Sure Enough

 Or as we say here in East Texas " Sure 'nuff." 

As I have written earlier, my wife and I have planned to travel to Israel since, well, April of 2020. The flight, the hotels, the transportation, the tour has been cancelled now 4 times. 

It is now schedule for the Fall of 2021. Tentatively. 

Tentatively. 

I am not holding my breath. 

In the past 72-96 hours, the nation of Israel has required all people visiting their country to get some sort of "Tourist Health Passport." ( Looks like it will be an app through our cell phones.)

And a number of the people scheduled to go on the tour with us, well, they refuse to take the vaccine. 

All very religious people.

They are scared of the vaccine, afraid the vaccine wasn't tested enough, don't think Covid is actually a " Thing" that Covid is all drummed up. 

Some, I am sure, just do not trust science. 

I am however one of these people who will be the first to say..." Because....Science." 

I don't get this religious world and their lack of trust of the Science Community. I really do not. I am afraid these are the people that will keep Covid around because they are afraid. These are the same people who say they look forward to the hereafter, but won't take a vaccine because they think it will kill them....A vaccine for an illness that might kill them, or kill people they come in contact with, perhaps some they love. 

I've had both of my Pfizer vaccines. Deb has had both her vaccines. Yes, the second one made me ill, but if there was a third vaccine required, I would still take the shot. 

It took some doing, but we finally got my 90 year old Mom her first Moderna shot here in Orange County this past week. And she was gung-ho to get it because, well...." Because.....Science." ( I don't know why Orange County is behind all the surrounding counties on the vaccines. It makes you wonder? More people in Jasper County have been vaccinated than Orange County.)

It seriously is looking like it will be Deb and me alone on the tour. I am still thinking we would be better off alone, like most of our other trips. 

I don't know, it seems like we are going backwards intellectually in this nation....

You Are Fired!

 So, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that says you can't discriminate against someone in the LGBQT world. 

That would include the workplace, juries,  housing, credit, public accommodation, etc. 

This of course would include churches/religion from discrimination against the LGBQT community. 

And I don't see why you'd not want to not hire the best person for the job , even if the were LGBQT. I mean, you'd hire a person who was on wife/husband number 6-7. And not even think anything about it. 

Look, I have worked at everyplace I have been employed and there were gay folks there. In many case, the best person for the job. Literally you're not going to find anyone any better. 

I understand churches don't want to hire gay folks, but you know, we had a denomination who had pedophiles in their ranks that when found out, were moved around, often to teach at schools or work with youth in other churches. And gay folks are not interested in children. They are attracted to adults. 

Your faith is not going to be encroached because you go into a store or business or school and a gay person is working there. For the most part how is that going to affect you? 

I am friends with people in the gay community. I had a friend in college who was gay. Went camping/fishing with him, went to social events with him. He never made a 'pass' at me and I never said anything about who he dated.  ( I always said I just wasn't " handsome enough for him." ;) )

The only problem I have is the "T" community competing in certain sports. 

You know, I know Connecticut is having trouble in high school girl sports because some of the transgender people in girl's sports are former males who have not started to transition to females, or started their change after they were Sophomore/ Juniors/Seniors in HS and still have all the male body appearances and body type. Even though they identity as females, their body is still male. It is still a guy competing against girls

Likewise, the Texas UIL had a student transitioning from female to male compete in the female wrestling division, this after the student was taking male hormones as part of their transfer.  They of course dominated the wrestling weight division. It was a boy against girls. ( UIL should have let them compete against the boys....But UIL has ruled to compete you must compete in the sex in which you are born.) 

When the bakery refused to bake a cake for a gay couple getting married, the Christian community was all supportive. Said they had the right to refuse them. Why them and not the person who wanted a cake for their 6th wedding? Or why a not a cake for a businessman in the community who they know is involved in shady practices? I'm sure they had not trouble baking a cake for a baby shower, even if the mother wasn't married. Or baking a cake for anyone else who they would consider is involved in some sort of "sin." 

I don't get this hatred of gays over all others. I really do not....Then again, I have ex-students who think my son's marriage to April is a sin. Heck, I have former students who think being married to a Catholic is a sin. Shoot, I have previous students who think I am going to Hell because I think instruments in church is a wonderful thing...Then again, they think I am going to Hell because I am not a member of their denomination. ( Actually more than one denomination.)

I know some of you get all upset about LGBQT people, but how does it really effect you? Makes you uncomfortable? You think it is a sin? Well, not everyone does.

You need to learn to let people live their lives. 

Well, That Was Fun?

 As most of you know, I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday at the Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. Nice folks, could not have been nicer. 

That said, I am sick as a dog today. Had about 101F temp a while ago, but Motrin has brought down the temp. 

That said, I get sick after every vaccine I take, have since I was a kid. ( I'll admit, not this sick however. But, I will survive.)

In truth, not only did I get the vaccine to protect me from the Covid, I got the shots so I can travel. 

I have been reading and most nations are not going to let you enter without having a vaccine. 

We have put off, 4 times now, our trip to Israel. It is now scheduled for October of 2021....We will see if the country is open. I am betting 50-50 on us going in October. ( And Miss Debbie has already planned England and Wales for Spring 2022.)

This all said, we are going or are 'supposed' to be going with people who refuse to take the Covid vaccine.

All of these folks "religious" folks. 

Afraid of the vaccine for whatever reason. Not tested enough, not pro-vaccine, whatever. 

Heck, it might be just Deb and I. If so, we might rent a car and drive wherever we want. ( Can't in the West Bank. Jericho, Bethlehem, Jordan River are all on the West Bank. May see about a tour bus in those regions.)  I know I want to pray at the " Wailing Wall" in Jerusalem and place a written prayer into the wall, and have my Kippah( Yarmulke) ready to go.  And I want to visit the Dome of the Rock( I know I can't enter), and I doubt those bunch of Baptist will be game for that.

You know, there are risks for everything.....Driving on I-10 from Orange to Beaumont is a risk...Heck, might be a bigger risk than taking the vaccine. 

Folks, take the vaccine.

I Almost Teared-Up

 So, over the last few days, I have heard from 3 ex-students, two of which will go nameless, for reasons, well, they are fairly private people...All three wondering if I needed some sort of help, plumbing, whatever, due to the freeze. 

I almost teared-up. 

It makes you well, " feel good" that they thought enough of you to check on you....

One and I'll mention his name here because, well, if I didn't "pick-at" him, he'd think I was mad at him. 

I don't know if this is " synchronicity" or just what?

I was thinking about Bunky Askew one evening before I went to sleep.

Was he dead?

Was he is jail? And if so, did I need to pass the hat for bail? Or had he screwed up so badly I just needed to let him sit in a jail cell and think about what he had done? 

Anyway, the next morning, I found an email he had sent me, checking on me......

One of those "Wow" moments. 

Anyway, thank you to the people who checked on me. Made the old man feel good.

You Ain't Going to Get Past This are You?

 I try and keep up with the Current Events of my former denomination....The Southern Baptists. And the fact the Baptist are trying to keep the world at about 1952. Some sort of "Leave it to Beaver" never really happened world....

I'm not even going to discuss denominational leadership being all upset because some church call females, " Children's Ministers." They can't handle the world minister being attached to a woman....Never mind they have some sorry, sorry men ministers they won't get rid of...

So, the Baptist leadership in several areas of the country are looking at kicking out member churches simply because they are allowing gay couples to attend. And the denomination really went wild because one couple had their 3 adopted children attended with them....

Why according to the Baptists is this a "worse sin" than every other sin that's going on in that church?

You know, every church has teenage boys in the congregation......And a teenage boy in nothing but a hormone about to bust wide open....Don't tell me they have not looked at some girl in the church with "Lust"( Matt 5 : 27-28. ). Probably that morning in Sunday School..... Heck most of the men in that that church have seen a woman or two, or three in the past week and thought, " Man, I'd like to spend a 3 day weekend with her in Opelousas." ( I'll bet even the preacher has.)  And Jesus said that was sin.

Heck, most females have looked a man and gone, "Man, I'd like to get a hold of that." 

Look, if there was not an attraction, and lot of it sexual, most of us would never get married. And that lust before marriage was a sin according to Jesus.

The congregation is full of gossips, hypocrites, cheaters, drunks ( Yes in the Baptist church.) people who have had divorces, and according to what I have read in the Bible, all sins. 

No, that church is right, let the gay folks attend.  You can't pray the gay away, just like I have blue eyes, and a bald head, it's in their DNA.

Rush & Ted Cruz

 I didn't know my post on the death of Rush Limbaugh would cause such a controversy....Hell, in truth, I should have realized. 

He was just another symptom of the divide in this country. 

I stopped listening Rush years before I was even hired at Buna. Heck, quit talk radio about that time. 

Look, I am sorry, Rush was an entertainer. He appealed mostly to a 65+ audience in recent years. He would tell you what you wanted to hear, not what was necessarily the truth. 

One of the things that lost me on Rush was years ago an Indian ( India) group had set up a 'Soup Kitchen' in their city and were serving Indian food to those in need...Rush had a fit by saying " They shouldn't be serving that, they need to be serving ' American Food.'. "

What is American food? Pizza? Roast, potatoes, and carrots? ( BTW That's the traditional "Sunday Roast" in England.) Heck everything we eat in this country pretty much started someplace else.

Then what really sealed the deal was his remarks about Mexicans " Being guests in this country." 

As many of you know, I was affiliated with the old  'Home Mission Board' of the Southern Baptists, and was a missionary in the Valley of Texas and in Idaho.( I was sent to convert Mormons, instead I would talk Mormon theology with them and a good time was had by all. Seriously. Mormons don't need converting. They're Christians in my book as are Catholics, and most others who follow Christ.Why they sent me, I do not know?) And many of those "Mexicans" had been in South Texas 200 years before Rush's family even came to America.

Come on, the man was not a fan of teachers. Why should I like him? He thought we were "Give up your gun liberals" and I have been told that more than once by school patrons there in Buna....And those of you who know me know I believe full auto weapons should be available without a tax stamp. 

Did Rush go to Heaven or Hell? I don't know. You don't either. He may have had a 'Constantinian Death Bed' conversion. 

Finally I see Texas' Junior Senator, Ted Cruz decided we were just peasants and took his family to Cancun. 

Sorry, that just looks bad....Millions of Texans freezing and he leaves the country for warmer climates.

Been a Long Time Boys and Girls

 It has been a long time since we've actually had a serious winter. Oh, it snowed 3-4 years ago, and looked nice, but it was gone within 24 hours. 

This morning we had an ice storm at the Compound here in Lemonville. The pines are white with ice. This is after the local Aggie " weather guessers" said we really shouldn't get much ice. 

I am hoping to make it through the next couple of days without any more trouble, or blackouts from Entergy. 

I am pretty aggravated at the utility companies. Millions of Texans are without power. And don't go blaming the wind turbines. They are less than 10% of electricity in Texas. Most of our power plants are run by natural gas. And these plants failed. Just were not ready for the freeze and many of them went out of service. 

I know Speaker Phelan is planning to hold hearing on the power outages, but it makes you wonder if anything will actually be done? 

Good thing is this, we only have weeks like this one every decade or so...My next one will be when I am 73...Who knows, maybe I'll miss it?