"Mama's Bible"

I bet you could use a joke today.

Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers and prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city.

The first said, "I had a big house built for Mama."

The second said, "I had a $100,000 theater built in the house."

The third said, "I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her."

The fourth said, "You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can't read anymore because she can't see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 20 years to the church, but it was worth it. Mamma just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."

The other brothers were impressed.

After the holidays Mom sent out her thank you notes. She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway."

"Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home, I have my groceries delivered, so I never use the Mercedes. The thought was good. Thanks"

"Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people, but all of my friends are dead, I've lost my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I'll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same."

"Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you."

Remembering 9/11

Where were you?

I was getting ready for school. The news was on TV. A plane had flown into the World Trade Center. I thought, "That's some bad flying." Then, as I was leaving for school, I thought, "I hope China didn't declare war on us." Recently, there had been a controversy after a U.S. plane flew into Chinese airspace or vice versa or something. Us versus another big country could have been World War III/Armageadon. Instead, we have this ongoing war on terror. Not much better.

While sitting in biology lab at UT-Arlington, I learned that the towers had crumbled to the ground and the Pentagon had been struck. After class was cancelled, I heard the radio reports that the president was in hiding and America was under attack.

The freakiest part about 9/11? For me, it was footage of people jumping out of the WTC to their death.

Thanks to policemen and firefighters.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Pictures from Installation Weekend

These are pictures Mom took the weekend of my installation.

The outside of my mansion. Casa de vicar.













Yes, I can cook. This is where it happens. What is that object barely visible on the bottom right?












Sitting in front of my laptop, expecting to watch a DVD. But the DVD player on the laptop wouldn't work. Rick, a very kind co-worker at church, let me borrow a DVD player and even hooked it up for me since I'm not so bright when it comes to technology sometimes.

It's 6:50-something Sunday morning. Mom wants to take pictures. Dad is happy to cooperate.

This is me, friend Meredith, and sister Kelly at an Italian restaurant after church. The daughter of the youth director at my vicarage church happened to be our waitress. We discovered her identity when she asked "Are you the new vicar at Christ the King?" after we finished our meal. Fortunately, I had only good things to say about the church throughout the meal.