Sunday Homily, April 16, 2017, Easter

Readings: Acts 2, 1-11; Psalm 104; 1 Corinthians 12, 3-13, John 20,19-23, Pentecost.

Mothers’ Day Notes:

• The idea originated, ca. 1870, with 3 women who had worked in hospitals during the Civil War. 
• Julia Ward Howe (Battle Hymn), Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis, & her daughter, Anna Jarvis wanted a Mothers’ Day of Peace because of the horrors they had seen in the military hospitals.
• Woodrow Wilson, 1914, established the national holiday.

Pentecost Notes:

• The word signifies 50, in this case, 50 days (or 7 weeks).
• O.T.: the Hebrews celebrated the 50th day after the Passover (Egypt, first born sons killed by angel, Jewish sons spared, to threaten Pharaoh into letting the Hebrews depart Egypt).  The celebration eventually focused on agriculture & thanksgiving for the first fruits of the spring, and finally Thanksgiving for the Torah.
• N.T.: Christians tied this occasion to the spiritual fruits of redemption, the Spirit, 50 days (or 7 Sundays/weeks) after the Resurrection.
• Question: a 1 time only event or repeatable (e.g., Pentecostals)?

Mothers’ Day

In Thursday’s USA Today there is an article by Paul Aronsohn about two women, his mother & his sister, Margot & Patti.

When Patti was ca. 25 years old she was diagnosed with a rare disease that eventually would take her life, a disease that resembles M.S., but which does not seem to have a name or be very common.  This happened in ’89, almost 20 years ago.

As the years have passed Patti slowly went down.  Originally active athletically & intellectually, she first had to walk with a cane.  Then she took up a walker, then moved into a wheel chair.  Finally, a few years ago, she became bed ridden.  To eat she has to use a feeding tube, into which something like Ensure is poured, yuk.

During the years her three sibling and friends have helped her.  But the person who has helped her the most was her mother who was herself about 50 when the diagnosis was given. 

Today Patti is about 45, totally bed bound, fed through a tube, can talk a bit, is conscious, and is awaiting the end.  Her mother, Margot, is mid-70’s, takes care of Patti full time in Florida where they moved because of the milder weather than New Jersey.  During the day Margot has help, but at night she sleeps beside Patti’s bed in case Patti needs anything.

What kind of love is this!!  Remember Jackie Ritter’s story about landing in Holland instead of Italy?

Whom do you love this much?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-05-11.mp3

Readings: Zephaniah 2, 3-3, 12-13; Psalm 146, Blessed are the Poor in Spirit; the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs; 1 Corinthians 1, 26-31; Matthew 5, 1-12 

 

Zephaniah observations:

 The 3 chapters of the little book of Zephaniah were compose about 600 years before Christ.  Therefore, he is writing shortly before the Babylonian defeat of Jerusalem and the Captivity.  Because of the book’s shortness Zephaniah is considered one of the 12 minor prophets. 

His theme is the prophetic line:

            1. You people are bad.

            2.  You people will be punished by Yahweh.

            3.  You people, after being punished, will return to a happy place.

 

Today’s selection focuses more on how the humble of spirit will pasture their flocks with no one to disturb them. 

 The psalm & Matthew today both focus on how the poor in spirit will be happy, receiving the kingdom of heaven.

 I am struck that in the readings there is a quality of wishful thinking.  For example, in the psalm,  the lord sets captives free, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, and raises up the bowed down. 

 I can see someone skeptically asking me, “Stack, are you crazy.  You believe this really happens?  Look at history.”  I would like to talk about this in the homily.

 

Poor in Spirit?  Get Real!

 You remember last Thanksgiving when about 35 of us went to help feed the homeless for LifeNet?  Well, while I was helping out, I liked to go around and chat up the people at different tables.

 At one table during the second or third seating over by the windows opposite the side door I ran into 3 elderly white, nicely dressed little ladies.  Folks, they absolutely reminded me of my mother, who would have been mortified to have been eating there. 

 

The ladies were quite friendly, obviously educated, and lived in Richardson.  Were they homeless?  Were they without money, social security, family?  I only knew that they would not have been there had not LifeNet vetted them as being authentically in need. 

 My heart went out to these ladies and I mention them this morning as a lead into the notion that blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.  This statement strikes me as really precarious.

 I would propose that there is a healthy and an unhealthy poverty of spirit.  The poverty of these 3 ladies is unhealthy, spirit killing, depressing.  Unemployment, homelessness, all kill the spirit.

 The same is true of Larry Sims, the 60 year old black man exonerated Friday of a crime for which he has spent 25 years in jail.  DNA proof.  Can you imagine being put in jail for 25 years of your life for something you did not do?  I think I would be mad, bitter.  The amazing reality is that these men are all accepting, forgiving, and grateful.  They humble & amaze me. 

 The same was true of the 3 little ladies.

 

 Mr. Sims is number 35 exonerated in Dallas according to my buddy & old classmate Tony Levatino who helps these men adjust to their new life through Holy Trinity Parish down on Oak Lawn.

 This unhealthy poverty of spirit has been so common down through our history as humans.  Suffering has characterized so many lives.  Slavery, holocausts, genocides, wars.

 I have spent my life attempting to raise up people in this poverty.  We are doing it in this community. 

 What then is healthy poverty of spirit?  From my perspective it is two things: acceptance and gratitude.  This brings about peace of spirit.

 I am astounded, but Mr. Sims and the 3 ladies seemed to have acceptance and gratitude.  I do know others who were dying of depression or discouragement.

 

 Can a person work through the unhealthy poverty of spirit to the peace of acceptance & gratitude?  Apparently so. 

 On a scale of 1-10, where is your poverty of spirit, your acceptance and gratitude?

Picture 1:   Mass with Kevin helping

Picture 2:   Emma walking

Picture 3:   Georgie & her sister Zoe

Picture 4:   Zoe with her dad, Randolph & grandmom, Bernadette

Picture 5:   Michelle, the mother of Georgie & Zoe, with Torri & Buddy, the twins, and Gilberto, Michelle's dad

 

  

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah, 56, 1, 6-7,  My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples

Psalm 67,  Oh, God let all the nations praise you.

Romans  11, 13-15, 29-32,  The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 

Matthew 15, 21-28,   Woman, great is our faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.

 

The Netherlands

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Hue & Georgie , & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel & Homily,  John Cade 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (on vacation) & Richard, Tom, Ben & Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

Please Remember these special people:

For our Bill & his family,   For Becky's dad discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating at home, finally!;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;  for Bill Ekes' longtime buddy, Bobby Duncan, who just passed to the other side.

 

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;    For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey

 

 

 

Look carefully, you may see Mike.  Buena Vista, Cascade Falls

 

 

Download Readings Week 8-16

 

 

Homily 08/16/20,    20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Two things:

First, Readings 1 and 2 speak the same truth, that, whether you are an insider or an outsider, you are welcome as God’s people.                  Second, in the Gospel story, even if you are an outsider, you and your sorrow, your pain, are fully understood.  

The first two readings speak about insiders and outsiders.  First reading is from Isaiah Ch 56.  [Recall what

John Stack has said about the 3 authors of Isaiah Ch 1-39, 40-55, 56-64.]  Here Isaiah says, whether you are one of the chosen Jewish people (an insider), or a non-Jewish foreigner (an outsider), is not the point; it’s what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people, “for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

 

 

 

 

In Romans, Paul says: Neither the non-Jewish Gentiles converting to Christianity (outsiders), nor the Jewish people, including Jewish followers of Jesus (insiders)—neither had an advantage over the other.  God welcomes all.  It’s not where you come from but what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people.

The second amazing Good News is in Matthew’s story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman (Canaanite, yep, that would make her an outsider).   It wasn’t so much what Matthew said about the disciples being such unhelpful dorks…is Matthew using sarcasm here? (See Gospel language).  This story is embedded in a whole string of stories about Jesus caring for people in need, in pain.  E.g. in the same Chapter Matthew says Jesus “was very deeply moved by the sick among them”, that he saw the hungry and fed them, that he saw the disciples’ fear in a storm and calmed them.

 

 

And immediately after today’s story of the Canaanite woman, Matthew tells how the crowds brought the lame, the blind, the mute; and Jesus said, “My heart goes out to them.”  Matthew strings all these stories together as one, to say God gets it, God gets you and me, understands our needs and pain. God’s Spirit is with us in our fear, our sorrow, our pain. 

Recently, I experienced some of what the Canaanite woman was going through.  We have a daughter, Joey (age 46), who gave her consent to speak about it.  She told us this past week that she has breast cancer and the initial treatment will be major surgery.  My family and I are in shock and pain.  I know from today’s readings that my part is not to be strong or aloof, but to be accepting, understanding and caring; most of all, to be present. 

 

 

Remember ……

 

All three Bible stories today have similar messages:  First, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are God’s people—totally accepted, come-on-in accepted. 

And second, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are understood, cared for and loved unconditionally.  God is present with us.  Every one of us.

 

My question: When did you last see and know that you are accepted, understood, loved unconditionally?  And when did you last accept, understand, love another unconditionally?                                       

 

 

 

A note from John Cade:

In the summer of 1956, when still in the seminary, I spent a week at the Trappist monastery north of Atlanta, outside Conyers Georgia.  I got to experience how Trappist monks end every single day, expressing their devotion to Mary, Jesus’ mother—a hundred men standing together and chanting in Latin, Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen.  August 15^th is one of the days we have traditionally honored Mary.  I will chant this hymn in her honor at the end of Sunday Mass.

 

 

Birthdays:    Last Week,  Carrie Bieda, 62;   Stephen Farmer, 30; Marlene; Richard has a new grandbaby, Madeline, & Mom is Cary

This Week. Haya from the JCC , 6:00 A.M. Spin Class, 82, Rose Banzhaf

 

Anniversaries: 

Last Week.  Mary Hall & Dave, 60 years;   John & Jean O'Donnell, 62nd;  Ryan McClurg & Grace, 7th, 

This Week:  Bernadette & Gilbert  

 

 

From mountain stream to desert rock.

 

 

Community Finances, August 16, 2020

Expenses: $600.00  

Outreach   $100.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

 

 

As of September 1, Rosemary & I will have a new address,   7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.

 

 

 

Cindy Cramer is home!  Hooray!

On Thursday, August 13, 2020, 12:52:06 PM CDT, Cathy Cramer <catcramer@gmail.com> wrote:

Great news, everyone — my mom is home!

She's tired and still has some recovery ahead of her. She asked that you hold phone calls for a few days until she gets back into some semblance of a routine.

This will be my last email to y'all. Thanks again so much for all your love, support, and prayers!

Love,

Cathy

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

This is to have succeeded.

 

Success – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Readings:

Acts 10,  25-26,  34-35, 44-48,  God shows no partiality.

Psalm 98,    The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

1 John 4, 7-10,   Let us love one another.

 John 15, 9-17, As the Father has loved me, so I love you.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy be complete.

 1 John and John 15, perfect, fitting readings for Mother's Day

 

 

Acts:  Another review–

Author: Luke, who wrote both the Gospel and Acts

Date: ca. 40-50 years after the death of Jesus

Our selection: This same selection was read on Easter Sunday.  What is happening is this.  Last Sunday we began the second half of Acts, from chapter 9 to the end.  Last week's reading had to do with Paul returning to the community in Jerusalem after he had his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. 

This week we get into chapter 10 which focuses on two characters: Peter and a Gentile (non-Jew) captain in the Roman army named Cornelius.  Cornelius was supposed to be a good man and he has a voice call him, "Cornelius." "What is it, sir?" he answers.  The voice tells him to go a town called Joppa and talk with a man named Peter.  Cornelius sends two servants.

 

 

Meanwhile in Joppa Peter has that vision we talked about Easter Sunday: a sheet coming down from the sky with a multitude of animals.  Many of the animals are considered ritually impure by Jews.  Peter is told by a voice to eat from these animals, but Peter refuses.  While this is going on the two servants arrive and the voice tells Peter to go with them.  Peter arrives at Captain Cornelius' house and that is where we take up the story.

Luke is interested here not so much in history as in convincing his readers that the Gentiles as well as Jews are included in the new religion.

Source: Good News Bible

 

 

Psalms:

Dates:Put together at ca. 300 years BCE.

Author(s): The old belief that David composed all 150 Psalms is just myth.  The reality: many people and groups of people composed the psalms over centuries.

Purpose: songs of gratitude, sorrow, pain, and longing to be sung by the Jewish people, especially in the temple and later in the synagogue.  Special songs were composed for feast days like passover and the feast of lights, to name just two.

Source:Bishop (Episcopal) John Shelby Spong, Origins of the Bible XXV, published 5-2-09 in Mirabile Dictu

 

 

A Mother’s Day Story

I would like to tell you a Mother’s Day story this morning.  This is a “hope you don’t have a kid like this” story.  And if you do, maybe it will give you a little hope. 

I admit that I have told this story at least once during the 15 or so years I was working at St. Mark’s.  I don’t think I have told the story here.  If you have already heard it, visit the coffee shop in the back with the kids.

 

 

 

The story took place many years ago.  It was a chilly, damp, gray day in probably November.  It was a Saturday.  Myself and maybe 5-6 of my buddies from Christ the King grade school took the city buses downtown to watch a movie.  At most we were 7^th grade, 11 or 12 years old.

There used to be 3-4 theaters downtown, the Majestic, the Palace, and others.  There was a bus line down Preston Road near my house in University Park and another on Airline, coming along the SMU campus, west side, the Hillcrest side.  We used both bus lines because some of the guys lived further east in University Park.

 

 

 

So we go to the movie.  We come out, and somewhere, probably at a dime store (remember those?), we buy water pistols.  Then we race around town and run in and out of the department stores, like Neiman’s, having water pistol fights.

Finally, about 4:30, we get on our buses, some on the Airline bus, myself and another guy on the Preston bus.

We get off at my corner, Stanford St., and walk the 2 blocks to my house.  In my back yard I had built a fort some years earlier.  It was on the west side of our house against the west side picket fence.  The fence was against a hedge about 7 feet tall, which ran along the driveway to the garage of our neighbors’ house, Mr. & Mrs. Barnes. 

 

 

 

My friend & I went in the fort and hung out.  At one point Mr. & Mrs. Barnes walked along their driveway and got into their car in the garage.  My friend & I climbed onto the roof of the fort. 

Mr. & Mrs. Barnes started backing their car, a white Cadillac, out the driveway.  She was dressed formally and he was in a tux, if I remember correctly.  Mr. Barnes’ head was slightly out the window of his car, looking back. 

 

 

 

You guessed it, folks.  As they passed by us, we leaned over and let loose with our water pistols. 

Suddenly I knew I was in deep doo doo.   Mr. Barnes backed past the hedge, stopped, got out, and walked over to our front door.  We ran around the opposite side of our house, went across the street, and hid in the bushes.  At that point, my buddy took off. 

After Mr. Barnes finished talking with my mom, he left, and I was ready to go back downtown and move into The Bridge, claiming I was homeless.  Trouble was, The Bridge had not yet been built.  I had to go home, which I finally did.

 

 

 

My mom?  She was so mad!   Actually, I think she spanked me with her hair brush.  It was probably a useless gesture, because I was a little big for it to do much harm.  Either way, I felt like a really bad kid.  During the next 6 years I was quite capable of equally dumb acts.  And you wonder why I thought I better get in the Jesuits 6 years later or I was going to hell? 

Shonda, Bethany, Beth, Michelle, Mary, Erin Pack, Erin McClurg, & Cathy and all you moms and grandmoms with young kids, I pray that you don’t have the same challenges my mom had.   Happy Mother’s Day.

 

 

 

Readings:  Isaiah 55, 1-11; Psalm Isaiah 12; 1 John 5, 1-9; Mark 1, 7-11.  

Isaiah II & Isaiah I: 2 readings from the Book of Isaiah today.  Some points–

• Review of time frame.  The 3 writers of Isaiah all write in relation to the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 575.  Isaiah I before; Isaiah II during; and Isaiah III after the Babylonian captivity.   Chapters 1-39; 40-55; and 56-66.

• Our first reading today, chapter 55, is from Isaiah II.  Many of the lyrics for Handel's Messiah come from this writer, who is one of most influential of the prophetic writers.  This is because he is used & quoted frequently by the Gospel writers.

• Our selection from chapter 55 is Isaiah II exemplifying the consolation theme that characterizes the work of Isaiah II & III.  It is Isaiah II's last contribution and he is addressing a people  depressed.  Using Yahweh's words he is saying, 'Thirsty?  Come to me.'

• In place of a psalm this morning we have another selection from this great work, a selection from Isaiah I chapter 12, which picks up the water theme.  The passage was written before the Captivity.

I am Chosen by God and Beloved?

Like last week when we celebrated the feast of the Magi or Wise Men, this week's focus on the baptism of Jesus is intentionally crafted to help the Jewish people believe in the uniqueness of Jesus.  I have 3 background facts about this story and will follow up by highlighting a somewhat hidden treasure.

First.  When Mark has John the Baptist say, "I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals," the Jews knew something about John that the rest of us don't know today.  Only a slave was expected to deal with the sandals, because the slave was at the bottom of the social order.  The people of the time would recognize that John is saying, "I am lower on the social order than a slave."

He would be addressing his followers who thought he was terrific, and wanted him to be the man.

Second.  While the majority of the Bible presents us with myth, occasionally there is a story about an event that is likely historical.  The baptism of Jesus is one of those events.  Biblical professionals apply two criteria.  Know what they are?

    a.  One criterion is multiple mentions.  That is, the event is mentioned in numerous places and by numerous writers.  Jesus' baptism is mentioned explicitly in the 3 synoptic gospels, i.e., Matthew, Mark, & Luke, and is even hinted at in John's gospel. 

    b.  The other criterion is dissimilar mentions.  That is, each time the story is told, different aspects are developed around the main event.  Therefore, it is unlikely that one writer told the story and the other two copied from him, which is the case with lots of stories in Matthew & Luke.  They probably copied, sometimes directly, from Mark. 

Third.  Nazareth.  We think of this village as a nice little place where Joseph ran his carpenter shop.  His customers were the local folk who were his neighbors.  However, Joseph might have been doing some of his work for the Roman army because at that time Nazareth was a garrison town of the Roman empire.  In fact, Nazareth apparently had a reputation as being pretty wide open with a red light flavor. 

That Jesus was born in Bethlehem with Joseph as his father puts him into the prestigious lineage of King David some 1,000 years earlier.  Being from Nazareth would create a different image in the minds of his Jewish listeners.  They would think, what kind of family is this that comes from that kind of town?

The story has to do with the line in Mark where Yahweh says, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."  By the way, this line is mentioned in the other 2 synoptics, but exactly the same.

This past week we watched the BCS bowl game that OU lost in the second half.  This week end we are watching the NFL play offs.  We all want to know who is number one.  We want our teams to be number one, college level, NFL, or NBA.  On a smaller scale we often get caught up into thinking, 'I want to be number 1.'  In my sports, in my studies, or with you.  The advertising all around me tells me that to be that number one I need to buy a bigger house, or a hot car, or an iphone, or this clothing, or ultimately get something to make me better than I am as I am. 

I even heard the story about the nut case guy who in order to get his name into the Guinness Book of Records climbed into a pit of 80 poisonous snakes.  Number one!

One of the blessings for us in going every Christmas to Mexico City is to see that Stack lives in a bubble, a bubble of wealth and material.  At a stop light on La Avenida de Reforma in Mexico City I am not surrounded by Cadillacs, Mercedes, Beamers, and big SUV's like I am at the corner of Preston & Royal near our house.

In the midst of this obsession with trying to be number one Yahweh comes saying the words 'my beloved' and 'pleased with.'   I discount the words because they are applied to Jesus in the passage.  I would propose that we can apply to us those words.  He says to you, whatever your age or state is, 'You are my beloved', and 'I am pleased with' you.  The way you are.

How does this idea strike you?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-01-11.mp3

Picture 1:  Sabrina reading her Christmas Poem

Picture 2:  The Choir

Picture 3:  Birthdays, Bobby Ekes & Doug Kite

Picture 4:  Chloe & Maggie

Readings:  Job 38, 1-11; Psalm 107, Give Thanks to the Lord, his Love is Everlasting; 2 Corinthians 5, 14-17; Mark 4, 35-41 

 

Job:  

Today: You see the story in the papers about Jake Fleming?  20 year old UCLA student & tennis player, in town to visit best friend at SMU, part of group going to a concert at Fair Park, after the concert another group of white kids argue & one kid sucker punches Jake, he falls & hits his head on the street, is in an induced coma now because of bleeding inside his skull.  This kid bad?  He was planning on teaching little kids tennis during the summer.  Why do bad things happen?  Why suffering?  This is why the story of Job got put together.

The Story: Job is a good man, pious, married, affluent, 7 boys, 3 girls, obeys the Lord & his laws.  Satan makes a bet with Yahweh: you take away Job's goodies, he will curse you.  "Deal," says Yahweh.

Shortly after that, one day servants come to tell Job: 1. rustlers have taken his cattle & killed his servants; 2. lightning has killed his sheep & shepherds; 3. more rustlers took his camels & killed their caretakers; 4.  a storm has killed his 10 kids.  Job does not curse.  In fact, he makes the famous statement: "Naked I entered the world, naked I leave.  Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Satan then proposes another bet with Yahweh: let me afflict him bodily, he will curse you.  "Deal," says Yahweh.  Job is struck with leprosy and is expelled to the trash heap outside the town.    Job does not curse Yahweh, but he does say, "God, put a curse on the day I was born."

Then Job's wife and three friends all attack him, basically telling him to just die, because he is obviously a bad man.  Job says, "No, I've done nothing wrong."  Eventually he is rewarded by Yahweh, lives 140 more years and has 7 more sons and 3 daughters, plus more wealth.  

How many questions do you have?  How does a person's badness or goodness effect the bad things in his life?  Bad things don't happen to good folks?  That is the main proposition of Job, they do.  How about Yahweh making bets with Satan?  What about a Satan?

Author: not Moses.  A compilation of sources. 

Structure: a central poetic section with  a prose entry and a prose exit.  Perhaps the happy ending was also added.  Again, a parable, a fable, a myth, not history.

Date:  the present form was probably put together after the famous Babylonian Exile, i.e., ca. 550 BCE.

Our Selection: after Job complains, Yahweh responds rather critically, saying, "Who do you think you are," and, "Do you forget who I am?"   

Sources: Fr. William Most on line, Good News Bible, Wikipedia          

All Pro Dad

Being dads' day I have one story about my dad and 3 ideas about how to be an all pro dad. 

I do not know how we all survive adolescence, folks.  When I was a bratty teen-ager, my dad knew that anything he would say I would discount.  One of my best friends was pretty much the same way, my friend Pete, who was at the wedding, the FBI guy.

So my dad and Pete's dad made an arrangement where the four of us went out to eat at a restaurant once in a while.  I would talk with his dad while Pete would talk with my dad.

I admired his dad because he had worked in the FBI and was an exec at the local Chance Vought Air Plane company.  I still remember him telling me, "You can't fight city hall, John."  I guess I was, at school and in the neighborhood. 

    Suggestion 1: take the kid out for the special meal, just the two of you or with his/her pal & dad.  How often?  Maybe seasonally.  Then ask normal questions, how you doing, how is school, how is life at home?  What do you like best, your best friend?  Listen & converse.

    Suggestion 2: family meal, ideally 6-7 days a week, at least 3-4.  Again, ask normal questions, listen & converse.

    Suggestion 3: be a fun person by creating fun things to do, go camping, go to the beach, go canoing (down the Trinity), do a late night Baskin Robbins trip, bike (around White Rock or the Dallas & Plano trails), cook (like my dad used to make a cake every Saturday afternoon & he saved the bowls for me to lick clean).

 

So, how are you going to be an all pro dad?  All Pro Person?

Source (which I edited considerably): All Pro Dad (a helpful weekly service for dads), http://www.allprodad.com/playbook/viewarticle.php?art=5

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-06-21.mp3

Picture 1: Dads Tony & Jerry, plus other suspects

Picture 2: Dads Mike, Tom, & Ray

Picture 3: Dads Charlie, Ray, & Tom

Picture 4: Julie & Doug at 23 years