Honoring our Heroes

Today I thought about the brave men and women who gave their lives to defend the freedom that we as Americans enjoy. Just last week I was struggling with the lack of morality that overruns the country.

Memorial Day is one where we take time to remember and honor those who died in battle defending the freedoms of America. Bearing this in mind I wondered if as American citizens if we truly honor our heroes and what they died for. I feel like Americans today abuse that freedom that our soldiers have died for by demoralizing our culture.

If we really want to honor our troops then we need to prove that honor by living by the codes and values that once made America strong. We hold them to the highest standard of sacrifice, so must we not also make sacrifices for them as well?

As I remember the heroes who died for my freedom as an American I also thought about one other who died for my freedom as human being. Some two thousand years ago there was a man from Nazareth who was arrested, beaten, mocked at and killed by crucifixion for something that He did not do. It was a price that should have been reserved for all mankind for the sins we harbor in our lives, but He took it on Himself so that our debts are paid for in God’s eyes. And it did not end there. He was also raised to life that we might have life everlasting with Him. That man’s name is Jesus Christ.

For Christians, we ourselves are not a perfect people either. Even though we are covered by His blood, we are a changed people, so we must make that change known throughout the world. People need to see something different in us than the ordinary lifestyle that sin takes advantage of.

This Memorial Day, and every day after, I call to challenge ourselves to live in a godly manner. Our troops have done great and noble things to achieve the honor that they are due. Jesus has done even greater things and deserves the honor that is due unto Him. Our heroes have given their all for us. Is it not time that we give our all for them?

Why We Love Our Mothers

Last Sunday was Mother’s Day of course, and I was asked to lead a discussion for about mothers for a Sunday school class. My class members were late (or rather I was) so there was no discussion for me to lead. So I thought I would bring it up to my readers to lead a discussion as to why we love our mothers.

In preparation for the discussion, I looked up some passages that specifically pertained to mothers, and I found three different stories about mothers. The first I found was the mother of Moses. She was a slave in Egypt and gave birth to Moses in a dangerous time as Pharaoh led genocide on the newborn Hebrew boys. I wondered what sense there was in making a basket and putting him in it to float aimlessly in a river full of crocodiles and who knows what else, when I noticed where the passage said, “when she could hide him no longer…” What I took away from this is that she knew that Moses had no hope of surviving if he remained with her. I think she placed Moses in the basket out of desperation and prayed to God saying, “This is out of my control. I need You to take over and protect my son.” The reward of her humility came immediately when Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses and paid his own mother to nurse him. Eventually Moses would grow up to go on God’s behalf and lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.

Another story is that of a woman named Hannah. She was married to a bigamist, and the other wife, Peninnah, had many children and mocked her for not having any. She was discouraged over this and went to God in prayer. I took a close look at what she prayed, and noticed that she did not pray to have as many children as Peninnah so that she could get even, but she simply asked for one son; nothing more and nothing less. Not only that, but she promised to give her single son back to God at the place where she prayed this prayer. Why not just keep him and use him to rub in Peninnah’s face and say, “I prayed for my child.” I think as desperate Hannah was for a child, she had a hunger for pleasing God as well. In that, I believe she wanted her firstborn to have the best that she could give, and that was in the care of God, much like the mother in the first example. She did not ask for a child for her own pleasure, but as a way of being faithful to God. Shortly after she prayed, God granted her request and she gave birth to Samuel, who would grow up in the house of God, become a prophet to lead Israel until he would anoint Saul and David, the first kings of Israel.

There was one more example I found, and that was from the case concerning two women and a baby. The two women each had a baby of their own, but while they were sleeping one of them lay over her child and killed him by accident. She woke up in the middle of the night to find that she killed her own son, so she thought she would gratify herself by swapping her dead child for the other living child. The next morning the other mother found that the dead baby was beside her, but was not her son. The mother who swapped the babies denied it, so they took the case to King Solomon. Solomon acted shrewdly knowing that the true mother of the baby would have compassion to keep him alive whatever the cost. So he called his swordsman to take the baby and cut him in half so that each mother would have one half. The true mother got down on her knees and begged that the baby would not be harmed, and even said to give it to the other mother. The other mother, however, simply agreed to let the baby be cut in half. As a result, Solomon ordered that the living child would be given back to the mother who had more compassion for the child.

All three of these examples identify three different characteristics: compassion, faith, and humility. Each showed compassion to allow their children to have the best that they could offer, even if it was not of themselves. By staying true to their promises and prayers they showed faithfulness. And by admitting that the situation they were in was beyond their own control they showed humility. I know my mother has shown these characteristics in my life, and for that I love her. I hope that each woman this week who has children will feel blessed.

Remembering Goober

Goober Pyle visits Aunt Bee’s Chinese restaurant in his formal attire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is the first year anniversary of the death of one of America’s legendary actors and entertainers, and one of UNA’s most famous alumni, George Smith Lindsey.

George Lindsey was known nationwide mostly for his role as the slow-witted and funny mechanic, Goober Pyle, on America’s treasured The Andy Griffith Show. He also played in other shows and movies, including The Twilight Zone, Hee-Haw, and voice talents to classic Disney movies like The Aristo Cats, and Robin Hood. He is widely acclaimed at the University of North Alabama from the class of 1952. The Collier Library has an entire exhibit dedicated to George Lindsey and his legacy at UNA and Florence, AL.

My family and I grew up with The Andy Griffith Show and fell in love with Sheriff Andy Taylor, his deputy Barney Fife, his son Opie, his Aunt Bee, and the people of Mayberry such as Floyd, Otis, Gomer, Goober and many others. Never once had I dreamed that I would meet at least one of these people in my life. My opportunity came on March 2, 2012.

UNA was working on a new black box theatre and was ready for the grand opening a year later. The performance hall inside the building was named after Ernest Borgnine, who was a close friend with Lindsey and famous for movies and television series such as McHale’s Navy, From Here to Eternity, The Dirty Dozen, and also his voice talents in All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 and Spongebob Squarepants. Borgnine presented the theatre with a token by donating his scripts to its use. The theatre itself was named after George Lindsey.

As a writer for the Flor-Ala I volunteered to go to the grand opening to report it. To my excitement and my fear I was asked to interview George Lindsey face to face. In the past I talked to some renowned people at UNA, but no one who was as revered nationally as George Lindsey. I was so nervous before going to the theatre that I changed clothes three times as to not appear too formal or too casual. Once I was satisfied I headed to the theatre but was still nervous.

Lindsey and Borgnine sat up at the front of the stage as President William Cale and the foreman who supervised the construction of the theatre opened up the ribbon cutting. When Borgnine got up to talk about his career and his friendship with Lindsey he kept the audience laughing with almost every word he said. Lindsey had less energy at the event as he sat quietly in his wheelchair and smiled until it was his turn to speak. He opened up with a poem he wrote, What Mayberry Means to Me, found in his autobiography, Goober in a Nutshell, which reflected his career on The Andy Griffith Show. After that he went on to answer questions from the audience, and I managed to pick up key quotes from his responses.

Then the reception began and I walked around to talk to President Cale, Ernest Borgnine, George Lindsey Jr., and finally George Lindsey himself. I was asked by another reporter to be brief with my conversation as he was probably tired, and I strained to hear what he said because he was very quiet. I did not want to bother him by asking him to repeat himself, so I managed to get at least one direct quote from him, and asked if he would sign my notebook for my family.

Two months later, I was in the cafeteria about to eat breakfast when I saw the Today Show report George Lindsey’s death. It struck me to realize that I had only met him two months ago, and I may have been one of the last reporters to speak to him. It amazes me to this day that I got to meet someone as famous as George Lindsey and Ernest Borgnine, who died a month later.

As it has been a year since his death, I thought it appropriate to reflect on how I met George Lindsey and how I remember meeting him, even in that brief moment. I find it a blessing that I got to meet someone who has been a treasure for my community, the entertainment industry and my family.

A Southern Tradition

Between August and September, people like Christian Caldwell and Jennifer Hogan busy themselves with preparing for hunting season.

That preparation includes gathering and maintaining equipment, scenting the fields with corn and making sure that hunting licenses and IDs are up to date.

Hunting has been one of Alabama’s biggest pastimes as one generation after another becomes involved in it. It is so popular that Alabama and the states surrounding it are often identified with the sport.

“Alabama is a very outdoors state,” Hogan said. “Hunting is so ingrained in the Southern culture.”

Alabama is known for having the reservation land adequate for maintaining game such as deer, pheasant, hogs and other animals.

When hunting season approaches every year, many spend the latter part of the summer preparing for the season. Methods differ from person to person, but many state that it is important to have warm, unscented, camouflaged clothing, scout the hunting area to know what animals are there, and make sure that guns and ammunition are cited.

“It’s a big revenue for Alabama,” said Cole Harbon, an employee in the hunting section at Dick’s Sporting Goods Store. “We have a lot of the reserve land here.”

Reasons why people hunt vary from person to person. For Hogan it makes her feel self-sufficient. For David Montgomery and Reggie Scott, it gives them an opportunity to be free of daily pressures and enjoy the great outdoors.

“It is more than just getting out there and shooting something,” Montgomery said. “It is getting out there and seeing God’s creation.”

In addition to sharing their love for hunting and what it means to them, these people also shared their concerns of how their favorite pastime may be affected in light of the multiple shootings in the past year.

Many agree that the Second Amendment protects their right to bear arms and therefore protect themselves and their families.

“I feel that the Second Amendment is my right to protect and defend myself, and that should not be taken away from me,” Hogan said.

Stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Gander Mountain have their own way of ensuring safety in handling and selling guns.

Gander Mountain makes sure that each gun has a trigger lock and is given a red tag when sold or brought in. Dick’s goes through a background check and does not allow access to minors.

“To buy a gun, it requires a background check and proper ID,” Harbon said. “We do not allow anyone 18 or under to hold a gun.”

Those like Caldwell who grew up hunting believe that they understand the importance of gun safety at an early age.

“At an early age we are taught the safety of gun handling,” Caldwell said.