R-E-S-P-E-C-T

We attended church this morning with Barry's dad and Reba at their church in Covington. It was quite a change from what I am used to. The music was loud and contemporary, and the congregation swayed and clapped with their hands in the air. Communion was very different, and the pastor's message was delivered differently than I had experienced before - not that it was a bad thing. I guess I can get used to many things if it benefits my children.

One thing that really bothered me was the way some people chose to come to worship. You're in God's House...can you not at least comb your hair? There were people in tank tops with spaghetti straps, pants that barely covered the girl's rear, guys in t-shirts and shorts, and others in ragged jeans and flip-flops. One teen on the front pew sat through the service with a hat on!!! Most of the young men did not know where barber shops were located in Covington. Barry's dad said that you have to do things to get the kids in the church, and I can agree with that. I can accept the way they are dressed if that is the best they can do, but I don't have to condone it. I felt like we stood out today. I wore a modest dress, Daniel wore slacks and a golf shirt, and Barry and Aaron wore dress shirts and ties. The rest of the bunch looked like a bus had pulled up to WalMart and loaded them up without telling them where they were going. Bring them in by all means, but set an example of how they should conduct themselves. Sitting in church won't make you a Christian. I can sit in an oven all day, but it doesn't make me a biscuit!

I'm sorry. I know I should not be judgemental, but I was taught that there were just certain things you should do. You wear shoes in a restaurant, don't spit your gum out in a parking lot, and dress nice when you go to church. Now I wouldn't feel comfortable in a church that dressed so fancy that you feel unworthy to share a pew with the bejeweled lady beside you. But would it honestly be bad to expect folks to put a tiny bit of effort into their appearance? Pull up your pants, comb your hair, and TAKE OFF YOUR HAT!!! It just shows that you respect where you are and why you are there.

Barry and I had a long conversation about the day when we got back home. The boys enjoyed the service. Daniel went with the kids his age after Communion, and Aaron stayed with us. He followed along in the Bible and listened intently to the young pastor's message. Admittedly, his sermon was informative and enlightening. I didn't really like the way he referred to the distraction the young children would be in the church if they did not have an area of their own to go to for worship. I have heard many older ministers say it is a poor preacher who can't preach over a crying baby. What's wrong with a family worshipping as a family? What's wrong with teaching your kids to sit still for an hour? People say they can't take their kids to weddings and funerals because they can't control them. Well, maybe if they spent some time with them in church they'd behave better in other places. I do like the idea of bringing God's message to them in language they can understand, but parent's share this responsibility too. I can turn to the boys when something comes up they don't quite understand, and take the time to explain it. Admittedly, this pastor definitely had a friendly manner and a talent for reaching his listeners. But I didn't really think it was appropriate when at the end of his sermon he came around and SAT on the altar. I'd tear up my boys' behinds if they ever did that!

Ultimately I will do what I hope is best for the kids. They're just beginning their walk with Christ and need a good foundation. If they can get it in a contemporary church, I will give up my comfort zone for that. But they will look like young gentlemen going to church. They will be clean, their hair will be trimmed, they will dress in a respectful manner, and a hat will not be worn during the service.

Respect is spoken in our home, and that's just the way it is. And on that point, I WILL NOT BEND.

Busy Little Men

It has been a busy week with two busy little men!

Aaron had Bulldog Camp on Tuesday, which is 6th grade orientation at the middle school. They learned about changing classes, opening lockers, and going to gym. He had a great time, and excitedly tried to tell me everything about it as fast as an auctioneer when I picked him up! He's way more excited about middle school than I am. That's my baby!!! He shouldn't be old enough for this! He should still be this cute little bitty guy running around with pockets stuffed full of Hot Wheels cars! he still occasionally has one in there, but now his pockets hold his Boy Scout knife and his wallet and all those "manly" items.

Daniel has also been a busy one this week. He has been taking golf lessions for three days at the Horse Park's Cherokee Run Golf Club. He informed me on the last day not to come back to get him early because he had to go to the bar after they played! I guess they are teaching them ALL the skills necessary to play the game! When I arrived I asked about him in the pro shop. The man said that all the little guys were with Raquel in the bar. It was the cutest sight! All seven little men were bellied up to the bar, chatting with Raquel while she refilled their drinks. All of them had on green Cherokee Run hats. He excitedly showed me that he now owned 3 golf balls. Now if he only had some clubs! After we got home he called his grandaddy and told him that if he ever got lonely and wanted to play golf, that he would play with him. Now how can you turn down an offer like that?

Well, if I misplace him, I'll know to check the bar!

Hero Training

In case you had not noticed, I'm proud of my boys! They never cease to amaze me with what they know and what they perceive at a young age. They understand things that grown folks wrestle with!

Today Aaron took First Aid and CPR training, and he took it very seriously. When I arrived to pick him up, he was still practicing! He had to show me how to perform CPR on the adult manequin as well as the baby. He eagerly showed me the supplies for his first aid kit that he had been given by the EMT who taught the class. You could tell he was so thrilled to have learned all these skills! This just about finishes off his First Aid merit badge for Boy Scouts. I told him that you are never too young to save a life.

I pray he'll never have to put his "hero training" to use, but I believe he would do it to the very best of his ability. He has a good mind, a good heart, and a good soul.

Independence Day

As we have done for the past several years, we spent July 4th weekend in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains. It was just nice to get away for a few days. The weather was nice, the scenery was beautiful, and the food was plenty!

Saturday was spent in Dahlonega. Now that's a place that knows how to decorate with a patriotic message! All the main roads leading into the town have white crosses and flags evenly spaced on the sides. Each cross has the name of someone from the county who died in service to our country from WWI forward. It is a moving site to behold. We roamed around the town, through all the shops, and down to the gold mine. I just don't know if I want to be deep underground with all the tremors the Eastern US has had lately, as well as all the mining accidents there have been this year. Just call me a chicken - an ABOVE-GROUND chicken!!!

Speaking of chicken . . . ever notice that food tastes better when you cook and eat it outside? We did our share of that this weekend as well. The Old Buzzard came up on Sunday, as well as Granny & Papa, and we had a cook-out with some of Mama's camping neighbors. Mrs. Jane decided to throw her homemade key lime pie on the floor, so we missed out on that. But she did whip up some "Nasty Little Brownies" to make up for it! Barry grilled chicken, Johnsonville Brats, Bubba Burgers, and hot dogs on the grill. Mrs. Jane did a BBQ roast, and Mrs. Joyce brought a still-warm banana cream pie. Those ladies can do some wonderful things in a camper oven! Of course there was potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and all the rest of the things you need for a proper cook-out. Needless to say, no one left hungry.

Monday we decided that the town of Helen needed a visit from us. Boy the damage from last year's tornado was still astonishing. It cut a swath through part of the town and stripped two hillsides completely bare. At least it missed the doo-doo pond. Can you believe there is a motel built right next door to the sewage treatment facility? (Wonder if they advertise either lakefront property or an inground pool?) We meandered through the shops and saw lots of thing to waste money on. The boys bought some rocks. (Oh, they MUST be my children!) We had a nice day, and spent the evening by the campfire. At one point, Mama, Barry, and I were looking up at the sky and talking. We noticed this object we took for a plane slowly moving off to the right. Suddenly it changed colors slightly and was gone. We all three looked at each other, and had no idea what we had just seen. Weird! Anybody who has an explanation, feel free to chime in!

Independence Day is so much more than a time for weekend getaways, cookouts, and fireworks though. It is vital to remember that our independence comes with a cost. It was paid in blood from the time the first settlers came to these shores. The price has been paid in every corner of the world by folks who put on the uniform and fought to keep the rest of us free. With more American lives on the line, Iraq and Afghanistan are struggling to get a little taste of the freedom and independence we enjoy. Our troops are awesome!

God bless America, land that I love!