Now I'm as peace loving and bird watching as the next guy, but have you ever seen a buzzard up close. I mean really up close?
The other day, I hitched a ride with a guy going my way. I've had to cut back on driving my low riding 4x4 because gasoline has gotten so expensive. Anyway, the ride was reasonable or so I thought.
Now in Texas, you know the state bird must be a buzzard. Well, I have to tell you the state is now short one bird. My ride was cruising outside the hood, when out of no where this suicidal buzzard was camped out in the middle of the road. This bird must have been really depressed because he didn't budge as my ride bared down on him.
I kept thinking. Bird you gotta move and move quick. We were really cruising and if the bird had kept his head down, he'd still be alive to tell the story. But just about the time we got there, he flew up and right at our windshield.
I remember the last bug I hit, it was a mess and the sound was loud. But if you have ever hit a buzzard, let me tell you the sound is deafening! POW! I thought the Sparrow was going to have Buzzard in his lap. It really got me laughing about the Sparrow taking out a Buzzard.
The buzzard didn't have a chance.
I've been thinking about running the race. In any race, there has to be a beginning and an end. The beginning of the race is easy to define. It is the place that you begin running. But, what is the end?
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Hang on a second while I put on my cape.....
Some people have hats. Some people have shoes. Some people have jewelry. I have my cape. It is who I am.
I know I'm pretty smart. You can tell it from my many blogs. You gotta be smurt to write that much stuff about seemingly mundane uninteresting topics. So I feel pretty good about myself.
But, even though I really don't need anyone's help I got to thinking. I have a big responsibility on my street corner giving out directions. One time (not often), I didn't know the answer to a question and I got to thinking again.
The question was: Who disciples a discipler?
I took a break from the corner and counted Sunday my day of rest. I know some of you consider Sunday a work day if you wear the collar like me. But, for me and my house we will rest on Sunday. That's why I found myself in a building with the church in it today.
I was pretty excited to be there because I has stressed from the week's work. The hospital was chasing me for the tab I rang up while in ICU and contributions had been down at the corner. You can only imagine how excited I was to be handed a juice box and cracker when I walked in.
I didn't think much about the cracker and asked if they had peanut butter, but did like the juice box. It was a nice touch.
The preach surprised me and I bet surprised himself when he realized he must have forgotten his cape. But, I'm sure he was much more relaxed in blue jeans. I think you get closer to God in blue jeans. He's not so much on capes these days. I've been thinking about going to jeans, but the take is so much better with the cape on the corner. Go figure.
I heard the preach and was impressed with his stories of how God had made a point of showing Himself and His power. You know when you get right down to it, what good are the great days on the corner if God's not there.
Now the juice was a good touch, but the best part was knowing if my heart was right I had an opportunity to share in what Jesus did for me and my flock so many years, ago. The cracker didn't do much for my hunger pangs, but it did a lot for my remembering Christ in the upper room as He prepared for the ultimate sacrifice.
It all reminds me of the times of old when my brothers in the cloth would wait for their opportunity to enter the Holy of Holies. Some came out with a smile at having encountered God and survived. Others, didn't come out at all. I wonder which brother I would have been today?
The rest of the story......
Rev.Dr.Abraham Newman
Regional Director to Nigeria
International Drug and Terrorist Enforcement (IDTE)
United Nations Office,3 Whitehall Court
SW1A 2EL London U.K
Phone:+44 7045767393
Email: infoidte@yahoo.co.uk
Alt.stben09@gmail.com
Good day,
This is to bring to your notice that I,Rev.Dr.Abraham Newman, United Nations Regional Director to Nigeria representing the International Drug and Terrorist Enforcement (IDTE) has been appointed by United Nation/International Financial & Economic Crime Unit to Nigeria in association with AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK to pay 150 scammed victim’s the sum of $1000,000 USD (One million Dollars) each. You have been listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid this amount in the second phase of the Economy Reform Project; I would like you to Provide/confirm your detail, so that your compensation would be paid out to you. Get back to me as soon as possible for more details on the immediate payments of your $1000, 000 USD compensations/Beneficiary funds.
According to the number of applicants at hand, 114 Beneficiaries has been paid, Most of the victims are from the United States while the rest are Europeans and Asians, and we still have more 36 left to be paid the compensations of $860,000 USD each. Your particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested in Lagos, Nigeria as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him/anyone for any reason what so ever as the Interpol is already on trace of the criminal. So keep it secret till they are all apprehended.
Other victims who have not been contacted can submit their application as well for scrutiny and possible consideration.
You can receive your compensations payments via ATM CASH CARD. I shall feed you with further modalities as soon as I hear from you.
Yours faithfully,
Rev.Dr.Abraham Newman
+44 7045767393
Have you ever wondered where the Holly Fawder goes for confession? Like who's going to listen to him? Now when the sheep come, that's pretty good because they always have something entertaining to say and you can milk it for a few bucks. But, the Fawder's gotta be pretty boring. Right?
Wrong! It was the end of my shift on the corner and the newspaper guy wanted his turn so I hopped in my new 4X4 and drove to the local pizza dive. That would seem innocent enough, but there wasn't any innocence to be found anywhere.
I got to tell you. I know why the sisters at the home wear long dresses. Otherwise, us men of the cloth would spend all our time listening to each other's confessions and they'd be good.
But, this is one confession I'm going to keep to myself. I don't want the boss to keep me from my Friday night pizza run.
The rest of the story
I know you find it hard to believe the Holly Fawder went to a bar. But it's not really that bad. They dress 'em up now days and make it legit by serving chicken wings. I remember in the good old days they called them 'SpeakEasy's. I'm pretty sure they called them that because after you had partaken of their beverages it was easier to speak, just not easier to understand if you know what I mean.
I had good reason to go the 'Flippin Plates' establishment. My friends call it a bar but whatever. You recall I was in intensive care. Let me tell you, that's not the place to hang out if you want encouragement. Now, at Flippin Plates you get all the encouragement you can afford to drink. Guaranteed!
Now I'm not regularly a drinkin man, but sometimes you may need to so as to fit in with the crowd. If everyone around you is a bit tipsy, you might need to belt a couple down just to best relate to them when you talk about the good life available from the big guy.
Here's where the collar comes in handy. You know police offices always get their drinks free in exchange for providing security. Well, it turns out the Flippin Plates establishment respects the cloth, also. Granted I had to bless the waitress, but other than that the beverages were gratis.
I've always said you tell how religious a person is at your local bar. You hear the big guy and his son named all the time in the really good bars. Sometimes they even get in a discussion about the Holly Muther.
In my house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. Holy is the name of Jesus.
It has not always been good on the corner. There has been times when it was cold enough to freeze my spit before it hit the ground. There have been times when it was so hot you could burn your fingers picking up coins.
The big guy gave me enough time to do what he wanted done. Nothing more. Nothing less. He created in me a passion to succeed. Some times I did. Sometimes I didn't. But, you know I always tried.
I wonder if trying hard is good enough for the big guy? Will he look down on me and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You tried hard. I've reserved a room in a mansion just for you."
Or will he say, "I never knew you. Trying hard doesn't make up for the cross. I didn't send my son to the cross so you could try hard. What else you got? The flames are licking at your feet."
I hope the doctors know what they are doing. I still got some work do to....
Have you ever eaten applesauce with a fork? When you have been in a hospital for as long as I, you begin to appreciate the little amusements of life. Such as, eating applesause with a fork. Oh, I have a spoon. But if I eat with a spoon, the meal will be done and then what will I do? I'm not getting drugged silly as often now, so I have a lot of time to kill. Interesting word to use in a hospital, right? But, I've been thinking about death.
No. I'm not thinking about killing myself, although sometimes I think it might be an easy way out. I'm thinking about all the good I've done and hoping the big guy noticed. You remember when I yelled at him because of this heart thing going on? I had been doing all the right things and he whacked me anyway!
Well, I'm trying to be more understanding of him and wondering if I've done enough good to offset the bad I've done. I'd hate it if when I find myself standing or laying at the pearly gates (depending if I'm out of the hospital yet) and the big guy looks at me and says, "Which train are you about to catch?" I mean if he doesn't know, I could be in trouble.
It got me thinking. How can anyone know for sure which train to catch? I suppose it depends on what ticket you buy.
I was doing pretty good for myself and the wife. We had a good house and great pickup truck. The kids had grown and lived their own lives. We had money for vacations and pretty much did what we wanted. Now I'm woke up every 4 hours at the Holly Mercy Hospital for the Infirmed. Life stinks!
Yeah, I know that sounds a bit rude. But have you ever woke up with a four inch needle going a place even angels fear to tread. I want to tell you it is not fun and neither is it fair. I think the doctors are just part of a system that thrives on hurting others and then grin as it fills their bank accounts.
I've got to write quick, because they just gave me another shot for who knows what and likely I'll pass out shortly. I still don't get it. I did so much good for the big guy and now this. What is the deal? What is he thinking? Doesn't he know I'm hurting? Doesn't he know I need help? Big guy where are you.......? Sigh.
Just about the time I am ready to black out, this guy walks in the room. Doesn't he know it's not visiting hours. Just a guy in blue jeans and t-shirt with some message on it about saving the whales. He says, 'Hello, Holly Fawder'. How does he know my name? Must have read the chart? "How are you doing?" he says.
I'm thinking, what an idiot! How does it look like I'm doing? But I say, "I'm ok." Looking in his eyes, I see deep pain mixed with unfathomable love. I don't understand. How can you see pain and love both from a person's eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. I never really cared about a person much less their eyes. But, this guy was different.
It's as if I had a million questions to ask and yet no voice to communicate. I stared into his deep seemingly passionate eyes with an empty grin as I drifted off to some deeply medicated place. Did I just see a blue jeaned guy out of place in my room or was it just part of the drug induced stupor coming on? I'll probably never know.
