Tales from the Parsonage

Saying for the day: Watch out for the but.."

One Sunday afternoon after I had been in the Trout Creek Parish about two months we had visitors at the parsonage.
Now , to be honest with you, visitors at the parsonage when there is no Bible study and no invitation make me nervous.

The three ladies were from the middle Church in the Parish.
One of them was on the Church Council.
We invited them in and offered them a cup of coffee.
They looked very nervous.

“Pastor” the leader said, “we know you are just out of seminary”.
Now that phrase did not give me good feelings.
Then she said” We know your young.”
Now I am feeling even worse.
Its bad enough being just out of seminary but being young as well makes it even worse.
Then she said, “ We know this is your first parish”.
Now I am guilty on three fronts and the really bad word was coming.

She went on, “ You preach a powerful sermon “ then the bad word “but”.

When the word but comes in a sentence where the person just said something nice about you, then you know your in trouble.

“But your sermons are too short”!
There it was the terrible truth.
I knew it was true.
I had followed a line of thirty minute preachers and I had to stretch to reach fifteen minutes.
I was in trouble.
She pointed out that short sermons like mine weren’t worth getting out of bed for.

I thanked her and promised I would try to do better.

Hey, I was young. I could improve.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my garage where the trains still run and so does Mrs. Trumble– The White Rabbit was seen last night in his red , white and blue sweater. He was down by the railroad station waving at the incoming passenger train. Mrs. Trumble was on the platform with her shotgun but couldn’t get a clear shot at him. She was afraid of hitting the kids playing in the school playground. After he did his vanishing act she went to see Mayor South and demanded that the city council do something to get rid of this menace. “It could have gone after the kids in the playground and hurt them” she said. It’s the job of the city council and Mayor to protect us. Mayor South was polite and told her there was nothing they could do under the law. The White Rabbit had broken any laws. Mrs. Trumble complained that by wearing that sweater the rabbit was insulting both flag and country.
Some people are afraid that if she gets too mad she will run for Mayor. She would be a one issue candidate. Her one issue would be rabbit eradication. She would use the office to get that rabbit and then quit. One has to hope that nobody suggests this to Mrs. Trumble. Can you imagine a debate where Mrs. Trumble is one of the candidates? It would be weird. But then small town politics is often weird.
Local people are going to the deer camps on Saturdays and Sundays to get them ready for deer season. Everybody has a deer camp or belongs to some group that has access to one.
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Today's link:-My Knitted Family- Remember to leave the words Dr. John in the comment to get those highly animated JCPOINTS. Check HERE for your points.
We got another blogger cup mailed out ( four to go) and Monday's and last Friday's prizes. I do procrastinate. Followers of the White Rabbit might go to Magaret's blog and see her White Rabbit cartoon. You might also go to Cindra Jo's blog so that tomorrow's Pigeon Falls will make more sense. Now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA