Presumption Comes In All Shapes

Yesterday I was listening to KRLD Radio 1080 coming into Dallas. One of the stories they were playing was about a father who was a Boy Scouts of America local volunteer. (Sorry, unable to find the link as I was writing this.) His son was in a local troop and the man was the chair of the popcorn fundraiser.

He had done such a good job that he was awarded a leader's shirt. Not too shabby for a divorced father staying connected in his son's life. He should be acknowledged for taking an active role in his son's life and as a scout leader.

Now the man has been asked to stop wearing his leader's shirt. Sure, he can still raise the money, please raise the money, but he can't wear the shirt.

He was asked not to wear the shirt because he is gay. Oh, and this was not news to anyone when he ran the fundraiser or got the shirt. His sexuality was not an issue when this began, but it is now.

The story goes on with the man objecting to the Boy Scouts discriminating against him, particularly since the troop meets in a local public school "funded by my tax dollars." He goes on to say that the courts have ruled that Scouts can discriminate against gays in and maintain a presence in the public schools. Then he did say he just may sue them.

This bugs me: He's a father, he's involved with his son, he raises money, he's a model of involved parent (so I would assume from what I heard on the radio). Now he can't wear the shirt the troop bestowed upon him because he's gay. That's not right.

But here's what really bugs me: The interview ended with him saying that such discrimination does not belong in public schools. If you are going to discriminate it should be done in the churches "where it belongs."

I got the quote right, he said discrimination, particularly the discrimination he faces, belongs in the church.

Here's what I want to say to the man: "Yes, there are churches that don't welcome gays and there are churches that do. But in lumping all people of faith together in one homophobic lump, you have just committed a sin of discrimination against people of faith. You say discrimination against you is wrong, and I agree. But you have just made the same judgement against me that the troop made against you.

Beware of glass houses... I have found they get drafty when you throw too many stones.

Happy Birthday Marie

Today, the woman I love the most turns (mumble, mumble, mumble) years old. We have been together for fifteen years, married for over thirteen. I have never known love like hers.

I believe, with all my heart, that it is God who put us together. When I see her smile, I see God. When she laughs, I hear God. When she talks to others, sharing love, and joy, and concerns; I see God. Especially when she reaches out to someone who is trouble, especially at these times, I see God.

I see God's eternal light reflected in her eyes.

This picture was taken on our first date.

It is by God's grace and love that she is in my life, and I am eternally faithful.

Praise God, and happy birthday Marie.

This January on The Food Network

The Food Network has just announced that it is airing a a new show produced by Dick Wolf. It will be a police procedural drama set in and around a New York City bistro. It will be the first of its kind for a network known for its cooking shows.

It's going to be called "Law and Hors-d'oeuvre."

Texas- The Southwestern Home of the Kolache

Marshall, Texas has several donut shops, all of them operated by Asians (nothing wrong with that, but it does strike me as overly specialized). Each of these shops has their own take on the Eastern European pastry, the kolache.

The traditional kolache is filled with fruit but around East Texas they are sausage, so around here what they serve is a kolbasnek, but that's splitting hairs. What's important is that the pastry around the Earl Campbell link is so light that the tastes explode in your mouth. I haven't had a bad pastry in this part of East Texas

As for the joy of the donut... The way they make donuts around here the pastry is so light and flaky that they are positively krispykremesque. That's right, I turned Krispy Kreme into an adjective, that's how light they are.

So come to East Texas and when you do, hit a donut shop, any donut shop, and have a coffee too. In some shops you can even get Louisiana's own Community Coffee with chickery. Stop on in, you won't be disappointed

Unpacking

Friends,
Unpacking has been the theme of the last two weeks. The kitchen is almost unpacked and the bathrooms have most of their stuff in them. The master bedroom has some boxes, but most of the important ones have been unloaded... that is the ones that have been found have been unpacked.

That's the thing about packing, finding the stuff to unpack it is nearly as difficult. It wasn't until yesterday that I found my Presbyterian Worship Planner Volume 2 (on CD-ROM) in a box at the church. Though I still haven't found the pictures I hang in the office; and God knows what I'm going to do with twelve more boxes of files and stuff now that the bookshelves are full.

The other things that are becoming unpacked is life in Marshall. The annual Fire Ant Festival was last weekend and there's a wedding this weekend (Congrats Marla and Robbie!). I have a conference in Fort Worth around the corner and meetings with the folks who do worship, hospitality, and stewardship on the horizon. Just to put one more piece of love on the marquee, I will be installed as Minister of Word and Sacrament on November 7th.

But you know what else I have, I have Georgia practicing the organ in the background and there's something wonderful in hearing her play "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less" knowing that it is true, our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' hope and righteousness.

It will be some time before we finish unpacking. There will be some stuff we will throw away and more that we will put in the storage shed in the backyard, but as we do, we have hope, and it is a wonder.

Share and Enjoy, Paul

Take a Step Away from the Song

According to Wikipedia, Leonard Cohen, author and original singer of the wonderful song "Hallelujah" once said about his creation, "I was just reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it and the reviewer said 'Can we please have a moratorium on "Hallelujah" in movies and television shows?' And I kind of feel the same way... I think it's a good song, but I think too many people sing it."

If the proof is in the pudding, well, here's the pudding...

You Might Have Been in Northwest Arkansas...

Last Wednesday I went to a meeting of the Marshall, Texas Ministerial Alliance. When they asked where I came from, most of them commented that they had been in my neck of the woods. Whether in Branson or in Eureka Springs they were familiar with northwest Arkansas, especially the fact that the roads are a straight as a ball of yarn.

One of them mentioned that he turned on the news hoping to hear the score of the Texas Rangers game from earlier in the evening to be struck that the only sports news in NWA was the Razorbacks. He was positively dumbfounded that a full sports report could revolve around this one topic.

I have just two comments: First-Well, yeah, welcome to northwest Arkansas. Second-If you think that's bad check out the sports report from Austin.

Pink Ladies

On Thursday, Marie had a doctor's appointment. To the casual observer, there's very little new in that. What was new is that it was her first doctor's appointment in Marshall, Texas. Hooray Marshall, Texas!

I let Marie out of the car at the door and parked in the lot. As I came in about five minutes later, I hear this lovely voice cry out, "Hi Pastor!" It was Martha, a Pink Lady at the Good Shepherd Hospital in Marshall.

There is something so great about hearing a friendly voice as I went into the hospital that it made my day. Thanks Martha.

It also got me thinking about Hospital Axillary. One of the traditions of hospital axillary is the pink jackets the ladies would wear at the desk and around the hospital. It sets them off from everyone else with a splash of joyful color. It makes me smile just to think about it.

It also reminds me of something else.

St. John's Hospital in Berryville, Arkansas was once an independent hospital, but for a million reasons it joined with the St. John's Healthcare System out of Springfield, Missouri. Doing so meant that it lost some of its distinctiveness, including the tradition of the pink jacket.

These days, the axillary wears blue jackets and vests, just like every other business person on the face of the earth. There is no change to the ladies, but there is a distinctive loss of the pink jacket. There is a attitude you have with a pink jacket that just doesn't make it past "business blue." It looses the distinctiveness of "Berryville" and makes it ring "St. John's Corporate." Much of the rest of the hospital has also lost its individual distinctiveness and has take on corporate sameness. More's the pity.

So hooray for Pink Ladies. Hooray for Martha! Long may your banner wave!