Is It November Yet?

Crap! It’s only August, and I’m already waaaaaayyyy past tired of the political garbage!

Since the Dims are having their coronation/love fest this week, let’s make some observations about them, shall we? Here we go…

• Somebody really needs to give these guys a current newspaper. And a copy of the Constitution. See, they think the President is able to run again. No, they think he is running again.
• I thought it was funny when they showed a picture with the caption and announcement “The Women of the United States Senate.” And The Messiah was standing in the middle of them! (Not sure who that says the most about…himHim or them!)
• I also thought it was funny that they left out the rest of “The Women of the United States Senate.”
• Loved the sign from Emily’s List: “When women vote, Democrats win!” Nuff said…
• They had a bunch of protesters who planned to levitate the Denver Mint Building! What?!?!?!
• Oh, and The Messiah mentioned last night that heHe was with some family in St. Louis. Except heHe was really in Kansas City. Oops! Oh, well, heHe was in some city in one of the 57 states, and that’s all that counts!
• Is heHe really smarter than a 5th grader? Seems hisHis daughter had to remind himHim where heHe really was.
• Sorry…from this point on, I need to remember to capitalize the personal pronouns when referring to The Messiah. I’ll fix that in a minute…
• Oh, and there was ol’ Kennedy…I know Teddy’s got cancer and all that. I’m truly sorry. Maybe it’ll keep him from behind the wheel these days.
• It would be really funny - and totally expected - if Missus Clinton were to throw down the gauntlet tonight. How long has it been since there’s actually been a floor fight at one of the major political conventions/productions/lovefests?
• Well, I’m off to see which jacket they chose for Her Highness to wear along with the black pants…eewwww!

More from Tennyson…

The same monodrama by Tennyson that spoke clearly about the election prospects, shouted loudly about my own life…

Ah, what shall I be at fifty
Should Nature keep me alive,

And this one….

And ah for a man to arise in me,
That the man I am may cease to be!

Tennyson, on American Politics…

Did you watch the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency Saturday night? Rick Warren hosted Senators McCain and Obama in a conversation format that was pretty interesting and insightful.

I’ve got to tell you that I’m not really enamored of either of these guys, and there was at least one moment in each of their conversations where I thought of these lines from Tennyson’s Maud…

Ah God, for a man with heart, head, hand,
Like some of the simple great ones gone
For ever and ever by,
One still strong man in a blatant land,
Whatever they call him, what care I,
Aristocrat, democrat, autocrat–one
Who can rule and dare not lie.

I Can’t Get This Passage Out of My Mind…

God’s been rocking my world over the last week with these words…

O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood,
and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.
Now that I am old and gray,
do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,
your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

Sooooo…This Is the Blog….

Remember those old commercials - I can’t remember the product - where the guy sits down for a scrumptious meal, and exclaims…

So this is the dining room!

Well, in AT* time it seems this little space has been more than a little neglected. Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m all over the real-time quickness of Twitter. But sometimes you just need more than 140 characters.

So, for what it’s worth, in case all two of you loyal readers notice, I think I’m going to be spending a little more time over here. Blow off the dust, open the blinds…

_______________

*After Twitter

Yes! Old Guys DO Rule!

While “The Boy” was home over the weekend, he picked up one of these for me! Very cool stuff! The caption on the back says…

The older I get the better I was!

Now, that’s good!

Sunday Night Unwind, 08.03.08…

Long, interesting day today. In case you’re interested - all two of you - it went and is going something like this…

• The soundtrack for tonight’s Unwind is courtesy of Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis. Love their new CD, Two Men with the Blues! Some reviewer talked about how Willie’s losing it vocally. Maybe, but the blues in his voice is the real deal! (Can I get an Amen?)
• “The Boy” was home for a surprise visit over the weekend. Always good to spend a little time with him. Even if some of that time was spent in Bass Pro Shop! (Camouflage light switch covers, anyone? Maybe a largemouth bass mailbox? What about a toilet paper roller made out of deer antlers?) And we think Jesus Junk is way out there!
• Talked about power this morning. Which was especially apropos since many of our people had been without it for about 12 hours!
• Overheard one of our women say something like…“I was so focused on Charlie’s sermon I forgot to take notes!” Cool. I guess…
• Had a great opportunity to bless a couple in our church in a very real, specific way. And that was very cool!
• Lunch. O’Charley’s. Saw about 7 of my Y folks who were paranoid about what they were eating. Too funny! (I guess it’s kind of like when you see your teacher in the grocery store or something like that!)
• Talked about Barnabas this evening. I think of all the characters in the Bible, I’d like to be like ol’ Barney! Encourager and all that jazz…
• Mad dash after our evening service to the lake for a farewell party for my Y boss. Pretty low-key affair, about a dozen or so folks. Good food, good fun, lousy Jimmy Buffett/Kenny Chesney wannabe providing the entertainment. (The bottom of the check said, “Live music 3-8 pm Sunday.” One of our Y peeps observed: “It’s after 8, and there hasn’t been any live music since we got here, but that guy keeps on going!”)
• The shrimp po-boys aren’t quite the same in Cherokee County, Georgia as they are in N’awlins, but they’ll do in a pinch.
• I just realized that next-to-last bullet point was very un-Barnabas-like. (”Forgive me, Lord, and bless all the pygmies in the Congo!”)
• Treated Dr. Jerry Vines to Starbucks on the way home. He was just in from Springdale, Arkansas. “Not the end of the world, but you can see it from there,” I opined.
• While at Starbucks, I watched one of the baristas roll his own smoke. I thought that was a lost art that went out when Moses was just a corporal. Interesting….
• Finishing up a little reading, then off to bed, because 4 am comes dark and early!
• Oh, one more thing…our little a/c replacement is only going to be less than $15,000. Notice I said “only.” Lots better than the 19 grand we originally thought it was going to be.

I’m out. See y’all in the morning!

Sunday Night Unwind, 07.27.08…

Slee-py tonight! Been running all weekend…let’s keep this one brief, shall we?

• The soundtrack for tonight’s Unwind is a mixed bag, all courtesy of Pandora. Switching between Nightnoise, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and, thanks to a suggestion from my buddy Gary Lamb, Piano Man (including the “title cut” live!)
• Speaking of Piano Man, Billy Joel’s The Stranger was the first album I bought at the pseudo-socialist, but very cheap co-op in Tallahassee, Florida when I was a freshman in college. Good stuff!
• I’ve also been digging some Harry Chapin this weekend, especially my favorites, “Mr. Tanner,”“WOLD,” and “30,000 Pounds of Bananas.”
• A little better crowd this morning. About a quarter of our attendees were guests! Cool!
• Any message that includes references to Randy Bohlender and Chris Elrod can’t be all bad, right?
• I got just a tad excited this morning as well. Enough of that!
• Oh, and we’re spending about $19,000. On freakin’ air conditioners! That stinks!
• The lovely and gracious “Mrs. Just Charlie” is back to school officially tomorrow. She’s already been almost every day this past week, but tomorrow she “has” to be there.
• Came thaaaaat close to going on up to NewSpring yesterday and blowing off the ‘Crest today. We were already in the huge metropolis of Commerce, Georgia, just down I-85 from Anderson. Decided against it. Did I mention that I wasn’t overly impressed with the outlet center in Commerce?
• Finishing up some reading - Mark - and writing a bit in my Moleskine.

That’s about it! 4:00 a.m. will be here before you know it! Off to bed pretty soon!

Speaking of Seniors…

I think I’m going to order some of these…

Not Your Father’s Senior Adults…

Interesting article about love among the geriatric set…

What are the implications for ministry here?