Sitting Up With The Dead

 I don't know why I thought of this part, but if you will, remember my daughter in law today, she lost her grandmother. She is about the age I lost my maternal grandmother. This comes after the death of a great-uncle by marriage of mine last week.( Both were expected, and don't be all upset about mine.)

And I don't know why I thought of this, but....

When I was younger, we sat up with the dead.....and I often volunteered to "sit up." 

Old Southern tradition. 

And we no longer do this today, and I volunteered to sit up with my maternal grandmother, like I did with my maternal grandfather and my paternal grandmother....But was told "No."

We were told by the funeral director for " Insurance purposes" we could no longer stay.

Jerry Clower and Lewis Grizzard tell amusing stories about " Sitting Up With the Dead."

Sadly, nothing exciting happened during my time of sitting up. But at about 3AM in a quiet funeral home,  you start to wonder. 

Just stuff you young people will never experience.

I Know You No Longer Want to do This....

 So, the headlines in a couple of national news papers is that people no longer want to take any form of vaccines. 

Measles, Chicken Pox, Mumps, Polio.....and especially the dreaded Covid. 

What is wrong with you people? 

I never had Chicken Pox......Never. I was a kid who just never had the "Pox." So, I have not taken the Shingles vaccine. 

But buddy, I have had the Measles.....And it ruined my Youth Baseball career, because I got it during the middle of the Little League season.....

And I was sick. High fever. Measles all over my body including they said my eyes. I was so sick, I cried for no apparent reason. And I could not think why I cried, I just did.....

My fever was so high, they thought I might have had brain damage, so, the school district gave me a second IQ Test.....I scored higher on the second one.....Again, I'm "Not just a pretty face." ;)

My maternal grandfather had Polio as a child, and because of that illness, walked with a cane the rest of his life. 

I know we are all paranoid in this day and age, but do you really want Polio, Measles, Whooping Cough, etc to make a return?

Had Some Upset Folks Yesterday.....

 So, I had some upset folks yesterday because, well, I got nothing for Christmas.....As Miss Frances said, I pretty much buy whatever I want during the year anyway....

I even had a couple of people upset because a former student gave me a bottle of whisky for the the holiday. Come on Baptists, and Pentecostals. Read St. John....What was the first miracle?  And it wasn't Welch's.

No, you've got to remember I sorta have a "Sugar Mamma" as the kids would say, and wherever I want to go, well, I get to go.....( I took her to Israel last May, and I was good, really good with all the " Super Jesus " people. I am pretty sure Jesus would have said something in the Gospels if he knew about these people.)

Remember, and I've told you, we're going to England and Wales for Easter. That is my " Christmas." And there is nothing like traveling in England during April. 

So, don't cry for me. I certainly am not.

Merry Christmas from the Compound!!!!

 Just thought I would wish everyone in the readership a Merry Christmas!

Little early today, but enjoy this evening and tomorrow with family and friends. 

As it has been said, " You only get so many Christmases. Enjoy every single one." 

Thinking of you during this holiday. And much love from the Compound.....

Thomas

Jasper County. Orange County....Show Some Class

 I don't know what has happened to people. 

Why is it so hard to use a little etiquette? 

Was at a soiree yesterday and within the circle of invitees were new people......And the people who brought these new people didn't introduce their guests( boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse)....And this is why I no longer enjoy going to gatherings, one of several reasons.

And when I went over to find out who they were, it was like they turned away to avoid me. It was like " Fuck you, you're no body." ( And these are all younger people.)

I do not know what is being taught to our youth by parents, hell grandparents anymore. 

Good manners is assuming you've never met these people.....And dammit men, get off your damn ass when someone goes to shake your hand. Especially if women come over to shake your hand. It won't hurt you to stand up. 

Now in the old days, when a woman entered the room, you stood, but with family, friends, I no longer find that necessary. But is a high level social setting, I probably will rise. Just good damn manners. 

I also don't know " What the cornbread fuck" is going on with children now being in charge of their parents....and telling the parents what they are going to do. Especially when it involves another person/people who are subjected to bad kids doing whatever the hell they want.  

What has happened to parents being in charge? It's like the mom and dads today are scared of their kids. 

I don't know, I thought nothing of "lighting up" my child. 

I think this is part of the reason why teachers are getting the hell out of the classroom. Kids doing whatever at school and the parents backing them up. 

Somehow we all think our kids are going to be a pro-ball player, or professional musician, or actor or whatever, and in reality, most kids are going to grow up and have to work for a living, and they need to prepare for that reality when their dream of playing for the New York Yankees doesn't pan out. 

We need engineers and nurses and plumbers and teachers, and electricians, and truck drivers and it is where most of us wind up. All are needed to make this country work.

I didn't want spend most of my working career at the poorest paying school district in Region V of Texas teaching government/economics, but it's where I wound up and I enjoyed my time there and think I did some good. 

Love your kids, but make them ready for society. It's not all about them. And that is what we no longer understand in this nation.

Folks, teach your kids some manners. 

 

Buna, LGBT, Methodists, Baptists, I Just Don't Know...

 So, the Methodist Church is about to split over gays, mostly in the pulpit and to a lesser extent, abortion.....Trouble is, you really don't know who has had an abortion. And now, people will be leaving state to get their 14 year old daughter a pregnancy termination. And many people already were. Abortion is legal in Mexico and I can see an entire industry developing there.

But mostly this is about gays. 

Apparently, gays are a sin the more rural Methodists can't handle...Never mind the man to your right in the pew is now on wife number 3....The woman sitting behind you is on husband number 4. 

When I read what Paul and Jesus says, divorce is permissible for two reasons....Adultery and abandonment.  Sorry, but what people are "teaching" today is just wrong. They're reading into what Paul (especially) said, and are taking liberties. 

The entire capitalist system in this nation would collapse is we didn't covet stuff. How many of you can't get through the day and not reviler? Or make something your idol? ( Your money, car, boat, kids...Non-physical items)

And how many people sitting in the church think fornication is now okay? I'm seriously, how many of you reading this expect people to be virgins when they marry? And Paul was specific about fornication. 

And it is generally a rural vs. urban split. I know Buna Methodist is among the splitting churches.  I don't know why they are all upset about this "sexual sin" and other sexual sins, well, as some folks say, " I screwed everyone who let me when I was young, or now, so I can't say anything." 

I wonder if a gay or lesbian couple start to attend one of these churches and ask for membership what will happen? 

You know, for years there has been LGBT people on church staff on a couple of local Southern Baptist Churches. They are married, of course use their spouses as a " beard." But people turn a blind eye. 

I don't know.

People are too worried about other people, and need to pull that plank out of their own eye. 

A lot of this involves older people, and rather than missions, or trying to lead people to Christ, they are more concerned about their own world and are scared to death of what people " might think." 

Today's Teacher-Student Podcast of Gays and the Church.

Just Ain't Right?

 I don't know, I write this on December 6th.....The tree is up in the Compound, there are decorations.....

I don't know, just ain't feeling Christmas this year. 

I am much more excited for Easter and the cathedral I get to worship in Cardiff, Wales. ( I'm just as Giddy as a Guamese Schoolgirl.)

Perhaps because it is 70F as I write this at 5AM? And 80F+ this afternoon....

There are gatherings I will attend, must attend, but I don't know, if the past, I looked forward to them....Now, I dread them like you don't know. I'd feign an illness or injury to get out of them, but I don't know...I literally will force myself to go. 

Mitch Keeler has been doing a series leading up to Christmas and he's getting into the spirit...I sat down originally this morning to write one on the actual meaning of " X" in the word Xmas. But once again, I am a waste of a divinity school education. 

I don't know friends, perhaps when it cools down a little, or when it gets nearer to the holiday I'll get into the spirit of Christmas.....

 

Buna Teachers?

I know I get onto teachers in the Buna schools from time. And probably will do so again....

That said.....

You might want to give the teachers a break the next few weeks before the holidays. 

The kids are coming off a week and are already nuts....And REALLY don't want to be in class. 

Then, the kids are already having " Sugar Plum Fairies"  dancing in their heads.  Even the Seniors.

You might want to give your kids teacher a break these next couple of weeks....You also might want to ask your teacher friends "how they are doing?  "

The next couple of weeks ain't no picnic.