It was a rough week in Baptist-land. And just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I ran across this geeky photo of me on the internet.
Somebody posted this page from my 7th grade school yearbook, and I’m in it. So here at the end of a long week, have a laugh.
That’s me. I can’t hide it. I’m there for all the world to see, wearing a short skirt and tassles on my boots.
I was a Viqueen!
Even as young as 7th grade, I was one of those girls who paraded out on the football field at halftime and…. gasp… danced!
Oh my.
Frankly, I had flat-out forgotten about this earlier part of my Baptist rebel-girl history. In high school, I was a Lionette, and withstood many a withering glare from the pastor because of it.
But here’s the truth in full display. My wicked ways started even earlier.
Somebody posted this page from my 7th grade school yearbook, and I’m in it. So here at the end of a long week, have a laugh.
That’s me. I can’t hide it. I’m there for all the world to see, wearing a short skirt and tassles on my boots.
I was a Viqueen!
Even as young as 7th grade, I was one of those girls who paraded out on the football field at halftime and…. gasp… danced!
Oh my.
Frankly, I had flat-out forgotten about this earlier part of my Baptist rebel-girl history. In high school, I was a Lionette, and withstood many a withering glare from the pastor because of it.
But here’s the truth in full display. My wicked ways started even earlier.
I was a Viqueen!
Is that you Christa???
ReplyDelete'fraid so -- left column 2nd row
ReplyDeleteToday I learned two new words, Viqueen and Lionette :)
ReplyDeleteWell... you obviously aren't a Texan, are you, Thy Peace? ;-) Because here in Texas, it's ALL about football!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, even here in football-mania-land, where you could probably run across about a gazillion ex-Lionettes, you still won't find many ex-Viqueens. That's why I'm so proud!
Christa, I am not into sports. Also I was born and raised in India. I came here when I was 22 y.o. So I miss all the little things Americans go through since they were young.
ReplyDeleteTP,
ReplyDeleteThat's not necessarily a bad thing. Some things are best forgotten.
The reason I asked is that the person who picture is on the right looks like Shirley Langdon who was a good friend of mine in college. It was great seeing her in her earlier years!
ReplyDeleteThy Peace: In Texas, football is indeed a sort of mania. If you "miss" out on understanding it, count yourself lucky.
ReplyDeleteIn Texas, kids are raised up playing football from the time they're toddlers. Football is played all across America, but here in Texas, people don't just play football... they LIVE football. It's crazy-land for football.
But hey... who am I to talk about craziness? I was a Viqueen! ;-)
If your coach was indeed Shirley then that shows how old I am and how young you are! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThy Peace, I moved to Dallas after college and was stunned at the football mania. Every single guy that asked me out was to a date that involved football.
ReplyDeleteI came from state that was basketball mania.
A gal just cannot win.
Off Topic:
ReplyDeleteadventures in mercy [molleth] > Here. Let Me Tell You How to Live Your Life.
A dear friend said to me that, “Divorce is when you find out who your real friends are.” Performance-based relationships don’t do so well when you’re not performing, which is true all across the spectrum, whether the failed performance is in an abusive marriage or the many other areas where your community, family or culture puts performance over relationship.
I pulled out an old movie to watch last night entitled, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." The movie was loosely based on a book which was loosely based on an actual murder that took place in Savannah, GA in the early 1980s.
ReplyDeleteTo keep from mentioning details that some might perceive as unpleasant, one can google the name of the movie and get a synopsis. In one part, a reporter goes to the defense attorney with some rather unflattering news about his client that might help him in his case. The attorney quashed the idea and told the following story. Apparently several years back the son of a prominent judge in Savannah was he'n and she'n with the girlfriend of a mobster. Seems the family woke up one morning to find him lying dead underneath the front porch with certain body parts stuck in his lapel. Next morning, the newspaper headlines read, "Fall from Porch Proves Fatal."
The confused reporter asked him what he meant by that story and he stated, "Saving face in the light of unpleasant circumstances. It's the Savannah way.
Christa, here's new name of your next topic:
"Saving Face In The Light of Unpleasant Circumstances. It's the SBC Way."
I never figured out why football was such a big idea. I mean all they do is grow and get beat by OKLAHOMA! Boomer Sooner!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Them's fightin' words!
ReplyDeleteHook 'em!
John,
ReplyDeleteIf I remember right, your beloved sooners LOST this past year to the blessed Longhorns.
Now, down here in Brunsonland we are either Gators or Bulldogs. You have no choice. You are one or the other; one HAS to choose. The wimps opt out and go to Tallahassee and watch FSU. That said, GO GATORS!
ReplyDeleteTim Tebow (the Gator quarterback for those who might be “ignorant”) got up on Mac’s pulpit and introduced his father at the Fathers Day service at FBCJax. Bob Tebow delivered a Fathers Day message to the congregation.
Now, Bob is a good Christian man; I don’t think there is a person in the world that has a bad word to say about him. It’s my understanding that he is a missionary of some sort. However, he prefaced his message with the following statement:
"Well, I am honored, I get to sit under the preaching of the best pastor in America, the best preacher in America. That's the way I feel about Pastor Brunson, and uh, I'm honored that he would ask me on Father's Day to speak."
The clip of Tim introducing his father and Bob’s praise of Brunson is on the following news article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=140626&catid=3
Now, in Jacksonville any time Tim goes to the corner store for something it is newsworthy. Bob, his dad … not so much. The praise of Brunson made the news, but the message that I understand Bob delivered afterwards … not a word of it.
Makes ya wanna go hmmmm.
One anonymous commenter added this: "Now, imagine what giving Bob the pulpit on Sunday morning father's day is worth if you had to pay for it? Now, imagine how much 10% of Tim Tebow's salary will be when he signs that NFL contract next year? Looks like having Bob speak was a good investment. Just sayin."
And further into her comment, he/she stated: "If you know Mac, you KNOW it was quid pro quo. Always has been, always will be. I can't blame Bob for saying nice words about his pastor and accepting the opportunity. And he used the opportunity to bless all of us with a helpful message. If Bob has any ulterior motives, I believe them to be only to further the gospel of Christ. A class act all the way. Too bad Mac just happened to be brought in to be the pastor of these guys after Lindsey and Vines were their pastors all of Tim's life."
10% of Tim’s NFL salary …
GO GATORS!
I KNOW there isn't a church that is exactly "RIGHT" but that said, I have to lean over (not my main platform) to some of how Jeri thinks. Something is really wrong with the Baptist churches in the way they are structured and governed...to even allow things to become so much like a football team. The pastor was never suppose to be a big shot/super star or call the shots for everyone else (See Paul and the early church). I don't think the churches were to become a big money making business, or super stars we all swoon about and believe EVERYTHING they say! When someone is baptized or during a sermon...why does it FEEL like some kind of football game with all the clapping and yelling and out burst from the congregation in response...not to the awesome God we are suppose to follow ...but in response to some kind of random rant or emotional button pushed by the man in the pulpit?? Why are we more faithful and committed to the team of men in the big building than we are to God's word that teaches we are to have no other gods before Him and we are to love our neighbor as we do ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWhy do the self anointed men in the pulpit make it so difficult for those wounded to be loved and accepted???
I don't have complete trust (wisely) but I am grateful I can go to my small,quiet Presbyterian church where the pastor simply teaches from the books of the Bible...in Corinthians right now...and makes NO big deal of himself and it is different from a football game or the Baptists churches. Reverence,humility, and dignity still exist, there is no pointing fingers and telling people if you don't like it ...get out!!!! Coming from a shame and guilt Baptist background....it almost feels weird to hear them talk about how dark all our hearts are...it's not the same as the cheap grace the Baptists are selling from the pulpits now. It's full of love...imagine that! Read some of the pastors on their blogs...with the exception of a few....and there is NO love, no room for other opinions... or for growth. It is all about THEIR version of THE doctrine! And...you cannot believe a word they say b/c how a person thinks about the life of the innocent and the wounded shows what is in their hearts.
Random thoughts from my random weary mind that sprung from the football talk :)
Hey, Christa, there are worse things than having your cheerleader past exposed. If that's the worst someone can do to you, you must have been pretty honest as you are now.
ReplyDeleteI have been keeping up with the SBC and have posted your website to Johnny Hunt with a request they deal with it more effectively. With all the falderal of the "Great Commission Resurgence" we missed the only way to really resurge---live an honest and clean lifestyle!!
Keep up the good work and come on over to NC where both football and basketball are pretty strong--we just aren't quite dumb enough to think the world revolves around a ball. All the liars and thieves who couldn't return after the Civil War were sent to Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, etc.--you get the picture.
Unfortunately, some of them came back to lead Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary!
Gene Scarborough
"If your coach was indeed Shirley then that shows how old I am and how young you are! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteJune 27, 2009 3:35 PM
With a little research, I have determined that Christa and I are the same age. And since I quit having birthdays at the age of 29, and now only celebrate anniversaries of my 29th birthday, that makes Christa 29 years old. So you can’t be too terribly old!
Seriously, congratulations grandma on your ability to learn how to blog on the internet. It makes one wonder how many of us “older” generation are unaware of all of this because they do not use computers and internet. My mother, who is now 80 years old, refuses to even LOOK at a computer. Simple reasoning with her that all she would have to learn is how to turn the thing on and log into an email account she refuses to hear (kinda like an SBC pastor.)
She is the mother of SIX and we have grown exponentially. I am the eldest and have recently become a great grandfather (sorry Christa, didn’t mean to kick ya in the gut there!) Too many for me to even count! Photographs shared between family members in emails is TREMENDOUS … and she misses out on all of that.
Congratulations on your abilities in your old age!
gmommy,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy and get a new perspective on things from your writtings. Thanks for being so straight forward and honest. The servant spirit has gone the way of praise, reverance, respaec, and Godly fear. I am confident that in the end the "hoopla" services shall go by the way side.
Thanks to al of you for your honesty, integrity, and patience with those of us striving to catch up.
For gmommy and others who may be attending Presbyterian churches, I’ve said before I was NOT in this to recruit more Presbyterians. I was baptized and raised a Presbyterian and have never felt the need or the want to change that. I find the shenanigans of the SBC and Czar Brunson locally to be reprehensible. Add Steve Gaines, Paige Patterson and a few other names to the mix and you have a bunch of self righteous clowns running the SBC.
ReplyDelete"Saving Face In The Light of Unpleasant Circumstances. It's the SBC Way."
My church’s website, which is very simple as opposed to some of the more elaborate Baptist ones, describes our church … “Our sanctuary is of a traditional design built in 1939, expanded in 1988, and was further renovated in 2002. The sanctuary is now ready to serve us for another 60 years. For many members and visitors our simple sanctuary has a warm, unintimidating, peaceful appeal. Its simple lines are accented by the colorful stained glass windows, which depict the life of Christ.
I went to another Presbyterian website where I read, “A Presbyterian Dictionary of Commonly Used Terms.” I’m one of those durn legalists that Mac Brunson accuses us citizens of Jacksonville of being. Most are very generic, some just descriptive of the Presbyterian “hierarchy.” A couple of more relevant ones I shall post here.
Congregation: A local unit of a religious body, for example: First Presbyterian Church.
Congregational Meeting: Where church budgets and the terms of the minister’s ‘call’ (employment, salary and benefits), are approved.
Wow … it’s disclosed to the congregation for all to know … no secrets here.
Session: The governing body of elders who oversee the spiritual, programmatic, and general life of a congregation.
Presbytery: The next ‘level’ of the Presbyterian Church above the Session where a larger grouping of churches, (there are 65 in our Presbytery), plans and oversees the ‘larger’ workings of the church, including new church development, training and camping programs in an area, and assists local churches in matters of discipline, disputes, ministerial qualifications….
The Baptists want to handle all that in-house … hush hush … move on and let’s not talk about it. Church discipline is determined by the Pastor and the Elders, who are generally worshipers of the Pastors!
Elders (Presbyters): The elected and ordained members who comprise the Session.
NOT appointed by the Pastor
I’m not qualified to get into the theological differences and start quoting scripture chapter and verse. The Presbyterian minister that you like is more qualified than I to do that. I am only trying to help you understand and know that Jesus is still there and he loves you.