The Ramblings of Weesatch Joe

A long time ago, I worked at one of the greatest small businesses in Central Texas, Mickan Motor Company. I learned so much while working there it's impossible to label it all. Mechanical, yes: tire repair & service, rotate & balance (R&B), oil & filter changes (OFC), and basic mechanic work & diagnosis. I also learned service: caring for the person, not just the problem - even when the person was part of the problem. Lots of places teach service, though, including the famous chicken place that uses holstein cows for marketing. More than anything else, though, I learned how and when to listen, especially to old timers (the men, not the pocket knives, although we sold those as well - the knives, not the men) who just wanted someone to listen. I've written and talked about Ray, Ethel, and their son, Danny, and how Ray was more than a boss, but also a fatherly friend.  One of the little things that made Mickan's shop special was the ever-present tubs of bub...

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." I won't welcome the congregation with those words this morning. I won't be welcoming them at all, in fact. I'm sitting in my living room, 6am, still in my pajamas pants, a thermal shirt, and slippers - hardly my standard Sunday clerical attire: black shoes, pants, and clerical shirt. Most Sundays, I would either be at the church or on the way to the church, starting to review my sermon, looking over Bible class notes, and pausing to pray for those who will be attending church. Today, I'm on the couch, home-bound because of a - for this South Texan, at least - a serious snowstorm that dropped about a foot of snow in my yard. While I dislike very much cancelling church services, I think the elders made a wise call. With mostly an elderly congregation and many in outlying communities, it seems the prudent thing to do. So, in about 3 hours, along with the other members of St. Paul's, we wil...