It was a beautiful day to bury a dog.  We had a funeral up at Coon Dog Cemetery today, the organizer is a member of my church and so I was asked to give the invocation which I was happy to do.

Ray Frost brought “the Merch” down from Pennsylvania.  He was a champion Treeing Walker Hound that died sometime last year.  Mr. Frost found out about Coon Dog Cemetery and called down here to ask for information on having his dog reinterred.  Apparently one thing led to another and a funeral was organized and the press called in.

There are stringent rules for having a dog buried there, you have to prove that your dog was a true coon dog.  I’ve heard that there have been dogs exhumed when it was found out they ran deer.  Of course “the Merch” passed muster and was given a plot next to the famous statue of two dogs treeing a raccoon.

Ray and his wife arrived Sunday morning and joined us for worship and dinner afterwards.

Earlier today the casket was taken to the gravesite.  The florist van arrived with the arrangements shortly after.  People gathered and exchanged conversation about hunting or wandered through the graves reading epitaphs and taking pictures.  The pall bearers, some of Ray’s other hounds, waited patiently for the service.  A little before 11 the processional arrived from Tuscumbia. Several ladies dressed in black dresses and hats sat somberly in the front row of folding chairs.  I estimate there were about 200 in attendance (not counting dogs).

As I prepared for the service I discovered how difficult it can be to provide a prayer that is light hearted yet still reverent.  (I focussed on God’s good creation, our enjoyment of the created order and the blessings we receive through nature.)  The service also included some history of the area and the beginnings of the cemetery.  Ray gave the eulogy and told about “The Merch’s” championship career — I believe he got a little choked up towards the end.  Another local minister gave the benediction and the service closed with Taps.  After the burial we shared in good food, good laughs and good memories.

There’s a video on this local station’s site. And here’s the ESPN article.

I should have pictures soon.

Here’s a story where a Michigan pastor revealed too much of himself to a parishioner:

[Pastor] DePoy admitted showing a female church member nude pictures of himself and his wife, against the woman’s will, prosecutors said. He later resigned from the church.

Why doesn’t a group of teenagers fasting to raise awareness of world hunger or taking donations of over $10 million for the hungry ever make the news?

Apparently she wore the same outfit to court.  Full story here.

Let the puns begin.

I saw this video this morning via A Little Leaven,  a blog that is similar to Ship of Fools and the Wittenburg Door.

Saw THIS, by way of the Riddleblog today.  Seems that the less confidence people have in the power of God’s Word the more they resort to novelty, stunts and foolishness.

The church I serve is out in the County, our closest town in state, that is where our kids go to school and where our post office is, is Cherokee.  Cherokee is not large enough to support a newspaper, even a weekly like our neighbors in Iuka, MS who have the Vidette.  (Sorry no link, they don’t have a website yet.)

Anyway, someone has recently started printing an occasional newsletter – Smoke Signals. The following letter was printed in the latest issue #27/8.

To the citizens of Cherokee,

It has been brought to my attention that I have offended many of you by the articles I have written.  I now take the time to apologize because I do not want to be the cause of any discord here.  I also take the time to apologize to all the Pastors of Cherokee for writing to them in an attempt to create unity.  This could be ssen as me trying to tell them how to run their churches.  this was not my intent.  I will no longer write any articles to be published in Cherokee and I also am announcing that Sermons in the park will be discontinued and I will not run for Mayor.  At this time I am putting the Brotherton house and the Park and camp grounds on the market for sale and my wife and I will move out of Cherokee as soon as it sells.   We have a price in mind but will consider all offers.  If you wish to see the house and Park and Campgrounds, please call [----].  Again, I deeply apologize for any harm I have done to Cherokee or any of it’s people.

D… R…

I don’t know what was so offensive that the man has to stop preaching, drop out of his run for mayor, sell his home and business and move out of town.  I think I’ll call to see if they have back issues available.  I didn’t receive a unity letter – I wonder if I should be offended that I wasn’t included.

(NOTE: Just to avoid any confusion, D. R. was simply a contributor to the newsletter not the main writer/editor/publisher.)

Our local paper the Times Daily had a story today about a grieving cat who lost her kittens and an orphaned squirrel.

Potential Mother’s Day sermon illustration?

My wife and little girl were looking through her baby book this morning and were reminded of an early theological lesson.

“Daddy”, she asked, “does God have a car?”

I did my best to explain that God is everywhere, and that He is always with us and doesn’t need a car.

She responded, “Well does he have a bicycle?”