See how inculturated I am? hahaha
Amazingly, a month has now passed since my arrival here in Eufaula. It really is a charming town. And the people are even better. I never thought I would be so busy in such a small Southern Catholic parish!
Really if you have a chance to visit you really ought to. And if you do...I have the place for you to stay--The Candlelight Inn.
It is literally about 50 meters from Holy Redeemer where I am living. The owners, George and JoAnn, are parishioners here and the nicest of people. My first week here they kindly invited me down for coffee and muffins and to see their place. I was immediately charmed by their beautiful home...and more so by them. Since then, we have been regularly having coffee in the mornings, sitting on the front of their wrap-around porch. There is no better porch in town..and no better way to come and imbibe all that is Eufaula.
Here is a front shot of their place that I stole from their website.
And here is their website so you can go ahead and plan your trip!!!
It is the only B&B in town and the only place where you will wake up and eat Banana Nut Pancakes while a retired trucker serenades you with your favorite Johnny Cash songs! Remember George strumming his guitar at the Talent Show???
You should hear him in his dining room!
Soooo...other than drinking Coffee with JoAnn and George, last week was largely filled by VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL! It was an intense four days to say the least. But I am sure they will also be some of the most memorable.
Father Shoemaker developed the whole idea and planned the whole thing....which as you will see gives us only more insight into the Creative and UNIQUE mind of this priest. The Teens of the Youth Group showed up every day to help put it on. About 18 kids came...and as best as I could deduce...they had a great time.
The overall theme for the week was “The Great Detective Vacation Bible School: Come and Solve the Mystery.” You can see the flyer Father made below to catch the kids interest.
Father divided his time for the week between two personalities--Father David and Friar Mutt. Friar Mutt served as the Special Agent for the week. He really had a “nose” for the job as he is a third German Shepherd, a third Blood Hound, and a third Chihuahua. Friar Mutt teamed up with the Chief of Police--Big Vic--in an effort to transform the kids into real Detectives, equipped to search through and find answers to the mysteries of the Bible. Thankfully, to take on such a big task, Fr. Mutt and Big Vic were joined by a team of F.B.I. (Faith and Bible Investigators) Agents to help with this whole process.
After taking the official “Detective’s Pledge,” the new recruits were equipped with Detective Badges, Notepads, and Pens with which they would be able to do their Detective Work. Quickly they learned the 5 essential questions any detective must be read to ask: Who? What? When? Where? and Why?
With this in mind, Day 1 was spent discovering WHO are the Friends of Jesus? After much detective work, they became familiar with the names of the 12 apostles as well as Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Also they realized, Jesus wanted THEM to be his friends too!!! Shockingly, they then discovered that Jesus wants EVERYONE to be his friends! Pretty incredible discovery!
Once we had discovered WHO Jesus’ friends were, Day 2 was spent discovering WHAT the friends of Jesus’ do. The kids were shocked again to discover that Jesus’ friends had to love everyone---EVEN the kid who smelled bad in class, EVEN the kid who made fun of them, EVEN the kid who wiped his boogers on their backpack! But don’t worry...Jesus gives us his Spirit so we have the power to do this!
Day 3, we asked WHEN and WHERE Jesus’ friends are called to Love and Serve. Pretty much ANYTIME and ANYWHERE were the answers they found. Also on Day 3, the kids were given a Secret Mission which they first had to decode. Once the kids had decoded their Mission, Father led them down to the Church’s food pantry where they helped prepare food bags to be given out to the poor later on. The kids loved it!
Day 4, the detectives closed the case by asking WHY Jesus’ friends are called to Love and Serve Anytime and Anywhere. The answer seemed almost too simple--Because HE first loved us in this way! Because this is what we are created to do!
Here are some shots from through their week of investigating:
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Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you,
if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"
SIGNING OFF:
As always, a pleasure to share with you.
May God give us the eyes of FAITH...so that we may DISCOVER him more richly this week.
Let's pray for one another.
And as always. Feel free to shoot me an email with a specific intention:
victorPingalls@gmail.com
Peace, Prayers, Love, Joy, and 3 D's
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PONTOON FISHING:
After three weeks of spinning schedules, this past Tuesday Father decided to throw on the brakes for an afternoon to go fishing. A friend of Father's owns a bass pond just outside of Eufaula where Father has an open-invitation to come by and drop in a line. So we loaded up my truck and headed out.
However this was like no other "bass-pond-fishing-expedition" I have ever been on.
For one, we used fly rods instead of the standard poles. Father is an avid fly fisherman and really avoids having to using anything but his fly rod.
I had never used a fly rod before, so upon our arrival, he first put me through a brief tutorial.
After a few minutes, my crude thrashings began to evolve into smooth casts...smooth enough to get started at least.....
However, rather than just stepping up to the shore of the pond and casting....Father had a different...more intimate approach set up for us---Personal Pontoon boats.
Imagine a lawn chair with two inflated tubes attached on either side. Now attached two oars...one on either side of the chair. Then strap on some wet-boots and flippers. Now you are starting to get the picture. And here is the picture.
Now grow a beard, dye it white, and put on your straw cowboy-hat. Dawn your favorite fishing vest, load it with your lucky lures, and by all means...Don forget the shades.
Hahahaha. I'd never even seen something like this before...but...nuances such as these are just par for the course with Fr. Shoemaker.
Once we had them all inflated, geared up, and assembled...we headed into the pond.
It took me a few to get comfortable, figure out how to maneuver the boat, and get the hang of casting while my "flipperred" feet dangled in the pond water. But before long....I had landed my first fish ever using a fly rod...and sitting in a Personal Pontoon Boat for that matter. Nice size bass too (about 11 inches)!
Time flew that afternoon, as we got lost in the beauty of the moment, the rhythm of the casts, and the satisfaction of reeling in fish.
Like this 9-inch brim Father caught! 9-inch BRIM???
I am hoping Father and I have a couple more chances to take out the boats before the summer is over. Such a nice way to relax and imbibe a bit of this world we have been given to enjoy. The experience really added color and depth to the second reading at Mass this past Sunday:
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible [...] all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
-Colossians 1:15-17
UNION SPRINGS:
Here are a couple pictures just before the Spanish Mass in Union Springs on Saturday.
Luz is having a hard time waiting for Christmas to come....good thing ole St. Nick is nearby :)
Rotillio keeps it real on the altar with me most every Saturday. Props.
PARISH TALENT SHOW:
This was one of the first things Father mentioned to me on the phone when I called him for the first time from Rome after receiving my assignment to his parish. He wanted to make sure that I would be there for it....as it promised to be "the best show in town"--a title he consistently employed to promote it. They started the Parish Talent Show two years ago and it seemed that people really have begun to look forward to it.
Already it has generated many memories in the parish. One act people consistently recall is that last year a girl took the stage with a couple Kraft Cheese Singles and chewed them into the States of Texas and Florida!!!! hahahahahahahahahahaha
Sooooo...I was told---ANYTHING GOES!!! Just DO SOMETHING!
It all came to a head this past Friday night. The parish hall was packed as people filed into metal chairs to wait their turn to perform and/or just enjoy the show. It really was a blast! Hilarious to see the variety of acts. Shocking to see...especially the young kids...bust out some serious talents. A good time had by all.
Here are some snip-its from the night to give you a taste:
George singing a Johnny Cash song and another old country song. George, his wife JoAnn, and I have coffee together a couple times a week, sitting on his front porch. It is a great way to start the day.
Edgar is in the Youth Group and plays soccer for Eufaula High. We have played together a couple times. It has been a hunbling experience for me :)
Kayla singing an Amy Grant classic--"Children of the World"
The Youth Group doing hand motions to the song "Waves of Mercy"....classic
Libby blowing minds and crushing hearts with her flawless hoola-hoop act. You try and do two at once, drop to your knees, get back up, and strut around the stage without missing a beat while singing the lyrics to the song blaring on the speakers behind you. In your frustration...appreciate this hoola-prodigy hahhahahaha
Nolan pieced together snip-its of popular Beatles' songs...way to work the crowd bro
Rosie choreographed an entire dance by herself and lit up the stage
Her older siblings, Bernardo and Cynthia, got everyone's hands bumpin' together as they performed a dance they have learned for Cynthia's upcoming
The Boyce Boys (Jacob, Joseph, and Bradley [L->R]) won everyone over with their routine involving a song rhyming "Spam" with "Fried Ham" and "Ma'am"
About 10 days before the Talent Show I brought my guitar and box of harmonicas to the weekly Youth Group meeting. One of the guys who comes regularly is also named "Victor." Seeing my box of harmonicas, he questioned, "What is that?" To which I responded, "Haven't you ever seen a harmonica before?" He had a vague memory it seemed.
I suggested that he try to play one as I strummed some simple chords. And thats when lightning struck. Miracles bubbled. Talent was discovered.
It was as if the ability was inscribed on his heart from the beginning. From just about his first breath into that mouth harp...it was smooth...on beat...on key. It was meant to be.
So we decided...or should I said...destiny prompted our entry into the Talent Show together as "The Two Victors" or "Los dos Victores." Let just say...we did our part to justify the saying "To the Victor(s) go the spoils."
And last but not least...there is Father David. It just so happened, that Father used to have a buddy who was an escape artist that gifted him a straight-jacket back in the day. By this point...you can't be surprised can you??!!?!!
So, sit back and enjoy this brief look at Father's public escape:
My contribution.
Everyone's pretty skeptical at this point...
Now starting to get worried...
But wait...could it be????
No way.....
This can't be happening.....
Maybe God DOES exist after all!!!!?????!!!!!!
hahahahahahha
Soooo....just another week in Eufaula! hahahaha
It continues to be a good experience here. God is good. His creation is rich. It doesn't get old. And as we have learned....it can't be contained by a straight-jacket!!!
In closing, here is a montage that Fr. put together from all of the talents that night:
Quick Wikipedia article on the guy who founded "Heart's Home"--the Catholic Movement that my sister has joined to do a mission in Peru for 18th months
Here is a link to Fr. Brian Barrons' blog--the Maryknoll priest that hosted me last summer in China. Now Brian is hosting 5 more guys from my seminary this summer. One of the guys, Lee Junhee, went bungee jumping off one of the skyscrapers on Macau island--just off the coast of Hong Kong.
NEXT SUNDAY'S GOSPEL:
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mark who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Signing Off:
Always a pleasure to share these posts with ya'll.
Let's keep praying for one another.
Let me know if there is something in particular I can be praying for.
Keep growing in Love. In Wonder. In Compassion. In Humility.
For all things will be well....all things will be well.
Peace & Love
