Ignorance Personified

When I first moved to this God-forsaking (at times) place, I made a lot of trips from Garner, where I lived to Wilson, where my aunt lived at the time. The only way we knew of to get there was highway 42, a two-lane rolling affair that was frustrating at best and, as my Mom used to say, "enough to aggravate Jacob" in the summer, when hick tobacco farmers would wait for traffic to try to come by and pull out with their tractors and loads of cancer-causing weed. I wouldn't say too much out loud, because all of us in the car shared the frustration, but I can assure you, the words that came up in my mind, would not be suitable for Sunday School!
IDIOTS! But they had to register their frustration at non-farmers, and non-locals trying to get from point A to point B. The audacity of them riding through the land of the golden leaf!
Things improved when US 264 was finished that takes traffic to Greenville and East Carolina University. That also happened to be about the time our trips became very infrequent.
Well, the Tarheel tradition of ignorant locals blocking and slowing traffic continues.
I commute daily to Louisburg from Garner...a forty-nine mile trek from my driveway to my destination, and anyone (another Mom-ism here) "with one eye and half sense" knows that you can safely drive five over posted with no fear of getting a ticket, or as the local expression goes, getting "PULLED."(I used to wonder about that expression, always thinking, hey, Dad must be driving well. I've never known the car to be pulled by a wrecker since I'VE been around! When I'd see a car being towed, I thought it was someone who had been speeding. Child logic)
But what do you expect from people who are known for redundancy, who use expressions like, HOT water heater (as opposed to one that hasn't been stolen?) and BABY chicks (as opposed to grown ones?) and my favorite, "going to the DOT'-ter" (doctor.)
So, if you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of having to use highway 96 from Zebulon to highway 401, and highway 401 from the 96 intersection into Louisburg, many of the tribe of the Ignorami, drive five miles UNDER the speed limit. Even and especially on a clear, sunny day with zero visibility problems (except that these hicks can't see the forest for the trees) I can hear 'em now. "Whah yuh in sech a hurree, Hoss?" They're also notorious for STOPPING before making a turn. I often pass them and am tempted to yell, "Sure hope you didn't turn it over, going so fast!" It's like the old commercial of the car crawling down the freeway and the granny in the passenger seat yelling, "Slow DOWN! You're gonna kill us ALL!"
The WORST ones, are the Goobers and Gomers who wait till traffic's coming and pull out, never excelerating anywhere NEAR the speed limit, and turn in less than a half mile. That burns me up!
People who drive so far UNDER the speed limit should have their licenses revoked!
Argh!

Seventy Times Seven

Maybe this is not new to you.
I came to the Lord because I felt I had failed Him. Largely because of my upbringing I came with a lot of self-condemnation. He reminded me of the disciple who came to Jesus and asked how many times he was to forgive his brother. Jesus, you'll recall asked him what the Scriptures said on the subject. His response was seven times. Jesus, the Author of God's Word, amplified its meaning saying "I tell you that you must forgive your brother SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN!"
In my little pea human brain, somehow I read that to be a requirement made on we humans, or followers of Christ, but that somehow, GOD'S standard was somehow more astringent. But God clarified it to me, saying, "My child, that is how I forgive YOU!" This revelation brought a rush of emotion and I found that all I could say was, "How can YOU love ME, Lord? How can You possibly?" But that's the Wonder of God's mercy that endures forever. That's the wonder of grace, God's amazing grace. Just one more reason be love the Lord so very, very much!
This is not and shouldn't be an excuse to take on a lifestyle of cleaning my shoes on God's grace, but rather, it's more of an inspiration to allow God to transform me rather than to be CONformed to the world and its way of doing things. Bless the Holy, righteous Name of Jesus!

...Not Subject to Interpretation

"What did the tune ever do to him?" A question from a karaoke host to me when someone was murdering a classic song. This has been my sentiment for some time now at the treatment of our National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" penned by Francis Scott Key. Just as there is a reason for the lyrics to the song, there is a reason for the TUNE!
The song has been assaulted by the likes of everyone from Whitney Houston, niece of Elvis' back ground singer, Thelma Houston to Rosanne Barr, or whatever her last name is now.
The latest was at the so called "Super" Bowl on Sunday and I've been subjected to a replay of that event in several newcasts ever since.
Listen, it's an anthem...a traditional piece of what we are as a nation. You, of course, are quite free to sing it and yodel like Hank Williams probably would have or put the ghetto touch to it all you want, but I personally am tired of something being interpreted that needs no interpretation.
There are plenty of other patriotic songs in other genres from Springsteen's "Born in the Usa" to Mellencamp's "Ain't that America?" and "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood.
It's not surprising that this is happening when our very Constitution, which politicians take an oath to "preserve, protect and defend" is treated in any way BUT the promise of the pledge by lawmakers and Superme Court Judges.
Some things are sacred. Leave the National Anthem alone!

Million Dollar Quartet

History was made on this date in 1956 when Elvis, newly signed to RCA Victor was back in Memphis and paid a visit to Sun Studios. An impromptu jam session took place with the King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl (Lee) Perkins. Someone had the forsight to turn on the recording equipment. The session remains raw and dominated by gospel, which was Elvis' heart. But you gain from listening to it, insights into Elvis' process for recording "Don't Be Cruel" which he discussed and performed and his admiration for Pat Boone's song which was on the charts that time, "Don't Forbid Me." It is truly THE outstanding musical event that took place on this date, but SOME call it the day the music died, because of a plane crash that occurred in 1959 that claimed the lives of the Big Bopper (Richard Penneman) Richie Valens, and Buddy Holly.
I disagree. To ME, the music lived on, but died on August 16, 1977 when Elvis passed.
It IS ironic to me, that these two events would happen on the same date.

Kind-Heated Man (for the Bar Fly)

She came to karaoke
With Yosemite Sam
Such a young lady
An unfolding plan

Sam disappeared
She gave me a cue
"Come pull me out
I need a rescue!"

A crusty old codger
Tried hard to impress
Wanted so hard
To win her caress

I asked her to dance
Said, "Girl, you smell GOOD"
So she starts to kiss me
Had no idea she would

Give her a ride home
She kisses me more
By now I'm thinking
Maybe I could adore

This sweet little woman
With love in her eyes
Such words of endearment
A shedding disguise?

Time spent together
A promise implied
Of long days ahead
Love in her eyes?

But next time I see her
Yosemite again!
I'm kept at a distance
Where do I begin?

A short two nights later
She opens her heart
Encouraging me
This is only the start

Of something long lasting
Permanent, true
Up all night together
And the next day, too!

"I'll come out to meet you"
She said on the phone
But when she shows up
She isn't alone

Yosemite with her
But this was OUR date!
Again, kept at a distance
This is crazy, now, WAIT!

You only adore me
When HE'S not around
But just to be clear, girl
I won't be your clown

If you're just a barfly
Who lives off of men
I won't join your fan club
So go on with him!

You're better than that, girl
And his filthy hands
You're blowing your chance
With this kind-hearted man!

copyright 2009 John H Roebuck