From the Barnyard
by Mike Graves
I’m Ecumenical- meaning
I belong to many faiths.
Raised in a Christian Catholic
home, my grandfolks
were Methodist, Baptist and
Catholic.
I attend the First Baptist
Church of Nashville, AR,
and consider myself a fallible
member of “Christ’s
Church.” (If that means I
won’t be in your Heaven,
then so be it.)
Early on Sundays, I listen
to 99.5 to hear some preaching
from the Sunset, Murfreesboro
and Falls Chapel
Churches of Christ, Antioch
Baptist, and occasionally
Holly Creek Missionary Baptist.
After these programs, I
turn my radio over to 91.5
to hear classical Sunday
music, and an occasional
message from The Quakers
of Texarkana.
The Quakers message is
very simple; avoid materialism
and worship of false
gods.
Quakers focus on Christmas
as the simple birth of
Jesus Christ, and anything
that detracts from this focus
is wrong. (I’m with them; as
long as no one forgets to
buy me a big, shiny, costly
present that I can drive to
Little Rock, shop, dine with
the beautiful people, and
bring home a truck load of
holiday beverages without
my pastor seeing me.)
By the way, a true, practicing
Quaker does not recognize
ANY holiday, nor do
they consume alcohol or tobacco.
(I wonder if they have
a “Quaker Window” around
the back of liquor stores
up in Pennsylvania, like the
“Teetotaler’s Window” we
have down here?)
Here’s inviting each of
y’all to attend worship services
at the building of your
choice. As the Quakers remind
us on the radio; don’t
allow the colorful, bright
lights to blind us from the
simple perfection of the
manger. Merry Christmas
and God bless you all.
“A good ending can never
sanctify evil means.” Quaker
William Penn
“I am no crook!” Quaker
Richard Nixon
“And don’t forget son,
there is someone up above…
and be a simple kind of man.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mt 1;21
