ESPN outdoors has a story about the coon dog funeral. We thought it was such an educational event we checked Keelyn out to attend. Someone snapped a photo and she’s in the picture accompanying the story:
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?id=3666924
I just got back from voting. An older African-American couple sat across from me at the table an made me think that while Black folks certainly had the legal right to vote since 1870, in living memory in my state of Alabama it certainly wasn’t a real option in some places. I won’t presume who they voted for, and I am completely opposed to some of Obama’s policy proposals; but it’s a great thing to think that an African-American is on the ballot for President.
It’s also pretty cool that most folks will have either voted for a Black man for President or woman for Vice-President.
Go vote if you haven’t and consider what a privelage it is that folks who disagree so completely on so many things can agree to be governed by the will of the majority. Handing over a government (either within your party or to another) without violence is still a revolutionary idea in some parts of the world.
It was a beautiful day to bury a dog. We had a funeral up at Coon Dog Cemetery today, the organizer is a member of my church and so I was asked to give the invocation which I was happy to do.
Ray Frost brought “the Merch” down from Pennsylvania. He was a champion Treeing Walker Hound that died sometime last year. Mr. Frost found out about Coon Dog Cemetery and called down here to ask for information on having his dog reinterred. Apparently one thing led to another and a funeral was organized and the press called in.
There are stringent rules for having a dog buried there, you have to prove that your dog was a true coon dog. I’ve heard that there have been dogs exhumed when it was found out they ran deer. Of course “the Merch” passed muster and was given a plot next to the famous statue of two dogs treeing a raccoon.
Ray and his wife arrived Sunday morning and joined us for worship and dinner afterwards.
Earlier today the casket was taken to the gravesite. The florist van arrived with the arrangements shortly after. People gathered and exchanged conversation about hunting or wandered through the graves reading epitaphs and taking pictures. The pall bearers, some of Ray’s other hounds, waited patiently for the service. A little before 11 the processional arrived from Tuscumbia. Several ladies dressed in black dresses and hats sat somberly in the front row of folding chairs. I estimate there were about 200 in attendance (not counting dogs).
As I prepared for the service I discovered how difficult it can be to provide a prayer that is light hearted yet still reverent. (I focussed on God’s good creation, our enjoyment of the created order and the blessings we receive through nature.) The service also included some history of the area and the beginnings of the cemetery. Ray gave the eulogy and told about “The Merch’s” championship career — I believe he got a little choked up towards the end. Another local minister gave the benediction and the service closed with Taps. After the burial we shared in good food, good laughs and good memories.
There’s a video on this local station’s site. And here’s the ESPN article.
I should have pictures soon.
Wednesday nights are great fun. We have a meal followed by our group Bible studies and prayer meeting. Tonights menu was Baked Ham, White Beans, Corn Bread and Turnip Greens, unfortunately all of the Chocolate pie was gone before I got to dessert.
Prayer requests in the country are always good too. We have in the past prayed for someone who as “on a drunk” and need our prayers, plus an announcement to get out of the way if you see him on the road. My own mother in law was on the pray list recently for a snake bite. This evenings requests included one man who fell off of a ladder and someone else who had a cow knock a fence over on him.
Additionally, we’re making plans for a funeral at Coon Dog Cemetery next week — I’ve been asked to offer the invocation.
Here’s a story where a Michigan pastor revealed too much of himself to a parishioner:
[Pastor] DePoy admitted showing a female church member nude pictures of himself and his wife, against the woman’s will, prosecutors said. He later resigned from the church.
Why doesn’t a group of teenagers fasting to raise awareness of world hunger or taking donations of over $10 million for the hungry ever make the news?
A picture I took of the playground at Kelvingrove Park has been used by Schmap.
Here and in an iPhone example.
I survived another meeting of presbytery. My blood pressure always starts rising the week before such meetings and beginning about noon the day before I get naseous. I can relax for another few months now until our next meeting.
One thing that particularly bothers me about church meetings is that differences of opinion are too often made into a litmus test of our Chrisitan committment. In our meeting yesterday, our congregation strongly disagreed with our Board of Finances’ proposal to raise our per member share from $27 to $69. The ammendment our congregation proposed passed thereby removing or eliminating several budget items. The presbytery’s vote was condemned by one member on the floor as not trusting God to provide for us, for not being missional and being provincial and small minded.
In previous meetings I have called into question how we intend to take $10,000 from an account that has only $5,000 in it. My question was met with an extendend rant of how people are dying and going to Hell and all we can think about is money plus it shows that we are racist. (The proposal supported Hispanic missions.) Apparently if I had more compassion for the lost the laws of mathmatics would change.
I’ve heard of several meetings were a member of the body claims that they felt the Spirit leading the presbytery or assembly in a direction, so obviously to vote against them is to resist the Holy Spirit.
In the closing session of our meeting yesterday, when the tension over an issue was noted I overheard our moderator make a brilliant statement — ‘It’s not a House Divided, it’s just a vote’. Sometimes Christians — fully committed, reasonable and informed disciples of Jesus — can disagree. Disagreeing with you doesn’t necessarily stem from a deep rooted sin or a lack of faith, it could just be a difference of opinion.
Kim Riddlebarger posted on this helpful site – www.bestcommentaries.com. It lists commentaries by book and gives reviews and pricing info. Very helpful for folks starting a library or replenishing after selling theirs to buy a new computer.
I was really expecting this chapter to be advice on study and reading. Instead, Herbert reminds us that the purpose of our studies is to serve God’s Kingdom. It reminds me of the phrase ‘a christian’s life is the only Bible some people read’. Notice he does mention we should study our souls, the ‘lusts and affections within’. A good reminder to observe people and our own nature in addition to Commentaries and Theological Tomes. (BTW: the Puritan, Richard Baxter did offer some good advice on reading.)
THe Countrey Parson’s Library is a holy Life: for besides the blessing that that brings upon it, there being a promise, that if the Kingdome of God be first sought, all other things shall be added, even it selfe is a Sermon. For the temptations with which a good man is beset, and the ways which he used to overcome them, being told to another, whether in private conference, or in the Church, are a Sermon. Hee that hath considered how to carry himself at table about his appetite, if he tell this to another, preacheth; and much more feelingly, and judiciously, then he writes his rules of temperance out of bookes. So that the Parson having studied, and mastered all his lusts and affections within, and the whole Army of Temptations without, hath ever so many sermons ready penn’d, as he hath victories. And it fares in this as it doth in Physick: He that hath been sick of a Consumption, and knows what recovered him, is a Physitian so far as he meetes with the same disease, and temper; and can much better, and particularly do it, then he that is generally learned, and was never sick. And if the same person had been sick of all diseases, and were recovered of all by things that he knew; there were no such Physician as he, both for skill and tendernesse. Just so it is in Divinity, and that not without manifest reason: for though the temptations may be diverse in divers Christians, yet the victory is alike in all, being by the self-same Spirit. Neither is this true onely in the military state of a Christian life, but even in the peaceable also; when the servant of God, freed for a while from temptation, in a quiet sweetnesse seeks how to please his God. Thus the Parson considering that repentance is the great vertue of the Gospel, and one of the first steps of pleasing God, having for his owne use examined the nature of it, is able to explaine it after to others. And particularly, having doubted sometimes, whether his repentance were true, or at least in that degree it ought to be, since he found himselfe sometimes to weepe more for the losse of some temporall things, then for offending God, he came at length to this resolution, that repentance is an act of the mind, not of the Body, even as the Originall signifies; and that the chiefe thing, which God in Scriptures requires, is the heart, and the spirit, and to worship him in truth, and spirit. Wherefore in case a Christian endeavour to weep, and cannot, since we are not Masters of our bodies, this sufficeth. And consequently he found, that the essence of repentance, that it may be alike in all Gods children (which as concerning weeping it cannot be, some being of a more melting temper then others) consisteth in a true detestation of the soul, abhorring, and renouncing sin, and turning unto God in truth of heart, and newnesse of life: Which acts of repentance are and must be found in all Gods servants: Not that weeping is not usefull, where it can be, that so the body may joyn in the grief, as it did in the sin; but that, so the other acts be, that is not necessary: so that he as truly repents, who performes the other acts of repentance, when he cannot more, as he that weeps a floud of tears. This Instruction and comfort the Parson getting for himself, when he tels it to others, becomes a Sermon. The like he doth in other Christian vertues, as of Faith, and Love, and the Cases of Conscience belonging thereto, wherein (as Saint Paul implyes that he ought, Romans 2.[21]) hee first preacheth to himselfe, and then to others.
