Thomas is self-employed as an inventor and listed night vision contact lenses, suborbital floating missile drones and a “micro copy scope” that allows germs to be viewed on the Web as some of his inventions.
Category Archives: Alabama
My Little Girl is on ESPN
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
Voting
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.
Road Trip
We had a nice weekend. I took this Sunday off and we went down to Tuscaloosa yesterday.
I needed to do some research at the University of Alabama library, so we took Keelyn and Graeme to Moundville after worshiping at the First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa this morning. We stopped by Natural Bridge on the way home this afternoon.
Moundville is really neat, amazing to think of the extensive civilization that once thrived over such a large expanse of land.
Here’s some pics of Keelyn at the President’s house with Denny Chimes in the background, Moundville and Natural Bridge.
The cup that we bless …
Being one of the few full time ministers among the country churches in our presbytery has meant that I’ve often had the task of helping serve many of our smaller country churches when they are without a pastor. This has meant getting lost on many rambling county roads, preaching to congregations of 2-4 people at times and moderating some pretty interesting session* meetings. It has also meant serving communion when congregations were without an ordained minister for extended periods of time.
On one such occasion I met with a little country church as soon as I could hurry in from my own service. Their worship was already in progress, one of the elders had spoken and I came in to administer the sacrament. The communion table was set, the people were reverent. I was out of breath but managed to read the words of institution. As I removed the covering from the bread I noticed the standard white pieces of unleavened bread so many churches use — nothing unusual. I took the cover off of the tray of individual cups, the color of the juice looked a little light … but oh well. As I said the prayer of consecration I was concerned about how old the juice must be but figured it wouldn’t hurt me. Then I ate the cracker and drank … Grapico !
No one had thought to bring the Welches so one of the elders ran up to the nearest gas station (no store for 20 miles was going to be open on a Sunday) and got two cans of grape soda out of the Coke machine.
Now I make it a habit of carrying my own elements when I’m asked to serve communion.
(*the governing board of the local congregation)
Image: country road by John Beagle
Morning Reads
Here’s a list of lectures on podcasts found through the Unashamed Workman.
We really need some rain here: Alabama drought deepens
and I thought this was very cool, we might have to look into it:Rural US towns – left out by broadband – build their own
Alabama State Senate Brawl
Actually it was a single punch, but Alabama Public Television caught it on film.
I love the quotes in the Times Daily article. “I might whop you again,” Bishop said, and “I’ve been down here 23 years,” Sanders said. “There have been many heated moments, but I don’t know of another moment where a senator has hit another senator upside the head.”
Bishop’s Barbecue
Figured while I posting Barn Party pics I should put in a plug for the world’s best barbecue.
Given good review here,
and listed as one of the 100 dishes to eat before you die scroll down to Cherokee.
L.O. always jokes that he’s lived at three different addresses, but he’s never moved. He started with a Post Office in Bishop, then Allsboro and now Cherokee. He claims to be on a campaign to get the Cherokee Office closed and consolidated with Tuscumbia so he get a fourth address.
Barn Party Pics
Here’s the pics, courtesy of Ailene Williams.
Barn Party!
Well we’ve had our last Sunday, said our goodbyes, have moved out of the manse and enjoyed the annual Barn Party at Maud. I took some pics to post later. This is the sixth year the Devaney’s have hosted a community barn party with music, games, lots of good food and skits of “Thirdun and Laverne.” One of the many things I’ll miss about Allsboro, and a fitting way to part.