I managed to make it to one of our City’s early church services this morning. The sermon was a little flat, but we can’t always expect stellar sermons on a weekly basis considering we live in North Iowa. Saying this now, reminds me of a conversation I had with one of my favorite pastors in the area. His sermons are always off the cuff which I’ve always found enjoyable, but the delivery of his words make his sermons all the more meaningful. During one conversation with him, I said, “You do know you possess quite the ability to deliver very meaningful sermons, but why can’t other people of the cloth in our area at least attempt to be more like you?” It shocked me when he said, “Mr. Chodur, in these times, and above all out here in the hinterland, you just gotta accept the idea that you get what you get and live with it.” At first it struck me as being a rather cynical remark, but after thinking about it, he’s absolutely right. We get what we get, and just learn to live with it.
Late last night I happened to read an article about something that has always raised eyebrows whenever mentioned over these many years. It shocked me to read that many of the hybrid and/or far-right leaning communities of faith are speaking about the rapture. For likely a very many hundreds of years, those ideas were dismissed as bordering on fanaticism. Yes, the Book of Revelation speaks of it, but we all must remember that John’s writings were symbolic. When in my late teens, I took several classes given by a religious scholar who centered his presentations on the Book of Revelation.
I’m afraid there are all the more child-like minds in the world who take those symbolic words contained within and create their own modern-day meanings. I know it’s never a good idea to speak of religion with the general public, but I can’t help but say that anyone who takes biblical writings that’ve been translated numerous times to be the absolute word-for-word gospel truth, really must take a few lessons in what those underlying truths really are. For me, and hopefully many others, the Bible should be used as a Divinely inspired general guide for becoming a better person, and that’s it.
I happened to be in a garage today that was taken over last Fall by a squirrel or two. I couldn’t believe the number of walnut shells they’d strewn all over the floor. Curious me picked up one and closely examined it. Having never looked at the way they get at the nut meats, I was shocked to see how clever they are in getting them out. The tooth marks on those hard shells was yet another reminder of how sharp their teeth are, as well as their visibly strong jaws. Ouch! I’d hate all the more to get bitten by one of them.
I brought a handful of those empty shells home for tonight’s photo. When looking at them again, those vile creatures must have serrated tongues that are as sharp as nut picks. How else do you think they get every morsel of those meats out those rock-hard shells? Like I’ve said before, squirrels to me are nothing more than rats with bushy tails.
If they wouldn’t make such a mess when they’re eating, and clean up after themselves, and stay away from bird feeders, stop digging in flower and vegetable gardens, stop trying to get into attics of homes, garages, and buildings, I’d at least consider them weakly tolerable.
Get ready for the rain and snow tomorrow, and above all, stay safe.
