Whose Church Is It?

I read an article in the online version of the Clarion Ledger yesterday.  It made me sick.   It made me sick on several levels.

First, that some people in a church would deny a wedding ceremony on the basis of race.  That reasoning is against everything that Christ teaches us.

Second, that the world would think that all Baptists, or all Mississippians, or all white people would agree with those few who are so misguided.

My heart goes out to the Wilsons, whose special day was stained by a few small-minded individuals.  My heart also goes out to the pastor, Dr. Stan Weatherford.  They were all placed in a terrible position with so little time to make alternate plans.  Having just gone through wedding preparations with my eldest, I cannot imagine what we would have done if someone had suddenly decided that the church was off limits just as we began decorating.

There have been some comments that the pastor should have insisted on having the wedding at the original venue.  I am proud of the parties involved that all were still willing for him to officiate.  Dr. Weatherford could have performed the wedding at FBC Crystal Springs, but he may have been trying to protect the Wilsons from an ugly scene on a day that should be filled with happy memories.  He is quoted by a WLBT reporter as saying, "I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day."

I wonder what the service was like at FBC CS the day after the wedding wasn't there.  I hope the few who were opposed to the wedding don't think they won anything.  They have lost so much.  They have lost the respect of their fellow citizens of Crystal Springs.  They have lost the respect of the Christians of Crystal Springs.  I can't really say fellow Christians, because I can't imagine true followers of Christ doing such a loathsome act.  

I pray that the Wilsons don't let this effect the true friendships that they may have made at FBC CS.  I hope that the REAL church steps up to let the light of Christ shine through them.  I will pray for Dr. Weatherford as he follows the leadership of Christ at the church he as been called to serve.  There can be a real opportunity for understanding and growth to come from this situation.  But only if God's church stands up and makes His love known.

Turkeys and a Deer

My morning commute is like going to Grandmother's house:  over the river and through the woods.  Yesterday, as I came around a bend, I had to slow down for a line of turkeys to cross the road.  The chicks were leading the way and 2 adults were bringing up the rear. (These are not the actual turkeys that I saw.  I think our chicks were a bit bigger.) Just off the road was a wire fence that I have seen quail go through, but even the turkey chicks were too big to fit through.  I stopped the car to see what the turkeys would do with humanity at such close range.  To my amazement, one of the adults and half the chicks flew over the fence!  I didn't realize that they could fly so young.  In my rear-view mirror I saw the other adult lead the rest of the chicks around the back of the car to the woods that they had just come from.

Every time I see turkeys, especially turkeys in the road, I think of Neil Wigley, a former music minister at ABC, now a pastor in Arkansas.  He is an avid hunter.  In fact, he is the only man I know to lead a worship service while wearing a ghillie suit.  (Okay, so it was on Camo Sunday, but quite a few guys would have been satisfied with a camouflage tie.)

A mile or so past the turkeys, there was more wildlife.  A deer ran across the road in front of us.  Quite a bit in front of us, I'm happy to say, as my car earned the nickname "Deerslayer" shortly after we purchased it.  On that occasion, we were headed to church for an evening youth function.  A young deer ran out of the woods beside us and crashed into the driver's side of the car.  The vehicle behind us was carrying all the boys that were staying at our house that weekend.  And of course, they were all carrying phones.  We were met in the parking lot by a crowd wanting to inspect the damage to the car.  Then there was Bro. Nick, our new music minister, who wanted to inspect the damage to the deer.  We took him to the scene where he loaded the deceased deer into the back of his pickup.  I learned that Bro. Nick is a very practical man.

Yet Another Knitting Post

Not too long ago, I received an e-mail from LionBrand advertising a sale on Microspun yarn.  $1.85 per skein.  I couldn't resist.  I had no idea what I was going to make with any of it (I got several colors).

A few days after it arrived, I discovered a pattern on a knitting website called Ravelry.  It seemed just the thing.  It called for some #10 circular needles, which I do possess.  However, they are currently engaged in another project.  As a result, I am now the owner of some #11 interchangeable circular needles.

 The above picture is about 40% finished. It is knit from the top center, down and outward, so it's upside down here.

 I finished it this afternoon.  I wasn't sure that the 2 skeins of gray would be quite long enough, so I found some maroon bamboo silk in my basket (also a clearance item I got a couple of years ago.)  It's not quite perfect, but it will work very nicely once the weather cools off quite a bit. It's about 60 inches wide at the top and 29 inches long through the center.

 Here's a close-up of the design.  The maroon looks great around the outside edge.  Not counting the price of the new needles, it cost me less than $6.  It just doesn't get any better than that.