Story time, I guess.
When the district playoffs start, it's usually pushing into winter
weather. It can get really cold in the panhandle of Texas. My tuba would be frozen stiff in the
fourth quarter after our third quarter
run to Allsups for egg nog. All that spit from half time I'd reckon. I'd have only one note until I warmed it back up.
Sound out there carries for miles on those cold nights. I remember train horns carrying over 2.5 miles easy, as did the rumble when they passed by.
Dateline: Spur, Texas, 1950's or 60's
An old guy told this long years ago. He was quarterback of his football team in high school, and got injured. They let him announce the game as he wasn't going to be healed up in time for the end of the season. Spur, Texas was in our district. I've played them there. Neat place.
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| Off the caprock, there are some hills. Nothing like playing in the snow on green grass. |
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| Near the press box |
It is a freezing cold, clear night. They are in the district playoff, and it's almost time to start. The QB said the old PA system had a short in it. As long as you don't pick it up off the metal table it's okay. If you do it'll zap you. The multiple drops after that hadn't helped it any. He starts the run down, then introduces the pastor of their local church who is to give the invocation. Before he can warn the pastor to not touch the mic, he grabs it and lifts it off the table. "GoddddddD--n!!!!" rolls through the night like thunder...... and it is deathly silent after..... Everyone is looking at the press box. The pastor is pacing back and forth. All eyes in the press box are on him. He makes no move for the mic laying on the table. THAT was the invocation?!?!?!?! The QB tilts the mic up and introduces the girl singing the National Anthem. And it's a football game.
During a touchdown when every one was cheering, the pastor scooted out of a back door. The cultural faux pas was tiny compared to the spiritual one. When the deacons went to visit the pastor the next day, he had moved out! Gone! Disappeared! No forwarding address.
Pastoral Misconduct Part 2
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| I bet it looks exactly like it did back then |
Story goes, the pastor's birthday was coming, and the congregation decided a surprise party was in order. After Sunday evening services, folks snuck over to the pastor's house and let themselves in. Lights are off, furniture got moved a bit by the crowd, and here he comes!!!! sh shhhh shh. As he stumbles around in the living room, a curse is uttered in the dark, under his breath. The lights come on, and the true believers are standing there, in shock. Surprise for EVERYONE.
Deacons met the next day and fired him. Done, just like that.
The old days were tough on folks. Not much forgiveness if you broke the written or unwritten rules. I don't really like the "anything goes" mentality of today, but it is a more lenient place than the "nothing slips by" of the past. It always seemed that to be seen as righteous you had to be merciless, too.
The character of the Master Shepherd
Thank God, He isn't like that. Don't ever forget that Christmas is remembering God's gift to you. He knew you couldn't live a good enough life to make it to heaven on your own. So He sent the Perfect, Eternal Gift. Ultimately, a sacrifice. The One that could live a perfect life and impart that perfection to your account. Because you and I aren't even able to do righteousness without fouling it up. As you give gifts this year, remember God's Greatest Gift, and that It is yours for the asking.
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| My favorite artist |
Best wishes for your Christmas
Is all you get from me.
Cause I ain't no Santa Claus -
Don't own no Christmas tree.
But if wishes was health and money,
I'd fill your buckskin poke.
Your doctor would go hungry
An' you never would be broke.
Happy Christmas yall. I hope we get what we need, and not what we deserve!
Truly I remain,
Your friend,
STxAR
Marvelously said. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas brother! May you and your missus enjoy the long weekend together! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWell said indeed, STxAR. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas TB!! Thanks for dropping in.
DeleteBack at ya, STxAR. I hope that the new year holds continued improvement for you.
ReplyDeleteFrom your mouth to God's ears! Happy Christmas to you and yours TNM. Thanks for the visit.
DeleteThose football games were a challenge for the band, especially when a blue norther came in. You must have been in the southwestern part of the Texas panhandle since you had an Allsups. Didn't have those father north and east.
ReplyDeleteCall me crazy, but I miss grabbing an Allsups burrito while on the road. Lived in Clovis where they were headquartered for a year, so I had more than a few then. Cheap bachelor food.
Abernathy had one, southern Hale county. Those burritos were something else! I think they were like heroin. You didn't stay away for a decade then just get one and eat it. You really had to work your way back up to it. I hadn't eaten one in years, then I stopped and got one. I bet it had been in there since I was in high school, just waiting. Wow, that was a tough night.
DeleteOur best field guys in high school, shot put and discuss, used to eat those on the way to track meets. And it was like mentos and coke. The second they ate them, the back of the bus was an NBC nightmare. It was rank. They were seniors and both were already balding. I bet they were almost 30....
Clovis, yup. Great part of the world out there. UFO's dust storms and dark nights....