30 November 2005

catching up . . .

Well, let's see . . .

I posted a wonderful Advent devotional website on the Cornerstone Universe blog. This is produced by Passport Camps, and they do quality stuff. Check it out.

Harvested my Oklahoma deer yesterday morning. I was sitting quietly by 6:30 am, under a cedar tree at Pond Creek - watched the sunrise at 7:14 am, and then pulled the trigger at 7:45. Probably a year and a half old buck, field dressed at 120 lbs. He'll eat well. Yes, I know that Oklahoma deer are considerably larger than Texas deer. So why do I continue to keep a lease in Texas? Four reasons - vacation, beauty, hogs, and Texas.

Have you started shopping? I pretty much come from the Ed McMahon school of Christmas shopping - Christmas Eve is never too early to start.

My friend Bryan wrote a nice piece about worship on his blog, Gentle Warrior. Check it out. BTW - I happen to be rather well acquainted with his mentally handicapped friend.

Are you having a good Advent - it's seriously a time of preparation. Preparation and waiting. While we think that "Jesus is coming - we'd better look busy," we each must take opportunity to do some active, quiet, thoughtful waiting. Block out some time - you'll be glad you did.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 8:13 AM 1 comments

25 November 2005

truly thankful

I began this blog as therapy after my father's passing back in April. During the next months, I struggled with expression of feelings, and this blog proved to be a wonderful avenue for me to express my feelings regarding Dad, and a host of other thoughts since that time. This is my 100th entry, and I wanted to honor Dad with a few thoughts of thanksgiving.

Having spent two days in Waco with all of the extended Dunn clan, I find myself thankful. We actually made it through the holiday quite well. But there was always the unspoken absence - and Dad's absence may loom larger than his presence. We noticed things over the two days - little "Dadisms" that we see in one another, and remembrances that caused us to chuckle with one another. He expected the best out of us, and that was no more clear than when we sat around the fire on Wednesday night and considered how the educational system of our country could be improved. Dad would have disagreed with much of what we had to say, but I suppose he would have been proud that we gracefully tackled such a huge subject. He would have been proud that his grandchildren get along with one another so well, and that they take care of one another. And, like the rest of us, he would have eaten wayyyyyy too much.

Tonight, in full retrospect, I am thankful for the siblings, the family support, the stability, the challenges, the education, the legacy - and as always, the relationship.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:49 PM 1 comments

24 November 2005

We gather together . . . (Thanksgiving - Part deux)

Everyone's here - except Dad.

So far, all parties involved are playing well with one another. Chelsea drove in by herself - I'm so proud of her.

Last night, we had dinner outside on tables that Tony made this week. Sat on bales of hay, ate Tracy's spaghetti (which was actually my recipe) and enjoyed wonderful company. Then we sat around the fire and fellowshipped.

After breakfast, we rode horses this morning. Now, we're waiting for 3:00 to arrive - the Thanksgiving meal. Fried turkey, and who cares what else. 18 hungry souls around the Thanksgiving feast.

and missing one . . .

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 10:39 AM 0 comments

23 November 2005

Thanksgiving - Part One

Off to Waco for "Thanksmas," as my sister likes to call it. Extended Dunn clan - 2 brothers, 1 sister, 1 mom, sister and brother-in-laws, and a mess of nieces and nephews. We'll eat - well, like Dunns - and then we'll take a nap and then eat again. We're not tuned in to football all that much - may ride some horses.

Thanksgiving is bitter-sweet this year without Dad. But we will do the "chin up" thing, and enjoy "family of origin." It really is a wonderful family.

Give thanks this week - it's the least, and I do mean the least, that we owe God.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:54 AM 0 comments

22 November 2005

Pheasant memories . . .

It's been more than 8 years ago now, but I was reminded of a memory this morning. Mom and Dad were visiting Enid - we attended the evening worship service at 1st Baptist, and after the service, Dad mentioned that he had never seen a pheasant in natural surroundings. I said, "Get in the car," and he and I drove north out of town. Within minutes, I had fulfilled this gap in his experience. He was so very happy that evening.

I was reminded of this pleasant memory when I was on my way back into town after my morning hunt today. At one point, on the side of the road, I counted 16 rooster pheasants in one group. Dad would have loved it. The memory came rushing in, and there was the hint of shock at his absence.

I wonder - do the sweet memories ever come without the feeling of emptiness?

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 9:47 AM 0 comments

21 November 2005

I told you we had a great service . . .

If you haven't done so already, you need to read Leslee's blog entry from yesterday. This story can be told over and again at our church.

Her's was the sermon I needed to hear this week, which, by the way, was the same as my sermon title - "It's the little things that count."

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 8:05 AM 1 comments

20 November 2005

twas a full and meaningful weekend

Opening weekend of gun deer season in Oklahoma is always a busy weekend. First of all, Baylor had to beat OSU. Then, Saturday morning, up at 4:30 am, out the door by 5:00. Home for a nap, quick look over the sermon, and then back out the the deer stand. Saturday night, no one has to rock me to sleep.

We had a wonderful service this morning. Decent crowd, and the music was great.

Went out this evening to Hunter - up on the Cimarron river. We saw lots of does, but none of them were on the place we were hunting.

Looks like a busy week.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:39 PM 0 comments

19 November 2005

Baylor ends the year on a winning note


The old Alma Mater, Baylor U., beat the Cowpokes 44-34 this afternoon in Waco (otherwise known as Jerusalem on the Brazos). They didn't have a winning season (they finish up 5 and 6), but they did have a four game winning streak, and they had their first two conference wins this season.

I'll be wearing my BU cap to church tomorrow morning. Just cuz . . .

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:36 PM 0 comments

the end of the Christian year

Tomorrow is Christ the King Sunday - which annually marks the last Sunday of the Christian year. Next week we start all over with Advent.

I may take some time this week to reflect and look back over the last 12 months. It has been a good year at Cornerstone. I feel like I have done some of my best work in the pulpit, and we have seen the addition of a number of new couples in our church.

All in all, I am pleased.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:32 PM 0 comments

18 November 2005

So glad, so glad, I'm new born again . . .

She said that the shot would be the worst part of it. She was right!!

Yesterday afternoon, I had the dreaded ingrown toe nail cut out at the Podiatrist's office. After the 1 minute surgery (the deadening process took 5 minutes), the surgical assistant wrapped the toe with lots of gauze, and I was off and on my way. Continuing to take the anti-biodic and the generic Loritabs (I love Loritab), and I literally have zero pain. This morning I removed the bandage, took a nice hot shower, put on a little anti-biodic cream with a band-aid, and actually wore a shoe.

Which all befits my sermon title for Sunday - "It's the little things that count."

Opening morning of Deer gun season is tomorrow. Wish me luck. Buck, doe - it mattereth not to me - I am a "meat" hunter.

Have I told you folks lately that I pastor the best church in the world?? Still true - I suspect it will be for the next 20 years.

Gotta plan the worship service and write a sermon. I think I'll lead with the "Big Toe" story - at least the boys will sit up and listen (even if the mothers turn a little green).

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 7:33 AM 2 comments

16 November 2005

and if your big toe causes you to sin . . .

I have a severely ingrown toe nail - big toe, right foot, outside of the toe.

It hurts.

And as Forest Gump would say, "And that's all I have to say about that!!"

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 9:05 AM 1 comments

15 November 2005

Book Recommendation


I finished reading this newest Capon offering while I was sitting in a hunting blind on my deer lease in Texas. It's hard for me to explain the glee with which I encounter Capon - he has rather single-handedly changed much of my adolescent theology into something with which I can approach the middle and latter years of adulthood.

I won't do a review for you here. I will say that this book is a series of 26 brief articles in which Robert Farrar Capon skillfully weaves his knowledge of cooking with his thoughts surrounding theology. Some of his points are subtle - almost too subtle to catch - while others are front-and-center-in-your-face. He also plays with the language(s) extensively, which adds to my delight.

I share this paragraph with you to whet your appetite.

"Simple," Pietro answered. "Grace in no way encourages indifference to moral considerations. Quietism (to give the monstrous proposition its proper name) is not an option for Christians. We may not sit idly by while evil goes about seeking whom it may devour. And the reason we may not has deep theological roots. The Word, the Second Person of the trinity, who in Jesus took away the sins of the world by the grace of his death and resurrection, is the same Word who made the world to begin with. And when he gave his creatures their various natures, he indicated by that gift the precise qualities he loves about them: the chickenbreastness of chicken breasts, for example - or to come to the point, the elegant humanness of human beings. He made them to be themselves, not something else. Therefore he is agains chicken breasts being turned into rubber and he is agains human beings turning themselves into child molesters."

This is a Cowley Publications book, and will cost you about $14. Bon appetit.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 9:02 AM 0 comments

13 November 2005

The merry wanderer returns . .

It was a rather successful trip to Texas. A couple of deer, one hog, one turkey. The freezer is starting to fill up again this year.

Not much else to say. Really rather numb after a week away. Gotta get my head back in the game, coach.

Just stopping in to say howdy to all my faithful readers.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 6:35 PM 2 comments

03 November 2005

traffic

More amazement than anything - if there is any significant traffic on this weblog today, I'll go over 2000 visitors since I installed the traffic counter back in July. I know that's not 2000 different people, and I know that some of them are simply surfing to try to sell some product, but still , , , Even more amazing - 44 visited the site just yesterday. I find that hard to believe. What I have to say can't be that important or interesting.

But the most impressive statement of the power of this medium is where all these people come from. Here is the list of states (pretty much in order of how they arrived). California, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oregon, Minnessota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusets, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, Missouri, Washington, Maryland, S. Carolina, N. Carolina, N. Dakota, Colorado, D.C., Arizona, Kentucky, Alabama, Conneticut, Nebraska, Arkansas, Maine.

And here is the list of countries (again, in the order in which they showed up). Singapore, Japan, England, Canada, Sakhalin Russia, Australia, Norway, Thailand, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Spain, S.Africa, Bahamas, Chile, Romania, China, Belgium, Malaysia, Italy, Cote D'Ivoire, Brazil.

That represents 3/5ths of the states, and 6 of the seven continents. Where are you, you Antarctic bloggers??

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 8:21 AM 0 comments

02 November 2005

Pet Peeves - Part Deux

Part of this one comes from the fact that I live in a rather conservative town, in a very conservative state (not "state of mind" - the actual State of Oklahoma).

It's this presupposition that everyone thinks the way you do when it comes to political matters, theoligical matters, social matters . . . ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

Before my thinking days, I lived in another small town in Texas. It was 1980 - Daddy Bush was running against that actor from California in the Republican primary, and I had determined, as a good, moderate Republican (I said it was before my thinking days), to vote for George. I grew up in Houston, and George first ran for public office from that district, with the campaign slogan, "Let George do it." (boy, that one's loaded, huh!) Anyway, I went downtown, parked in front of the courthouse, and started walking across the street to the Abstract company (where the 45 Republicans in that county had their primary) to cast my vote for old George ( W. was still drinking and running around - hadn't met Laura, yet). I ran into Jewell Mara - dairyman - big hands - could crush my smallish, piano playing hands without thinking about it - and he asked me what I was doing. I said that I was going to vote, and he noticed which direction I was traveling, and he said, "You're going the wrong way!" To which I replied with all the smart-aleckness of a 25 year old, "No sir, I'm headed the right way (Again, before my thinking days)!!! To which he gasped, grabbed me by the arm (remember the big hands - ouch) and he said, "Son, you're not gonna vote Republican, are you??????" I looked at him, wrested my arm from his grasp, and said, "Jewell, my Daddy told me that when I got old enough, I could vote any way I wanted to!!!!!!!!!! (Notice there are more exclamation marks with each exchange). Jewell said, "Son, when you're in Rome, you do as the Romans do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" To which I replied, "I'll try to remember that when I'm in Rome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And I went and voted for the start of the dynasty (again, before my thinking days).

Having switched parties, I now find myself on the short end of the other stick. Seems I am destined to root for the underdog. But my point is clear, I think - one cannot assume anything about the other fellow (or gal) in terms of political beliefs, religious thought, social expectations - and we must all be tolerant and respectful of the other person's view.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 8:49 AM 1 comments

01 November 2005

Pet Peeves - Part One

We all have them - pet peeves. Things that annoy us, irritate us, make us crazy - there are certainly degrees of pet peevishness. . .

This one probably shouldn't be a peeve of mine, but when you think about it, it's just a little bit of a put down to our intelligence when your getting ready to travel, and the well meaning person says, "Hey, be careful!!" Like you were planning to be careless. I have a few cynical/cute retorts. "Well, I wasn't planning on it, but now that you've reminded me . . ." Or, "Aw . . . do I have to?" Or, "I hadn't thought about that - thanks for reminding me."

I've gone to asking the significant people in my life who wish me well and safety as I travel to simply say, "Have a nice trip!" Unless it's deer mating season (you know of the danger of which I speak on this one), or Friday afternoon (when all the crazies are rushing home from work), "Be careful" is a little over the top. A simple "Have a nice trip" will do nicely.

I'd be interested in hearing your pet peeves. I have a couple others, but this one should get the discussion started.

posted by the sojourning pilgrim @ 12:50 PM 5 comments