Faith

Mourning heats us holding a living memory. The personal process weighs tons of feathers dipped in cement or can feel like a bundle of hot rocks taped to our chests. The length and depth of reminiscing is addressed in faith whether or not we actively believe in God, or even pray to Him.

“I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.” Psalms 145:5 On our way to Big Bend years ago, Pam and I visited Hondo, Texas. There was the familiar sign: “Welcome: This is God’s Country. Please don’t drive through it like Hell”. We ate lunch at the Taqueria Mexican Restaurant… then drove to Hondo Creek. It was a gorgeous day…a blue sky… 70 degrees….and the water was crystal clear.

My Dad would be celebrating his 111th birthday on August 5th. I will bake a cake.

In 1984, I became the Pastor of The Magnolia Baptist near Vinton, Louisiana in a community called “Big Woods”. It was a utopia for anyone wanting peace and quiet. The church was so hidden on a backwoods road that that there were days that not a single vehicle passed through “The Woods”. I was particularly overjoyed when I learned that my sister Meri had married my friend Mike Duggan and that they’d be living only six miles from me. My sister’s living near me not only gave me her excellent company……it also gave me her excellent cooking. Her son Jeremy was a senior in high school and often visited the night service at our church. After church, Jeremy, Pam and I would cross the river for a hamburger at Nick’s Café. One afternoon I was on my way to photograph a high school Rodeo star at the Louisiana Tourist Bureau. As I changed lanes to approach my turnoff, I remember a loud jolting boom….. and awaked minutes later staring at long strands of hair hanging from my smashed windshield. Then someone shouted from the highway: “Don’t move, Preacher…don’t move!” On the way to the hospital Sherriff Landry told me that I had crashed into a car that was stalled on the inner-lane of the highway.

One cannot underestimate the value of good health. Physical and emotional well being depends upon our mothers and fathers until we are old enough to wash our hands, brush our teeth, and know to drink water when we’re thirsty. Of course there are different circumstances and we are affected by all in our immediate circle. We learn by absorbing what we observe.