April 14 '07

                                                    

Volume 567

                   


Ft. Wayne’s Fifth They Keep Coming Back

Most of the Group of 25They've been here before, a few of them, anyway, and their arrival on April 1 and 2 set a record for volunteer groups working with Pontotoc County Habitat for Humanity. In the six years that my wife has been with the local Habitat Affiliate, various groups of high school students from Fort Wayne, Indiana have now made a total of five trips to Pontotoc. The students and their sponsors all hail from two Catholic high schools in Ft. Wayne, Bishop Leuers and Bishop Dwenger. While prior groups from Ft. Wayne numbered in the teens, the most recent group brought twenty-five workers.

Because there simply wasn't enough work to do in Pontotoc, some of the workers helped the Tupelo affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, and it was the Tupelo affiliate that arranged for the group to stay in the Family Life Center of the First Methodist Church of Tupelo and the affiliate, also, provided some of the meals.

The group's leaders had expected to arrive on Friday night, work for the next several days, then depart the following Thursday, in order to be back in Ft. Wayne in time for Good Friday observances. Tire problems with one of the busses prevented its passengers from getting to Tupelo until dawn on Saturday. Two blowouts, miles apart, slowed their progress and five new tires had to be purchased.

I accompanied Barbara and Brother Joe Steen, construction supervisor of Pontotoc County H.F.H., to Tupelo for the Saturday night meal. Donna Jarrell directs the Habitat affiliate in Tupelo and utilizes the cooking talents of Debbie, the wife of her construction supervisor, to provide the meals for the Habitat volunteers. We enjoyed the spaghetti dinner and the opportunity to visit with the volunteers.

Five members of the group had been on previous trips, and most of them had made all five trips to Pontotoc. Katie Kearney of Bishop Dwenger has led the volunteers on their last two trips following Casey Ryan's marriage to Katie's sister and subsequent move to Texas. While I've entertained thoughts of "hooking up" my son Jason with Katie, to assure myself an attractive daughter-in-law, I've failed to follow through. It's probably just as well for Jason's tastes often run counter to mine, plus Katie has a "feller," who is presently living in Hawaii.

Besides Katie, the others who've made multiple trips to Pontotoc are all males, Alex, Ben, Dan, and Kai. For Ben, his volunteerism has been contagious and his enthusiasm for selfless work has influenced other students to spend their Spring Break serving others. Ben shared during the closing ceremony on Wednesday that he was considering a career in social or non-profit work and believes he'd enjoy working with Habitat for Humanity.

Dan's a young writer. He's written the first of a series of books, Sci-fi I think, and with help of an uncle and a teacher is hoping to find a publisher. He's begun writing a second book and has titled all books in the series except the fifth.

Kai has really matured over the past three years, and he's stated a desire to return next year. Though, he'll be in college, he's hopeful he can help chaperone a group. Regretfully, I didn't check with Alex on his future plans.

Katie introduced me to the three sponsors she brought with her. Kelly teaches classes in religion, and I learned that the course for this semester is the Old Testament of the Bible. Emily, who teaches Spanish, brought her boyfriend, George. George is in the restaurant business and hopes to make it his life's work. Around our Southern foods, George was like a kid in a candy shop, wanting to try everything and asked for recipes for everything he found to his liking.

As usual, the group found time to visit local attractions such as Ole Miss, the Square in Oxford, Elvis' birthplace, and on Saturday night some of them attended the rodeo in Pontotoc. They were exposed to the membership of a variety of churches, Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian, which included members of the black congregation at Usher Valley in Algoma.

I was able to fellowship with the group for only three evenings and hated to miss the closing ceremony on Wednesday evening, but the more than six hundred miles I drove on Wednesday left me too tired to drive to Tupelo for the ceremony. Barbara reported that several of the students shared how meaningful and rewarding the week of volunteerism had been to them. I have the feeling some of them will come back next year. I don't know that it can be quantified, but there's a measure of Southern-ness they took home with them, and they'll fondly remember their visit to Mississippi for years to come.


Thoughts On Mortality By Sarah Carter Brown

A few weeks ago, one of my former co-workers failed to show up for work at her new job. She had died in her sleep. If ever someone appeared to be hale and hearty, it was my friend. She always came to work early and left late. She kept me laughing because she was what Mama always called, "a jolly sort of person."

Naturally, all of us left work that day with thoughts of our friend and of our own mortality. I was about to crawl into bed, when I started thinking about my neglected feet. In the winter, I find it hard to groom my feet, because I always wear socks or tights for warmth. It is easier to take on the task when it is summer and sandal or open-toed shoe weather.

Remembering that I, too, could be found dead in the morning, I found the pumice stone and began vigorously attending my feet. After all, they tag your toe for DOA in the movies.

Then, I began to think of how I needed to get my house cleaned so the ambulance crew wouldn’t have to see clothes strewn from room to room. Alas, until Felicia gets married this summer, I fear I’ll never have enough closet space. As usual, when it comes to deep cleaning, my standard ploy of sitting down until the notion passes worked beautifully.

As I tossed trying to sleep, I began to consider my checklist of things I want done when I die. Now that Jerry Bell is retired, who will do my make up? I’ve been telling Jerry for years to study my make up so he can get it right. Some stranger, who won’t be able to get the eyelashes glued on right, will probably be my fate. Will the children remember that I do not want a pillow in my coffin because it augments my double chin and sagging jowl? What if they forget to bury me in shoes in case those streets of gold are cold? What on earth will they bury me in because I don’t have a thing to wear that fits?

Deciding that this line of thought was depressing, I began to think of scripture I wanted used and clever quotations. I remembered I’d suggested several of my favorites to Wayne for Miss Audie’s funeral, and surely he could get that part together.

About this time, I tried to think of who could be pallbearers. That brought me up short. I don’t know six strapping young fellows who would be willing to try to carry my coffin. I’ve got to lose weight before I die.

From there I began to think favorably in terms of cremation. I’ve seen pictures of Rameses II in National Geographic. Trust me, he’s not a pretty sight. I don’t want somebody digging me up for archeological purposes ages hence. I don’t look too good in life, so I figure I won’t look too good in death.

Since I had to get up early, I finally determined not to borrow trouble. The Lord could come again, and then I would have wasted all this time thinking about a funeral that wouldn’t have to take place. But just in case, I die before He comes, I’m thinking I need some new sleepwear. I just can’t find a thing I’d be caught dead in.


Easter Activities Sacred And Secular

A recent poll queried, "Do you think Easter has become too commercial?" I remember thinking it was a dumb question, but upon reflection, I suppose there are some folks who would like to see the most sacred of Christian celebrations even more commercial than it already is. I know that the Prince of Darkness is numbered among those opting for anything that might distract from the atoning death of Jesus Christ while seeding self-indulgence.

In my family, Easter activities began on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. Barbara and I traveled to Belmont to hear the combined choirs of Calvary Baptist and First Baptist present "Alpha and Omega," an Easter musical. As Rayanne had a solo part in the musical, Barbara and I wanted to be there to support her, instead of attending the music program the same night at our church. Our daughter normally plays the organ for worship services at First Baptist, but the musical provided an opportunity for her to sing rather than play.

Stephanie Knight, our next door neighbor phoned a few day prior to Palm Sunday to let us know the children from First Methodist Church would be hunting Easter eggs at her house and because a large group was expected there might be some eggs hidden on our property. We had no objections and were happy to oblige our Methodist friends.

Barbara even fixed an Easter basket of goodies for our granddaughters, just in case they showed up at our house on Easter, but they didn't make it with all the Adams' family activities happening that day. For the past two months, I been trying to trim off a few pounds in preparation for being a part of Felicia's wedding, so the candy they didn't come over and get is tempting me away from my resolution to abstain from candy bars and candies until after June 9.

When it comes to family gatherings in Pontotoc, Sara Sue helps by sponsoring the meals of Thanksgiving and Easter at her house. This year, attendance was somewhat less than normal. Brett's wife Kathy opted to stay in Pearl under pretenses of studying for medical reasons; she's in medical school. Cullen, Felicia's betrothed, had to work. Rayanne and Anson were in Belmont for Easter at the Adams' household, which left only six of us, Sarah, Brett, Felicia, Barbara, Jason, and me.

Though the years, ham has become a traditional Easter entrée for our family at Easter. I asked about chicken and dressing, but Sarah quickly informed me that our mother always served us ham. I disagreed, insisting that on most Easters, Mama served chicken and dressing, even if she had ham. I suggested any ham that Mama served during our younger years would have been a canned ham.

"I've got pictures to prove it," I told my sister. "I don't know where they are, but I know I have some pictures of Mama's table before everyone sat down to eat at Easter."

"That won't prove anything. How will you know it's not Thanksgiving?" she retorted.

Without the pictures in hand, I could not answer, for certain, so I didn't elaborate. Instead, I checked with Miss Cubell Young and asked her about chicken and dressing on Easter Sunday.

"Why yes, chicken and dressing is fine for Easter. I've served it a lot of times," she responded to Sarah's contention that the weather would have been too warm for what Mama considered cold-weather food.

When Barbara and I visited Aunt Jo, I asked her if Mama ever had chicken and dressing at Easter.

"She did. In fact, she called me one time to have me come and get a plate to take back home to Pearly," she recalled.

"Hold that thought," I stated, reaching for my cell phone and dialing Sarah's number.

"Sarah, hold on a minute. Aunt Jo has something to tell you," I stated with a grin.

Aunt Jo repeated her memory, but somehow, I don't think Sarah is convinced that Mama regularly served chicken and dressing at Easter. I suppose it doesn't matter, except with regard to bragging rights for best memory, but if I have anything to say about our Easter meal next year, I plan to insist on chicken and dressing to go with the ham.


Easter Freeze Tender Vegetation Suffers

Temperatures last weekend plunged into the mid-twenties here, spreading last minute panic among the young, scantly clad, church-going crowd. Some had to top their Easter outfit with a light sweater.

The one thing I did not see at First Baptist on Easter Sunday was a woman with a hat. Easter bonnets have not been fashionable for quite some time, but there was a time when fashion dictated every female wear a bonnet or hat to church on Easter Sunday.Green Leaves Browned

I find it surprising that the fundamentalists among Southern Baptists have not taken up the ancient admonition that women cover their heads when worshiping. They have no problem inserting St. Paul's theology of women being submissive to their husbands into our statement of beliefs, so it may be simply a matter of time until hats or other head coverings are dictated by church polity.

However, freezing temperatures comprised the topic of the weekend, not women's obsolete fashions. How cold was it? It was so cold the weather issued exposure warnings for the 4 Ps, people, pets, plants and pipes. We don't have a pet, but our people and pipes were kept warm all three nights of freezing temperatures. We spread a bed-sheet over a prized rose bush to prevent frost damage. While cold temperatures damaged the tender vegetation, we expect the rose bush to thrive.

Around our yard, the most notable damage to all things green was visible in the new leaves of the crepe myrtles, loripedalums, and hedge. The crepe myrtles will be fine, but today they look like they did last fall when the leaves turned brown. The loripedalums appear to have been sprayed by a herbicide and the tops of the hedges look burned. It's the worst vegetative freeze-burns I’ve seen in the seven springs we've lived in this house.

All things considered, I’d say the chances of a freeze next Easter are considerably better than the chances of Easter bonnets making a comeback next spring.


Bodock Beau Tax Time

The following submission by Sandy Butler came as follows:

Important reminder! Don't forget to pay your taxes … 21 million illegal aliens are depending on you!

Late Night Gleanings

"It's tax time and President Bush is saving a lot on taxes this year. He's writing off his entire second term." --David Letterman

"While [President Bush] was doing his taxes, under dependents he listed Scooter Libby, Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff. Then he caught himself, 'Dependents? Oh, I thought it said defendants.'" --Jay Leno

"The IRS now says you can deduct weight loss plans off your taxes. You can write it off because the government has officially declared obesity a disease. And it's a disease, you can deduct medical expenses. That shows what a difference an administration can make. See under Bush, obesity is a disease. Under Clinton it was just sexy." —Jay Leno

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