Stars Fell on Alabama

I've just finished reading this book by Carl Carmer. Published in 1934, and written by a transient Yankee professor, it gives a glimpse into all sorts of areas of the old South. Some of which I'm not very proud :-( It's so hard to imagine that some of these things went on, as I was raised by parents who were/are not prejudiced according to race. My parents taught us that ALL are made in the image of God and are to be treated with respect. We had a few workers that my mother had hired. A lovely sewing lady. A wonderful yardman, who shuffled in his denim overalls and whom I could hardly understand. A lady who cleaned and did some cooking. And we treated them all respectfully. So, like I said, it's hard to imagine these stories of ill-treatment. But they are there. They are true. And it's shameful. Carmer wrote these stories as he traveled the back roads of Alabama, and it made me homesick. There are plenty of good stories mixed in with the bad ones. Stories of old families, how areas were settled, folk stories, brer rabbit stories that you've never seen or heard. Stories of traveling along the dirt roads. I could truly picture it all...the bright red dirt/clay, the kudzu covering old weather-beaten houses that are built up on pillars of stones for their foundations. The humidity so thick you could drink the air. Yes, in spite of the "hard" stories, I was homesick.

To Kill a Mockingbird

In preparation for our very long road trip, I stopped by the library to find a book on tape. To Kill a Mockingbird - 11 hours. hmmm, oughta be just right. I read the book in high school, had seen the movie, and thought to listen to this book read by Sissy Spacek would be perfect. Also, a number of the children would get to "read" the book. Dh driving, me knitting, children listening. I wasn't sure that the children would enjoy the book as much as dh and I, but at one point when ds#6 was asked if he wanted to trade and ride in the other car, he said "no way! I want to hear more of the story!" Then when dd#3 got into our car on the way home, she came along just as the long trial started. I told her that I was sorry that this was the part she had to hear, that it was probably boring to her. She said "oh no, this is very interesting!" And she's "only" eight. As dh said at the end, "I'd forgotten how much humor was in that book." So, yes, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Spacek was amazing doing the reading. And we highly recommend it.

White Bread - body?

While I'm venting... I've been chewing on this topic for a while. I can tend to forget about it, until I attend a church where fluffy white bread is used for the body of Christ in the Lord's Supper. What is that??? We all know that white bread is full of fluff, air, and worthless additives. Is that what I want to chew on when I'm partaking on the Lord's Day? No, thank you. I'd much rather chew on something with real substance. Good whole grain stuff...with flavor even. Something that will give me time to truly realize what Christ has done for me. Something that cannot be wadded into a sticky ball of nearly nothing. Granted, I know that God can work through the white stuff too, but I'd really rather have the REAL thing...bread the way God made it before hyper-processing.

Sola Scriptura?

Hmmmm, and I thought that is what protestants believed? But it appears that there's a denomination that is actually more Roman Catholic in practice than the men it accuses of such. After all, the RCs believe in other documents/traditions/encyclicals in addition to scripture. And yet as of today, so does this other denomination. To say that one must follow the Westminster Confession of Faith and not seem to care what Scripture actually says? what? "oh duh, duh, dear," as Piglet says.... I guess I always thought that Scripture would trump any man-made document. oops, guess I was wrong... I know what my prayers will be.

Headed out

We're headed to the Oregon coast for a week. Dh is teaching at a family camp. The camp is sponsored by a church in the Portland area. We're looking forward to his teachings on prayer. I'm taking 3 or 4 knitting projects. I can get a lot knitted while sitting and listening to lectures :-), and I'm hoping that there will be someone there with some knitting experience in case I have a question or two. On the home front, I'm hoping that my next client does not deliver until I get back. She's due 6/17, but went 5 days early with her first. I'm also to assist another midwife with her client who's due 6/12. It would be nice to be at her birth also, since I've assisted with her 2 previous babies. But God knows, and He has a plan for both scenarios.