Tag Archives: Silent Sundays

Oklahoma culture, Photography

Almost Silent Sunday: 1/2/2011 – Boe’s Sunrise Stories

6 Comments

I’ve known Boe Parrish since he was the Children’s Minister at MetroChurch back in the early 90s.  I first saw him providing a chapel service for the Oklahoma Christians Schools (OCS) elementary group.  The students were sitting on the floor in an auditorium, and he was standing on the stage sharing an object lesson with them in what I can only describe as a loving and regulated voice.  As I leaned against the back wall waiting for chapel to be over so I could take my daughter to the dentist, I asked someone his name.  Later, I began teaching at the OCS high school and saw him from time to time on campus.  A few years later I recall that he wrote a book.  Then I think I saw him on and off at Panera Bread in Edmond for several years, either having breakfast by himself or with a friend – sometimes praying, sometimes studying, sometimes listening. Later he was helpful in facilitating information about a former student who got hit by an SUV while out of state, then again…facilitating information about a dear friend who recently died.  Boe has been in the periphery of my life for a good long time now.

As I was preparing this post I kept thinking back to my memories of interactions with Boe.  My predominant thought is to recall him looking up, meeting my eyes, and smiling.  His smile hasn’t changed and is almost an institution in the City of Edmond.  It genuinely warms my spirit each time I meet the glance of his face.  Which leads me to the reason I’m sharing his narrative with you today…

Boe has been posting snapped photos of early morning sunrises in Oklahoma on Facebook for quite some time.  His folder now has over 40 of them.  He’ll post one about every week or so…sometimes a few at a time.  I always enjoyed them but never knew the context for which he was gathering these brief moments of outdoor beauty or why he shares them.  Now I do.  It seems that he’s somewhat of a transportation service provider to a couple of his family members…but I’ll let you read the story in his own words.  Then I’ll share with you a few of his “Simply Glorious” (his title for the photo folder in which he stores them) sunrises he’s enjoyed over the past year or so.  Okay, I’m sharing nineteen of them.  So, for your “Almost Silent Sunday” moment with the RDC, here are Bo’s Sunrise Stories, provided in his words and with his cell phone or camera:

Continue reading Almost Silent Sunday: 1/2/2011 – Boe’s Sunrise Stories →

Oklahoma culture, Photography, Travel

Silent Sunday: 11/21/10

Photographer's one week old colt, taken April, 2010 - Fittstown, OK (south of Ada). To visit "Brown Photography" blog, click the photo.

Looks like this little girl's parents will be up for more face painting this year as the OSU Cowboy football team continues their winning streak. Click photo to visit the OSUPics site.

Continue reading Silent Sunday: 11/21/10 →

Foodie Page, Oklahoma culture, Photography

Silent Sunday: 11/14/10

Matt Duckworth, drummer for Star Death and White Dwarfs, backstage perspective. Star Death is setting off for another tour this week. Photo printed with permission from Matt.
Oh, it's just deer season in Oklahoma. Red Dirt Kelly grabbed her camera, rolled down her window, drove with her left hand and took the shot with her right hand. Shouldn't these trucks come with some kind of warning sign for passers by? "Warning, dead deer in truck. Those with queasy stomachs, please keep your eyes averted. Thank you."
And, speaking of shooting...100 years ago today, The Daily Oklahoman published a front page article about a county election Chairman declaring that he will NOT resign from his position. Further, he would shoot anyone who crosses the threshold of their office and threatens the sovereignty of the "sacred ballots." He proclaimed, "I have the keys to the boxes in which they are deposited and by the eternal gods I will protect them with my life." Red Dirt Kelly says, "Go, Judge Beall!"
And speaking of "Beale" (not Beall), little "Jesse" (Katie Beth) Beal makes a great Toy Story character for Halloween. Red Dirt Kelly saw no less than six "Jesses" this year, and all of them were great. Lookin' good, Katie Beth!
The Goddard School in Edmond gets creative with a bale of hay. When I walked around to the other side, there was a Jack-o-Lantern face painted on it. One bale of hay, TWO seasonal displays 🙂 Photo by Kelly.
Antique oil cans (jars) from a long-ago service station. Just one of the many sites to see at "The Stables Cafe" in Guthrie, Oklahoma. - Photo by Kelly

 

Poteau Ballon Festival, held Oct 22-23, 2010. Click photo to visit their website.

 

We hear the food at Poteau Balloon Fest is amazing. Mmmm, I can smell the fire, can you? - Click photo to visit the Balloon Fest website.

 

 

Faith

A Rare Not-So-Silent Sunday (Updated Sunday Night)

4 Comments

Our faith writer, Lamar Jackson, is having a beautiful vacation with his family on a cruise ship somewhere in the Caribbean.  I’m filling in for him and decided to post a Simple Sabbath thought on Sunday, breaking our normal “Silent Sunday” framework.

I’ve recently become vaguely aware of the The Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lausanne movement.  The Economist published an article on October 28th about the history of their purpose, struggles with mission and most recent progress in Cape Town.  I’ll be posting thoughts this afternoon about my perspective on this article, the history and movement, and what it means for Christians in our geographic area.

Until then, I hope you have a wonderful Sunday – silent, or not.  Prefacing my post this afternoon, I’m going to share a Bible verse with you.  The last two phrases have given me food for thought regarding this particular subject and I’ll begin with them.

7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. ~ Romans 13:7

** Sunday evening follow-up.

So, it’s not “the afternoon,” but rather the evening.  I found my words for this article harder to write than I had anticipated.

I’ve struggled, as a Christian, for the past ten years or so with what seems to me to be an escalation of Christian persecution in our country, as well as persecution of others by Christians.  Difficult to define my emotions, I suppose I would say that it appears some sort of negative quid pro quo has been taking place…through the media, through various Christian groups, and recently through social networking groups.

I’ve been mortified at times by messages I see posted by those I know to be Christians on Facebook toward ethnic groups or minorities.  The same is true toward those who put forth a political view different from views held by those making the responses.  At the same time, I’ve seen a new pervasiveness in the media of cartoons making fun of Christian views, and political pundits turn downright nasty when making statements about Christian beliefs.  It’s been hard to see destruction, rather than common ground and relationship-building.

I recall one day I read a statement written by someone about an article discussing spirituality and the words were so incredibly harsh I began to cry.

But then I heard the story about a gentleman who had been an Al Qaeda operative, who when released from Guantanamo, went back to his homeland and rejoined the terrorists.  However, he changed his mind, turned them in and averted an explosion – thus saving lives.  I also read the Economist article I noted above.  I can see hope of shifts; I see various Christian groups (even some of our missionaries in our own church) joining hands with other religions including Muslims and making a difference in international communities.

I see these things and I am encouraged.  I also read these Bible verses and am encouraged as well:

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e] (Meaning…you leave him/her to decide how to respond or think about the situation, not that you “Make” them feel guilty. – RDK)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ~ Romans 12:14-21

So I suppose that my Not-So-Silent Sunday thought for our normal “Simple Sabbath” message is this: Be gentle, be respectful, be compassionate, be loving…to all those you meet as best as you can.  A loving human is more powerful than anything else I’ve ever come in contact with…show your power this week, okay?

All the best, Red Dirt Kelly