Love Moving Stuff...

After my mother's death, Marie and I ended up with a lovely patio set and a buffet. Of course, we couldn't fit them into the XTerra, so we had to do the U-Haul.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great truck. It was clean, had under 40,000 miles on it, was big enough to do the job, small enough not to be cumbersome. It even had FM radio and air conditioning. Believe me, I mention this because I've had worse.

One problem though, there was a ping that we could not figure out. Marie finally started screaming and I began to blot it out. What was it? Don't really know, but we told the folks who rented us the truck.

One other thing was curious though...

Near the end of the trip, the radio turned itself up. Really! The radio turned itself up. There was even a counter on the volume switch and it went up 11...12...13...before we turned the knob ourselves and got it under control. As odd as it was, it was the song that was perfect for a U-Haul moving lawn furniture through the Ozark hills and curves in southern Missouri.

The song was "Slow Ride" by Foghat. It doesn't get any better than that.

The Word of the Lord and the words of a Saint of the Church

NRSV LUKE 18:9-14, THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Reinhold Niebuhr wrote in "Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic" that it is "so easy to repent of other people's sins." I think this is the perfect commentary on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

Often in our lives, we (yes, we, first-person plural) cry to the Lord thanking God "I'm not that bad." In many cases, the places where we find our piety are the same places where our sin is found too. This was true in the case of this proverbial Pharisee. Our lesson is in the face of the Tax Collector, the man who confesses his own sins, not those of the whole world.

If not for God's grace, we would not be able to stand before the Lord. So please God, be merciful to me, a sinner!

The School of Rock, but Don't Call It That

Image from the movie "School of Rock"

The University of Central Oklahoma has created the Acacemy of Contempory Music, or what is going to forever be known as "The School of Rock." According to the web page for the academy, their "focus is on building the careers of our talented students through preparation and exposure."

Thanks to Dan Krotz for sharing this with me. I will share with you the question he asked me, "Will Jack Black be the first commencement speaker?"

But of course...

That's Not What I Like About College Football

The University of Alabama Football Program has announced today that linebacker Courtney Upshaw will not be suspended from the program even though he was arrested on a harassment charge Wednesday night.

ESPN reports that Courtney and his girlfriend were both "altercating," but we don't get that from the Crimson Tide. All we get from them was that Mr. Upshaw would not be suspended.

His punishment: He was placed on "behavioral probation." The guys on the radio asked "what in the world is that?" and "aren't we all on that everyday?" Sorry to pile on, but I'm agreeing with the radio guys.

I Googled "behavioral probation" and found nearly 6,000 hits. Just from looking at the descriptions on Google, the punishments for "behavioral probation" were in the same category as punishments for "academic probation." So with either type of violation, judgment was dealt.

From what I gather, the Bama version of "behavioral probation" means that if he gets caught in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend again then action will be taken. Is it me or does that seem too late?

Ah, Courtney Upshaw, the pride of Eufala, Alabama. Roll Tide!

Sorry for the Lapse, Something about my Mom

Dear Friends,
As many of you know, my mother died on July 28 at 2:00 AM. She had not been feeling well as of late, and the disease and its consequent infection caused her death. It's ironic that my prior post comes from the Wembley Stadium memorial concert for Freddie Mercury, especially Seal's rendering of "Who Wants to Live Forever", but these are just a few of the many things I can't control.

My mother was a wonderful lady, a good mother, and a great counsel. She was funny and smart. She was a role model for many of the things I want to be as I grow up. Time will tell.

Thanks to everyone who offered a prayer. Thanks to everyone who dropped a note or sent a card. May grace and peace be with you all.

In Christ's loving arms, Paul