Easter weekend

We had a very slow week at the office. Gina decided to skip work Friday and for us to head down to Birmingham for the day. It was a beautiful day for the family (Gina, Katie, Kelsey, and myself) to have a Cracker Barrel breakfast in Trussville and then head down to the Birmingham Zoo. The last time I was there, Katie was about three years old. I'm not much on zoos and such but the girls loved every minute of it.

We came home and got a little rest. I headed down to the the Coffee Vine Cafe' for Aroma Friday. Before the music began, I noticed my old pal Tommy Campbell at a table. I went down and talked with him for a little bit. I love this man, we share so much history together and yet we never get to hang out much. The band from Mercy Hill let me sit in with them and play my blues harps. We had a great time. I left dog tired. I drove down in the VW. The plug blew out again on the way home (after midnight). You wouldn't believe the racket that car made. I felt kind of bad driving through the neighborhood but what else could I do?

Saturday morning rolled around and Gina let me sleep in. She took the girls to an Easter egg hunt in Rainbow City and then to the grocery store. I rolled out of bed and drove the car over to Bill Noah's again. He tried to get the spark plug back and gave me the bad news. He said that the plug hole was reamed out and the engine had to be pulled to fix it. Bill doesn't work on engines and said he knew somebody that might be able to help me. I am dreading to know how much this is going to cost me...just to get a spark plug to work. Ain't that something?

I drove my LOUD car back home and commenced to painting the trim work that's going up in the basement. I listened to some Rush Limbaugh (best of - WAAX) while I painted outside. Again, a great day for working outside. It seemed that all the men in the neighborhood were out outside working a projects. Ahh - Spring! Gina came home with some groceries. She wanted me to grill some hamburgers. I bought her a grill for Christmas (at her request!) and this was our first chance to use it.

I had checked the drive-in movie times on the mountain while the girls were off. I was a little miffed that all the drive-ins had gone up in prices and were no longer charging per car load! I guess I'll have to start loading my children in the trunk in the future...I'M KIDDING!!!!! Besides, the only trunk I have is the VW and there's only room for my four year old. She'd be okay...we could talk to her throug the whole in the glove compartment...maybe even feed her those little cheesy gold fish through the hole as well. I don't think she'd complain too much.

Anyway, we got the girls to take a nap during the afternoon and then took them to see Horton Hears A Who and Spiderwick Cronicles. They were okay movies and the girls enjoyed them. You know me - I just like going to the drive-in. It was cold tonight, the wind started kicking in and I started to freeze. It's a good think I took my poncho that Jose' brought me back from Mexico. I know that I look silly in it (Clint Eastwood I'm not) but it sure does keep the heat in. Kelsey (4) and I cuddled through most of Horton. Though it was cold, Katie and Kelsey didn't complain a bit, they were fixed up with hot chocolate and nacho cheese. We came home and they passed out.

So midnight came and everyone was in bed but me. While unpacking the car I noticed that my front tire on the driver's side was flat. I don't know how far I'd driven with it that way. The car seemed to drive fine for me all the way back from Sand Mountain. I will give God credit for getting us home safe. I went ahead and put the spare on before coming in. I was so tired from the days activity that I was feeling dizzy out there.

It's been a nice weekend so far. We still have Sunday to go. We've got some family get togethers through out the day (Gina's side). I've got some cooking to do before I head out to Hokes Bluff. Hope you all have a nice Easter. I keep hearing Second Chapter of Act's sing He's Is Risen in my head. It's been a long time since I owned or listened to that album but I can imagine the harmonies pretty well. To be truthful...I always like Keith Green's version of it better but for some reason Second Chapter bleeds through in my mind.

Well - the tomb is empty and there's a lone figure coming walking us from the distance.

wolves & sermons

theology of hatred
james cone's black liberation theology
heard of it yet?
if not today
maybe tomorrow
or the next
jeremiah wright was a student and a teacher of it
a true believer of it
barack obama came to Christianity
through wright's teachings
twenty years of it
some how we are urged to believe that obama sat under it for all those years
and yet wants us to believe he isn't part of it
not tainted
not affected by it
a strong possibility
a true believer of those very teachings
that black liberation theology
that obama listened to from that pulpit at Trinity all those years
all those years
from the lips of his old friend
his spiritual advisor
the pastor that presided over obama's wedding
later baptised his children
the reverend jeremiah wright
the real black david duke
to borrow a phrase
the chickens are going to be coming home to roost on you

Black Liberation Theology 101
James Cone is one of the founders, some say the founder of Black Liberation Theology. Rev. Jeremiah Wright's ministry, his beliefs about America, and about life itself are formed by his attraction to and acceptance of the writings of James Cone.

Come along children, let's read some quotes of the loving from James Cone...UNDERSTAND a little about this wonderful black liberation theology:

"The time has come for white America to be silent and listen to black people."

"All white men are responsible for white oppression." "Theologically, Malcolm X was not far wrong when he called the white man 'the devil.'"

"Any advice from whites to blacks on how to deal with white oppression is automatically under suspicion as a clever device to further enslavement."

"Black suffering is getting worse, not better. . . . White supremacy is so clever and evasive that we can hardly name it." (2004)

" Jesus Christ is black therefore not because of some cultural or psychological need of black people, but because and only because Christ really enters into our world where the poor were despised and the black are, disclosing that he is with them enduring humiliation and pain and transforming oppressed slaves into liberating servants."

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him."

"The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community ... Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy."

"What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal."

sweet - huh
remember what it read on the nazi belt buckles
Gott Mit Uns
meaning
God For Us
they wore it everywhere they marched
Polland to Berlin
even at the ovens
slaughtering the Jews
His chosen people
Gott Mit Uns
justified hate
thinking God was smiling
and marching with them
i will tell you this
people must march for God
God doesn't march for anyone
a people must march for God
nations must march for God
God doesn't march for nations
God doesn't get on your side
God doesn't get behind your cause
you've got to get on His
and it doesn't have anything to do with sponsoring your hate
yep
that's what stinks
beneath the sugar coating
wright's roosters on the horizon
maybe obama's too

two cents more

I took a van to Express Oil Change yesterday. Years ago I took the van there and was told that they now serviced transmissions. I said they could have a look at it and let them put on a new gasket in which they recommended. The transmission started giving me trouble AFTER I left. I finally took the car to Frost Transmission on 77. I was there told that who ever messed with my transmission last used the wrong size gasket. I paid to have FROST fix what Express Oil Change messed up. I pretty much made up my mind NOT to let them work on my car outside of changing the oil. Fool me once.

Yesterday I pulled in for an oil change.

1) The guy said my turn light wasn't working but I noticed the light ON while he was pulling it out. The light was LIT while he was holding it in his hand. He had to break the light in order to get it out of the socket. Does that count for having a broken turn signal?

2) For some reason he wasn't emptying all the oil out of the containers while he was pouring into the head. Maybe he was lazy and didn't want to wait until all the oil drained from the containers but I PAID $12.00 EXTRA for the better oil treatment and the oil was still pouring freely when he carefully tiled the containers up and tossed them. Why was he throwing it away instead of putting it in my engine? I realize it was because it was my money and not his. Maybe he went back later and combined all the oil so he could cap off his personal vehicle - who knows.

3) He said that my belt and tires looked good. In reality, the tires are in real bad shape and the belts need replacing soon too.

4) He said I needed new wipers. I told him that I just put the wipers on twenty minutes prior while in the Walmart parking lot. He said, "Well, you never can tell with those Anco blades, they don't lay too good on the glass." The bozo didn't know what he was talking about and had lost all credibility with me. I am sorry I took his advice earlier and went with the more expensive oil and the turn signal that I obviously didn't need.

I wasn't confrontational about anything - I just knew that I wasn't going to come back. Kind of like the time Expert Tire broke my A/C while charging my Dodge Caravan and then tried to charge me $700.00 to fix it. I drove the car over to Brice Thomas and they welded the area that Expert Tire damaged. Expert Tire called me the following Sunday and said that the part was in. I told them that Brice fixed what they broke and to send the part back. I'm just not going back and their just not going to touch my vehicles anymore. I used to buy all my tires, for all my cars there - well - not after that.

Last month my pal Jerry had an engine light come on and pulled into the same Express Oil Change location (Rainbow City, AL). The mechanic there said that it would cost him $500.00 to fix the problem. Bill Noah fixed it for under $100.00 (parts and labor). What does that tell ya?

I just don't know how some folks stay in business. I have some mechanics in town that have earned my trust and they will have it forever. When a so called mechanic performs such a dis-service, they should not be trusted AT ALL for any service. There is after all, businesses out there who will give you good and honest service. Both Express Oil and Express Tire have lost ALL credibility with me. How can you trust folks when they either recommend services not needed, don't perform the service well -in fact- break you're car while saying they are fixing it and then try to charge you for the fix? From this day forward, I am only going to take recommendations from people that I KNOW and TRUST! Let the buyer beware.

MY BAD BUSINESS LIST

Express Oil Service (Rainbow City, AL)

Expert Tire (Downtown Gadsden, AL)

MY GOOD BUSINESS LIST:

Noah's (Bill) Garage (Southside, AL)

Dean's Auto Service (Downtown Gadsden, AL)

Quality Transmission (Gadsden, AL)

Frost Transmission Inc (Rainbow City, AL)

Putman's Alignment Corp. (Alabama City, AL)

Baker Tire Company (Downtown Gadsden, AL)

There are of course other good and bad auto services in the Gadsden, Etowah County area - I'm just listing the ones in whom I have dealt with personally.

good day

I got a call from my sister Jennie this weekend. She said that I could pick up their old van parked in Alabama City at her father in-laws. It's a 1991 Mazda van. It's got some exterior blemishes but it looks pretty good. I think the fan belt needs to have a look at but all in all it's in pretty good shape. No A/C though. Nevertheless I am just glad to have another vehicle. As I mentioned earlier, we've been juggling cars for the past month and now glad that our family can be in two different places at once. Whew, It was pretty tough when Gina was having to get to the office by 5:00am! I was also glad to see a trailer hitch on the back of it. This means I can drag my lawnmower around when I need it.

The VW is ready to be picked up. It's been in the shop on and off for the past few weeks. The old red Caravan needs to be put in the shop. We've needed it too much as of late to let it go in. As of this week, we'll be able to leave it over at Bill Noah's for much needed service. Hurrah! We are hoping that some of the parts from the old deceased white 93 Grand can be moved over to the running red one. I'll be putting the old trailer hitch onto the red van, that'll be nice.

The weekend went well. The highlight was being on Bruce's worship team with Brook, Liz, LeNola & Tim (aka: Bam-Bam aka: Tailgunner Tim). He has that kick drum of his going so fast and hard that it sounded like a 50CAL. After church services the worship kinship met for a little while. It's always nice to plug in together and discuss where God seems to be leading us. I had to cut out a little early because Katie had a violin recital at the Cultural Arts Center.

Katie had a friend over this weekend. Her friend too is learning to play violin at school and both spent the weekend together at our house playing and practicing. They seemed to have a great time together. Katie doesn't have a lot of friends over - all the friends I've met of hers so far are as sweet as can be...never a bother.

My father in-law turns 83 tomorrow. We met up at Courtyard Cafe' today with family and had a birthday party/extended lunch for him - great food by the way. Meeting a few tables over from us were ladies of the Red Hat Society. I scribbled a cartoon on a place-mat that Gina saved from being tossed by the waitress. No, no one actually wore a hat as fancy as this but I'm sure they would if one happened to exist.

Chet Atkins - I Still Can't Say Goodbye

I saw this when it first aired, Chet Atkins, Certified Guitarist. I can't believe it's been over 20 (1987) years. I never forgot the song, it atomatically plays in my head when I think of it. It is absolutely beautiful and will always draw a tear or two.

it's Friday

Yes, and it's been a blur of a week. I look back on it and I can't remember much of anything. Most days I do what I am told by the boss (my wife) until it's time to pick up Katie from school. Evenings I'll prep dinner, give Kelsey a bath, clean the kitchen and then put the girls to bed. The past few weeks I've been crashing as soon as I get the girls down. I have been dead tired lately. Poor Gina has been getting up at 4:00 a.m. for the past few weeks so she can see a patient in the morning. Needless to say, she's goes to bed as early as possible. The days have been like endless circles, all the same.

I finally got the Physician's Area Directory to the printer this week. That was a huge hurdle. Last Friday the printer gave me a mock-up and Gina hated the cover. The cover was my design and I thought for sure she had seen and approved it. Then again, she's so busy when I tell or show her things that I never know if I'm heard or noticed during the day. I've gotten to where I write notes and place them on her phone or on her schedule book. We can spend days in the same office and not get to talk. It's nice when we can have lunch together...that's when we get to talk.

The Physician's Area Directory by the way is a booklet we're printing up of and for physicians practicing in the Etowah County area. It's not for the general public - solely for the medical community. Not as many doctors replied to our invitation the first go around but I am sure that more will want to participate once they see the first edition and what we are trying to do for the medical community. It's been one of the most involved projects I've worked on as a graphic designer in quite some time.

I look forward to the weekend. I've got A LOT of housecleaning to do. I spend most of my time at the office and it's nice to have some off days here and there so I can stay home and clean. I haven't had any off days lately, so I will need to take advantage of this weekend. I'm not singing anywhere Friday or Saturday so I've got time to clean. Bruce has asked me to be on his worship team Sunday and that's always a treat.

I didn't go to the drive-ins much last year. This year I hope to make up for it, that is if anything is worth watching. We are having SOME warmer weather. I want to slip away as soon as we start having some warmer nights. Do you hear me Jose'?

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid Trailer

YOU SAW THE MOVIE...
NOW WATCH THE TRAILER!!!!

Jack in the Box

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."
2 Timothy 4:3

My dear old friend Arnie Sanford had a name for it - "Ear Candy"

Mary Ann & Mary Jane

just sit right back and you'll hear a tale

a tale of a fateful TRIP

it started along this tiny strip

the driver brave and sure

four passengers set off that day

but three just disappeared

the trooper found his evidence

that mary ann loved mary jane

on state highway 33

on state highway 33

that's right - Dawn Wells -aka: Mary Ann

recently busted for driving with dope in her possession

as you may recall

the late Bob Denver also had a bent for the weed

makes one wonder what all went on on that Island

things are starting to make sense

after all these years

the skipper, professor, the movie star

the millionaire and his wife

and yes

gilligan

must've found an interesting stash on that island of theirs

kept them from wanting to really get off

too busy getting off

so to speak