The Refuge

On Highway 41 going north out of Perry, Georgia, on the left is a place called The Refuge. It is a church of some denomination, exactly which is unknown to me, though I percieve the folks whose cars are parked around the outside would call themselves Christians. It is the name of the place that interests me and as I drove further north I pondered what meaning the name may have and what are they trying to tell me, the often passerby.

I've heard others, I mean other religous folk, speak of the evil in this world and how this thing or that thing is evil. I just smile a little smile, tickled a bit by the roots of ancient superstitions being manifest in a person of today, and feel the sensation inside my body as I laugh behind my smile. Sometimes it is hard to contain and a laugh escapes my mouth and I have inadvertently hurt someone's feelings. Oh, well.

The Refuge. It says it all. All about what it is to those inside. I imagine they think of The Refuge as a refuge from the world and all the evil in it. Yet I smile and perhaps laugh a little laugh inside because I know there is no evil in and of itself in any object or place and I know that evil certainly does exist. I also know there is no refuge from evil anywhere except where you can be alone and maybe not even there. Where ever mankind goes evil soon follows, and sometimes arrives at the same time. It may even be found in The Refuge.

Then, in what place is there refuge from ourselves?

Sea Salt

I put the green beans in the corning ware dish with the sliced portabella mushrooms and the three-quarter cup of water, placed the lid on and put the dish in the microwave for fourteen minutes. I put the large non-stick pan on the stove top and put the dial on five and a whole stick of garlic butter in the pan and the tablespoonful of sesame seeds with it and browned the seeds and then the microwave sounded and it was fourteen minutes already. Whew!

So I removed the corning ware dish from the microwave, removed the lid and spooned the green beans and sliced portabella mushrooms into the hot non-stick pan less the water, turned the dial to about seven or eight and sauteed them, stirring occasionally to get the beans and mushrooms on top to the bottom and then again and again. Near about when I thought they might be done I reached in with careful fingers and plucked a bean out and put in it my mouth and immediately I knew I forgot one ingredient.

One tablespoon of sea salt!

A Letter of Complaint to Mr. Chips

Dear Mr. Chips,

I have been sitting under the willow tree in my front yard for some time now and you still haven’t showed up for our appointment. I am very distressed at this situation as I have already run out of beer two times and had to postpone my waiting for you several hours while going out to buy more beer.

If you did not wish to see me you should not have made the appointment. I have in my calendar set an appointment for you to see me on Tuesday, the Twelfth of October, 2007, which by my calculations was ten days ago and you have yet to appear or call to cancel, postpone or reschedule.

I shall no longer consume my time waiting for you as I have other appointments to wait for. Should you finally decide to appear, at this late date I must say, I’m afraid I shall not be able to see you. However, I am ever so needful of more beer I may reconsider a walk in appointment if you arrive not empty handed.

Thank you,

Mr. Charles Doodlebug

P.S. I like Budweiser but will accept a full bodied light beer if you must.

What Time is It?

Alas, I have come to the moment. Not a moment ago but this very moment. There, it is gone and a new moment overcomes me once again and as before it is gone and now I have come to the moment again.

We are reminded in scripture that today is the time of our salvation, not tomorrow or post sunrise of a morrow many years from now. Today is the first day of the rest of your life and tomorrow will be that day again for as long as it lasts and then another day yet to arrive will be that special day.

It is true the wheel in the sky keeps on turning and our place on the wheel is always right now, this very moment and not a moment ago or a moment from now but this very moment right now and is now gone but is replaced by another moment, right now.

When Did I Last Have Time for That?

I see it has been January since I have written anything here. I tell you the truth it is more from a life of work and not enough sleep in between than anything else. I know when I begat this blog I posted routinely and some of my posts were enjoyed by at least someone. I have been besieged by work and the endless cares of this world so much that I rarely even think of this blog.

I do like to write, but I have terrible luck in finding the time. I would like more than anything to have the leisure time it takes to write but even the time I have on days off from work is consumed by activities not always easy to put off or ignore. Mow the lawn. Wash the clothes. Eat a friend for lunch. When does anyone find the time to write? I just don't know.