch which has become the 21st century fellowship of which I am a member? I don't know that I can; but I do know that what comes out of the oven is a very interesting
product.

Ah, spring!

I think spring has made a tentative appearance here--the forsithia is blooming, the red buds are bulging (now that's a poetic word!) and the daffodils are merrily waving in the wind. All stores are showing outdoor furniture and accessories and swimsuits, brrr. I say tentative because the weather people are forecasting more 40-50 degree weather before the week is over. Guess I will put away those short-sleeved shirts.

James Culp

Dr. Culp died this week. He was the chair of the English department at ACU when I did my English major.

He was tall and well-built, with curly black hair and glasses. He always wore a suit and tie to class. Though slightly effeminate, his manner was always masculine. He injected droll and sometimes irreverent humor into his lectures and kept us laughing as we parsed Old English and learned the rhyme schemes in Byron and Browning. He addressed his students with great respect as Mr. and Miss. And he always appeared slightly sad when we were not prepared for the day's lesson on Chaucer. He seemed to know everything we studied by heart. I shall never forget his quoting T. S. Eliot's Wasteland, "I grow old, I grow old. I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled...."

My most anxious moment with him was when I missed a test on Milton and had to take it orally in front of him in his office. Whew!

Although he did not hesitate to make fun of the CofC oddities, he was very devout and never missed a worship service.

He was in World War II, although he would quickly say that he spent all of the war behind a desk in the states to his relief.

I believe he never learned to drive, and his long-suffering wife Clara drove him everywhe

ACU lost him to Texas Tech over a matter of whether a teacher in his department could teach and assign Catcher in the Rye. He was awarded the best teacher in his college at Tech. But he forgave and came back to ACU later and retired there.

When I was hired at ACU, I was given his old office. Every day as I marched off to teach
Lewis Carroll and Beatrix Potter, I heard his voice, "Miss Brandon, do well."

A very strange day

I was so glad when yesterday ended. It began as I went to a meeting of the Beth Moore leaders at Otter. The meeting is next week.

While cooking a pie for a guest, I unwittingly (very unwitthingly because I did not know what I was doing) baked coconut in the oven until it was very black, smelling up the whole house. Ever smelled charcoal coconut? You would not want it in the next new hand lotion.

Time to get the mail. By the way, the wind was blowing West Texas style all day--another minus for the day. Took the three pieces of mail out of the mail box. A long white envelope gets caught by the wind and before I could catch it, slides into the drainage hole on the road. Standing there horrified, I imagined the envelope contained my income-tax refund or an important bill. What do you do at 6:00 p.m. when an unknown envelope lies in the drainage ditch which is covered by a grate too heavy to lift and which is too deep to reach with the longest stick you could find? I went and got my flashlight for better light and then promptly dropped the skinny light into the drainage hole too. By this time, the envelope could not be seen--probably washed to the next block.

I was beginning to feel like the man with the raincloud above his head in the Lil' Abner.

But the day ended happily. Doris Colvett and I shared carrot soup and watched a movie together.

Cat in the Hat

This is the birthday of Cat in the Hat--a book which changed the lives of thousands of beginning readers. Dr. Seuss provided entertainment for boys and girls using the very same words used in the dreadful Dick and Sally, Spot and Puff early readers.

His legacy is seen now in all the beginning readers which feature real stories and good illustrations for those children raring to read. Dick and Jane are still available in bookstores for those who want to see how big the contrast is. I don't know why they are still for sale really, except for sentiment's sake. I still have an original printed in the 40's.

Hats off to Theodore Geisel and his legacy. I really think One Fish, Two Fish is better.

The Women

I spent last weekend at a women's retreat planned by the women of the Southern Hills church in Abilene. I was mightly impressed with the women I saw. I don't think the books written about the Stone-Campbell movement and the restoration church give enough credit to the women who often were the backbones of the church. Lindy Adams said that her journey in the CofC was like that of Ginger Rogers dancing with Fred Astair--she mastered all the steps "backwards and in high heels."

Women were often in those early days the real "leaders" of the church while the men labored to provide food for the family--they organized services, found places to meet (often in their own homes), evangelized the community using quilting, cooking, or whatever was at their disposal, and arrived early to light the fire in the pot belly stove! Some were even known to "lead singing" from the front row when a man who could sing was nowhere to be found.

As the church grew and became more uptown, the men "took over" and the women settled back into their "appropriate" roles. Even still, most of the bible school was taught by godly women, except of course for the adult classes. Bible class material was written mostly by women, and indeed even the songs that were sung were written mostly by women. Yet substantive leadership roles were denied.

Katie Hayes says that while those doors to shared leadership for women are opening wider these days, they are still very heavy and reluctant to open at all. The women I saw in Abilene are ready and willing for the tasks that lie before them. They are equipped with the fruit of the Holy Spirit in abundance, full of knowledge, and replete with love and joy. May their tribe increase, and may the doors fall off their hinges welcoming them.

P. S. A book about women in our fellowship I enjoy is Trusting Women, the Way of Women in the Churches of Christ edited by Billie Silvey and published by New Leaf Books.

Where's the butter?

Sam's Uncle Ralph loved butter and expected it to be on the table at every meal. Therefore, his first statement upon sitting down to eat was, "Where's the butter?" Usually it was sitting right in front of him--but this was his routine.

These days I am often asking myself "Where's the butter?" Or where are the scissors, or where is that pen or where are my glasses? I can lose something in the span of a nanosecond.

I think Mary Norton's Borrowers have taken up residence in my house. These are little people in that wonderfully creative children's book who make their home between the walls of your home and who "borrow" small things to furnish their houses.

I don't know what has happened to my eyesight. I can search my purse for lipstick three times, decide it's not there, and then go back later and find it in the purse.
It couldn't be because I turn 69 tomorrow, could it? Naahh.

Babies, babies, praise God!

The church will not die out if Otter Creek has anything to do with it--We blessed about 35 babies last night in our annual baby blessing. The last few years have averaged 35. I think there are 30 young women about to have babies soon.

Such a blessing to see young parents up there who are committed to rearing their
children in the Lord's care. Who knows what lurks in the minds of those precious children? Who will be the tribe's best preacher? How many will be elders? How many will be Bible class teachers? Scientists who find a cure for cancer? Teachers who crack the ghetto? Musicians who write new hymns for their generation?

It is exciting to contemplate and pray about.

It's snowing, it's snowing!

Beautiful flakes are falling now--as I work on the Abilene seminar I look out and see white, white, white. Love it.

I got my Buick back yesterday--looks nice with an added benefit--the people at Nolensville Collision and Repair buffed out some scratches on my hood as well. I highly recommend them. Very nice and prompt.

Driving the Mazda3 rental car was a challenge--I know why I like Buicks now. I felt as if I were in a little white box traveling down the road among giant SUV's and Hummers.

So glad that incident is over and all is settled, except for the sure- to- come raise in my automobile insurance.

Jumping for joy

As I was driving down Pettus Road today, the snow was falling softly. In a field to my right, a pony was running around, jumping for joy, waving his hind legs in the air enjoying the beauty and the clear cold air of the day. His mane and tail were flying in the wind. It was a wonderful sight. How long has it been since you jumped for pure joy?

Murder she wrote

Today I began a new course in Lipscomb's Life Long Learning series about classic women mystery writers: Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, Dorothy Sayers....
Kim Reed of the Lipscomb faculty is the teacher.

I enjoyed today and will enjoy reading all the books we are going to share. I haven't read these authors in years, having gone on to more modern writers like Sue Grafton and Margaret Truman.

What fun.

One year

Yesterday marks one year Otter Creek has been in the new facility. As a newcomer, the facility seems ready made for us, but I know there are others who miss the old building--why I don't know other than history. It was too small and needing grave repair. So glad we are on Franklin Road and more visible to the community.

We are having about 30 babies born each year now and that would predict that this building will be too small in a few years. Change and growth are good!! The new building feels like home now.

First Call

One of my favorite Christmas presents was the cd "Rejoice" by First Call. It is a collection of hymns sung a cappella. The sound reminds me of the old group 2nd Chapter of Acts (still miss them). Some of the arrangements are a little funky, but there are two harmonica solos by the master Buddy Green which tear your heart out--why is it that old hymns sound so poignant when played on a harmonica or violin?

Overall, the album is really fine--One track I especially enjoy is "Come to Jesus" which I plan to use in Abilene later this month.

Thanks kids for the present!

Super Bowl, etc.

Our small group enjoyed the Super Bowl, esp. since the Colts won. I know why they get the big bucks. If I had to do anything for three hours plus in the pouring rain, I would require big bucks too!

I hardly spend any time surfing--most of my time on the computer is spent in answering e-mail and writing my blog. However, there are some sites I enjoy going to occasionally. One is Garrison Kiellor's column on writers at newsletter@americanpublicmedia.org. He always begins with a poem and gives interesting facts I have never heard about writers. It is an egghead kind of thing.

Groundhog Day

My parents married on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 1934. They were both 17 years old--babies! They were married at the home of the Baptist preacher in Anson, Texas. And that is all I know about them--don't know how they met (they lived in the same rural area), what they thought of each other as they courted, and how dad popped the question. For for a do-over when I could ask these questions!

I do know that Mom had probably just returned from business school in Lubbock (her father came and got her, forcing her to quit because he found out that she was using some of the money he was sending her to take dance lessons). She may have married out of spite, to get away from home, or who knows? She and my dad were very different--she was the first to graduate from high school in her family; he quit school after 6th grade to work on the farm. She was an avid reader; she had to teach my father to read and write--seems he didn't learn much in school. She was a member of the church of Christ; he was a Primitive Baptist (and this caused discord between my mother and his mother all the days my grandmother lived). She was a spiffy dresser; he loved wearing overalls, etc., etc. I wish I knew all the story.

After marriage they lived in an area called "the shinnery" near Anson, Texas where my dad sharecropped during the week and worked sacking groceries at a market in town on the weekend. It was a hand-to-mouth existence at best, as the Depression wound down. My dad would later learn to be a carpenter at an army base during the War and go to be a trucker as well. Mom did not work until I was in Junior High when she went to work as a seamstress at Frank's in Hamlin. She later worked for the Malouf's as seamstress and bookkeeper putting her business school acumen to work.

Snow, snow

I have been humming that tune from the old Bing Crosby movie Holiday Inn all morning since I woke up to find that snow had finally blanketed our part of the land last night. It is is the best kind of snow--not icy, but soft and easily made into snowballs.

Living in West Texas, I rarely got to see snow and even here in Tennessee snow has been lacking in the last two winters. I am always glad to see its beautiful Robert Frost whiteness and to truly be able to see what "white as snow" really means. It is an opportunity to eat snow ice cream, watch the kids next door play, and to remember all the pictures I have seen of snow. Sam bought me one of Fort Phantom in the snow that I treasure. And he, as the artist he was, painted a snow scene which hangs in my bathroom along with another one handed down from his grandmother of an old farm house covered in snow. And who can forget that scene in the movie Dr. Zhivago of the snowy cottage of Zhivago and Lara? I love snow when I don't have to be go somewhere.

Thank you God for the beauty of snow. Who but you could have created it? Thank you too for your son whose blood "washed me whiter than snow."

Significant Deaths

The editorial pages in over 400 newspapers are considerably lessened today by the death of Molly Ivins, a Texas columnist who died yesterday of breast cancer. She is the second strong Texas woman to die this year--Ann Richards, her friend, was the first. Molly always tickled my funny bone and made me think. She had the label of liberal which she proudly wore and said one of her greatest honors was to be banned from the campus of Texas A and M. She was born in California, but she got to Texas as soon as she could.

She counted herself a friend of George Bush, but fell out with him during his governorship and when he left Texas. Her nickname for him "Scrub" is an example of her humor. She was an ardent opponent of the war in which we now found ourselves embroiled.

I will miss her column and her insights into the world in which we live. I don't know of another who has the same Texas savvy and wit writing today.

Holbert Rideout, a long-time friend from Abilene also died this week. He had suffered from Alzheimeer's for several years. Holbert and Sam served as elders together at the Minter Lane Church for several years. Holbert was the editor of Christian Bible Teacher when he recruited me to write a column for that publication several years ago.

He was long-known as an "expert" in Christian education. His wife and I served together as librarians in the Abilene School District. Stella once worked for Sam as librarian at Bowie Elementary.

Holbert was kind, gentle and always finding ways to serve others. He was the first person at my house when he found out that my mother had died. I will miss him and his example.

Unschooling

The Sunday Tennessean reported in a long article that some parents are choosing "unschooling" for their children. That is, schooling which has no plan, but in which the child chooses what he/she wants to study and studies that until they are tired and want to go to another subject. One mother was quoted as saying that in the "real" world learning to write a check and to change the oil in a car were just as important as math, history and reading. Unschooling has no curriculum, no time requirements, no textbooks. Ironically, "unschooled" is a perfect description of the process.

Another 15 year-old-boy who said he wanted to be a chef or a rock star remarked all he wanted to do now was read what he wanted to. (Don't we all?) He reported that he had to spend several weeks "deschooling" after withdrawing from public school. Even chefs and rock stars have bosses who require them to be on time and to finish assigned tasks whether the employee likes the task or not.

The parents have probably forgotten that the world in which they live was created by those who came before who had received "traditional" schooling. I am so tired of people who do not give thought to anything but the here and now and me and mine. The here and now is not all there is to life--the future will come at a pace that will shock and amaze them.

Yes, some public schools have problems which can hardly be allieviated by fleeing parents and students. There are certain things that mature adults have to do that don't necessarily "pique their curiosity". Pity our future in the hands of unschooled adults.

Ephesians 2:10

I was struck as I worked through Beth Moore this week by her discussion of good works from Ephesians 2:10. One of my favorite passages: We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

In the first place, thinking of ourselves as God's workmanship is awe-inspiring. Someone said today that workmanship could be translated "work of art" or God's masterpiece. What a boost of self-esteem.

And our whole purpose in creation is to do good works--not the self-obsessed "works salvation" I heard about while growing up, but rather the good works which God prepared specifically for me to do.

Of course, the question is what exactly are those good works? Which flashes back to discussions of spiritual gifts. What are mine?? I believe we are urged by the Holy Spirit in the direction of those good works using the gifts given by God. I truly believe mine lie in teaching and writing and am striving mightly to use those gifts for good works, all the while thinking, " Is what I am spending my life doing
"for the common good" (the purpose of sprititual gifts)? Lots of deep thinking here and I must rest in the knowledge that the Spirit's urging is constantly leading me in the right direction.

Praise God for his grace and our discovery that "works salvation" was a myth.

Old friends

I talked yesterday to an old friend from high school days (50 years ago!). It is a blessing how things and people never seem to change their basic make-up. This friend was warm, friendly, fun and quite a talker in high school. She now knows just about everything about our class 50 years later, even children and grandchildren and some of their names. I wish my memory was as good as hers. It was a joy to talk.

Taste and see

Ever since Vespers on Wednesday night, I have been thinking about how sense-deprived the worship was in my fellowship as I was growing up. The theme at Vespers was
"The sense of taste." Matt Hearn did a wonderful job of turning our thinking to that topic, and of making us hungry.

Neither was our worship physical in any way. In my early years in our fellowship, we did sit down after standing (but we only stood up for singing). We did not rise for the reading of the Bible.

We did bow our heads for prayer( a very few knelt--mostly old men). There were no prayer rails on our pews--we didn't even know what they were.

We did partake of communion every Sunday--but it was profane to even get close to thinking that the bread Became Christ's body and the wine his blood. And oh, yes the "wine" was always Welch's grape juice and the bread was always a flat, tasteless cracker.

There were no candles even though "light" is heavily featured as a metaphor in the Bible.

There was no incense. Rather than spices, our church smelled of well-oiled pews and floors and musty songbooks and Bibles.

The only "art" in the auditorium was the "painting" over the baptistry. Rarely was it art in any of the churches in our fellowship. There were certainly no crosses nor icons.

So worship and its surroundings were very plain, unadorned and sense-deprived.

However, things are looking up in some of the churches in our fellowship. We do now stand for the reading of the sacred Word. We clap and move to praise songs. And in churches which have Vespers and Taize services, one sees candles. On Power Point, all kinds of "real" art and icons can be shown.

In our aforementioned Vespers service last week, one of the stations was a table of fruit and cheese and crackers for good communal sharing--and wine in the partaking of communion.We have also experimented with the dipping of bread into wine for partaking.

Thankfully, we are beginning to realize that the worship of God is a wholistic experience encompassing the mind, the body, and the senses.

Rucker funeral

I am so glad I chose to attend Ruth's funeral today. I learned a lot about Ruth and John and their family, about the Otter Creek Kindergarten, and watched four women (strong women like Ruth) conduct the service. Bernie Arnold sang as Ruth had asked her to do many years ago. Pat Ward detailed Ruth's association with OC Kindergarten telling several good stories. Sandy Collins did a wonderful eulogy (again with wonderful warm stories, and Carolyn Maddox told about her family's long time friendship with the Ruckers.

One of Carolyn's stories was about the time Ruth broke the "pants in worship (for women) code. Remember those days when only men could wear pants to church? Even if it was 10 degrees below and the wind was blowing! So glad those days are past.

Otter has been especially blessed to have several strong women who have smoothed the path to the 21st century. Ruth Rucker was one of them.

Freedom Writers

I went to the movie Freedom Writers this weekend and enjoyed it--all teachers and parents should see it. Watch out for the bad language--ghetto kids do not normally say "O, my goodness gracious."

Those of who have been teachers know it would have taken longer in real life than in the movie to turn rebellious, potty-mouthed street kids into compassionate, responsible, heart-stopping readers and writers--but the message is still there: It can be done. The movie is based on a true story.

This movie should be invigorating for sales of Anne Frank and Durango Street by Bonham. The teacher in the movie used both books to great affect in the movie. They are both good books, and I am sure are still being used by teachers strong in the building of humanity's best traits. The students in the movie had never heard of the Holocaust. Their eyes were opened by the Diary of Anne Frank. They were so moved that they raised money to bring the woman who hid Frank to their school for a day of sharing.

The teacher fought administrative no's, collegial envy, and an unsupportive husband to bring her charges around. There were so many scenes in the movie when I wanted to say "Amen!" And, unlike real life sometimes, the happy ending of the story made my heart swell at the idea that a good teacher can change eternity. As Christa McAuliff said, "I touch the future. I teach."

The students actually had the journals they wrote published in a book called The Freedom Writers' Diary.

Go see it, but don't take the young ones.

Sam's Birthday

Today would have been my husband's 74th birthday had he lived. He was born on a Friday the 13th of January in 1933. We would have celebrated it with a meal out with friends or family--so typical of our celebrations when he was alive. He shared the same day with the son of Kaye Price Hawkins (Shane) and we often celebrated together. Another little twist, Kaye's daughter (Hainey) and Brandon were born one day apart at the same hospital in Abilene. And again, we often celebrated those days together--mostly at Steak and Ale in Abilene.

If he had lived, I wonder:

Would he have been gray or bald? Many of the Thomas men did bald early. But Sam showed no sign of it when he died.

Would we have moved to Nashville? Probably--I don't think he could have stood that many miles between him and his grandchildren and son.

Would he have taken to retirement? I think so, because he was always what we called a "piddler"--he could always find something he enjoyed doing, especially outside.

Would he have enjoyed getting older? Yes, his mind was always young. However, if aging brought poor health, he would have hated that. He was always very active physically.

Would we have traveled much if he had lived? Yes, I think so, because he loved traveling--and with all the Civil War history around here, he would have been so interested in visiting every battlefield and old plantation home.

What would his hobbies have been in retirement? I don't know--he always had so many interests--from collecting fossils to growing vegetables, from family history to researching cataclysmic events. One of the lessons he enjoyed teaching was on the volcano Krakatoa.

What would he have done with the internet? I believe he would have loved it and used it to its utmost capabilities. He got in on the earliest use of computers in Abilene schools and was so caught up and amazed by the wonders of them.

What would he have thought about the changes in the church he loves? He would have clung to his conservative frame of mind until he could be showed a broader way by someone he respected. He revered David Lipscomb, Barton W. Stone and the early leaders of the church...and respected their courage in the Restoration Movement.

I do wish he could have known Sheryl, Maddie, Ella and Sam--what joys they would have been to him. And to see his son become a respected worship leader and pioneer in the church he loved would have been heaven to him

Workiing on ladies' retreat

I hve been working on some material for the ladies'retreat I am leading in Abilene Feb 23-24 on Telling Your Story. It is fun to look back at all that material again and to find new nuggets to use.

It was not fun to find that I have lost my copy of Ann Lamott's Traveling Mercies which I use extensively and have all marked up and highlighted, etc. Why, oh why do I lose things? It is becoming the bain of my life. I went to Borders today and, of course, they do not have a copy--guess I will just have to Amazon it and wait a few days for it to come. Boo!!!!

Anyone else my age find that losing things is recurrent at our age?

Fun weekend

Ella's birthday was a blast. It was fun to see the kids stuff their bears, put a heart inside (after kissing it), and then naming their bear for the birth certificate.

Ella looked so cute in her pink boots. I think she liked the baby doll too. We all went to see Charlotte's Web after the party--it was fun and done well. Since there was a narrator, some of E. B. White's excellent writing got into the movie. I did miss Paul Rand as Templeton--he was the best.

Finally rounding up Christmas decorations. I had to go buy another box today--what came out will not all go back in. Why is that? Did the decorations multiply while I was not looking? Virgin birth on the Christmas Tree?

Also got my yearly newsletter out in time to say Happy New Year. One resolution is to buy cards in November and have them addressed before December.

Baby dolls

Today is Ella's birthday. Ella's personality makes me smile--she is warm, loving, sometimes very aggressive and extremely funny! I think she is beautiful and looks the most like Sheryl. In fact, Sheryl has pictures of her at the same age, and the resemblance is eerie. What delightful girl God made in you Ella--please keep the winsome personality and sense of humor--I won't be around to see you as an adult, but I know you will be a God follower and an entertainment to all.

Ella asked me for a baby doll for her birthday, so today I took off for Toys r Us.
I discovered there are dolls for every occasion--dolls who sneeze, wet (Remember when there was only Betsy Wetsy?), giggle, talk, pray, magnetically hold the passy, even go to the potty (No, I did not get that one). The one I got does a few things--but most surprisingly of all, there with it was a box with 5 changes of clothes. There is nothing the girls enjoy more than taking off and putting clothes on their dolls. I think she will like this one. Her party is Saturday.

Thank you God for your gift of precious Ella. She is a blessing to all of us.

New Year's Day

We had a good start to the New Year. The family was orginally scheduled to come to my house, but considering what a late New Year's Eve they all had, I took the food to them: Ben Barnes' Blackeye Pea Soup, turnip greens, cornbread, and apple pie with Blue Bell Ice Cream. I thought it was feast myself. The soup dates back to a second grade teacher at Austin Elem. Debbie Vines 1985. It is one of my favorite soup recipes...still thanking you, Debbie.

I spent the day cutting out paper dolls for Ella, playing Maddie's new video game with her, and clowning around with Sam--can't beat that! We ended the day by watching Elf--how funny it is and profound at the same time. Oh, yes, we also put puzzles together. One that I got for Maddie for Christmas which was rated for 5-7 year olds took Brandon and me a long time to finish! Puzzles are a long time tradition for the Thomases. We used to have a card table set up in our living room holding the current puzzle. (That was before Brandon). Sam loved to decoupage the puzzle when we were done. Some were very nice--works of art.

Happy, happy new year everybody!

Babysitting joy

I got to keep the girls today--what a joy!

The highlight was a new show they put on--it was Away in a Manger tinged with a Sanders'Family Christmas. At one point, Ella was singing Away in a Manger, cradling a baby doll, while Maddie was holding a stuffed star pillow over her head and alternately signing ala June Sanders the words to the song.

I am so glad I am here to experience these times. Thank you, Lord.

Good movie

I saw a very good movie today; Dreamgirls. It brought back some of my growing up music. Based on the Broadway play of the same title, I think it will win many awards come award season.

And Jennifer Hudson!!!How is it that she did not win American Idol? She was on before I started watching the addictive show. Her solo in the middle of Dreamgirls is magnificent and heart-stopping.


I love it when a movie is good. So seldom these days.

Another Christmas come and gone

I hate it when good things come to an end. Why does that always happen? I guess to make room for more good things.

We had a wonderful Christmas although the day was gray, rainy and gloomy, we made up for it in fun.

The gifts (Santa and otherwise) were properly oohed and aahed over, the meal was delicious, and by 4:00 p. m. I was ready to come home and admire my treasures.

The girls and Sam seemed to love the car I gave them--I hope it gives them many hours of pleasure. Christmas without children would not be Christmas. They add so much to the dimension of longing and impatience. Maddie just couldn't wait to open presents on Christmas Eve. She was practically dancing with anticipation. She opened hers very quickly and was disappointed when the opening came to an end. Ella opened hers very deliberately, looking at each item, making it work, etc. Sam just kind of floated through the whole melee playing with paper.

What a day. Loved it. Thank you God for all those fine blessings brought to us by your son and for all the wonderful ones shared by family.

Bikes and skates

Christmases past:

The Christmas I was ten, we spent Christmas Day with my Aunt Jean and Uncle Bud in Abilene. They lived just south of Mrs. Baird's Bread at the top of a little hill.
Not only was the smell of the baking bread wonderful, but the hill provided the perfect place to ride the bike I got that Christmas.

I remember the day well--it was very cold, and I could see my breath as I raced down the hill on my new blue bike. My dad and Uncle Bud were running behind me, shouting, "Pedal, pedal." And then they were shouting"Break, Break." Then I fell the first of many times off my bike. It was exhilarating to know that I was free to ride and roam--about the same feeling when I learned to drive a car.

Another memorable gift was the first pair of skates we each got one Christmas. At that time we were living across from the old Elementary School in Hamlin. The heavy metal skates came with keys, of course--to be used to tighten the skates so they would fit our shoes. We wore the keys around our necks on a cord. There were sidewalks which ran from one corner to the other of our block. Again a perfect place to learn. And I fell many times as we scratched along those broken sidewalks--one had to be very cautious of the cracks where one pour of concrete met another. Stangely enough, many of the kids on the block got skates that year and we raced for hours.

I was trying to tell the girls this week what we got in our stockings--little gifts like quarters, candy canes, oranges and apples and nuts--pecans,walnuts, almonds, Brazilian nuts (but we didn't call them by their proper name), etc. We spent many happy hours on the porch with a hammer breaking open the nuts and eating the luscious meat.

Two more days!

Countdown to Christmas

I kept the girls yesterday--we had a lot of fun playing with the Fisher Price manger scene I had bought several years ago. The girls seem to have a wonderful understanding of all the events of the Holy Night.

I like this poem by Madeleine L'Engle about Advent:

Born Once

Born once.
That's enough.
Jesus was born once,
for us.
That's enough. That's love.
Love is once for all
for all of us.
Jesus will come
He who was once born.
He will come when he will
Love is once for all
For all. That's enough.

from Miracle on 10th Street

Three more days.

Christmases past

One of the things we enjoyed as a family before Sam died was to make candy and deliver the tins to all our friends and neighbors. Sam loved making candy--he made fudge; I made soft peanut candy; and Sam's mother made divinity. Then we stacked them in tins and made our route.

It was also fun to see what Sam brought home the day school was out--he was especially loved by his school community and usually brought home two big boxes full of candy, cakes, small gifts, etc. One year he brought home a beautiful frosted bundt pound cake given him by the PTO president. We decided to save it and carried it to Aunt Ruby's for Christmas lunch. We cut into the cake and discovered that it was made out of cornbread! She was getting back at him for who knows what he did to her. Always up to hijinks that man.

Miss those times.

Only four more days.

Christmas countdown

I love everything Christmas; however, there are some things farther down the list than others.

Wrapping is not my forte--place my packages beside BST and Sheryl's and one can immediately see why. I finished wrapping last night with a big sigh--paper and ribbons and bags seem to cost more this year and are thinner, stringyier (sp) and less usable. However, all of them do make the tree festive.

I had a little car accident yesterday--I hit a Ford F150 truck that I did not see coming around a curve at Pettus Road. It was the same color as the day--grey--but fortunately I did stop at the stop sign and was traveling slowly. I hit his back bumper with my front left. Guess which one had more damage? I discovered that my car is made out of cardboard--He had no damage--just a smudge on the dust. My bumper has a chunk out and all lights are damaged. But I am ok. And the policeman did not see fit to give me a ticket.

Trouble is, I missed Ella's program--the pictures are so cute. Sorry baby, I will catch it next year.

Only 5 more days.

A visit from the Sanders Family

The Sanders family visited Otter Creek again last night. They are staying through Sunday night.

It was so good to see these funny, quirky characters again. As usual, Laura and Brandon stole the show, but everyone else was excellent. The band, directed by Bobbie Colvert was magnificent and the crowd evidently enjoyed the play.

I love seeing my boy act and sing. Whatever the performance, Wylie band half-time shows, speech contests, Sing-Song, Homecoming musicals at ACU, plays at Wylie, Sam and I always attended every performance. We almost knew the lines by heart.

Brandon looked very different sans hair and love spot. It is easy to tell where his hair will be in the next 20 years. The costumes were truly period (World II) costumes. Mama Sanders had on an especially ugly gray dress and hat.

The show is a welcome respite from the stress and fatigue of the season. Hope you readers in the Nashville area can come. Get there early (it starts at 7:00) especially on Sunday night which will probably be the biggest crowd.

A wonderful Tennessee Christmas

I love Christmas in this town! There are so many things to take advantage of.

Sunday night our small group went to Franklin to the end of the Dickens of a Christmas celebration. It ia annual affair when they close off the town square, have booths and people dressed in Victorian period costumes roaming around. There was Fagin, two bobbies (policemen), an old woman in a store window tatting, booths featuring sugar plums (very good) roasted almonds and other delights. A very nice petting zoo attracted the children. I have never seen fluffier sheep...It reminded me a lot of the Art Festival at Perini Ranch in Abilene.

I want to go next year on Saturday so I can take advantage of all the things in the stores and booths.

As the evening ended, everyone on the square was given candles and we strode a couple of blocks to the First Methodist Church for a Town Sing. Beautiful church and lovely music. The music minister had the children present sing Away in a Manger--so sweet.

Wednesday our group is going to YES (Youth Encouragement Services) to help with their Christmas store.

And there are two stations in town who are playing continuous Christmas music. I am SOOOOO in the Christmas mood.

Happy preparations.

Shopping during Advent

We received this prayer at Vespers last night. I think it is worth passing on:

Dear God,

As I look through my gift shopping list, I hold up to you each person listed on it. Slowly, one by one, I ask that the fire of your abundant love burn within each of them. I pray that the gift I find for each person will bring joy into that life.

But, help me to keep a balance this season, Lord. Let me keep my buying in perspective, not to spend more than I need to or can afford. Let me not give in to the pressures of this world and not equate love with money spent. Let me always remember the many, many people who have so much less in material things. Help me to buy wisely, so that my choices will not burden those in other countries who are so deeply affected by this country's economy.

And finally, loving God, help me to find time in the frantic moments of each day to become centered on you. Walking through a store, riding on the bus, hurrying down a street: let each of these times be moments when I can remember your incredible love for me and rejoice in it. Amen

I hope you can make this your prayer too.

p. s. Thanks to all who stopped and helped Brandon and Ella this morning. I am so thankful no one was injured.

Wonder

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I blogged. I have been busy putting up Christmas.

The girls were over here Sunday as we pulled out the tree and the ornaments. It was fun to see their sparkling eyes and hear their exclamations as the ornaments were unwrapped.

Someone has said that you know you are getting old when you have lost all your marvels. I don't plan for that to ever happen to me. H. G. Wells said shortly before his death that his soul was no longer moved by the sight of the stars in the sky.

I still marvel at the stars in the sky and the Creator behind them. And I marvel at the wonders wrought during this season of the year.

Wonder

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I blogged. I have been busy putting up Christmas.

The girls were over here Sunday as we pulled out the tree and the ornaments. It was fun to see their sparkling eyes and hear their exclamations as the ornaments were unwrapped.

Someone has said that you know you are getting old when you have lost all your marvels. I don't plan for that to ever happen to me. H. G. Wells said shortly before his death that his soul was no longer moved by the sight of the stars in the sky.

I still marvel at the stars in the sky and the Creator behind them. And I marvel at the wonders wrought during this season of the year.