Glen Alan's San Antonio

My final San Antonio Emmaus gathering

2008-07-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Emmaus spiritual renewal movement, like all such renewal movements derived from the original Cursillo de Cristiandad, has as one of its "fourth day" features the monthly gathering together of folk who have been on a Walk to Emmaus, the initial three-day retreat. In the San Antonio area so many people have been Pilgrims that there are seven Fourth Day Groups, or local communities. Each has a monthly meeting, but twice a year we all gather together at some large church in whichever FDG is hosting that month. (The official local Emmaus community is the Southwest Texas Emmaus Community, co-extensive with the SWTX Conference of the UMC.)

Tuesday last (the 15th) we had our "July Joint FDG Gathering", hosted by the New Life FDG at Northern Hills UMC on the north side of Loop 1604. I got a ride there with Bill Clarke, who also had given me a ride to & from Men's Walk #1327.

The Gathering was wonderful, an almost overwhelming final blessing for yours truly! For one thing we turned out in droves -- over 300 attended, to be specific. And when the host Lay Director asked for indication of how many were from each of the constituent FDGs (plus visitors from other Emmaus communities), the number of folk who stood up at the mention of "Care Bexar" was simply exhilarating!

Instead of an actual "Fourth Day Talk" usually given during a monthly gathering, we saw a new film that the international office in Nashville is proposing to use as an alternative to the film "In Remembrance" that's probably been used since Emmaus got started in the Seventies (i.e., 1970s). The new film, "Dust", has a scholarly clergy fellow commenting about what it meant that Jesus the Nazarene was a Jewish rabbi with disciples. A Jewish blessing to be said to a disciple of such a roving rabbi in those days was, the narrator says, "May you be covered with the dust of your rabbi!" That is, the dust raised by a rabbi walking on the unpaved roads of rural Palestine would settle on the disciples who walked behind him. Interesting picture! Interesting film!

The songs we sang were fine; we sang using PowerPoint rather than the Emmaus songbooks, but I didn't mind. I didn't even mind the one song I didn't know. The prayer time was deep. Since there were so many, the Lay Director chose to simply pass the mike thru the crowd, first on his right and them on his left. When I had come to choosing a seat, I had wanted to sit with Rich and Joy Drady and others of Alamo Heights Christian Church, but there weren't any seats. Rich urged me to sit three rows up in the front row "because you're a front-row guy". And because I took the seat nearest the central aisle, I ended up being the final one to receive the mike.

Call this a "God thing". My final Emmaus meeting in S.A., and I get to be the last one to utter prayer praises and concerns! Thank you, gracious Lord!

Then, during the Lord's Supper distribution, when folk come forward to receive a piece of the loaf and dip it in the cup and partake (this method is called "intinction"), we sang "Here I Am to Worship" and two other songs.

. Here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down,
. Here I am to say that You're my God
. You're altogether lovely Altogether worthy,
. Altogether wonderful to me

I remember that I sensed that things were getting intense deep inside my heart, and my head threatened to leak. I found myself praying, "Dear Lord, please don't let 'Here I Am, Lord' be our closing song!" This song, a call to discipleship and ministry, is usually what we sing as the closing song of a monthly gathering. It's also one of my favorites even tho' it always puts me on the verge of tears by the third and final verse, And I KNEW that were we to sing it this evening I'd end up bawling like a baby.

Well, God heard my prayer! The closing song was "They'll Know We Are Christians" and that one I can handle!

Following the worship we adjourned to the church lobby for food and drink. As always at any Emmaus event I've ever attended, the food was plentiful. Once I'd consumed a plateful of the main potluck offerings -- veggies & dip, sandwiches, casseroles, etc. -- I went back for a plateful of dessert -- cakes, pies, cookies.

One dessert was a cake heavily covered with creamy white icing and over most of the top cherries in a thick sauce or syrup. It looked yummy, and I wasn't about to pass it by! However, as I started to serve myself a slice, Pat Hoover, my "prayer partner" for Kairos Briscoe #1, sauntered over and remarked to me, "Now, you know that's not good for you!"

I replied with a smile to her, "Well, I don't care! This is my final Emmaus event in Texas and I'm gonna celebrate!" We both laughed at my mock belligerence.

This Emmaus joint FDG gathering was only one of several farewell events that are and will occupy me during this month, before I move away. I've a lot of groups and individuals to whom I now must say «Adios. Que el Señor te (o les) bendiga hasta que nos vemos, o en esta jornada de la vida mortal o en la gloria del cielo». Or for you monolinguals, "Bye. May the Lord bless you 'til we meet again either in this mortal life or in Heaven." These include (but aren't limited to) my two church congregations, the "Mama's Men" Bible study that meets Wednesdays over breakfast at Mama's Café on Nacogdoches Road, Kairos and Emmaus bodies, my best friend in S.A., Joe Tovar. Etc.,etc. Whew! did I get involved in a bunch of spiritual relationships and friendships, or what?

Well, nevertheless, now I must say «Adios» to all of y'all in Texas. AND:

"Tennessee! Here I come, ready or not!"

Independence Day -- S.A. style!

2008-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! We just celebrated the 232d anniversary of the declaration of independence of these United States! Here in San Antonio we partied in style!

Like many other citizens, my celebration began a bit early, that is, on Thursday nite. But NOT with fireworks or hot dogs or drinking! I went to prison. Getting a ride with Bill Havard (my "cellie" or roommate on the Team for Kairos Briscoe #2), I attended First Thursday Kairos Prayer & Share in the Dolph Briscoe Unit in Dilley. Due to a "guard-power" shortage we were back in the chapel for this one, rather than the gym. This kept the attendance down, and I missed seeing my "homie" from the Westside, Kevin, and others. But Porfirio and Luis from St. Peter's Table family on #2 and Jeremy from St. Luke's Family on #1 were there.

It was such a joy to be with the brothers in white this evening! And then it was all I could do as Bill drove us away afterward, to keep from bawling like a baby. You see, dear reader, I knew that I'd probably not see any of these brother Christians again this side of Heaven. Nor will I again see the interior of the Briscoe Unit, with its portrait of its namesake Texas Governor.

Next day, the actual holiday, I put such intense feelings aside, at least while I was working at Fiesta Texas. And hallelujah! we got another rain storm, one of several during these first days of July! Nevertheless, plenty of folk were buying tickets to enter the park and enjoy a day which would end in its spectacular fireworks show in place of the usual "Lone Star Spectacular".

But the theme park's Independence Day observation isn't the sole party for the holiday in Bexar County! The other theme park, Sea World, has its celebration, as do our military posts: Lackland AFB. Randolph AFB, and the US Army's Fort Sam Houston.

And THE "Fourth of July" party for San Antonio is the one at Woodlawn Lake. It features a variety of activities in the park around the lake, northwest of downtown and east of St. Mary's University. There's a parade around the lake, families camp out (or at least set up for some serious picnicking), a carnival, etc. One of my first two years here (before I began working at Fiesta Texas) I attempted to go to that one for at least the fireworks. However, traffic destined for the same goal as me slowed down the bus, and I ended up watching the nocturnal aerial show from the bus near the intersection of Woodlawn Avenue and Zarzamora Street.

Not THIS year! Leaving work at the theme park I came to Woodlawn Park from another direction; when traffic slowed the public transit down I got out and walked. I reached the east side of the lake just in time for the show. This viewing point was high on the east bank of the lake, in front of a community center, now for recreation but earlier a branch library. We had a good view across the lake, to the far shore of trees and what appeared to be a well-lit county-fair style carnival. Occasionally above the trees we'd get glimpses of fireworks in the far distance. I believe these were probably the display going on out at Sea World, which is in that direction.

The Woodlawn Lake fireworks got set off from a barge out in the middle of the small lake. While they were going up and bursting above us, recorded patriotic music was being played. (I couldn't detect if the melodious accompaniment came out of a general p.a. system or someone's high-volume boom box, but I'm pretty sure it was the former.) One of the songs was Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless the U.S.A." It put a lump in my throat, as I stood there relishing the celestial displays in the company of a mostly chicano audience, mostly from the Westside.

Next day the Independence Day party continued for me. Yeah, dear reader, it's true I was also back at work at Fiesta Texas. But on Saturday after clocking out from work I returned into the park as a Guest, just specifically for the park's fireworks show. (The theme park does it two consecutive nites annually.)

With a couple of hours before it would get dark en'uf for fireworks, I had time on my hands. So I attended a new show being offered in Zaragoza Theatre. It's called "Blast Fever" and features percussion and brass -- also copious choreography. Since the show opened its run, cart vendors have been selling tee-shirts and other souvenirs near Texas State Square, past the Zaragoza and toward the rear of the "Los Festivales" Mexican-theme area of the park. One of the tees features a dictionary-style definition of the word "blast". Number Two in the definition is "a party, particularly a wild party." The first time I read this I laughed and remarked, «¡una pachanga!» For you monolinguals, a pachanga is defined in Spanish-English dictionaries as "a rowdy or wild party".

"Blast Fever" commenced with a solo snare drummer on stage, giving the opening beat of Ravel's "Bolero". Instruments kept coming onstage and adding to the sound and the volume of the piece, just as it's supposed to be performed. And just as I heard it somewhere close to twenty times the evening I got initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha. I'm sure that for most folk my age "Bolero" sparks memories of the movie "Ten" and Bo Derek striding up out of the surf to that music. Not for me. Or probably any other Brother who was initiated in the Epsilon-Gamma Zeta house at 720 Deakin Ave. in Moscow, Idaho. I won't go into why "Bolero" was such a crucial part of our initiation ceremony; suffice it to say that the music is etched into our memories -- indelibly! What followed "Bolero" in "Blast Fever" was a drum solo, followed by a duet, both forgettable. But then there was a more "orchestral piece", a beautiful instrumental piece in which some of the artists came out and played in the audience area. Since it was a danceable number, I considered that if anybody else in the audience got up to dance I too would be cuttin' the rug in the aisles! The finale was a rather spectacular number with spectacular choreography. All in all, "Blast Fever" turned out to be a terrific show!

However, my chief purpose for returning into Fiesta Texas was for the "Lights of Liberty" fireworks show. It's preceded by a country-rock show on the stage of Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre in the center of the park. And don't you know? One of the songs sung was "God Bless the U.S.A."! (Most of the numbers were simply popular country-rock, rock and country hits of recent years.)

When the country-rock show was finished I left the Amphitheatre. You see, my preferred viewing locale for the "Lights of Liberty" is on Texas State Square, just outside the former Mi Pueblito restaurant building. One gets a fine view of the blasts from there, backlighting the Boomerang ride. (And, strangely, folk are still riding that thing during the fireworks!)

This year I noticed that the park's pyro guys were using a new technique in their fireworks. I cannot accurately describe this, just that it sort of looks like an invisible paintbrush were making quick, short swipes with "spark paint" across the sky! And many of the more traditional bursts were of the "'Oohs!' and 'ahhs!'" quality. It was a great show, as always, and well worth the sticking around to see, even one day after the actual holiday!

Sunday the Sixth the party concluded with church observances. Actually, when I was at Alamo Heights Christian Church last Sunday (27 June) they were sort of observing the holiday THAT Sunday. Sort of jumping the gun, if you ask me.

Anyhow, I chose to wear the red-white-and-blue necktie that somewhat resembles Old Glory, that my best friend Joe had given me. And then when I got to Mexican Christian Church I found out that the pastor wanted me to be worship leader! And for that reason Sister Liz Sanchez was delighted I had worn a patriotic tie! I also chose to sing, solo and a capella, the Lee Greenwood song I'd heard so many times over the course of the holiday weekend. I invited everybody to join me in singing the final repeat of the chorus.

. And I'm proud to be an American,
. where at least I know I'm free!
. And I won't forget the ones who died,
. who gave that right to me.
. And I'd proudly stand up
. next to you and defend her still today.
. "Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land!
. God bless the U. S. A.!

One More/Last Meeting with the Society

2008-06-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

Last evening, it being the final Wednesday of June, I attended the general membership meeting of the San Antonio Conservation Society. These meetings are usually held in the River House on the bank of the San Antonio River behind the Steves Homestead in the historic King William neighborhood.

As I approached the River House I noticed a significant difference: the food was being served outdoors, to the right of the door. And the sign-in table was to the left. When I stepped inside, I saw that more seating was set up in the resulting space available by having the two activities outdoors. Apparently the Society was expecting a major turn-out of members, both Active and Associate (I'm in the latter category). And indeed, the May membership meeting had been so very well attended that we had standing room only.

The food was delicious! We ate meatballs, breads, and three salads. And indoors was a chocolate chocolate cake for dessert. Also liquid refreshments: wines, Bud Lite, lemonade, coffee and water.

Various officers' reports on the past year, since mid-2007, formed the main item on the Agenda. These included our President Marcie Ince's general account of the year's activities, successes and failures. One of the Vice Presidents' reports included an update on the digital billboard struggle. The Society has constantly opposed all manner of billboards and has been fighting since late last year to get the City Council to reverse its December '07 approval of the digital variety.

We also had the installation ceremony for the new officers, who had been elected by the Active membership last month. And finally the Actives got to vote for three new members of the Board of Directors, to fill recent vacancies. The candidate who received the most votes was Braxton Smith, a sharp-looking Afro-American gentleman. He and the second-most-votes recipient got two-year terms while the third candidate (with fewest votes) got the one-year term. Congrats to all!

While votes were being counted we were treated to a slide show (or PowerPoint?) about the Women's Pavilion that still stands on the HemisFair grounds. This will be renovated for new uses, one of which will be as a party room or getaway for leaders and officials of conventions meeting in the nearby San Antonio Convention Center.

You may ask, dear reader, why I commence this post with "One More/Last Meeting. . ." Well, it's because the very same day, Wednesday the 25th, I learned that my clergy standing with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has been reinstated. This wonderful news, sent by e-mail, clears the way for 1) me to pursue a calling I've had longer than I've done this blog and 2) for me to move back to Tennessee! The "calling" is to become a full-time prison chaplain. And the move is thanks to a visit I made there in mid-June. The visit was to explore the possibility of a reconciliation with my wife Ellen. After a very good lunch with her and her pastor, who gave us very sage counsel, and after a couple evenings of line dancing -- Ellen became active in line dancing for exercise and weight loss as well as the fun, during my residence in S.A. -- I flew back to Texas rather encouraged. And truly sensing that this, too, is God's "calling", the Lord's directive for me at this time in life.

Certainly these have been eventful years of living in San Antonio, "Party City", Texas. I shall miss the unique qualities and elements that make this city what it is. But I'm going back to family, and to the "greenest state in the Land of the Free!" Tennessee has its charms, too. The biggest, and one S.A. lacks, is family.

So, dear reader, cherish your family! And cherish the place you live! It's God's camping spot for you on the earthly journey of life, and they are your God-given companions for the journey!

Thursday, Juneteenth, A.D. 2008

2008-06-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

Texas has several rather distinctive holidays, in addition to the special days celebrated all over these United States or the world. Of course there is Texas Independence Day, 2 March, which commemorates the declaration of Texas' independence from Mexico and the launching of her status as one of the sovereign nations of humankind. And there are the anniversaries of the fall of The Alamo, 6 March, and the Battle of San Jacinto, 21 April, when Texans and particularly San Antonians remember the events that led to that independence.

However, a most unique holiday in this state is Juneteenth, on 19 June. On that date in 1865 Union General Granger landed at Galveston and proclaimed that all slaves in the state were free. So, yup, citizens of black African heritage are the major -- but hardly the exclusive -- celebrators of Juneteenth! In the morning on my way to work, for example, this white bread wished folks a "Happy Juneteenth!" One of the first I greeted thus was an African-American young lady who works with me at Fiesta Texas. But believe me, I was "equal opportunity" in my spreading of the greeting!

Perhaps because of the holiday, I got a "wild hair" and decided to celebrate Juneteenth by attending the evening Texas League game of our AA minor league team, the San Antonio Missions, in Nelson Wolff Stadium. This despite listening on the radio the evening before while the hometown boys lost 7-2 to the visiting Corpus Christi Hooks.

As I approached the stadium following the long walk down Callaghan from the bus stop on Old Hwy. 90, I was listening to the broadcast of the game. And I could see that even tho' the game was already in the third inning, the lines at the ticket windows were still long. By the time I got to the window it was already the sixth, so I contented myself with purchasing a "grass berm" ticket -- just to get into the stadium.

Once inside I got in another long line, for a the concession stand, to purchase a couple slices of "dollar pizza" -- Thursday games at the Wolff are "Dollar Nites" with dollar pizzas, hot dogs, beer and soft drinks. Now, the dollar beer isn't a bargain (except compared to the regular price in stadiums); I know any number of convenience stores in the Alamo City where I can buy a 16-ounce Lone Star Lite for less than a dollar. And Wolff Stadium cups aren't any 16 ounces! Nevertheless, I took my pizza and beer and sat down at a nearby table to enjoy these while still listening to the broadcast of the game on KKYX-AM 680. Stu Paul and Roy Acuff (NOT the Roy Acuff of the Grand Ole Opry, who's been dead for some years now) do the play-by-play on the air.

What I heard while standing in lines and then eating was a very good game! Leastwise, from the hometown boys' side. Pitcher Stephen Faris pitched a good one, and most if not all the other Missions players contributed in their own ways. One name that always stands out as I listen to the broadcasts is Mike Baxter. He used to play for Vanderbilt University, and Stu or Roy will sometimes remark about how this "Yankee" by origin (the region, not the ML team!) wanted to play college ball in the prestigious Southeastern Conference. And how Vandy has a great baseball program -- and gr-r-r-reat academic credentials! Other names that always catch my attention are José Lobatón, from Venezuela, Drew Macías and Sean Kazmar.

Then I went up to the press-box and talked to my buddy Stu Paul. We've carried on an e-mail correspondence for several years, and some time back he'd invited me to come up any time to say "howdy". When he stood up to greet me I at once noticed that he had slimmed down quite a bit! I remarked on this and he filled me in on his weight-loss plan. We also jointly marvelled at the attendance for that evening and the previous evening's game. Indeed, while I was still up there in the press box word of the official attendance came: 7,538. This is the highest attendance figure for '08, and probably one of the highest in the history of Nelson Wolff Stadium!

I actually got to sit down and watch the top of the ninth inning. Since the Missions were already ahead 2-0 there was lots of celebrating going on already. And since the Hooks from the Gulf-shore city didn't score any runs in this final half inning, that remained the final score!

Go, Missions!

Baccalaureate for AHHS Class of '08

2008-06-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon (1 June) I attended the Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2008 of Alamo Heights High School. As with the other two times I attended, it was in the beautiful sanctuary of Alamo Heights UMC. And the pews were FULL -- of Seniors front & center, of families, of faculty and staff.

This time we also were treated to a special "graduate" who was present to give the Baccalaureate speech. You see, Dr. Jerry Christian, just-retired Superintendent of AHISD (see my post of May), began his time as "Number One Mule" when this class began kindergarten. And here he was, thirteen years later, leaving the school system at the same time as they (if for a slightly different reason and a different goal)!

Before "Dr. C", as he's affectionately known in the district, began his speech we were treated to some beautiful music. Prelude music was by organ and trumpet; these continued during the Processional of the Seniors into the sanctuary. This processional piece was "Rondeau" by Mouret, which contains rousing trumpet phrases. The entire congregation stood to sing the hymn "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" which is set to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". Following the Invocation and a Scripture reading, the Girls Choir of AHHS treated us to "I Will Lift Up My Voice". This piece had a special interest for me: during two days of sub-teaching for choir teacher/director Angus McLeod a couple months ago I had been blessed to listen to the young ladies practice this piece, among others. They had sounded sweet in practice, and today sounded even sweeter singing it in the church! Then just before the "Message to Graduates" by "Dr. C", a young lady, accompanied by a young man with guitar and refrain harmony, sang "I Hope You Dance". This song, a great country music hit by Lee Ann Womack, has such appropriate lyrics for the significant rite of passage that is high school graduation!

And yes, my head started to leak. For the second time. The first was when the seniors processed in to those stirring trumpet notes of "Rondeau" by Mouret. You know, dear reader, I think it's not good for me to attend these AHHS baccalaureates! The first time I was here was okay. But last year as the Class of '07 processed in, it came to me that I'd started my sub-teaching at their school halfway thru their Freshman year, and thus I witnessed their mental and emotional growth as they acquired classroom knowledge! I was torn between sharing their happiness at their special occasion, wishing them well in their future plans, and sorrowing that I'd get to see few if any of them ever again.

And this time, if anything, the intensity of emotional conflict was greater, because I'd seen the Class of '08 since almost the first day they began their four years of high school! In a way it was harder on me than when my own two flesh-and-blood graduated from their high schools: THEN I'd had intense feelings for just one graduate at a time -- and this time it was for hundreds all at once!

And then we heard the "Message to Graduates". Our retiring Superintendent "Dr. C" did a fine job inspiring and exhorting them. Of course he made note right at the start, of that special connection he had with them, by commencing his formal association with the District when they did and by now retiring even as they were about to receive their diplomas. He shared an anecdote from a visit he'd paid years ago to a kindergarten classroom; later he reflected back on this incident, and commented how precious kindergartners are, "for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven!" Wow! did I appreciate his citing of our Savior's teaching!

Afterward I told him that since he shared three points in the message (not to mention also its spiritual content), he would make a great preacher! He agreed with a smile, that indeed he'd made three major points. And then all of us made our way to the AHUMC's Christian Life Center (a combo fellowship hall and gym) for tasty refreshments.

I personally congratulated several of the Seniors about their high school graduation. One beautiful young coed told me that she was planning to attend Vanderbilt University. I cheered, and then shared how I received a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies from that venerable institution. I also warned her to "get ready to live in the Library!" Ha, ha! And I know that several of the AHHS Class of '08 will be attending TCU, the Texas institution of higher learning where I've also done graduate studies.

But. . . for the next couple of days they can focus on celebrating their graduation from high school. And yours truly can deal with my emotions at their passage away from me and AHHS and into the future. And pray for their success and for blessings on their future!

A Party of a Dedication!

2008-05-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

Since I'm on the Citizens Advisory Council for VÍA Metro Transit, I received a mailed invitation to today's dedication ceremony for a new transit center on the South Side. Students in the Alamo Heights ISD are suffering Final Exams; thus, I don't have any more sub-teaching jobs, so I went to this dedication. It was in mid-morning, and when I left early to do an errand en route to the party, the windiness made it sufficiently cool that I donned a suit coat as well as dress shirt, slacks and tie. My coat lapel sported a lapel pin celebrating VIA's 30th anniversary, which had been given to me in March by the company. It gave me one more reason to "dress up" a bit more than I might have in this unusually hot and humid end of May.

The new Transit Center, which doesn't open to the public and for use by bus lines 'til 9 June, is beside IH 35, across the Interstate from South Park Mall and just northeast of Zarzamora. It's also going to be the training facility for VÍA operators, with that activity to be housed in a separate building. A few weeks ago it was announced that the new facility was to be formally named the Senator Frank L. Madla Transit Center and Training Facility. The late State Senator -- whose untimely and tragic death is covered in my posting of 28 November 2006 -- represented the South Side.

As I approached the main building, inside which the party was to take place, I saw that indeed its silhouette or general outline was like the building at Kel-Lac Transit Center, opened a few years ago and after I began serving on the CAC. Unlike Kel-Lac, where the outside walls are covered with horizontally-corrugated metal paneling which give it the look of a cubical approximation of a Quonset Hut, the Madla Center facility has good-sized rectangles of a tile-like material, mostly snow-white but with a few in some bright color like red or blue.

When I entered I saw a great crowd -- almost wall-to-wall -- who were enjoying the lovely sound of a teenage mariachi group dressed in black and silver charro outfits. From the program I found out that they were from South San HS, which is probably the closest high school, being just a few blocks beyond the other side of the Interstate. I realized that I had inadvertently entered thru what was effectively the "back door" for the ceremony, and that programs were across the room at the other door (effectively the "front door"). So I passed thru the crowd, received a program (a half-size sheet) and found a place to sit. This was on one of the curving blue-painted metal benches that will provide seating for waiting riders when the transit center begins serving the public. There were also several chairs brought in and set up for additional seating -- but still there were plenty of folk who had to stand.

The mariachis finished and VÍA Public Affair's Priscilla Engle commenced the formal program by introducing the Madla family, VÍA Board and Administrators and local elected officials present. Then Father Flanagan, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of San Antonio prayed the invocation and the blessing on the facility. He was rather long-winded and a bit repetitive, but I attribute this (at least in part) to his advanced age. Then VÍA Chairman Eddie Herrera gave the first speech. He, like subsequent speakers, paid tribute to the late Senator and his support for public transit, and lauded the facility and its importance to the South Side: it's the first such transit facility on the South Side (unless one counts the one beside McCreless Mall, which recently became history, as did the mall). Herrera also pointed out that Leo López, who just ended his term on the VÍA Board and was present in a white guayabera (rather than his usual Board meeting apparel of suit and tie, regardless of outdoor heat), was responsible for the suggestion that the new transit center for Madla's South Side be named in his memory.

Other speakers included the two County Commissioners present: Tommy Adkisson (Precinct 4) and Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez (Prec. 1). Commissioner Adkisson is a tireless supporter of VÍA and of improvement in the transit and traffic infrastructure of Bexar County.

Also present and speaking was State Senator Leticia Van de Putte. When I first read her name on the program I frowned. During the first year or so that I lived here she and Mike Villarreal led a small group of Democrat legislators who fled the lege's session in the Capitol, sneaking to New Mexico so as to prevent a quorum for voting. It was their cowardly tactic for preventing votes that they knew would go against them due to the Republican majority. And I'd hated this cowardice, considering it unworthy of heirs of The Alamo defenders' heroism! Thus initially I wasn't happy about her presence. But I mused that I ought to leave aside my animosity for the time being and listen to her words of dedication without prejudice. Senator Van de Putte's speech actually was very good! So good it turned around my attitude toward her!

City Councilman Cortez, in whose district the Madla Transit Center is located, also spoke. I had seen him, and he me, only a few hours earlier, when I addressed the Council during "Citizens to Be Heard". Only today the Councilman lacked a necktie! So after the program I couldn't help but greet him with, "Didn't we see each other just a few hours ago? Only now you look kinda naked!" as with a grin I pointedly stroked my tie. He grinned back.

Another speaker was the late Senator's son, Frank Jr. When he finished, he and his mother unveiled a plaque on the wall, which proclaimed the facility's naming after the Senator, whose bas-relief portrait was on the plaque. Then we were invited to enjoy some more performance by the mariachis from South San, and to partake of refreshments. These latter were pastries of various kinds, and chunks of fruit. CAC Chairman Bill Martin joked with me, that he KNEW the food was why I had come. Years ago he'd taken note of my frequent trips to the cookie table at VÍA Board or CAC meetings! I wasn't the only butt of Bill's humor, tho': he also remarked that today was the first time he had seen Leo López sans suit and tie!

After sufficient refreshment I enquired about the training facility and if it were available for touring. I was told that yes, it was. So yours truly almost zipped over to "inspect" it. You see, dear reader, education of all types is "in my blood". I was delighted and not surprised to see that the two rooms inside come equipped with projectors at the center of the ceiling. At Alamo Heights HS I had noticed that this year the classrooms there were likewise equipped with these projectors and accompanying screens near the wall, which can be used to show videos, DVDs or Power Point. I'd say that the Sen. Frank L. Madla Transit Center and Training facility is "state of the art".

Afterward I got a ride on a charter bus (one of VÍA's own), up IH 35 to the VIA Admin Building. During this I enjoyed pleasant conversation with other riders, who all had some formal connection with VÍA, most being administrators or employees. Bill Martin also rode, and then gave me a ride home. Thus went yet another party in "Party City" San Antonio! I justifiably call this dedication a "party" because there were entertainment and refreshments both solid and liquid.

Memorial Day (Weekend) in S.A.

2008-05-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

When I was a boy growing up in Boise, I remember well, Memorial Day was always on 30 May. (This was before the Monday holiday bill was passed by a Congress more interested in catering to their leisure-craving, pleasure-seeking constituents than in seeking to ensure that we Americans might remember WHY certain holidays were being observed.) Public schools always let out on 30 May for Memorial Day, and Dad, Mom, sister Debbie and I would go get Grandma Graham and go decorate Grandpa Graham's grave in Boise's Cloverdale Cemetery. Cloverdale is like Arlington and other national cemeteries, in that all tombstones are alike. Due to the family custom, it was only well into my adult years that I discovered that Memorial Day wasn't really for remembering all the dead but rather for honoring the military dead, especially those who died in combat.

Considering the all-too-often-forgotten true reason for the holiday, it's not surprising that Memorial Day is observed with fervor in San Antonio. This city is often called a "military town" due to its crucial Army post, Fort Sam Houston, its two Air Force installations (that used to be four) including Lackland AFB, the "Gateway of the Air Force" where all enlistees get their basic training, and its large military retiree population. Well, all this and the historic fact that a military post of some sort has existed here since four days after the initial Franciscan mission was founded, since on that day el Presidio de San Antonio de Béxar came into existence to defend that mission.

So, don't be surprised, dear reader, that I participated in a Memorial Day-oriented event. It was the Tobin Endowment Concert on Fort Sam, featuring S.A.'s own world-class Symphony. My brother Patrick came and got me in mid-afternoon and took me to his quarters. While my sister-in-law LaRae was preparing other food items, he grilled beef for fajitas out on the front porch.

During this food preparation, we had a video tele-conference with our sister Debbie in Berkeley, California. She'd just received her M.Div. at an Episcopal seminary there and Mom was visiting her. On our end we were three: LaRae, Patrick and me. And on their end, way out west, they were three: Debbie, Mom and Teresa, Debbie's friend.

Adding to the excitement of this unprecedented "family reunion" of sorts, was that the Phoenix spacecraft landed on the planet Mars, and we all followed the landing on television! Here we watched the Science Channel coverage; we could also have viewed it on the NASA Channel -- Patrick and LaRae get hundreds of channels thru Fort Sam. The folk in Berkeley had some other channel on; it was interesting to compare notes on what each network was covering. It was touching when the Phoenix spacecraft had landed safely, and the scientists and engineers in Mission Control cheered wildly and hugged one other. This reminded me of my boyhood, when we'd all follow televised coverage of, first the Mercury space flights, then Gemini, then the Apollo moon voyages. There WAS a striking visual difference. Way back then, on our black-and-white screen were white males in white dress shirts and dark ties; now we were seeing a mixture of genders and races, all garbed in dark blue polo shirts.

After the excitement of the Phoenix landing and of the Graham family tele-reunion (or family e-reunion) we three on Fort Sam devoured beef fajitas and accompanying items. Yum, yum! Then, as the sun approached the western horizon, we went to the same area of the very-long MacArthur Field where this year's Fiesta Fort Sam had taken place. We found seats on low, aluminum bleachers at the edge of the field just as the program commenced.

Emcee Joe Pags, a WOAI radio personality, greeted everybody and introduced a couple of officials who spoke briefly. They were US Senator John Cornyn and County Judge Nelson Wolff. Then the Conductor took over the program and led the San Antonio Symphony in an eclectic musical celebration. Much of it was patriotic music, since this WAS a Memorial Day concert. And since this IS an Army post in a military city (as explained in my second paragraph), the Symphony presented the anthems of the five armed services. Members and veterans of each branch were invited to stand up and sing during their anthem. Being used to these commencing with the Army's, as happens in Fiesta Texas' "Lone Star Spectacular" -- which I'd seen for the first time in '08 just last Saturday night -- as soon as I heard musical notes coming from the stage and the Symphony, I stood up. Only then I realized that what they started with this evening was the Navy anthem! I'm glad that in the darkening dusk nobody could see my reddening face!

We heard Sousa marches and "America the Beautiful", and the finale was Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Yes, dear reader, the one with booming cannons, or howitzers as we call them in the Army. And wow! the fireworks show was even more spectacular than those I'd see at other Fort Sam events!

Thus, even tho' I had to work at the theme park on the observed Memorial Day, I still remembered. And celebrated -- with family! And some unusual elements (the Mars landing and the video tele-reunion)!

A "Christian" who's a Christian!

2008-05-27T09:16:00.001-07:00

Last Friday was truly a busy day for yours truly (no pun intended). After returning from the TDCJ security re-training in Dilley, I changed my clothes and went to the Muledome at Alamo Heights High School. This was the site for the formal retirement ceremony for the AHISD Superintendent Dr. Jerry Christian. I was late arriving, and cannot speak for what activities I missed. (These were probably performances by various student groups.) However, I did get to witness the farewell speeches and presentations of various officials, including the honoree himself.

Superintendent Christian has something in common with yours truly: a weight problem. Thanks to the speeches and to a slide show of his life (from baby pictures on!), found out that we two had more significant things in common!

In my four plus years of working in the AHISD as a substitute teacher I had developed a deep respect for the Superintendent. Indeed, from the first time I met "Dr. C", as he's affectionately called around the School District, I held one of those sensations that once in a great while I get upon meeting a certain person for the first time: that this person is very, very good at what he or she does and is someone well worth knowing. To be sure, I'd long ago concluded that the excellent reputation of the school district was due at least in part to great leadership, of the "Super" as well as of the School Board.

But on top of such esteem I also harbored a strong sense that with this man "Christian" wasn't just his family name, that it was his heart's faith, too. And such turned out to be the case. His successor is Dr. Kevin Brown, formerly the capable Director of Personnel for AHISD. Kevin, I think it was, in his speech this evening in the Muledome, made mention of Jerry Christian's faith and how it had informed his work as Superintendent. Other speakers may also have referred to the faith element in the retiree's life and work. But when "Dr. C" himself was speaking, placing much emphasis on his family -- all of his children, grandchildren and siblings were in attendance -- he remarked that a highlight of his life had been when he baptised his own son! Well! can I relate to that or what? You see, I'm blessed to remember that I immersed both of my children, and likewise those two baptisms are highlights of my memories!

So the two of us share not only a love of public education and a love of eating but also a faith in Christ. But wait! there was more! One of the slides in the slide show pictured "Dr. C" playing an acoustic guitar. Well "me too" on that talent (or hobby at least)! And during his speech, the retiree stepped away from the podium and to a nearby piano, to play us one of his favorite songs while he sang it. And once again, me, too, on this talent (or hobby at least)! However, I admit that I haven't played the piano much since the lessons ceased toward the end of my seventh grade year. I know I wouldn't have sounded as good on the ivories as did Jerry Christian this evening!

All in all, the retirement ceremony was a memorable celebration of memories. In which we of Alamo Heights honored one who had provided memorably excellent leadership for an excellent school district.

Re-training for Kairos (prison security)

2008-05-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

When one serves as a volunteer in prisons, as I do with Kairos Prison Ministry, the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice requires that the volunteer go thru a course every couple of years. This course of a few hours refreshes one's knowledge of procedures for prison volunteers and for their relationships with inmates. I did this refresher training on Friday the 23rd, in the Dolph Briscoe Unit.

For a short time I was concerned about getting to Dilley for the training. You see, several days earlier I's arranged with Ross Hoover to get a ride with him to it. But then when I got home Thursday evening and checked my phone messages I heard one from Ross, that he wasn't going to be going after all; he'd just become a grandfather and was driving to Houston instead for the "blessed event"! Well good for him -- but not so great for me; immediately I began making phone calls to see if anybody going to take me along with him. And thus I missed the AHHS Choir's spring concert, which I'd eagerly anticipated all semester. "Oh, well!" to this latter, and "Not to worry!" to the former.

You see, the result was that I got a ride with Ed Palow, who was my roommate on Kairos Briscoe #1. We're both ordained clergy of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and are decidedly on the conservative end of the theological spectrum among Disciples clergy. Indeed, Ed considers himself as affiliated with "Disciples Heritage", a group that seeks to maintain the original focus of the leaders who commenced the Restoration Movement that became the Churches of Christ (noninstrumental), the "independent" Christian Churches and the Disciples of Christ. Anyhow, the two of us carried on a non'stop conversation all the way to Dilley (about one and a half hours, about Kairos, the recently-retired Area Minister of the Bluebonnet Area (CC-DC) John Callison, and several other areas of mutual interest. Among other items, I shared my impressions of the Closing for Kairos Torres #19 (see the previous posting). Then we ate at Millie's, a café that I'd recently been told was where the Dilley locals went for breakfast, and then would go to Pacho Garcia's for lunch or dinner.

And then, when the two of us arrived at the Briscoe Unit, we discovered that the refresher training was to commence at ten, and not at nine (as the most recent e-mail had suggested). But Chaplain Jerry Satterlee came out to the sally port (the front gate) to meet us anyways. I introduced him to Ed, who hadn't been at Briscoe in a very long time and thus had never met the new chaplain. Chaplain Jerry led us into the administration building and into a room to the right, where the training would take place. The three of us talked awhile, and then the chaplain excused himself to see to other things prior to the training. Ed and I continued chatting and sort of watching the television that was on in the room.

Eventually about a dozen other volunteers arrived; we were not all Kairos but we all did have connection with the chaplain's office. Also arriving was Captain Owens, who taught the security course. For most of us it was a refresher course, but a couple of fellows were getting the info for the first time. So it was lengthy and detailed, and numerous questions were asked for clarification. This was okay with me. It had been at least three years since I'd had any security training, so it was a heavy-duty refresher class for me! Indeed, I found out that one activity I did innocently was questionable by TDCJ rules. I won't be doing this again!

When the training was finished about a half dozen of us went to Millie's for a late lunch. And then Ed and I hit the road (Interstate Highway 35) north back to San Antonio. And all the way we were carrying on further conversation. . . .

"I was in prison. . ."

2008-05-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

". . .and you visited me."

This quote (Matthew 25:36c), from the Lord Jesus' parable of the judgment (of the sheep and goats), is the inspiration for those of us who volunteer in Kairos Prison Ministry. Yesterday afternoon I participated in a Kairos event at the Torres (prison) Unit near Hondo. And as you know from my previous posting, I participated in another Kairos event Thursday evening in the Briscoe Unit near Dilley.

The event to which I refer was the Closing ceremony for Kairos Weekend #19 at Torres. (As you can see, Kairos has been ministering in Torres a few years longer than in Briscoe.) To attend one of these, you need permission from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), which is gained thru an application for clearance. I filled out one just in time (at the deadline), then received my clearance letter. Then at the Northwest San Antonio Emmaus meeting Friday night I obtained a ride to Closing. This ride was with a couple with whom I've done Kairos service; they picked me up at Mexican Christian Church right after Sunday worship concluded. We drove west to Hondo, and had Sunday dinner at Hermann Sons, a very popular Hondo restaurant with Kairos volunteers who are involved in Torres.

Now, it had been quite a while since I last entered Torres for Kairos. In the meantime I'd been in the Briscoe Unit countless times. therefore, I was having some sense of disconnect. You see, the two prisons have identical layouts, but with different details in places. For instance, in the administration building at Briscoe, there is a portrait of Gov. Dolph Briscoe on the wall to the right as you enter. There's no portrait on the wall in the same building at Torres. Instead, further in on the right is a framed front page of The Devine News, of when Torres was opened. I lived in Devine when Torres opened, but even tho' I cannot remember the article about the prison, I do remember the photo of the buck and two hunters who bagged it that was beside it!

Then, when we entered the gym, I noticed, first, a couple of inmates of the Torres Kairos community whom I remembered, and second, that the arrangement of seating was flip-flopped. The only seats remaining the same were those of the Outside and Inside Teams. The Candidates' seats were facing toward the door AND the outsider visitors, instead of the other way around (us facing the Candidates and the door). The inmates, including their music team, was at the back of the gym.

The Candidates entered, did their intros by Table Families, and got to do "open mike" expression of whatever was on each one's heart about the weekend retreat. I quickly forgot any disconnect, any seating rearrangement, and even Briscoe. I was lost in remembrance -- vivid remembrance -- of my attendance at Closing for Kairos Torres #8! It was that Closing and my profound impression of it, that "hooked" me on doing volunteer service in Kairos Prison Ministry!

The Candidates' testimonies were just as impressive this time around. Even more impacting was the "Fourth Day Talk", spoken by an inmate whose initial Weekend was just a year ago. His was a terrific exhortation, not only to the new guys but to the veteran Kairos community gathered at the back of the gym. And then Chaplain Yates gave his brief Talk. More exhortation. I tell you what: if one of these 42 guys didn't ""get it" about the necessity of perseverance he had to be deaf!

Following all these elements of a standard Closing for a Kairos Weekend, we outside visitors got escorted back to the sally port. Then came the Team, the Outside ladies first. We all circled up in the parking lot just outside the sally port, as usual. But before we launched into singing "surely the Presence (of the Lord Is in This Place), I asked for a moment to lead us in prayer for the Candidates and the Kairos community of Torres.

And then we all hit the road for home, leaving our new Brothers in White, along with the older Brothers of the Kairos in Torres, in the gracious, powerful hands of ABBA, our God and Daddy.

The Spirit's "work week" in San Antonio

2008-05-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Hebrew word ruah and the Greek word pneuma both have the fascinating triple meaning of breath, spirit and wind. Keep this in mind when you read John 3:8 -- Jesus the Nazarene was making a play on words to Nicodemus with this statement!

This past Sunday was Pentecost, when Christians remember the birthday of the Church in the giving of the Holy Spirit, fifty days after Christ's sacrificial death and unprecedented resurrection. Because it was also Mothers Day, at Mexican Christian Church (Disciples) the church holiday was observed a Sunday early -- see previous posting here.

For this reason, the significance of the church holiday sort of went by me, with the emphasis on the Holy Spirit. And to be frank, I'm an heir of the Restoration Movement de-emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Because the New Testament does not speak of the Spirit as a "separate but equal" aspect of the Deity (equal to Father and Son) and actually does NOT have the word "Trinity" the early Restorationists stayed away from such theological speculation. One founder of the movement that became the Disciples of Christ and also the non-instrumental Churches of Christ even deemed the Holy Spirit to be the "energy of God"! So, for two reasons then, the Pentecostal focus on the Holy Spirit went by me this year. But come Wednesday He "caught up" with me (or I with Him)!

You see, dear reader, the Holy Spirit was a major theme in both Bible studies I attended Wednesday morning. At "Mama's Men" (the men's group that meets for breakfast at Mama's Café on Nacogdoches Road) refrained from our usual page-long study guide. Instead, we had an open discussion on the work of the Holy Spirit in everyday Christians, and the gifts of the spirit (Greek charismata), and how Christians can so easily block the work of God's Spirit and the operation of His gifts, by our preconceived or inherited concepts of HOW God acts and WHAT forms the divine working in a believer's life may or may not take. Then, at Mexican Christian Church's study a few hours later the guest teacher led us in an exploration of New testament passages that tell us about "The Personality of the Holy Spirit".

Later I faced a choice, to go to the evening worship at Alamo Heights UMC, but thinking I couldn't make it in time (starting at 6:30) due to getting wrapped up over-long in an afternoon activity. Or, to just "joy-ride" around on VÍA buses and perhaps get off at some place and grab a bite to eat (and perhaps a beer). But I could clearly sense the divine, all-wise Spirit prompting me to persevere in getting to AHUMC. He suggested an alternative route: up Broadway by bus and then west by foot on Basse Road to the Church (along the way I could stop at the Subway and get my favorite sub-sandwich, a "Veggie Delight" on 6-inch wheat bread, with read vinaigrette).

This I did, and wow! once more the Holy Spirit was the theme in the AHUMC worship! I was particularly impressed -- no, amazed -- with the sermon delivered by Associate Pastor, Donna Streib. You see, her words were an excellent follow-up on our discussion that morning at "Mama's Men"! I literally get goose-bumps when I witness such amazing working of the Spirit in my life and/or the lives around me! Speaking of which, two other of "Mama's Men" were also present, and afterward the three of us shared our thrill at the words we had heard.

But don't go away! The next evening I witnessed the Holy Spirit at work in the Briscoe (prison) Unit's Kairos Prayer & Share. Ten of us volunteers showed up for it, along with Chaplain Jerry Satterlee (he's been at Briscoe only a few months; it's his first service in a prison chaplaincy). When we entered the prison gym were were greeted by 142 inmates! After announcements and the singing of two or three Kairos songs, the leader told us that we were going to do the Prayer & Share a little differently this evening, and according to the Kairos Manual. That is, the inmates would circle up in small groups of about ten for sharing and praying intimately, while we volunteers would move about the room, just to make sure each group was "on task". We would no longer be participating each in a small group. I was intellectually-spiritually comfortable with this change, even if I sensed some emotional longing for the opportunity to share in a small group. (But then I have "Mama's Men" and the Thursday Emmaus Reunion group at Jim's to do that!)

After about 45 minutes of the small-group activities we closed as usual, with everybody -- volunteers and inmates (and this evening one prison chaplain) circling up for a closing prayer and the singing of "Surely the Presence" three times. Before, the circle had often been large but was still a circle, both while the P & S was still in the chapel and after it moved to the much larger gym. But this evening we were so many that we were a square -- we all had our backs against the walls of the gym! This looked awesome! And once more, THIS, too, was the work of God's Spirit!

God bless the Kairos inmate community in the Briscoe Unit, and God bless Chaplain Satterlee!

But don't go away yet! Friday evening I attended the Northwest San Antonio (NSWA) Emmaus FDG gathering. It was at St. John UMC on Bandera road, and began with food and fellowship in the fellowship hall. Lots of good food, lots of great fellowship! then we adjourned to the sanctuary for a business meeting and worship (the latter using, as always, the order of worship in the Emmaus "purple book", the pocket-size booklet each person is given on a Walk to Emmaus). Our "Fourth-Day Talk" was given by an African-American brother, and boy did he preach in the "Black style of preaching!" This style, which cam be heavy on the tugging-the-heart-strings and also repetitive, nevertheless usually affects me spiritually as well as emotionally. And I certainly felt affected this evening! Indeed, as we prepared to go forward to receive the Lord's Supper my shoes came off. (They frequently do while I serve on teams for Walks to Emmaus or Kairos Weekends). Once I had received the Body and Blood of our Savior and Lord, I knelt at the altar railing. My shoulders were gently quivering and my eyes were threatening to leak a good one! Someone passing by noticed this -- the Spirit guiding him or her, I aver -- and this person gently placed a hand on my right shoulder, for just a second. But this was sufficient for me to be affirmed.

Thank You, Holy Spirit of Almighty, Immortal God, for Your working in grace in the lives of all disciples of Jesus who are open to your working -- and Your working in lives that aren't so open! May unity and love prevail among us! May we who love Jesus truly be molded by the Spirit into the earthly Body of Christ!

Mothers Day in S.A.

2008-05-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

This beautiful, busy Spring week began with the Sunday which is Mothers Day in these United States and in San Antonio. Now please know, dear reader, that chicanos or Mexican-Americans hold the mother -- la madre -- in highest esteem. And chicanos are the majority of the populace of this seventh-largest city of the USA. Therefore, the holiday is observed with greater fervency here than in cities where Mexican-Americans are a minority or non-existent. This is well expressed in that most revered symbol of lo mexicano (things Mexican): Our Lady of Guadalupe, the special apparition of the mother of nuestro Salvador in old Mexico! (Her image is as ubiquitous in S.A. as that of The Alamo.)

Thus it should come as no surprise that Mothers Day was a BIG thing at Mexican Christian Church (Disciples), on the Westside. A big thing with a Latino twist! So, each mother present received red roses. The men sang Las Mañanitas to the mothers while I accompanied on guitar. Las Mañanitas is the "early-morning song" most often associated with a man, accompanied by instrument-playing friends or a mariachi band, serenading his lady-love at dawn on her birthday.

Later, after eating Sunday dinner at Grady's Bar-b-cue on Fredericksburg Road, I returned to the Westside and Guadalupe Plaza (a block east of the church). I attended a special musical tribute to mothers. Several chicanas, probably all mothers themselves, sang in «Serenata de Oro: Canciones Para Mi Mamá». (In English: "Serenade of Gold: Songs for my mom.")

Upon entering the plaza I was puzzled that despite the permanent and fine stage on one side, a temporary and low platform had been set up as a stage in the middle of the circular space that extends from that permanent stage out to the low, grassy "steps" that bend around that central circular area. These provide informal seating ("festival seating"). Several folding chairs had also been set up in rows at right angles to the permanent stage and facing the temporary one. This effectively took away any opportunity for the central circle to be used for dance performances or dancing by the audience. At many events in Guadalupe Plaza I'd seen dancing by flamenco or folclórico dance groups and/or members of audiences.

The chairs were filling with madres and their families, and more folk arriving sat down on the grassy surrounding curves. Three o'clock arrived. . . and went. . . and quarter after the hour came and went. . . . Just before the half past las chicanas, artistas musicales, comenzaron el espectáculo.

Due to the very late start -- beyond "fashionable" --I only got to hear the first song or two. Then I left this show to go elsewhere and then return for the finale. You see, since the show commenced so "later than fashionably late" I presumed that it likewise would last longer than the publicized 6:00 ending time. This turned out to be the case. . . .

In the meantime, I rode to the '09 ZIP area of the metropolis, that is, to Alamo Heights. One of my fellow "oh-niners" (residents of the 78209 ZIP, that is) had invited me to visit. This was my eye doctor, Wendall Bauman (see 25 March posting). I spent some time with them -- actually more time than I planned -- getting re-acquainted with wife Lori and twins (boy and girl) Wendall and Kendall. And the dog Prince, a black Labrador retriever.

I gave Wendall a photo I had had taken of the two of us during my last eye exam visit. I had autographed the back with a message of thanks to my brother in Christ and eye doctor, for his being such a good role model of a Christian man, husband and father. After awhile I remarked that I had never seen their ample backyard except from the bus passing along Castaño Street that runs between their lot and Alamo Heights High School. And the view was from an angle, since the rear side of the lot has a high stone wall. So we adjourned to the back yard -- everybody took advantage of the nice weather to get outdoors. The kids and Prince were particularly grateful to be out and about, I'm sure!

After several minutes outdoors I said farewell to Wendall, Lori, Wendall (Jr) and Kendall, and Prince. I took the bus back to Guadalupe Plaza to enjoy the ending of «Serenata de Oro: Canciones Para Mi Mamá». As I entered the "plaza" I saw and heard that a good-size mariachi band was performing. All of them were female, except for one guitarrón player (this is an oversize guitar with rounded back, held horizontally like a dobro). I forget how many songs I heard in this finale, but I clearly remember two: «Perfidia» and «El Son de la Negra». With the former I heard for only probably the third time lyrics being sung -- and I didn't really LISTEN to them! If the very name of this instrumentally lovely piece distresses me, I certainly didn't want to deepen the distress thru listening to "downer" lyrics about betrayal and perfidy (and presumably, unrequited love)! With the latter I entered more into the rendition, instrumental and sung; after all, this song has been titled "the national anthem of mariachis", by no less an authority than the leader of a mariachi band that used to perform at Fiesta Texas.

Oh, yes! Once the Mothers Day/Día de las Madres tribute was finished, I hopped back on to the bus and headed back to my side of town. This time my destination was Good Time Charlie's, on Broadway at Mulberry. While I enjoyed a supper of chicken-fried steak at the place reputed by some to have the best CFS in town, I enjoyed the Spurs playoff game on the good-size television screen in the nearby corner. Wow! the beloved NBA boys of San Antonio played purty-near perfectly! As they demolished the visiting New Orleans Hornets in this Game 5 of the 7-game series I kept thinking, "if the Spurs played this excellently in EVERY game, they'd have won the series already, and would easily win the whole enchilada!" However, our Spurs are nothing if not inconsistent in how they play from game to game -- more inconsistency than I have consicously observed in any other pro team.

But, hopefully, our roundballers will be able to retain their talent of Game 5 when they return to New Orleans -- a city where I believe they've not won a game this year! But after what I witnessed tonite, I have confidence that the boys WILL get it together en'uf to not only put away the Hornets but also take for the second year in a row (and the fifth in less than ten) the NBA crown.

Can you say, "dynasty?" I can! Go, Spurs, go! ! !

"Music under the Stars" at the Mission

2008-05-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Thursday evening (the 8th) Patrick, LaRae and I attended the San Antonio Missions home game in Nelson Wolfe Stadium, against the Midland Rockhounds of the Texas League (AA level). It was a great night for a baseball game, and the Missions' home field is a top-notch park. The game went well -- until top of the fifth inning, when the visitors pounded out 8 runs. So we left, and even tho' on the radio we heard the home team never give up trying to come back, they still lost.

Great consolation came the very next night, courtesy the OTHER type of S.A. mission. What I mean is that I went to Mission San José, for my second "Music Under the Stars" concert. (My first was two years ago.) This is presented by USAA, the insurance and financial firm headquartered here,that serves the US military, dependants and vets. Employees of USAA (United services Automotive Association) have formed musician and singing groups, and perform in public. This evening we were entertained (for free) in the mission compound by the USAA Jazz Band, The USAA Concert Band and the USAA Chorus.

The three amateur musical groups gave us a wonderful evening of entertainment! True the weather wasn't quite as picture-perfect as it was two years ago. But that didn't lessen the crowd, much of which was families. Hundreds of lawn chairs was set up under the trees and on the grass in the large open area enclosed by the mission compound's walls. Other folk spread blankets or sat on the permanent benches scattered around the compound, as I did.

In addition to the musical show, a few people got to speak. Most notable of the speakers was Father David García. He is about to retire from being Rector (head priest) of San Fernando Cathedral and become the archdiocesan clergyman in charge of funding for upkeep of the church sanctuaries at the four missions in the San Antonio Missions National Park. In his speech Father David was quite energetic and enthusiastic. So much so that the emcee or someone made mention of the clergyman's electric spirit!

Among the USAA Jazz Band's instrumental offerings were a couple in which a lady with a beautiful singing voice (soprano) sang lyrics. One was the 1960s' pop hit "The Girl from Ipanema" which celebrates a beauty on the famous beach of Rio in Brazil. Later in the program the jazz instrumentalists played «Perfidia». I knew this beautiful, sweetly-flowing piece for years, long before I ever learned the name of it. And when I learned that name, I was shocked! Such a sad name for such beautiful music! The name is a cognate; it means "perfidy" or "betrayal" in English.

In the second half of the show some numbers were straight instrumental, done by the USAA Concert Band. But on most songs the USAA Concert Choir provided vocals. I suppose that due to this being a different choir from that of two years ago ("Lift Every Voice" Choir) the selection was more varied. That is, it wasn't all gospel songs. But they did sing a few songs with spiritual content. They also sang a song about New Orleans, many of whose residents evacuated to our city upon the destruction of their own by Hurricane Katrina. (And some of whom chose to permanently reside here.) There was also a salute to the five armed services in the playing of the anthem of each branch. Of course I sang out loudly on the first one, for the Army! "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail, as the Army goes rolling along!"

All during the concert I kept marveling how THIS show could only have taken place in San Antonio. All the distinctive elements -- the old Spanish mission as venue, the performances by people from a major employer (only the medical professions, the government and the active military surpass USAA here) that has strong military connections (in a "military city"), the audience of residents of varied ethnicity and language, arranged solo, in couples and especially in families, under a lovely Spring evening environment -- all this IS the city I love so much.

Thank God for San Antonio! God bless San Antonio!

Cinco de Mayo en San Antonio

2008-05-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Hoy es lunes, el cinco de mayo. I don't state this as merely an exercise in beginning Spanish (meaning "Today is Monday, 5 May."). You see, dear reader, it's also Cinco de Mayo (notice the caps), a Mexican holiday that's actually celebrated more north of the border!

Much Cinco de Mayo activity in San Antonio is centered in el Mercado. And I did pass thru Market Square briefly Sunday afternoon, just to scope out the celebration. A couple of stages were featuring live musical performances, and some food booths were set up. But it wasn't nearly as busy or crowded as it was during the ten days of Fiestalast month. Thank goodness! While I was there at el Mercado I chose to take advantage of free admission (for the holiday?) to el Museo Alameda, and viewed a couple of new exhibits in this still fairly-new museum (an affiliate of the great Smithsonian).

The Westside also has a share of Cinco de Mayo observations. And so late in the afternoon I returned to the Westside, to Guadalupe Theater, for the final of a series of concerts presented around town for Cinco de Mayo by the San Antonio Symphony. These talented professional musicians presented several pieces, mostly Mexican, but also one from Spain. And the program was augmented by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center's dancers. They danced traditional Mexican dances to acouple of the numbers, and a Spanish flamenco to another. And the student mariachi group of the GCAC also performed in the middle of the show's schedule! They did four numbers (all new to me, but all performed just fine): Bonito, Tú Solo Tú, El Rey, and Sergio el Bailador.

This entire Cinco de Mayo show was wonderful! In the midst of my great delight of listening to these live performances I couldn't help but think again of the words of that David Lee Garza Band song "Who's that Gringo?": "I may be white on the outside, but in my heart I know I'm refried!"

And don't you know! As I left the Guadalupe Theater after the symphony's Cinco de Mayo concert I ran into an old acquaintance who like me is "white on the outside, but in her heart she's refried". This is Patti Radle, former City Council member, who represented District 5, which basically is the Westside. Indeed, she and her husband live just a few blocks south of my church. When she first ran for the Council position many predicted a decidedly Anglo woman couldn't win in the heavily Hispanic district. But they also said that Art Hall, and Afro-American, could not win in District 8 of the heavily Anglo far north Loopland! And both Patti and Art not only won initial election but also re-election!

San Antonio citizens display more "color-blindness" than they're given credit by conventional wisdom!

Area Church Assembly

2008-05-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

The church denomination of my membership, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), might be said to have a "modified congregational" polity (church organization). The basic organizational unit is the local congregation, such as Alamo Heights CC(DC) or Mexican CC(DC). Equal to (and supposedly NOT greater in authority) are Regions and the General Church. The latter is mainly offices and ministries located in Indianapolis; Regions are co-equal with states, portions of states or 2 or 3 states. This Region, The Southwest, is so large and contains so many Disciples that it subdivides into Areas. We -- AHCC, MCC and myself -- are in the Bluebonnet Area of the Southwest Region.

The Bluebonnet Area extends from the Austin vicinity and the Hill Country thru Del Rio, Victoria and Corpus Christi to the lower Rio Grande border. The Bluebonnet Area Assembly for 2008 occurred Friday and Saturday (2 and 3 May), mainly in the Disciples Ministry Center. This facility was and still is home to Woodlawn CC (DC), a shrinking congregation. Spanish CC (DC), a rather new congregation for folk of Spanish surname -- Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican-American, etc. -- also uses the building.

The facility is roughly a rectangle enclosing un patio (a courtyard). The side paralleling Elmendorf Street (west) is the sanctuary. It features stained glass windows, each with a Christian symbol (similar to AHCC but more "structured") and a cathedral ceiling supported by dark wood trusses (similar to MCC). The Area offices occupy the Gramercy Street side (north), and a small chapel and offices for the two congregations the third side. The back side has Harris Hall, a long and comparatively narrow fellowship hall. The courtyard/el patio is charming, despite the contemporary-modern architecture that encloses it, as it has a well-kept lawn shaded by trees and banana plants.

Late Friday afternoon I entered the main door, on Gramercy next to the sanctuary. I verified my registration and with packet and name tag I crossed el patio to Harris Hall. Folk were already in line receiving their dinner plates, dished out by volunteers in the kitchen. I quickly saw Disciples of the Bluebonnet Area whom I knew, including from my two congregations, AHCC and MCC. After I sat down a gracious, middle-age Afro-American woman passed me, and I read her name as "Lois Hodrick". Immediately I considered that she was the mother of one of my roommates at Brite Divinity School. And "sho 'nuf" she sat down next to a gentleman whom I recognized as Clarence, my former roomie -- even after 30 years! Wow! talk about a reunion!

A much more recent former "roomie" was also there: Arlie Lammers of Kerrville and Kairos Prison Ministry. And these two are just the beginning of beloved faces whom I got to greet! One I knew I had seen but could not put a name with (and whom I didn't take opportunity with which to get reacquainted) sang in a beautiful tenor in the post-dinner worship service. As soon as he opened his mouth I remembered that he was Hermano David Figuerado, Pastor of a Hispanic Disciples congregation in Robstown (near Corpus Christi). He had graced the last anniversary observance of Mexican Christian Church with preaching and singing! And now he was gracing all attendees at the BBA Assembly with that magnificent tenor!

Saturday I returned in time for breakfast. At first this was merely donuts, coffee and a little fruit (think: watermelon chunks). But after awhile folk arrived with milk, orange juice, fruit, MORE donuts. . . and finally that South Texas dawn staple, the breakfast taco (courtesy Taco Cabana). After considering dressing up for this second and final day of the BBA Assembly, I chose instead to wear my Kairos polo shirt. Then I noticed at least half a dozen Brothers wearing suits and ties, including Arlie. Oh, well!

During this Saturday session of the Assembly, we had more Worship -- after breakfast and a closing one after lunch -- workshops on various church-related topics, and a quiet area for clergy (to meditate or just rest). This latter was upstairs above the fellowship hall, in the church library. After I helped for a little while to man the refreshment table en el patio (MCC was in charge of the table), I wandered in to the clergy area. No one else was there, so I looked around at the books. I was delighted to see a new book (new to me) by one of my favorite Christian authors: Max Lucado. The San Antonio pastor's title was "3:16, the most important number"; it was an in-depth inspirational reflection on the most-translated and best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16. Good book!

Closing Worship was, among other things, a farewell to our Area Minister, Dr. John Callison. This Assembly is his final activity in this capacity, as he will immediately leave S.A. to re-enter the pastoral ministry at a Christian (Disciples) church north of Houston. So there were parting gifts and parting words -- all positive and appreciative -- for John. I myself made sure to one-on-one thank him for being the first friendly face I saw when I arrived in San Antonio in January of A.D. 2002. Back then he was very gracious, to return to the Greyhound depot after I was late arriving due to being bumped off my scheduled bus in Dallas. I wanted to be sure he understood my deep gratitude for his instrumental part in my arrival here!

And so, a good Assembly came to an end. As did a good area ministry! May our Lord bless both the Bluebonnet Area and its most recent former Area Minister now and in the future!

Happy Birthday, S.A.!

2008-05-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

«Te saludo, San Antonio. ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mi ciudad!»

Yes, dear reader, today is the 290th birthday of the city of San Antonio. I celebrated, I suppose you might say, by attending the opening of the S.A. City Council meeting. I wished to make some comments during the opening of the meeting, regarding certain issues on the Agenda, along with comments on the related topic of no digital billboards. But I also devoted a few word, twice, to the significance of the date, 1 May.

On this date, in A.D. 1718, Franciscan friars founded Misión San Antonio de Valero. Years late, this mission that was the first permanent settlement here became a fortress known in Spanish as el Álamo, after a military unit that was stationed there and their source back in central Mexico.

Four days after the mission's founding, the Captain commanding the accompanying soldiers proclaimed the foundation of the protecting presidio (fort) and its adjacent village (for families of the soldiers and a few civilian settler families), San Antonio de Béjar (or Béxar). A few years later both la misión and el presidio/la villa got moved to better nearby locations, by el Marqués de Aguayo. This Spanish nobleman and rancher was appointed governor of Coahuila and Texas by the Spanish viceroy. Miguel de Azlor Virto y Vera -- no wonder he was usually referred to by his title of nobility! -- was sent to drive the French from far East Texas (the remote boundary of the French Louisiana and the Spanish Texas was uncertain and debatable). He succeeded in this effort and others to cement Spain's claim to its northeastern province of its Nueva España. And being a personal friend of the Venerable Fray Antonio Margil, he got included in the name of the mission that this tireless missionary founded near Misión San Antonio de Valero. This new mission's full name is Misión San José y San Miguel de Aguayo.

And so, already within its first decade of existence the new frontier settlement of San Antonio was well on its way to enlarging its presence and firming up its permanence. The first century was a difficult one, but since Texas became one of these United States, this city has continued to grow and prosper as a business center and a tourist target.

And in just ten years we can celebrate the city's tricentennial! I can hardly wait! ¡Viva San Antonio!

Reflections on THE Party, '08 edition

2008-04-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

It's Monday, the day following the final day of Fiesta 2008. Unlike some of my San Antonio neighbors, I don't have a hangover. What I DO have, as every year on post-Fiesta Monday, is a case of the blues. You see, every Fiesta seems to conclude too soon; at least one event that I truly want to go to but lacked the time. After all, we're talking well over 100 events which comprise the party-to-end-all-parties! (This counts each & every day of multi-day events; even not counting each day separately would probably still total over 50.)

However, in this Year of Our Lord 2008 I shall NOT sing with Willie Nelson: "Turn out the lights, the party's over. . . ." After all, as I've affirmed so many times in my years of residence here, San Antonio's middle name is "Party"! Folks, we've just one week to rest up & recover from Fiesta. This very next weekend will be time for Cinco de Mayo celebrating! Hey! workers at el Mercado might as well keep booths and stages in place and San Saba Street closed (the block passing thru Market Square, that is). After all, el Mercado is a major venue for Cinco de Mayo frolics! Soon also, the party called "Texas Folklife Festival" will take place. And so on. And on. And on. Talk about "good times never end"!

Before we move on to S.A.'s future parties, allow me to indulge one last backward gaze at Fiesta '08. Here are some reflection about the just-concluded Fiesta 2008, particularly its final weekend.

First of all, one concluding reflection on the Battle of Flowers Parade. While I was aboard the VÍA bus heading downtown to my accustomed "stake-out" spot to watch the parade, I was glad I wasn't using a POV ("Army-ese" for a privately-owned/operated car). Not only was traffic dreadful (as usual during Fiesta). Parking was more expensive. Lots near the parade origin point were exacting $15. A little further away the price went down to $12, then on St. Mary's Street near the San Antonio Museum of Art parking lowered to $10. Riders on my bus were remarking about these prices - and THEN we passed Central Catholic High School. Students there were waving signs advertising "Fiesta parking" for $8! I remarked (rather loudly, I admit), "Look! Yay, Catholics!"

I confess that I found myself at "Fiestas Fantasías" at Market Square (el Mercado) multiple times -- even more than once on Fiesta's opening weekend! Well. . . I like the heavily Mexican ambiente of the place and live performances of Mexican and Tex-Mex styles of music: conjunto, Latin rock, Tejano, mariachi. . . . But -- smile -- I almost longed to tell someone nearby, preferably a chicano, "I simply HATE Mexican-American music! It's so danceable, it gives me an insatiable urge to dance, and I have no one with whom to dance!" (More confession: at times I simply gave into the urge and discreetly danced solo.)

If I can't really, truly dance with my whole heart and body due to lack of a partner, I can certainly enjoy simply sitting and observing while lucky couples cut the rug. A most delightful episode happened on Saturday the 26th. Inside the Farmers Market building of Market Square a large central open area has a permanent platform, a stage for song & dance performances all thru the year -- often by children of all ages. In this case a boy and a girl age 7 or 8 took the stage. He was dressed in boots, jeans, Stetson and a reddish western-cut shirt; she wore a long skirt to match his shirt. And wow! could this young, young couple cut the rug! We were all (audience surrounding that stage) hollering encouragement and clapping our hands to the beat of "Jambalaya!"

I experienced more than one incident of what I shall call "camaraderie" (for lack of a better word). The State Motto since 1930 is "Friendship" -- supposedly "Texas" or "Tejas" was the Spaniards' rendition of a native, Caddo, word that meant "friends". And San Antonio is renown as a very friendly city! So during Fiesta my fellow citizens, and visitors, let down what little guard we may have. We're all friends the first time we meet! I remember one evening I found myself listening to the group performing on the stage under the raised interstate highway passing above the west edge of el Mercado. They sounded really good -- and danceable, too! -- and I commented on such to a couple standing beside me. (I cannot say that I said it to encourage these two to get out and cut the rug, but whether I did or not, they didn't, alas!)

Finally, allow me to remark about the honoring of the military that takes place during Fiesta. San Antonio is often labelled a "military city" or some other title that hi-lites the military presence here. So it's natural that the U.S. armed forces get honored and feted all during the ten-day party! Of course, Fiesta began in 1891 as a remebrance of the heroes of the battles of The Alamo and San Jacinto -- indeed, it always falls in April so that the 21st is included, and that's the anniversary of the San Jacinto victory that won Texas independence. So we have the "Official Opening Ceremony" in front of The Alamo, and a "Pilgrimage to The Alamo" on San Jacinto Day.

And on the final Sunday afternoon there is an "All-Veterans Salute" in Memorial Plaza in front of Municipal Auditorium. I was there this year, altho' I missed the opening minutes of it and the main speaker was already into his speech. Due to the strong, gusty wind one could hear him only with difficulty. And indeed, the emcee for the ceremony at one point had to walk back to the podium and hold down the speaker's papers! This was unfortuante, because what one could hear of the speech it was very inspirational. He was a retired General Brady, who earned the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. The Medcom Band from Fort Sam Houston provided music. They quietly played "Abide with Me" while attendees filed down the walkway to the Vietnam Memorial. This is a larger-than-lifesize statue of a soldier (a medic) squatting over a fallen comrade and gazing up in the skies -- as if either in prayer or in search of a 'copter. Several people laid flowers or wreaths or bourquets along the base of the memorial.

"Good times never end!"

2008-04-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

My title quotes a slogan I heard many times during the four years I lived in the chapter house of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Idaho. I heard it especially whenever we had a kegger or dance or some other party. As this week of Fiesta 2008 goes by this slogan comes to mind again! Often!

Monday evening the Citizens Advisory Council had its monthly meeting at VÍA Metro Center, specifically the Administration Building. As soon as it was over I went down to the Riverwalk near the Central Library to take in as much of the "Texas Cavaliers River Parade" as I could. I don't think I missed much! The floats which actuallyand ltierally "float" down the San Antonio River, were as colorful as always, and there was lots of music (live or recorded).

Thursday I found myself, for only the second time, at NIOSA. "A Night in Old San Antonio" happens in La Villita for four evenings, and is sponsored by the S.A. Conservation Society. In the 1980s the family went, and I was looking forward to it, due to the sponsorship and to its publicity of being a sort of mini-Folklife, with lots of celebrating of the city's (and perhaps state's) history and cultures. Not! Shoulder-to-shoulder people, like a sardine can, and about the third time some drunk spilled his beer on me, I said, "Never again!" Only. . . thanks to strong urging by fellow Conservation Society members, with advice to visit NIOSA early, and a complementary ticket provided me, the "never again" came to an end.

I'm glad it did come to an end. I didn't get beer spilled on me, and found room to maneuver in the "Little Town". I spent much of my time in La Villita Assembly Hall, where I had been the past Saturday evening for the Ball. This time it was decorated like a German beer hall and had a live "oompa band" playing. I requested that they do Ein Prosit der Gemuetlicheit -- and then missed it (they played it while I was out exploring the rest of NIOSA). In compensation, I suppose, I got to do "The Chicken Dance" twice!

After a little over an hour at NIOSA, I caught the bus to Alamo Stadium for a Fiesta event I never miss if I can help it: "The Battle of Flowers Band Festival". The theme of '08 wasn't all that thrilling: "Broadway. . . and All that Jazz" -- also theme for the parade the next day. Still, I always enjoy the marching of the high school marching bands, the on-field performances by the three or four featured bands, and the grand finale of all the bands massing on the field and performing theme music while the fireworks burst overhead!

Surprises this year at the Band Festival were that Alamo Heights HS didn't enter its band, and the McCollum HS band is much smaller. In earlier years McCollum was enormous -- even tho' it's a Class 4A school. Lanier's band was larger than in earlier years, while Sam Houston, like McCollum, presented a smaller marching band. But the mostly Afro-American school's marching instrumentalists in uniform still presented their "jungle-beat" stepping as they marched down the stadium's track.

Friday morning I once again took my folding chair, got on the bus and after alighting near Broadway and Third I set up the chair on that intersection's southeast corner next to a light pole. It's a great location to watch the best parade of all parades and the original Fiesta event: "The Battle of Flowers". From here I view the left side of parade units (their left side, my right) as they approach on Broadway, and after each turns onto Third to head for The Alamo, I observe their right side, close up!

Skies remained mostly overcast (but not threatening precip) and it was muggy. But I think I'd rather have that than clear sunny skies and humidity!

This year I actually saw someone I knew and who knows me! Norman Collins, science teacher (and department chair) at AHHS, was in the third set of "pooper-scoopers" from the high school! I cheered him and gave him a high five! I also saw and greeted Commission President John Steen, with whom I had spoken at UTSA's Fiesta event a week earlier.

Focus of this parade, I suppose, is the floats bearing the feminine royalty who were feted at a "Coronation" event in Municipal Auditorium (only a couple of blocks north of my spot) a few evenings before. Tickets are expensive, so I don't go, but the color of the ceremony must be awesome. I day this because the lovely young ladies on the lovely, colorfu and flowery floats are engaging in the parade setting!

Years ago the "Battle of Flowers Parade" became my favorite of any and all parades I've ever seen, live or on television. On Monday evening of the past couple of Fiestas, I've come away from the "Texas Cavaliers River Parade" thinking that this particular year the river parade was so good that it would unseat BoF as my fave. BUT THEN along comes the BoF; it always manages to retain its place as Number One in the heart of this parade lover!

Weekend's over, but THE Party isn't!

2008-04-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yup, dear reader, the first weekend of Fiesta San Antonio 2008 is over. But of course the party goes on for ten days total, thru next weekend. And in the meantime, I'm into the thick of it!

Saturday morning I attended one of my favorite among Fiesta events: "Walk Across Texas" at the S.A. Botanical Gardens. This time there were no signs set up near the entrance, which is thru a relocated and restored carriage house, to indicate the way to the "Walk". Considering the complexity of the Botanical Gardens, which include formal areas, a garden for the blind, an underground Conservatory, glass roofs for which jut up high above the surroundings, etc., and the manner in which the paved paths wander every which way, it's a challenge to locate the three parts of the gardens where the "Walk" is conducted. These represent three of the major ecological areas of the Lone Star State: the East Texas Piney Woods, the central Hill Country and the South Texas chaparral (or matorral, as signs in Spanish in that part label it).

After three attempts I located the start of "Walk Across Texas" and shortly was enjoying coffee and biscuits made from scratch from Pioneer Mills (here in S.A. and going back to the 1800s). This was at the Ault House, a restored cabin of Hill Country vintage. Once I'd enjoyed a cup of "java", a biscuit with gravy and another with jelly, I proceeded on to the other restored house, a German fachwerk edifice (half-timber), in the "Hill Country" area. Then I moved on to the East Texas "Piney Woods" section, which surrounds a beautiful pond, home to several water fowl. On its banks is a log cabin. And finally I briefly took in the "South Texas" area which presents an adobe hut typical of this most Spanish-Mexican portion of the state.

As I scrutinized signs and handouts identifying and detailing vegetation (and some animals) of the three regions, I considered how much I enjoyed this knowledge and this experience of God's good outdoors. I also considered how I came by this interest and enjoyment naturally. You might say it's in my genes, since my mother is also a student of botany!

From "Walk Across Texas" I went across town, to the Westside and Guadalupe Plaza, for "Piñatas en el Barrio". More singing, more dancing -- including by the flamenco dancers again (they were at Friday's opening ceremony) -- more refreshments. In a word, MORE PARTYING! I suppose that THIS particular Fiesta event is one of the most Latin-flavored, being as it is in the original barrio (Spanish "neighborhood"). And I suppose that I stuck out like a sore thumb among the sea of chicanos. No matter! I enjoy just being on the Westside among my chicano fellow residents. The song "Who's that Gringo?" says it all: "I may be white on the outside, but in my heart I know I'm refried!" Yes, dear reader, my heart is definitely and positively refried!

After a couple hours of "Piñatas en el Barrio" it was back to el Mercado for awhile. Both Friday and Saturday I was keeping an eye out for a group I had seen recognized at the City Council meeting last Thursday, and associated in some way with TxDOT, that promotes "Fiesta safe, Drive sober, San Antonio". They were said to be distributing attractive bags with this slogan in the market place. But I didn't see them at any time I was there for Fiestas Fantasías. However, I did find a sash to buy, with which to display some of my sizable collection of Fiesta medals and pins. I've acquired or bought a few dozen over the seven Fiestas of my residence in San Antonio.

Later I went home, rested awhile and then got dressed for a Ball. On my way to that event's venue I went by The Alamo to see the beginning of the ceremonial "Investiture of King Antonio LXXXVI". While seated on the bleachers before the hallowed chapel I arranged the medals on the sash. I used a Battle of Flowers button from a few Fiestas back to pin the sash ends at my waist. Then I went on over to La Villita Assembly Hall, for the "Patriotic and Historical Ball". This is sponsored by the Texas Pioneers Association and is free, but ticket-controlled. I'd used my associate membership in the San Antonio Conservation Society to finagle a ticket and a seat at the Conservation Society table. You see, somehow I'd managed to acquire a ticket last year and had enjoyed the party so much I really longed to return this year.

Because of my brief stop-over at the king's investiture before The Alamo I was still signing in at the door when the ball program commenced with the Pledge, Invocation etc. I was a bit surprised when I got escorted to the San Antonio Conservation Society table and I was the first there! There were some brief speeches by Pioneer officials, and then we were treated, as last year, to singing by the 82d Airborne Men's Chorus. They sang two verses of "America the Beautiful" -- including my dearest verse, the one that begins "O beautiful for pilgrim feet." It always makes me think of the Oregon Trail, "a thoro'fare for freedom" passing by Boise, where I grew up. They also sang, "I Am an American Soldier" by Toby Keith, and my buttons almost popped off from my pride of being a vet soldier! And from having a brother, and nephew and a best friend all currently on active duty with the US Army! The chorus concluded with Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA". Talk about a "patriotic ball!"

Fiesta royalty, including the just-invested King Antonio LXXXVI put in appearance, to be honored by the attendees and to give greetings to the same, and presents to the Pioneer officials, etc. Then the program portion of this Ball concluded with the "Grand March". This is done by having couples go toward the door into the hall and walk in single file across the floor toward the stage. As each couple neared the stage they were directed alternately to the left or the right; these circled back, beside the tables to approach the door again. Once all couples had passed toward the stage, one couple from the left and one from the right linked arms to make a foursome and the foursome walked toward the stage. Alternately each quartet was sent to the left or the right to again go toward the door. Then THIS time two foursomes linked up to make a line of eight.

So finally we had an orderly mass on the floor, consisting of rows of eight people. The band ceased the "grand march" music and played "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You". UT alumni went crazy, of course, lifting their right hands in the "hook 'em 'Horns!" sign. Two girls in front of me responded by raising their hands in the Baylor "Bear claw". In like "protest" manner I lifted the TCU Horned Frog sign! This is done by folding the thumb over the ring and little fingers of the right hand while strongly hooking the other two fingers above these. TCU students and alumni began this sign after I was at the school earning my M.Div. (1979)

And then there was Sunday! I opened this by attending the "Fiesta Mariachi Mass" at San Fernando Cathedral. Lots of Fiesta royalty and officials were prominent in the wall-to-wall crowd. In his opening, welcome remarks, Father David García, the Cathedral's rector, remarked about how Fiesta is a time of fantasy in San Antonio, when a few people pretend to be kings or queens or royalty and important people. "And the rest of us play along and honor them." Father David also mentioned how Fiesta events also raise a lot of money for charitable causes. And as he often does in his homilies, Father David related the lectionary readings for the day, particularly the Gospel reading, to San Antonio now -- which today meant relating it well to the party!

After a small breakfast in the cafe next to the cathedral I bused over to the Westside and my church, Mexican Christian Church (Disciples). We had a pretty good turn-out for our small congregation, and I led them in the praise singing to start Worship. One song I led them all the way thru was "De Colores".

Once worshp concluded I sought out a non-official party. It's one that's sure to become an official Fiesta event after the requisite two years. This "Mariachi Fest" event had been announced by handout sheets and verbally during the "Piñatas en el Barrio" Saturday afternoon in Guadalupe Plaza. One of the speakers, in describing this new "Mariachi Fest", said that it would begins on Sunday about noon and go on "hasta que nos cansamos (until we get tired)". To which I replied, "Tanto me encanta la música de mariachi que jamás me canso. (Mariachi music enchants me so much that I'd never get tired of it)".

And indeed, while I was at the "Mariachi Fest" listening to, first, recorded mariachi music and then to two live mariachi groups -- all young people -- that I felt quite invigorated, very much "at home" here on the Westside, and definitely that "I may be white on the outside, but in my heart I'm refried!"

Fiesta '08 - Let the Party begin!

2008-04-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today is the official opening day of Fiesta San Antonio 2008. Yup, dear reader, it's time for S.A.'s annual party-to-end-all-parties!

And what be-e-e-eautiful weather the "Man Upstairs" gave us for the opening! Cool with low humidity (despite a brief but noisy thundershower in the wee hours). The sky above The Alamo and the opening-ceremony site was a clear deep blue. Or as our golden-throated neighbor George Strait might say, "blue clear sky". (That's the name of one of his albums and its title song, one of Strait's many, many #1 country hits.)

In that opening ceremony, hosted by two local TV personalities and broadcast live by their TV station (a Fox affiliate newly awarded Fiesta coverage), Texas' "First Lady", Mrs. Rick Perry, was one of the speakers, as were His Honor Mayor Hardberger, this year's Fiesta San Antonio Commission President John Steen and County Judge (and former S.A. Mayor) Nelson Wolff. The most prominent speaker, I suppose, was U.S. Senator John Cornyn. He was introduced as "born in Houston, but he got to San Antonio as fast as he could!" This is a play on the popular slogan of auslanders (a Deutsch term for Texas residents who were born out-of-state): "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!"

A unique element of the program for this year's "Official Opening" was that ladies of the Battle of Flowers Association, attired in their typical yellow dresses and yellow sun hats (wide flat brims and low crowns) came out from behind the stage (from the direction of The Alamo chapel), bearing hand baskets filled with flowers. They proceeded to throw the blooms at people on the stage, in the audience and each other. This was a re-enactment of the very start of Fiesta! Back in 1891 society ladies had decided to entertain President Harrison (first sitting US President to visit S.A.) AND honor the heroes of The Alamo and San Jacinto by staging a parade of carriages bearing flowers and having a "flower battle" in front of the Cradle of Texas Liberty. How delightful to have this re-enactment of how the annual party-to-end-all-parties began!

Our city's Mayor, Phil Hardberger, was attired in suit and tie, like all the men on stage and unlike Mayor Ed Garza at my first opening ceremony for Fiesta (the party in A.D. 2002), who came in a guayabera. Well, the male encee (from the Fox station) was casually attired, now that I think about it. Mayor Hardberger, among his remarks, mentioned that Fiesta was "ten days to not think!" Hm-m-m. . . I'm not in complete agreement with that assessment! However, the co-hosts took advantage of the remark later, when the lady emcee, Cynthia Lee, said that she was looking forward to not thinking for ten days - and co-emcee, Mike Valdes, quipped something like, "Oh, is that anything new (with you)?" Arr-rr-gh!

We were also treated to musical entertainment, including by a military band beside the stage, flamenco dancing and the ceremonial cutting of an official's ugly necktie, to signify "business casual" apparel for the ten days of the party. I've not minded the cutting of one tie, but in recent years all officials on the platform and men in the audience were all but ordered to come out of theirs. It's a pity that high-ranking government officials have to submit to this indignity. Today two men up there did NOT remove their neckties! Neither did I take off my Fiesta 2002 tie! Let's have a big "Hooray!" for men who KNOW that we guys CAN have fun while sharply attired!

The ceremony concluded with everybody cracking cascarones over one another's heads while shouting, "¡Viva Fiesta!" or responding, "¡Viva!" Then I took the bus across downtown to El Mercado for their Fiesta event. And then I rode out to UTSA for theirs.

Once I was on the "ugly-modern-grey-concrete" campus of the university (my description of this very unattractive campus), out near Fiesta Texas, I searched in vain for my brother Lambda Chis. In the past two years they had run a food booth, one year with kabobs for sale and the other fajitas. But in this A.D. 2008 version of Fiesta UTSA we were not to be found! Wonder why.

However, the entertainment and the food that I did sample were quite enjoyable. As is custom, at one point a goodly selection of Fiesta royalty showed up and made a processional from the building that houses the Library upstairs and the cafeteria at ground level, along a red carpet under la Sombrilla (a fancy grating that provides some variegated shade to the pavement below), to a shaded seating area. Various of the royalty were introduced and brought up on the stage, as was UTSA President Romo. I couldn't help but notice that Fiesta Commission President John Steen again sported his necktie! I congratulated him for looking sharp again, as I also pointed to my Fiesta 2002 necktie.

Later on I passed by the Cattlemen's Square on the west side of downtown' just west of the elevated IH 10-35 and north of Houston Street. This is the site of Fiesta's "Tejano Explosion" and I wanted to read the line-up of artists and groups who will perform various types of chicano or Tex-Mex music during it ten-day run. (Actually I think T.E. run a day or two longer that Fiesta's officical ten days.)

Finally, I returned to el Mercado for a while, to enjoy the live music on four or so stages set up around Market Square for their ten days of "Fiestas Fantasías del Mercado". However I didn't stay very long. I wanted to get home and get some shut-eye, to be ready for Saturday's full schedule of Fiesta partying!

¡Viva Fiesta!

Plaza de las Islas, reopened

2008-04-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening (last evening) I went downtown to experience the "grand re-opening" of Main Plaza, also known as Plaza de las Islas. The latter name (Spanish), the older name for the location, refers to the islands from whence came the Canary Islanders who arrived in San Antonio in March of A.D. 1731. They founded the first civil settlement and municipal government in Texas, began the time-consuming erection of Texas' first parish church (as opposed to mission church or presidial chapel), and laid out the square (plaza) as the heart of their new town.

Main Plaza/Plaza de las Islas has seen numerous major changes of appearance over the approximately 177 years since then. And the latest radical alteration of appearance was celebrated this past evening.

I went, resigned that the square would not have the two north-south streets, which had been eliminated by the planned renovation. By this fact alone it now varies further than ever from the standard design of city squares of the colonial Spanish Empire. I was ready for this, but I consoled myself that the vista-blocking undergrowth and the ugly central fountain would be gone. And surely anything would be an improvement.

Not!

Much to my surprise, pedestrian access from the south into the central portion of the renovated square was blocked by gardens and the ends of low walls. And such access from the north into the center did not include gentle ramps for the disabled, just steps and low retaining walls which can be used as impromptu benches. The center portion's surface consisted of three things. Some areas were covered with rough and uneven ashlar (quarried stone). In at least three places waterworks consisting of small geysers or fountains of water bathed rectangles of finished stone or concrete; the boundaries of these waterworks were mostly defined by where the wet ended and the dry began. Thirdly, large areas consisted of no more than bare dirt. It was easy to guess that at our first gully-washer this "new" Main Plaza will become a muddy hog wallow!

The layout of the raised and lowered areas and the placing of permanent kiosk-like structures make it impossible that Main Street and Soledad Street will ever again pass thru the square, as before. Thus north-south traffic thru the plaza is permanently blocked. I was vigorously against this from the beginning of announcement of public hearings on plans for Main Plaza renovation.

I had read of several elements to be included in the ceremony of Sunday evening, and sort of looked forward to it. But in this I was disappointed, too. For one, catering of picnic boxes for purchase had been set up inside the new square by Bill Miller Bar-b-cue, one cookie-cutter store of which sits at the northwest corner of the square. Now, why couldn't the body that fabricated this celebration have chosen Grady's with its superior bar-b-cue, or the fried chicken of Church's (another S.A. eating establishment), or something from Jim's Restaurants?

When the male-female pair of emcees for the main portion of the ceremony were introduced, they were both from KENS TV-5, and the male in the pair was weatherman Bill Taylor. The usually sharply-apparelled Taylor was sporting a suit and dress shirt, but no necktie! At least one public official on the platform was similarly garbed (i.e., no tie). Mayor Hardberger, his wife and the cathedral's Father David Garcia were in the front row of seats up there; this trio was the driving force behind Main Plaza renovation. Indeed, conventional wisdom among S.A. citizens is that she (Mrs. H) was THE driving force.

These folk and some other spoke about the history of Plaza de las Islas/ Main Plaza. Before all the talk there were some dramatic presentations by Canary Islander descendants and a military group in period costume. In all of this there was no mention of anybody or anything that happened in what is now downtown San Antonio between the times of the nomadic Coahuiltecan bands and the Islanders' arrival in 1731. I was distressed that there was in this a forceful effort to represent that this city as a permanent community began with those settlers from the Canaries! What about the original mission, San Antonio de Valero, founded on 1 May A.D. 1718? (Years later it became the famous fort and battleground, The Alamo.) What about el presidio, the protecting fort, also called San Antonio, founded four days later? And the villa set up for soldiers' families and a few farmers and craftsmen who also settled in 1718? What about the second mission, San José, founded in 1720?

Let's hope, dear reader, that there isn't such shunning of the first decade plus of this city's true history as a settled community when we get to A.D. 2018. That is when this so unique and historic city can celebrate its tricentennial. Let's also pray that this city gets a wiser set of leaders in its municipal government by then, who will seek to undo the deleterious effects of the current redoing of Main Plaza!

Emmaus Celebration, at Mt. Wesley

2008-04-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

Most of this past weekend, I was in Kerrville, Texas, at Mt. Wesley, church camp (or "Conference Center" as they now call it) of the UMC. All of us in attendance were celebrating 25 years of Walks to Emmaus and Chrysalis in Southwest Texas (SWTX of the UMC, that is.)

Before I left for the Celebration on Friday, I had a substitute teaching assignment at Alamo Heights HS. We had a pep rally for the Spring sports early in the morning; the theme for it was Fiesta, as in "wear Fiesta clothes". So I took advantage of this theme to wear my Fiesta necktie and my rainbow suspenders. I planned to wear them to the Emmaus Celebration later in the day, and also on Sunday.

As soon as I turned in my substitutes folder at the end of classes I boarded a VÍA bus and rode out to University UMC. From there I rode with Jay and Chrissie Smith of UUMC; Ann Rossi of Los Angeles Heights UMC also rode with us. We had a nice drive out to Kerrville; even the Friday home-bound rush hour wasn't all that bad, for San Antonio. Despite the lack of rain -- can you say, "another drought"? -- there were some wildflowers in the median and on the shoulders of IH Ten. Even a few bluebonnets. And lots of the little pink teacups of the primrose!

When we four drove up Methodist Encampment Road in Kerrville and arrived at Mt. Wesley camp, the first person I saw that I recognized was none other than Arlie Lammers! He had agreed to have me as houseguest for the weekend (wife Kitty was away on the West Coast). Arlie and I were roommates during service on the Teams for Kairos Torres #9 and #11. He's a former UMC clergy who switched to Disciples of Christ, and is a non-pastoring member of First Christian Church (Disciples) in Kerrville. He (and wife Kitty) live out in the country, in fact across the road from the site of the annual Kerrville Folk Festival. I greeted him and gave him a hug -- not an easy thing to do since he's several inches taller than yours truly. I also introduced him to my fellow travelers.

After registering I went up to the fairly new dining hall, built sometime between my two team services on Walks #1005 (August '02) and #1327 (Nov. '06). While in the hall for supper I encountered George Bradley, a Methodist clergyman and fellow volunteer in Kairos Prison Ministry. Remember, Kairos is the version of Emmaus (or any Cursillo renewal) designed for inmates. We had a great time talking while eating! After dinner he headed home (he had been here for a clergy licensing meeting of the UMC). I went to Worship in the Emmaus style in the former Moore Auditorium (remodeled, air-conditioned and renamed sometime also between the two Walks).

Saturday included four workshop sessions, with over a dozen topics from which to choose. Between breakfast and commencement of the workshops I chose to ascend the hill, actually called "Mt. Wesley", behind the camp's buildings to its summit. I chose to use the less steep paved drive going up the side of this hill, rather than going straight up on the trail. Nevertheless, I could tell that the climb was more taxing on my aging body than earlier climbs had been. (I ascend Mt. Wesley Hill every time I come to the camp for an Emmaus event, except for Candlelight.) But it's worth the physical exertion, for the view over the Guadalupe River and the wonderful Texas Hill Country. AND worth it to stand below the large wooden cross surmounting a pile of rocks at the summit. The wood came from Bolivia, sent years ago by Bolivian Methodists. For me there isn't a better graphic example of the worldwide unity and love of the Christian people!

In the morning I chose to participate in a music workshop facilitated by Yohann Anderson in the conference room where the 15 talks are done on a Walk; it actually took up both sessions. Yohann is compiler-editor of a songbook that contains songs written by him and lots of camp-style Christian songs, traditional hymn lyrics and lyrics for popular hit numbers. It's called simply "Songs". The earliest issue of "Songs" was a brown-cover book; I had a firm-spine version during high school and college and beyond. Since moving to San Antonio I'd acquired the newer green-cover, spiral-bound edition. And NOW at Yohann's seminar I bought the newest edition of "Songs": blue and containing about 1100 songs (up from over 300 in the first edition). This workshop (or seminar) was not just group singing of songs from the book. Most of it was actually Yohann teaching us techniques for making song-leading more effective. He also provided us with a handout.

In the afternoon I first attended a workshop on clergy requirements (for being a spiritual director on a Walk, and also for a Fourth Day Group), in the beautiful little Chapel of Mt. Wesley. Then I went to a small building behind former Moore Auditorium, to "Studio B" for a session called "Why Cain't We Do It That Way?" (spelled that way). By the title and brief description this was to be a discussion of sticking to the manual for presenting a Walk to Emmaus. But the presenter (facilitator), a lady who was one of four people representing the International Office of Emmaus in Nashville, had us focus first, on suggesting reasons for celebrating Emmaus, and second, challenges we face as we continue to strive to keep the spiritual renewal movement effective and viable. Chrissie Smith was one of the other participants, as her husband Jay had been another at the morning "double-length" Yohann workshop, and Arlie had been one at the clergy seminar.

Also during the afternoon I used breaks in the schedule to peruse various vendors who were set up in the former dining hall of the camp. Most of these were locals, and arlie knew all of them. The one out-of-town vendor was a fellow from Cokesbury (the Methodist bookstore chain). Noticing that he had a few music CDs I asked if he had the CD version of an audiocassette I had purchased years ago after my piligrim Walk, called "Palanca Songs". He did indeed, so I purchased it. On a later pass by the Cokesbury table my eyes happened to fall on a "De Colores" necktie! I didn't ahve a clue that anyone made Cursillo/Emmaus ties! You guessed it, dear reader; it's now mine!

Saturday ended as Friday had, with dinner and then Worship (same locales). The music group ("praise team" if you wish) which led the singing at this evening Worship was very good! And Victor Pérez, full-time clergy from Emmaus in Nashville, gave a pretty good talk ("sermon" if you wish). I was a little disappointed that my pre-conception that THIS service would be open to the general Emmaus community (like a Walk's candlelight) was wrong; only registered Celebration participants were in attendance.

Sunday morning I packed my suitcase at Arlie's house, and we drove into Kerrville as the eastern sky began to lighten. Yesterday he had actually driven me by the new First Christian Church (Disciples) building. A few years ago I had gotten a ride to a Candlelight for a Walk, stayed the night with Arlie and Kitty, attended Sunday Worship with them at the old FCC (closer to Methodist Encampment Rd.), and then attended closing for the same Walk.

The concluding Worship for the Emmaus Celebration was in the Chapel. Music was the little pipe organ in it -- this was the first time I had heard it played! Shelton Johnson, current Spiritual Director for the Southwest Texas Emmaus Community, gave the sermon, a very brief message to "go out celebrating Emmaus and being fishers of men!" Then we shared the Lord's Supper one final time, and it was time for farewells and hitting the road back to home.

Because the Emmaus Celebration concluded so early Sunday morning we returned to San Antonio in time for me to ask the Smiths to drop me off at San Antonio Christian Church, not far from their church (UUMC). Pastor here is Ed Palow; he was my roommate on Kairos Briscoe #1, and the music for Sunday Worship here is often provided, as it was this day, by Rich and Joy Drady and their group, "Just Us" (called so because it's anybody who wants to bring their instrument and play it with the Dradys). I got acquainted with Rich and Joy when I first began attending Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples). Worshiping at San Antonio Christian served as a great transition back into the "everyday" living in the city after the weekend of Emmaus spiritual "high"!

But. . . I didn't quite get back to "normal" right away! From San Antonio Christian I got a ride to St. Mary's University on the city's west side. Lambda Chi Alpha was celebrating its Founder's Day barbecue there this year, a month later than the past two years. But the weather was fabulous for the fraternity's event. After chatting with alumni and undergrads of the three local Zetas (chapters) and enjoying hot dogs, etc., I got a ride home with an active (an undergrad member) of Pi-Epsilon Zeta (Incarnate Word). He "happened" to live nearby, on Vandiver!

However, when I walked up to my door I discovered that my keys were not in any of my pockets. Nor in my suitcase or bag! I'd left them at Arlie's! So I had to borrow a phone to call the La Fiesta management and get let in to my efficiency. Not a good ending to a great weekend! But it didn't quench my joy in the celebrations!

Dos iglesias unidas/2 churches united

2008-03-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Domingo el treinta de marzo había una adoración dominical uniendo dos iglesias biligues de los Discípulos de Cristo. On Sunday the 30th of March there was a special Sunday worship uniting two bilingual Disciples of Christ churches of San Antonio.

Back in January the younger congregation, Spanish Christian Church, had hosted my congregation, Mexican Christian Church, in their facility. They don't have their own building but rather meet in Woodlawn Christian Church (Disciples) off Fredericksburg Road in the Deco District of the city.

And now, this past Sunday, it was Mexican Christian's turn to host a joint meeting. Spanish Christian's praise music team came over early and set up drums, guitars and mikes on the platform behind and above the communion table. We had about half an hour of praise singing, then continued in an order of worship similar to Mexican Christian's usual Sunday order of worship. There were also a few special songs added to the service. Brother Orta, the Spanish Christian pastor, did the invocation, pastoral prayer and benediction. Christian and Evelyn Torres, newlyweds who had joined MCC last Fall, read the scriptures, and Pastor Liz Sanchez gave the sermon.

Following Worship we all adjourned downstairs for a fellowship dinner. There was lots of delicious food (a usual happening at church dinners, as well as at Emmaus events). Aun mejor, fue simplemente el platicar entre los miembros de las dos congregaciones, mientras almorzábamos. (Better yet, was simply the conversing between members of the two sister congregations while we were eating.)

Now, events or happenings such as THIS are what engage me as a disciple of the Nazarene! I have strong loyalty to my personal congregation, yet thrill to have fellowship with brother and sister Christians of another church, or even other denominations! Unity in the earthly Body of Christ, that's what I long for! A unity based on mutual love, the agapé love of I Corinthians 13, and on our common search to live out the essential teachings of our Risen Leader! May we Christians never forget, and always strive to fulfil, the clause of Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" in which He besought ABBA for the same oneness among His disciples as existed between Him and ABBA (see John 17).

Hermano Julián López

2008-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, el día después de Pascua, a longtime and faithful member of my Westside church went home para quedar con Jesucristo. Hermano (Brother) Julián López was only a few years older than yours truly, and had serious health issues for as long as I've attended la Iglesia Crustiana Mexicana, Mexican Christian Church. But now he is free of these and his weak mortal body and enjoying the eternal bliss of being in the Lord's presence.

Hermano Julián probably made as big an impression on me as anyone at the church. His love for the congregation, for neighboring Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, for the Westside and most of all for his -- and our -- Lord were very evident. After I began attending Mexican Christian Church I would travel by bus across San Antonio early on Sundays, to get there in plenty of time. I'd arrive before all the others -- except for Julián. He was always there before me, and greeted me with his customary smile. He usually had the coffee already brewing. Sundays when he didn't, I would make it. There came to be a tacit competition between the two of us, to see who could make the best pot of coffee for the church. I concede that Julián probably won that contest.

And there was no doubt that Julián was "king of church bell ringers". He delighted in ringing the church bell at the start and the end of each Sunday service. He would ring exactly twelve times, one for each of the Apostles! Once Julián ended up in the hospital for his second leg amputation it sort of fell on me to get the bell rung. But I hardly felt like a worthy successor to this "king of church bell ringers"!

Wednesday evening Mexican Christian Church (Disciples) hosted a visitation and prayer service for Hermano Julián. Since he was also active in the barrio senior citizens center and in Guadalupe Church there were lots of folks present. Several of us presented songs for or stories about Julián. I myself sang two: "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" and "Pues Si Vivimos".

I'm sorry that my bilingual brother in Christ has gone home to be with Jesus -- only in that I won't get to hear him ring the bell again or compete with him in the matter of "gourmet" coffee making. But I'm glad that he's now in that perfect place where he's not in pain, and his being is whole. Que descansa en la paz y la gloria de Cristo, mi hermano y amigo.

My S.A. Eye Doctor

2008-03-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

This morning I had my annual eye exam by my ophthalmologist. He is Dr. Wendall Baumann. Should you have need for an eye doctor, I highly recommend him. (But be warned: he's very popular!)

I first met Wendall in the Summer of A.D. 2002. In seeking an Emmaus Reunion group to join, for weekly prayer, accountability and support, I found one that included him, meeting each Monday at lunch time. During the academic year we met in the Skyline Room of the student union on the Trinity University campus. This was on the second floor of the hilltop structure, giving diners a glorious view of downtown San Antonio! And the food was a delicious and inexpensive buffet. But the best part was the fellowship with four to six other men.

At the time I was a waiter at Jim's Restaurants, and Wendall was an Air Force ophthalmologist, rank of Colonel and actually stationed at the US Army's Brooke AMC (hospital). Since that time -- truly the "good ol' days" -- the Reunion group has dissolved (and I now meet in the Mama's Café men's Bible study instead) and Wendall has retired from the military and gone into private practice. As soon as I heard him share that he was about to do this, I asked to become one of his earliest clients.

Wendall lives in a house facing Primrose Street near its Broadway end, while Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples) is at the North New Braunfels Ave. end, on the other side. The back edge of the lot is Castaño Ave., across from Alamo Heights High School. There are many lovely houses on Primrose, but long before I knew Wendall lived there I though his home, a pretty stone two-story cottage, was the most attractive (and the only one I'd feel comfortable residing in).

Well, one evening just after Wendall had retired from the Air Force I was walking down Primrose to go to something at AHCC(DC), and I noticed in passing his house that there were two plywood storks with babies in the front yard, one pink and one blue. These I interpreted that my friend had become a grandfather, even tho' I'd never known of such yard storks being used by anyone than the parents. The next time I spoke with Wendall the storks and the male and female babies they represented came quickly into the conversation, and I found out that he was indeed a new dad! It seems that he and his wife had been trying to have children for years -- and finally succeeded! Doubly succeeded!

Shortly I got invited over to the Baumanns to see the twins. The house was as winsome inside as was the outside of it. And of course the babies were adorable! I was back for a visit soon afterward, but now it had been over a year. I reminded Wendall of this when I went in for my eye appointment this morning. Indeed, even tho' the exam resulted in good news (no further deterioration in my vision), the best part of the visit was just talking with my dear friend, reminiscing over the old Reunion Group days, commenting on the house, and of course the babies. Now I'm looking forward to another visit in the near future!

Resurrection Day

2008-03-24T10:12:00.001-07:00

Earlier postings of this month of March of A.D. 2008 related incidents connected with my birthday and those of my dad and brother.

Well, yesterday was ALSO my birthday! That one back on the Eve of the Ides of March was simply the day my Mom gave birth to me, in the US Military Academy hospital at West Point, New York. Yesterday was the Sunday when we Christians celebrate the greatest event of all history -- the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ! On Resurrection Day of A.D. 1969 toward the end of Worship in Red Rock Christian Church (Disciples) in Boise, Idaho, I responded to the Invitation arose from my seat and walked forward to state my faith in the Nazarene as the Christ, Son of God and my personal Savior! Or to put it otherwise, I was "born again" (or born from above) on Resurrection Day of 1969.

On this Resurrection Day of this Year of Our Lord (2008) I experienced tremendous celebration of the risen Savior -- all thru the day!

This commenced as usual with Sunrise Service at Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples). Due to the new earlier start of Daylight Saving Time this year the service actually began close to sunrise. But with the overcast sky we didn't have many sun rays visiting the lobby where the service is held. Nor shining upon the cross of rugged old wood, covered with chicken wire. When we go up to receive the Lord's Supper we place fresh flowers into the chicken wire, which thus converts the centerpiece into a floral cross! Very impressive!

When the service ended we adjourned downstairs to Kirtley Fellowship Hall for breakfast. Then during the following Sunday school hour the choir practiced the cantata "Jesus Is Alive" one final time. And then we sang it in the regular-time worship. It has five songs with brief narration before each. The final two are medleys (which gives eight song in part or in whole). The first I had difficulty singing the harmony, but on the second, "Come to the altar", the harmony came easily, and I really enjoyed singing it. The third song is "Via Dolorosa", which is mostly a very moving soprano solo, with a bit of choral inclusion. The "Cross Medley" of the fourth piece is Dottie Rambo's Behold the Lamb", the "Above All", then the refrain of "The Old Rugged Cross". Every time I practiced it and again when we sang it during the Worship I almost choked up on the refrain of "Above All".

. Crucified. Laid behind the stone.
. You and alone.
. Lie a rose, trampled on the ground,
. You took the fall and thought of me
. Above All!

And then there was the "grand finale" -- the title piece, "Jesus Is Alive". It's quite a triumphant celebration in song of the reality of the Resurrection to eternal life of our Savior. Just this past week I had listened to Dr. John MacArthur on "Grace to You" (aired on KDRY AM 1100) speak of the Resurrection from God's viewpoint, and what all the emptying of the tomb on the third day means for Christianity and the Gospel. If there were no resurrection of Jesus the Nazarene, then there really is no Christianity and no Good News! This is why the bodily Resurrection is so vehemently attacked. But those who seek to invalidate the Gospel by proving that Jesus didn't rise from the dead usually end up being converts to the very faith they set out to attack!

And so we sing, "Hallelujah! Jesus is alive! Death has lost the victory, and the grave has been denied. Jesus lives forever; He's alive!"

Later, in the evening of Resurrection Day, I rode the bus over to the Westside, where Mexican Christian Church, la Iglesia Cristiana Mexicana, held the final evening of a week-long tent revival, una campaña de carpa. Evangelist Jorge Marín conducts these tent revivals usually twice a year in the church yard beside Guadalupe Street. This time the revival "happened" to coicide with Holy Week. Great timing!

I myself felt led to participate this final revival evening, by testifying to the tremendous reality of the Resurrection, particularly as follow-up to the Nazarene's death by crucifixion -- the ransom for all who put their trust in His power to save! I also sang a couple of songs, including my favorite "cross song", which is "The Old Rugged Cross." It was a windy evening (and the tent had no side flaps, just a roof upheld by thin poles), yet by using weights I was able to keep my music open before me as I picked guitar and sang.

Another song I sang was "Un Día a la Vez", the Spanish version of "One Day at a Time". (I first heard the Spanish version right here in Mexican Christian Church, during my first visit here, and quickly grew to prefer la versión española to the English!) Later, two women independently sang the same song, using accompaniment CDs. I was strongly impressed by this "coincidence" of threefold singing of the same song! So after the third, I asked Hermano Marín if I could briefly witness. I informed those present that this threefold repetition of "Un Día a la Vez" was no mere happening. Rather, it was God calling us to faithfully seek His presence and guidance and power ONE day at a time, or each day of life!

Now dear reader, just this very day I came to the sharp realization that I needed His help un día a la vez. At the breakfast at AHCC (DC) in mid-morning I'd eaten two heaping platefuls to break my customary Maundy Thursday to Resurrection sunrise fast. TWO heaping platefuls! Then, after the second worship I had the gall to tahe the bus to Picante Grill and ahve Sunday dinner! Picante grill was the first Mexican restaurant that Patrick and LaRae tried out upon moving here. A few days ago Patrick had mentioned that they still preferred it above all others (except perhaps for one close to Fort Sam). I wanted to order an enchilada lunch plate (two enchiladas rather than the tree on a dinner), but the waitress said that due to it being a holiday lunch dishes weren't available. So I chose a taco salad. But I only ate less than half of it. I just sat there, looking at the remains. I had to assure my waitress, "Please do not think this is a reflection on the food; it's about the tastiest taco salad I've eaten. Rather, it's a reflection on my gluttony!"

Yes, let me be honest. I'm a glutton, and I need to do something about it. Pray for me, please. Thanks!

Events of March

2008-03-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

On this first day of Spring in A.D. 2008, I'm reflecting upon what an eventful month it's been so far. And with a third of the month to go!

Dad's visit and the three birthdays -- his, brother Patrick's and mine -- were the hi-lite of March, of course. And actually, this wasn't done with when I last posted. On my actual birthday, Friday the Fourteenth -- which could also be called the "Eve of the Ides of March", but let's not go down that road -- Dad, Patrick and LaRae picked me up and took me downtown. They wouldn't tell me our destination (nor did they divulge it when Dad asked), but my suspicion of what it was got stronger and stronger as we went along. Sure en'uf, we went to El Mercado and Mi Tierra. It was the same restaurant I'd been taken a year ago! They didn't seat us by the remarkable mural wall in the final dining room, but I did order the Monterrey Plate of cabrito (goat) again. Yum, yum! -- to both the food and the companionship!

Still, some days earlier I had told AHHS Track head Coach Bobby Newton that my birthday celebration would begin a day early this year. This was because the Mule Relays track and field event held in AHHS' Orem Stadium would be on 13 March (usually it falls on or near April Fool's Day). As in most years when I've helped Coach Newton with the track meet, the weather was pur-r-r-fect! And once again I showed off my skill of handling the stop watch (for timing race competitors). It's a skill born when I was manager of the track team at Borah HS (my alma mater in Boise) and honed while managing the Vandal track team at University of Idaho. Both the teams of the AHHS Mules, boys and girls, finished second (both behind Steele HS from northeast of S.A.).

One unusual thing about my actual birthday this year was that it didn't fall during Spring Break. Most universities and school districts (like Alamo Heights ISD) chose to have the break later than customary, to coincide with the very early arrival of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. In the last couple of years I've had no problem working at Fiesta Texas amusement park on my birthday. But this year I got to substitute teach at Alamo Heights High School, both the day before and on my birthday. But whoa! the theme park also wanted me to work, clocking in at 2:30 PM, when I would still have been in the classroom! Hey, Fiesta Texas, 'nuf's en'uf!

Three days following my birthday was the annual day when everybody sports green clothing, Saint Patrick's Day. It being Spring Break (as well as Holy Week) Monday, I worked at Fiesta Texas, where there is no green in the general employee uniform. However, one of the tiny flags in the Six Flags logo in the uniform cap I wear is green. And should that have been insufficient amount of the appropriate color, I also sported a plastic shamrock peeking out above my name tag. This I obtained at Alamo Heights Christian Church; on Palm Sunday the after-worship snacks featured cupcakes iced in either green or white, with a green plastic shamrock stuck in each. Hm-m-m-m, so where were the palm branches? (Oh, well, I guess all the provider could scrounge up at the HEB bakery was St. Patrick's Day cupcakes!) So I had some green, despite Six Flags' uniform colors' lack thereof. Erin go braugh! Heh, heh!

St. Patrick's Day and the day following the weather was sufficiently threatening and the resultant visitors to Fiesta Texas low in numbers, that I got to clock out early, which was fine with me. And then we actually got something falling out of the sky. But it wasn't the pure rainfall we so much need. It was "mud rain"! The next day vehicles that had been parked outside, VÍA bus stop benches and similar items were covered with little dots of dust. Strange storm, strange aftermath!

And so today is the first official day -- or, first calender day -- of Spring. And with all that's happened so far during this March of the Year of Our Lord 2008, we've STILL got a third of the month to go! Including this up-coming most significant weekend of any weekend -- regardless of whether it falls in March or April. So stay tuned. . . !

March: the Month of Birthdays

2008-03-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

My last posting here concerned a birthday celebration at the end of February. It was for a famous San Antonian (José Antonio Navarro) who would have been 213 years old were he yet alive.

By contrast, March is THE month for birthday parties for the living! Certainly for men in the Graham family. And so. . . my Dad flew here from Boise, arriving late Monday evening the Third. His birthday was the next day -- 75 candles. My "baby" brother Patrick's is tomorrow the Eleventh -- 41. And mine is Friday the Fourteenth -- 54!

Now it had been in my thinking that we should probably have a joint celebration of all three. And that became sort of imperative when Patrick drew 24-hour duty ON HIS BIRTHDAY! (Hey, Army! that's cruel & unusual punishment and unconstitutional!) So the "main event" so to speak was yesterday (Sunday the Ninth). But before the "main event" there were other frolics.

First, on Dad's day LaRae and I took him to the Medical Corps Museum (AMEDD) on Fort Sam Houston. It's close by the old Brooke Army Hospital. In addition to inside displays covering the development of military medicine over the nation's history, we saw some static displays outside, of various wheeled ambulances and medical helicopters.

In the gift shop a shirt caught my eye. It was "medical maroon", with golden threads spelling out BAMC, along with the words (Brooke Army Medical Center) and the military medical symbol (caduceus). I considered that this might be a great gift from me to Brother for his birthday. LaRae affirmed my supposition, so I purchased the classy shirt.

On Friday the Seventh, Uncle Chuck and Aunt Alice came down from Georgetown, Texas, and the six of us Grahams lunched at Paloma Blanca. When my son David visited me on his way to begin drama ministry with Covenant Players in '04, Howard Haring and family (see 14 Dec 06 posting for info on him) treated us to dinner at Paloma Blanca, an elegant Mexican restaurant on Broadway in Alamo Heights just south of City Hall. Well, we all ordered scrumptious plates. Mine was enchiladas de pollo en mole (chicken enchiladas in a Mexican chocolate sauce, mole). Yum, yum! We also had photos of us taken by the wait staff. (Perhaps I can learn how to post such photos on this blog, eh?)

Saturday I had to work at the Fiesta Texas ticket booths. As soon as I got sighed out in late afternoon, I phoned Patrick et al., and learned that they planned to dine at the County Line, on The Riverwalk. Since the next VÍA bus would get me downtown to that area (Riverwalk) about five, I suggested that I simply meet them there at the restaurant.

And so it was. I had to lug my overcoat along with me, because it had been at or below freezing when I left my efficiency to go to work that morning. But by late afternoon it was a very pleasant day. So I was glad that the other three (Dad, Patrick and LaRae) had gotten seats at an outdoor table in front of the County Line, right beside The Riverwalk. As I had ordered my favorite Mexican plate at Paloma Blanca for Friday lunch, now I ordered my fave off the County Line's menu: beef ribs. They serve three of the big whoppers, plus two sides (in my case, I ordered pinto beans and cole slaw). Best of all, perhaps, is that the County Line serves loaves of fresh bread as appetizers, one wheat and one white. The bread is terrific -- I swear I could make a meal just out of eating the C.L. bread! LaRae surmised that it's made with honey. Probably so....

Well, the "big" birthday celebration was Sunday afternoon and evening, in Patrick and LaRae's quarters on post. We exchanged birthday cards and gifts. Patrick was indeed pleased with the BAMC polo shirt! Dad gave each of us, his sons, a Hewlett Packard laptop "notebook" computer. A good portion of the late afternoon and into early evening was spent getting mine set up and then me getting familiar with my new "toy".

And "toy" is an appropriate word, I think, because at one point I commenced a game of computer solitaire. I'd gotten hooked on this in the mid-1990s, when I was an adjunct instructor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. You see, I really enjoyed watching the computer "shuffle" the deck when you won a game! But... THIS computer was different for playing solitaire! Indeed, it took several tries before I won a game, and then the "shuffling" wasn't all that engaging. PLUS, this computer's program doesn't let you change the back of the cards, etc. Oh, well....

All the time that we (Patrick & I) were dealing with hi-tech, the big-screen TV was on the GAC ("Great American Country", as in music) cable channel. Shortly they began a show celebrating country music of A.D. 1996. Now, that year just "happened" to be the year I worked at Grand Ole Opry Tours in Nashville. In our lobby (where I did most of my work as Tour Coordinator, selling tickets) were two large TV sets in the upper corners of the ceiling, set constantly to CMT, the country music video channel. We workers plus guests got to watch all the videos which were popular that year, such as Leeann Rymes' "Blue" and Alan Jackson's "Itty Bitty". And here this GAC show was showing them again! Talk about a trip down memory lane! I didn't even have to shut my eyes to picture myself back behind the counter at GOOT, watching these songs for the first time!

I kept wishing that they would show the most engaging video of that time, for me. It was "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" by John Michael Montgomery. A good portion of the images on this video were of three Amish farmers versus three Jap businessmen in a livestock auction barn, and it was hilarious!

Well, they didn't show that video, but the did show a more deeply cherished one: "Go Rest High on That Mountain", written by Vince Gill (upon his brother's untimely death, if I remember correctly), and sung by him, Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless, gathered around a single floor-stand microphone (just like in the olden days, "golden days" of radio). It's a beautiful song, with deeply touching lyrics, sung with strong feeling. Truly it caused my head to leak and my heart to long to return to the hills and hollers of Tennessee, the "greenest State in the Land of the Free!"

Here are the lyrics:

"Go Rest High on That Mountain"

I know your life
On earth was troubled
And only you could know the pain
You werent afraid to face the devil
You were no stranger to the rain

Chorus:
Go rest high on that mountain
Son, you work on earth is done
Go to heaven a shoutin
Love for the father and son

Oh, how we cried the day you left us
We gathered round your grave to grieve
I wish I could see the angels faces
When they hear your sweet voice sing

A José Antonio Navarro: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

2008-02-27T12:22:00.000-08:00

That is: "'Happy Birthday!' to J.A. Navarro". And yes, I know that if you, dear reader, aren't from Texas (& possibly even if you are) you're asking, "Jose Antonio who?" Well, here's the scoop: of the many heroes from Texas or significantly associated with this heroic state, José Antonio Navarro is in my "Top Three Heroes of Texas"!

On this date (27 February) in the Year of Our Lord 1795, he was born in this city of San Antonio to a father from Corsica and a mother who was a "rose of San Antonio". He was a "patriot's patriot": as a resident of this city all his long life (he died in 1871) he lived under five of the "six flags of Texas". (The only flag missing is that of France, which hardly counts since French occupation was so tenuous and ephemeral.) Navarro fought for the freedom of his beloved native city, first from the imperial Spaniards, then from the dictatorship of Mexican General Santa Anna. He served in legislative bodies for Texas, as a part of Mexico's state of Coahuila y Texas, as an independent Republic, and as one of these United States! Most of all, this native son of San Antonio, a lawyer by profession, fought legally for the rights and heritage of los tejanos -- the native-born Texans of Spanish surname and Spanish or Mexican or mestizo ethnic-cultural background.

This morning the San Antonio Conservation Society hosted a birthday party for this historic and heroic tejano, at Casa Navarro, the family homestead in what is now downtown San Antonio. (In his lifetime, his home and office complex was toward the southwestern outskirts of town.) Several descendants of Navarro were also present, as were the curator, representatives of the "Friends of Casa Navarro" and of the Texas Historical Commission (which just took oversight of the property from the state Parks and Wildlife division), and County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson. The latter read a Proclamation from Bexar County proclaiming the day to be "José Antonio Navarro Day" in honor of his birthday and his tremendous significance for tejanos and for Texans in general.

Navarro, let it be known, was one of two delegates whome San Antonians chose to represent them at the convention in Washington-on-the-Brazos which concluded by declaring Texas free and independent. He and the other San Antonian, his uncle José Francisco Ruiz, were the only native-born Texans (and the only Spanish-surname) to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence. Navarro also served on the committee that drew up the Constitution for the Republic, and later served again on that which framed the state document -- and always he fought vigorously for the equal rights of the original inhabitants of the Lone Star State: los tejanos.

Hi-lite of the Navarro Birthday Party was a re-enactment of a meeting between José Antonio and Sam Houston, in period costume. The Anglo general (actually then still just a colonel) was performed by Mike Waters -- who stand six feet tall if that in contrast to the towering real-life Houston -- and performing as the tejano leader was the man who wrote the script: Maclovio Pérez. Maclovio is a local media personality, weatherman for WOAI. He also is one of voices heard giving the forecast if one dials 225-0404 (time, temp & forecast). I've heard him several times in my years of residence in this city, dialing that number at least a couple of times a week! And now I was getting to meet the man -- in the guise of one of the top heroes of Texas (in my book at the least)!

Title of the Pérez-authored dramatic conversation -- the two gentlemen drank toasts twice -- is "The Winds of Change: Jose Antonio Navarro and General Sam Houston." Let me assure you, the dialog between the two gentlemen sounded quite authentic - true to their personalities and to the politico-social situation of 1835 Texas. Houston spoke with deep concern and conviction about the discontent of the Texian colonists in the east part of the state. And Navarro uttered very unflattering epithets against Santa Anna. I don't know if any such meeting and conversation between the two occurred in Casa Navarro, but I sure hope it did and basically in agreement with Pérez' script!

The program portion of the birthday party segued into refreshments, including tamales a huge layer birthday cake and hot cocoa, served in the kitchen of the Casa Navarro complex. This third building of the complex (the other two being the two-story office and the one-story, porched residence) was surprisingly large; perhaps one of the rooms served as pantry. Many of us took our birthday snacks outside to enjoy them under los ancianos encinos (ancient live oaks) of the property and the blue, clear sky with its warming sunshine. All in all, we threw a terrific birthday party for a terrific Texas hero!

Let's Rodeo, San Antonio!

2008-02-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here's to you, dear reader, a belated "Happy Valentine Day!"

I had the holiday off yesterday -- not because Valentine Day is a school holiday in the AHISD, but just because I didn't have a sub-teaching job. So I took advantage of this to attend the opening of the San Antonio City Council meeting in the mid-morning.

After I had passed thru the new airport-style security gate -- having divested myself of all metallic objects and my belt -- I entered Council chambers (the former ground-floor lobby of the former Frost Bank skyscraper next to the Cathedral on Main Plaza/Plaza de las Islas) to see that the Council, Mayor Hardberger and City Manager Scully were posing for their formal group mug shot. You see, we have two new "temporary" or "fill-in" Council members, because those two Councilmen, Roland Gutierrez of District 3 and Kevin Wolff of Dist. 9, resigned at the start of the calendar year to campaign for other offices. I deem it very inconsiderate to the citizens of those districts that these men did this soon after being re-elected. It means that for most of what would have been their second term their former districts are represented by persons chosen by the Council, not the district voters! Perhaps the two-year two-term limit is not such a bad idea after all!

Anyhow, after the photo-taking (many of the women -- now the majority on the Council -- wore red dresses and the men red neckties due to the holiday) one of the first orders of business was introduction and explanation of the new "branding" that the Convention & Visitors Bureau will use in promoting the City of San Antonio. Ten posters were displayed, which will apparently be seen as pages in travel magazines, brochures, and even on the Web. Each poster/page had a montage made up of one or two "background" subject(s) and a lower corner (approximately a quarter of the space) of a candid of some person, separated somewhat from the "background" subject(s) by a discreet ripped edging. Subjects included The Alamo (naturally) accompanied in the ripped-edge corner by the Director of The Alamo, a Riverwalk footbridge, a painted charro figure associated with Mi Tierra Restaurant, etc.

At center bottom a maroonish quatrefoil encloses the words "San Antonio. Deep. In the Heart". These words appear in more prominent print toward the top. The phrase of course implies the great song "Deep in the Heart of Texas" -- I've known and loved that song since my Idaho boyhood and of course I thrill every time I hear it at the finale of the "Lone Star Spectacular" at Fiesta Texas. By leaving off the "of Texas", the branding phrase fosters a more diverse interpretation. E.g. that San Antonio gets deep under one's skin, to become a passion, as it did with me upon my first visit to the Alamo City around 1980. Indeed, the quatrefoil was interpreted, among other ways, as having the four parts People, Passion, Pride and Promise!

So, what does the Council meeting presentation on the new "branding" have to do with the Rodeo? Well, that's the point. The Rodeo was one of many potential subjects which did NOT grace any of the ten poster/pages. This omission leapt out at me, since I already was planning to attend it that evening. Also, of the many, many annual events -- perhaps I should say "parties"? -- of San Antonio, the Stock Show and Rodeo is msot appreciated because it connects me to my "roots" as a boy growing up in Idaho, where we Grahams annually attended the Snake River Stampede in Nampa! I love rodeos! Always have!

I'd originally planned to attend Friday evening's competition (and concert) with my brother Patrick and sister-in-law LaRae. But then the military intervened -- again -- by assigning a later shift for Patrick to work at the hospital OR. So once again I didn't get to see the thrills of the cowboy competitions with family. Just by my little lonesome. See my posting of Monday 19 February 2007 for how we all enjoyed the Stock Show grounds last year but only yours truly the Rodeo. Speaking of which, together we three did attend "Cowboy Church" on Sunday the Tenth. Suzie Luchsinger was there this year, sounding and looking as great as ever; and Brother Ikels preached as engagingly as always. He has a great way with sermon illustrations!

After I purchased my Rodeo ticket I wandered the Stock Show grounds for the hour-plus before the competition was to begin. In my wanderings I was delighted to run into my old radio buddy Jerry King of KKYX-AM 650, at the booth (actually tent) for KKYX and Y-100. We had a great conversation while I snacked on a free sample of black beans I'd been given just across the way.

After entering the AT&T Center and locating my seat, I noticed that in addition to the four NBA Champion banners honoring the Spurs, there also hung from the ceiling three banners from the PRCA honoring our Rodeo as the "Best Indoor Large Rodeo" in these United States! Hooray, San Antonio! I also located, from the "nosebleed section" the two announcers for the event, Randy Corley and Hadley Barrett -- both great guys. The Rodeo commenced with its traditional colorful and patriotic horseback presentation of the flags, of the Rodeo, of the State of Texas and of Old Glory.

Competition in each event was exciting. Of course, each had at least one contestant who didn't complete the eight-second ride or had a disqualification. But there were some terrific efforts from others! One competitor in the Tie-Down Roping (I think) hailed from Chubbuck, Idaho. Later another, in Saddle-Bronc Riding (I think), came from Bruneau in the State of my raising. (Recently I was told that "raising" is for horses and other domesticated animals and that human children are "reared" by contrast; oh well, whatever. . . .) There were also two competitors during tis evening from Pendleton, Oregon. When I was a boy I knew that the "Pendleton Round-up" was a big rodeo, as were the "Calgary Stampede" in Alberta, Canada, and the rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Of course, my provincial, "backwoods" young mind considered Nampa's Snake River Stampede to be the equal of any of those three!

Anyhow. . . it was an exciting and fun night of ridin' 'n ropin' in the S.A. Rodeo!

After the competitions, they set up the floor for the featured entertainer on this Valentine Day evening, Clay Walker. He's one of the newer stars of country music, so I'm not familiar with him -- I really need to listen more to KKYX's sister station Y-100 or to KJ-97, so I can keep up with current country hits! Including the latest release by my man George Strait! He may be a legend now, having been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but he's still a superstar too -- who keeps recording new albums and producing great new hit songs! If you haven't listened to "It Just Comes Natural" with its 15 top-notch songs, go give your ears a treat!

But I did know that Clay Walker is a so-called "hat act" -- after George appeared on the country-music scene and kept on wearing his Stetson while performing despite Nashville bigwigs' objection to headgear, others such as Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks donned Stetsons and spawned the originally derisive term. And I knew that Clay had a fair singing voice and sang in a more-or-less traditional style.

What I didn't know and found out this nite is that he loves and supports our military. Before he came out to start live singing of country love songs, they played a video of still shots of soldiers in Iraq (and a few scenes from military funerals here at home) while Clay was singing his song "Fall". Even tho' the lyrics are on the face of it a romantic love song, many of the phrases seem fit for expressing the comradeship of brothers in arms in the face of the grimness of combat.

. . .Forget about the world tonight
. All that’s wrong and all that’s right
. Lay your head on my shoulder let it fade away

. And if you wanna let go baby its okay

. Fall. . . go on and fall apart
. Fall into these arms of mine
. I'll catch you every time you fall
. Go on and lose it all
. Every doubt, every fear, every worry, every tear
. I'm right here
. Baby. . . fall

3 days & 3 ways of brotherhood

2008-01-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

The three days of Monday thru Wednesday past were days of profound experiencing of brotherhood for yours truly! When I use "brotherhood" I intend it in the old-style, generic significance. You see, the first incident, on Monday evening, involved both genders in sweet Christian fellowship (or "brotherhood").

At that time I boarded a van whose other occupants were Jay and Chrissie Smith and two women passengers, all members of the Northwest San Antonio Emmaus Fourth Day Group. We were all traveling from University UMC in far north-northwest S.A., down IH 35 to Pleasanton, Texas, where First UMC would be hosting the semi-annual Joint Gathering of the San Antonio Area FDGs. On the way there and back we had great conversation, mainly about Emmaus and other Christian ministries or programs we are involved in.

At Pleasanton, the "Birthplace of the Cowboy", we had a great turn-out from most of the FDGs. One man appeared looking sharp in a dark suit and red necktie; he said he had come directly from work to the gathering. Well, turned out that he, Dennis, was both guitarist playing in the group supplying the music AND our "Fourth-Day Speaker!" When the Lay Director of the local Brush County FDG introduced Dennis he commented that he'd told him that dress at gatherings was casual. As tho' the speaker had done wrong by "getting cleaned up!" Well, during the "food & fellowship" I told Dennis that I was glad he'd dressed sharp; that when I gave my first Fourth-Day Talk I likewise wore a suit and tie and carried a handheld cross -- just like the fifteen speakers on the Walk (the 3-day Retreat)!

On Tuesday, I had my second experience of brotherhood. After a brief time on the computer terminal, during which I posted a contribution on a new blog started by VÍA, I rode bus with my best friend in San Antonio, Joe Tovar, as he drove bus on Zarzamora Street. When we got to Palo Alto College, the southern terminus for Route #520 and the spot where I first met Joe, I gave him a printout of what I had posted on the VÍA blog. You see, my comment had been how the bus company had literally given me my best friend in S.A.

Tuesday evening I began the third type of brotherhood in three days -- and it was the one that would continue the third day. Brothers in the bond of Lambda Chi Alpha. For I took the bus out to UTSA for the Phi-Upsilon Zeta's "formal Zeta" chapter meeting. Only, when I walked into the lecture hall where the meeting was held, I saw at once that only the alumni advisor, Brother Rob Mendiola, had on a necktie! This was definitely not going to be a "formal" Zeta! Bro. Rob informed me that the undergrads had changed it from "formal" before he could warn me. Not that I minded being suited and tied for it; I enjoy dressing up!

And I was glad that I came, ties or no ties. I found out, among other things, that L.C.A. is now the largest fraternity on campus, and is in some so-called "Inner Circle" of Zetas (chapters) of L.C.A. around the nation. Cheers! I also got to contribute my two cents to remedying the Zeta's one shortcoming: low grades. I told a couple of the officers that I would gladly tutor any Brother in Spanish, History or English.

Next evening I went to the Valencia Hotel downtown for a Lambda Chi Alpha alumni meeting. Now dear reader, much as I may enjoy rubbing elbows with "actives" (i.e., undergrad Brothers), I prefer gathering together with my brother alumni. And here we were, together in a ground-floor meeting hall at the Valencia!

Having followed signs toward the Siena Room I found an open door at the end of a hallway, to an unlabeled room full of men. But just inside the door was a shelf where guys had placed certain personal items, including an elegant business folder (the kind with padded leather or faux-leather) imprinted with that familiar Cross and Crescent! As I was signing in I saw the Brother I most looked forward to seeing here: our Grand High Alpha (International President, for non-L.C.A.s) Dr. Ed Leonard. When I walked up he greeted me, smiling and extending his arms for a bear hug of brotherhood. Yes, it was so good to see this particular Brother in the Bond again!

The first time I met Brother Dr. Ed was at the Founders Day Barbecue in A.D. 2006 (early March, just before I commenced this blog spot). At that time he was Grand High Delta of the fraternity. He has a charismatic personality, if anybody I know in any official position of authority has charisma! He wore a polo shirt to that shindig that had stripes of our Brotherhood's colors: purple, green and gold. (When I remarked about the colors he informed me that he'd actually purchased it at a Mardi Gras in New Orleans, his wife's hometown -- that was when I first knew that the three colors were those of N.O.'s famous festival as well as those of L.C.A.!)

Now, this evening at the Valencia Bro. Dr. Ed was sporting a necktie in the fraternity's colors. In fact I'd seen Brothers, live and in photos, with exactly that same striped tie. He informed me that one could obtain such neckwear via the fraternity's Web site.

During the meeting I saw other local Brothers whom I already knew well: Alumni Association officers and alumni advisers and High Alphas of the San Antonio's universities' Zetas. These last had also been invited here and during the actual "business" portion of the gathering they each gave brief reports on their respective chapters. There were also short speeches by the three Brothers who are officers from Indianapolis. (Our International HQ is in that Indiana city, just like my denomination, the Disciples of Christ -- fascinating "coincidence"!) Some of their words referred to a "True Brother Initiative" that the brotherhood has undertaken in the past year, to enhance both education of the new associate member (L.C.A. was the first social fraternity to eliminate "pledgeship" with its demeaning and often harmful hazing) and to reinforce the on-going experience of brotherhood as an initiated member and then as alumnus. When I had read information about the T.B.I. a few months ago I got excited about its potential to enhance the fraternity I hold so dear!

There was also a generous helping of humor during this meeting, as one would expect from dear friends -- Brothers united by the unique bond of our teachings and Ritual. Indeed, on a more serious note (sort of), the undergrad reps from our three local Zetas were invited to stand with the youngest of the officers from Indy and conclude our meeting by leading us all reciting the Creed of Lambda Chi Alpha.

Good ending to a gr-r-r-reat gathering of Brotherhood -- one of three in three days! Plus the one-on-one get-togehter with my best friend in S.A.!

San Antonio and MLK Jr.

2008-01-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday San Antonio staged its annual Martin Luther King Jr. March thru the East Side, honoring the memory of the slain civil rights leader. I did not participate in this, billed as the largest (in number of participants) in the nation. Haven't marched in previous years either -- choosing to focus my "marching support" on the César Chávez March in early Spring.

However, I did attend Sunday afternoon's MLK Memorial Interfaith Service, for the first time. I had received a flier about this special worship from Nettie Hinton, an Afro-american lady who served with me on the VÍA Citizens Advisory Council. (Her term recently ended, but then I'd seen her at another meeting, to organize opposition to digital billboards -- she's quite the activist.)

I wish I'd known that Nettie was a member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, host church for the worship. Had I known, I could have phoned her (off the CAC member list) for directions to the church. All I knew from the flier was that Holy Redeemer is at 1819 Nevada, and that Nevada is one of the "state-name" streets running west-to-east south of East Commerce on the near East Side. When I called the church's phone number three times Sunday morning all I got was a recording about the Mass schedule.

So I went early by bus to the East Side, the closest thing San Antonio has to a ghetto neighborhood. I did a walking search around St. Phillips College, for first Nevada Street and then Holy Redeemer Church. Turned out the church was very close to the college, a historically Black junior college and now one of the campuses of the Alamo Community Colleges. Holy Redeemer, an historically Black Catholic parish, has a beautiful and traditional sanctuary in red brick, to which a larger sanctuary space has been added in back, with semicircular seating.

I became very glad that I'd persevered in my search for the church, because the MLK Interfaith Service was, in two words, inspired and inspiring! In the "Black tradition of worship" which I learned about while a seminarian at TCU's Brite Divinity School, it was long -- almost two hours -- and sort of "multi-media" in that it contained elements of dance as well as song, litanies, brief addresses from public officials, and a sermon or message. This last was given by Cary Clack, an Afro-american column writer for the San Antonio Express-News. Cary is one of three E-N columnists whose writings are in my opinion very good, enjoyable and informative reading! His spoken message this day wasn't as electrifying as the man whose memory we were celebrating. But then, Martin Luther King, Jr., was a very gifted speaker! And I did appreciate some of the words Cary had to say regarding Brother King. A major theme of it was to remember that King wasn't all that popular at the time of his death (even among Afro-american civil rights activists). Also, we mustn't let Dr. King's memory become a sanitized, frozen icon for the current on-going struggle for civil rights for all.

Earlier, one of the speakers mentioned a fascinating tidbit or research data. Seems that three separate genetic researchers had separately determined that no one human is more than 50 cousins removed from any other human! "So turn to your neighbor and greet them with 'hello, Cousin!'"

I should point out that this white bread (i.e., yours truly) wasn't standing out like a sore thumb, surrounded by a sea of black African faces! There were several other whites or Anglos, a few Hispanics and numerous Sikhs and other Indians. A true mosaic of races and ethnicity, reflective of the diversity of San Antonio!

When I had scanned the order of worship handout, I noticed that on the back side of the folded paper were the lyrics for "We Shall Overcome", which all would sing at the closing. It's natural to connect this particular song with Brother King. However, years ago I had learned that Dr. King's favorite song was "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" by Tommy Dorsey. I happened to enjoy that hymn, too, and knowing his preference for it caused me to cherish it even more. Therefore, I considered that we ought to have included it in our program.

The San Antonio Choral Society made up for this omission with a song they sang. Their song's title wasn't printed in the order of worship, but as soon as they began singing it a whirl of emotions surged thru me: peace, nostalgia, thanksgiving, longing. . . . For the song was "There Is a Balm in Gilead". While I was a University of Idaho student I'd purchased a vinyl LP album which on one side had the Vandal Marching Band and on the other the Vandaleer Choir. One of the choir's numbers was "There Is a Balm" sung a capella, and the recorded rendition was identical to the S.A. Choral Society's live singing now! Even to a solo female (soprano, I think) on one particular verse!

Remember how back in September I "died and went to Heaven" when I was at a Ray Price concert with my brother Patrick and Price sang "Crazy Arms"? Well, this was a very similar feeling! This one had the added benefit of being a peaceful expression of trust in our Heavenly Father (rather than being a pop country bemoaning of unrequited love). It also had a minus, sort of, of causing intense longing for Idaho (which upon my first sojourn in Texas in '76 I had called "God's Country"). I was close to tears for the mountains and pines of my raising -- HERE, in a MLK service in the Alamo City!

Following the service there was abundant food in the nearby fellowship hall. I got to thank Cary Clack for his well-written columns in the newspaper and his speech/sermon here. And I got to speak with my friend and sister Nettie. . . well, "cousin" according to that one speaker before Clack -- but she IS my sister-in-Christ. When I told her how much "There Is a Balm in Gilead" had blessed me (she's one of the singers in the S.A. Choral Society), she informed me that that a capella version comes from the Tuskegee Institute, another historically Black college. (I'm certain that my alma mater got the song from that source.)

Good Ol' So. Texas So. Gospel Music

2008-01-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

It should have been evident early on at this blogsite, that yours truly enjoys singing and music. Music of nearly any genre! And my favorite genre? Dear reader, that would be Southern Gospel music!

Alas! Southern Gospel isn't as easily accessible here in South Texas as it was back in Tennessee. However, in the past two weeks I've had opportunity to let it bless my appreciative ears on two occasions.

First, annually on the nite that ends the old year and commences the new, Ashley Road Baptist Church holds a New Years Watch Night service. From about six 'til after midnite this little church on the South Side (off Roosevelt Street and not far beyond Stinson Airfield) is alive with the music of several local Gospel groups. Such as, New Life, a mixed group that employs a variety of instruments in accompaniment (including pedal steel guitar), or Frank 'n' Joe, a chicano father-son act (daddy Frank sings lead and son Joe accompanies on piano or keyboard and lends harmony).

An hour plus break commencing about ten gives artists and audience time to retire to the fellowship hall for a late supper of New Years food (think: black-eye peas, tamales, etc.) in addition to plenty of the typical church potluck fare. Then it's back to the sanctuary for the featured group's singing us up to the New Year. In most years that I've attended the Watch Night this group has been The Telestials, from Hendersonville, Tennessee. However, they were absent this time -- apparently lured away by some mega-church that made them an offer they could not refuse.

The absence of the Tennesseans could have been a "downer", since I like their sound and cherish an old hit of theirs, "Help Wanted". But I just focused on the gospel sounds being offered by the locals. New Life was filling in for the former featured group. For about five or six minutes right at midnite, Pastor Anthony Shipp led us in "praying out the old year and praying in the new". New Life was then supposed to do one or two more songs. But there was a Spirit in the place, and we all just kept on praising the Lord 'til one a.m. with Gospel singing! (At Southern Gospel concerts, the audience -- at least some of us -- often sing along with the artists, on familiar songs.)

This past Saturday morning I rode VÍA buses to Fiesta Texas for the employee rehire party. I chose to take a "scenic route" rather than the most direct route (but still arriving in the neighborhood when I intended, just before the party was scheduled to start in Sangerfest Halle). On the way, at Vance Jackson and Wurzbach I saw Oak Ridge Baptist Church with its peaceful campus covered with live oaks. I remembered that in Friday newspaper's "Weekender" section it had been announced that on Saturday afternoon this church would be hosting a "South Texas Southern Gospel Festival" with several groups.

So, after the rehire party I took the bus(es) to the church. (The rehire party, BTW, involved a deejay who among other selections played the "Cotton-eyed Joe" and a country-music line dance number -- it was fun to watch these & would have been even more fun to dance to but I was in serious rehire conversation at the start of both.) When I arrived at Oak Ridge church and found my way into the sanctuary, I discovered that I had missed the first two groups, but was in time for the rather late lunch break. And the festival was scheduled to continue until after six in the evening.

Well, I'd considered attending the festival for only awhile. But each of the five featured groups was very good -- and I stayed around for all the second round. (Thus I got to hear the two groups I'd initially missed.)

One of the groups that was new to me was the Robby Wright Family, a husband and wife and their two daughters from North Texas. One of the daughters wrote a couple of their songs, and they were good; indeed, she has a gift in this! Other songs they sang came from standard repertoire for Southern Gospel singers. On these I considered that the Robby Wright Family sounded just as good as the "big" family names in national Gospel music, such as The Hoppers or The McKameys.

One of the two groups with whom I was already familiar is David's Song, from northeast Texas (one lives nearby in Louisiana). This trio is all "David" by first name, and they all wore dark suits and red shirts and neckties. They sounded as sharp as they looked! I especially felt blessed by their piano player, who was originally from San Antonio. And I was pleasantly surprised when they sang "Boundless Love", an early major hit by the Cathedral Quartet As a trio arrangement they didn't at all sound bad -- even tho' I missed the bass part. Be aware, this baritone isn't exactly fond of bass singers (naturally). Nevertheless, I did cotton to the late George Younce of The Cathedrals, and particularly liked his part on this song. But even without that fourth part, David's Song did them proud, I'd say!

The other familiar artists are The Moodys, a father-daughter act I had heard a few years earlier at Western Hills Christian Church. They're from nearby Universal City. After a few songs, dad John Moody told about how "doors opened" recently for him to go to Iraq and visit with our troops over there. He was insistent that our news media was not giving us the entire picture of what's going on in the Middle East. (I'd known about this journalistic bias toward exclusively the negative and the anti-American for some time). He showed a slide show (DVD or video) which presented phrases like "I am your brother" and "I am your sister" and other family relations, each followed by a picture of a soldier of that gender. Then there were several statements which he said soldiers had made to him during the visit, such as "I miss you" or "I'm doing my job here, don't forget me there!" All of this was backed by soft instrumental music.

I felt convicted! For a long time I had fervently prayed for our troops over there, their families here and our Commander-in-Chief. But I hadn't been doing such praying much as of late. Time to get back down on my knees on behalf of our military (and the people of Iraq)! And dear reader, if you're a "prayer warrior", please get down on your knees, too, for our troops and their families and the peace-lovers among the Iraqis!

Endings and beginnings '07 to '08

2007-12-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

As the year draws to its end, and in a few hours we'll start the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight, or A.D. 2008, here are some musings about the year past, i.e., A.D. 2007.

It's been a "different" year, I suppose. . . heck, I don't "suppose", I know it!

How's it different, you may ask? Well, having a wedding in the family and thru this gaining a daughter-in-law -- THAT'S truly "different"! Regarding that, I took my FIRST trip out of the Lone Star State (see my post "My Summer Adventure, a Wedding, 27 June, about this) since daughter Sarah graduated from high school in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 2004. And even before son David wed Allison in June in Lincoln, Nebraska, "baby" brother Patrick gets assigned to renewed active duty Army service at Fort Sam Houston, here in San Antonio. His move here in February with wife LaRae FINALLY gives me family right smack here! Hooray!

Well, not so fast! Due to other Army influences on family, i.e., its deploying my (step-)nephew Zane to Iraq for his second tour there, the day after Christmas, again there was no family with whom to spend Christmas Eve or Day. For the seventh straight time! 'Nuf said about that sad situation. . . .

There were several "little" differences, mainly in certain aspects of recurring events. For example, having my brother and sister-in-law with whom to share birthdays (his and then mine, in March), the San Antonio Rodeo and Stock Show, a couple of Fiesta 2007 events, and the Missions games in quest of the '07 Texas League championship (which they won, see 17 September 2007 posting). I'd gotten used to taking in such delights solo, but I assure you that they're much more fun in the company of family!

One event not shared with family that was new to me was the Weinachtsfeier or German Christmas Party of the San Antonio Conservation Society (see 14 December post). Come to think of it, being a member of the Society was a difference, putting into reality something that should have been the case early on in my sojourn in S.A. I mean, me with my heart-felt love for history and culture and equally deep love for this city, I should have sought membership long before I did!

And then, there was my other "family", of Brothers in the Bond of Lambda Chi Alpha. Certainly participating in the historic first-ever tri-Zeta "White Rose Gala" with area LCA alumni and the three local chapters was VERY different! I'd never been to a shindig like this before, not even the "Crescent Girl Ball" of my own undergrad experience of the fraternity. The CG Ball was, after all, just us from the Idaho chapter plus a very few alumni. See my post of 14 April 2007 for details on the White Rose Gala.

Another difference involved my work at Fiesta Texas. After such a fun, fun, FUN summer of '06 working as Conductor and Depot Agent (Stationmaster) on the Fiesta Texas Railroad, work in the theme park in '07 was a real downer. The radical changes that Six Flags administration made regarding the train ride (abolishing our distinctive "railroad crew" uniforms and forcing everybody trained in this ride to also train on other rides and be ready to spend up to four hours in the hot sun without relief) drove away the older gentlemen -- all very experienced and wise about running the train as engineers and firemen, and all cherished co-workers of mine.

And the changes eventually drove me away, too. Only to find I'd gone from the frying pan into the fire! Working at the turnstiles into the park turned out to definitely NOT be for me! Thus, I ended up working three different positions in three different divisions of the park, instead of one (as in previous seasons).

Furthermore, even tho' I did get to see the "Lone Star Spectacular" laser and fireworks show several times (see 27 August post), I didn't really get to enjoy the re-named water park (not comprehending the significance of the mammal to Texans, new CEO Shapiro ordered that "Armadillo Beach" give way to "White Water Bay" -- "ho-hum!") or its wonderful wave pool Lone Star Lagoon, much if at all. And it seemed I was spending all my time at work, on the bus to & from, or sleeping in my efficiency. That is, not much time for other activities. Still. . . I did make that out-of-state trip on a long grey dog wearing a bus, to a wedding, as mentioned above!

And then there was "Holiday in the Park", the first "winter holidays" opening for Fiesta Texas since Six Flags took over the park. My Christmas Eve and Day may have been blue, but the remainder of the holiday season was full of the lights and songs in the park -- and indeed in the whole city -- which lifted my spirits!

And now, dear reader, may you have an uplifting and blessed A.D. 2008!

Final Weekend of '07

2007-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

"Fast away the old year passes. . ." the lyrics go in "Deck the Halls". And indeed, the just-finished final weekend of the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven seemed to fly by! As if "Father Time" couldn't wait to get to Ought Eight!

Perhaps one explanation for the swift flying of the hours is that I was engaged in one of my favorite creative activities: preparing and then delivering a sermon. Choosing as my text the "Epistle" reading from the lectionary, the Letter to the Hebrews 2:10-18, I titled my message -- that is, the message the Lord gave me -- "Para Destruir el Imperio de la Muerte / To Destroy Death's Power".

Now please, dear reader, do not consider me vain about the correction above. I take sermon preparation seriously, and continually pray over it. I firmly believe that, from the salient features of a text that leap at me upon first reading, to the conclusion that gets crafted, I am submissive to God's working, so that the words of the message are more His than mine! It's really a very humbling experience!

That the sermon's title is in both languages (español and English) should reveal that the message is bilingual. Indeed, I again deliberately prepared the message as a code-switching exercise. The gist of the message is that the Babe of Bethlehem nació para morir; es decir, Jesus' purpose in being born on this Earth was to "give his life a ransom for many" (from Mark 10:45, my favorite Scripture verse) by dying for us on Golgotha. And delivering it Sunday morning at Mexican Christian Church (Disciples) was a true delight!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings I worked, as usual, at Fiesta Texas and its "Holiday in the Park." Let me tell you, being outside in Los Festivales (the first theme area entered past the turnstiles) before, during and after sunset is exquisite! As the sun sinks beneath the western horizon, the lights decorating the trees and edges of buildings become bright and beautiful. And the Christmas songs likewise lift the spirit! One of these may be titled "Welcome to Our World" -- the lyrics are indistinct, as the woman who sings it lacks the clear voice of a Karen Carpenter (two of whose songs are also in the recorded repertoire). From phrases of this soft lullaby that I've been able to hear, I gather that it's a welcoming to the Baby Jesus. I sure do hope I can find out more about the song!

After signing out of work Sunday nite I went to Take-a-Break, the employee cafeteria, to eat the "special", chicken cordon bleu. The meat portion of the dish was small and nothing to write home about, but the veggies (cheese potatoes and peas and carrots) sort of made up for it. Then I passed thru the interior door, into Sangerfest Halle to enjoy yet again the show "Happy Holidays". This one features a live band, mainly fellows from the country music shows band of Sundance Theater during the regular park season. I don't find the song repertoire notable; it's mostly very contemporary songs of Christmas. But still some are fun to sing along to, and the park's show brochure encourages singing along. What truly impresses me about this show is the frequent costume changes the four guys and four gals go thru during it! Having acted in a musical (as a volunteer cast member) years ago, I know the demands of making a quick change of costume backstage in order to speedily return front-and-center!

Once the show ends, I change back into my street clothes and exit thru the employee entrance. After the bus picks me up a foursome boards at the "Guest bus stop". They may be a mother and three sons; two of the young men wear Penn State shirts. Since Penn State won the Alamo Bowl the nite before, I congratulate them on the Nittany Lions football team's victory over the Texas A & M Aggies. Then I ask what part of Pennsylvania they're from. This commences a very nice conversation all the way to downtown, about Penn State and its terrific coach Joe Paterno, about San Antonio and their positive impressions of my hometown ("home" since January A.D. 2002, that is), and about comparisons between Fiesta Texas and Hershey Park and another themepark in their home state.

Downtown I get off the bus (the Pennsylvanians will get off closer to their hotel) and board the "line-up" bus to head home. Two or three stops down the line a couple get on -- and HE's sporting a Penn State shirt, too! Once again I give my congratulations and then query them on what part of the Keystone State they're from. Their home is Pottstown, which has connections with my Mom! So once again I enter into a delightful conversation. And when again I disembark, as for the earlier foursome I wish for them a safe trip home and add "Y'all come back soon now, ya hear?"

La Gran Posada

2007-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

From my last posting you may have guessed, dear reader, that this Christmas of the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven, I'm revelling in Christmas customs of a Germanic origin. Well, yes. . . after all, many Christmas customs of these United States came here from Deutschland, to include the ubiquitous Christmas tree. I remember reading even that Martin Luther, the German clergyman who began the Protestant Reformation, commenced something to do with the holiday trees! I think perhaps it was the idea of putting lights on an evergreen (candles in his time, of course), to have it symbolize the "Light of Heaven" come down to Earth.

However, REMEMBER: this is San Antonio, Texas, the primary cultural root of which is chicano, Hispanic, Mexican-American (or whatever you wish to label it). My deepest love for all the diverse heritage of this city remains for that which sings or speaks en el español. And so, despite my new-found delight in Weihnachten (German Christmas), my favorite Christmas customs will remain those of Mexican origin. Such as drinking that wonderful Mexican hot chocolate, champurrado, and illuminating pathways with luminarias.

AND. . . I proclaim again my favorite Christmas tradition of all. From any cultural or national origin. La Gran Posada. Please read my description of this event, in last year's posting (23 December).

This year the re-enacted quest of Mary and Joseph for posada en Belén (shelter in Bethlehem), accompanied by a few hundred "fellow peregrinos (pilgrims)" singing villancicos (Spanish carols), had some special twists! For one, the first stop to sing the Posada song was at the brand-new Museo Alameda in El Mercado. Of course, even tho' the museum's representative gave us a nice speech, he still followed the adentro (inside) singer's stanzas and turned us away. Just as in earlier years' Gran Posadas, folk at Mi Tierra restaurant toward the other end of El Mercado had turned away Joseph, Mary and comrades.

Several minutes and a few more villancicos later, as the crowd was departing from the steps of City Hall, where the Mayor's wife, Mrs. Hardberger, had turned us away, a young lady stepped alongside me. She introduced herself as a reporter from the newspaper. She asked me journalistic-type questions about my participation in La Gran Posada. I gladly answered, delighted to share my deep love for San Antonio and her costumbres de Navidad (Xmas customs). At one question I intuitively observed that for me, "La Gran Posada IS Christmas!" A moment later, the reporter having bid me farewell and "Merry Christmas", I had a feeling that THAT remark would be in the next day's Express-News report on 2007's Posada. And it was! (See page 8A of Monday's paper; they misspelled my name, BUT quoted me verbatim.) Sometimes yours truly DOES say something worth quoting -- if I do say so myself!

We had our next-to-last stop in front of the fairly new Justice Center instead of the historic Bexar County Courthouse; construction has blocked off most of Main Plaza, which has the Courthouse on its south side and San Fernando Cathedral on its west. However, County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson gave the traditional greeting -- even while turning us away. Then, due to the curb in front of the Justice Center and that beside the Cathedral property, several strong chicanos lifted the cart topped by a full-size burro which "Mary" rode and beside which "Joseph" stood, down to the street and then up to the other sidewalk. Someone remarked that it was the first time they had seen a flying donkey! ¡Un burro volando! ¡Qué maravilla!

And as for San Antonio and its Gran Posada. . . ¡Qué felicísimo! Once we peregrinos entered San Fernando Cathedral and sang a couple more carols and "Feliz Navidad", it was time for kids to swing sticks at candy-filled piñatas in the Cathedral's courtyard and everyone to take refreshments in its café. For me the latter was a cup of champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate) and a small pastry.

As I departed this party ending La Gran Posada, I encountered Father David García, the cathedral's Rector. I congratulated him on his new assignment, just announced in the Express-News, to be the priest overseeing the old Spanish missions of San Antonio. He will take the place of Father Baltasar "Balty" Janacek, who passed away earlier this year. I told Fr. David that he had big shoes to fill, for Fr. Balty had a true passion for San Antonio's crown jewels! However, I shall pray for the Lord's help for him to fill those shoes, and I'm confident he shall fill them. For Father David's passion for lo mexicano is already evident in his advocacy of my favorite Christmas tradition of all traditions, La Gran Posada.

Ein Weihnachtsfeier in San Antonio

2007-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

Weihnachtsfeier is Deutsch (German) for "Christmas Party". And I attended a hum-dinger of a party yesterday evening, here in San Antonio!

Annually, a big event for the San Antonio Conservation Society is this German Christmas Party, celebrated in the Steves Homestead mansion, built 1876. The front balcony is hung with gracefully curving Christmas garlands, and poinsettias and a Santa statuette grace the front porch. And inside the historic home of Edward and Johanna Steves there are plenty of Christmas trees of all sizes and decorating. Late in the party I discover that one of the smaller trees, set on an antique table, was done in an old style, of painting feathers green and wrapping them around a small stick to form the branches (the feathers bushed out as they were wound). These were hung with some decorations that had belonged to Johanna Steves (the Homestead's initial "lady of the house"). A couple were of tin, such as an angel and some "icicles"; they were definitely ornaments that would have gone back to her life time (died 1930s). Other ornaments were of thin glass, many with hollows in them lined with silvery fluting. These immediately caused me to remember ornaments I hung on our family Christmas tree as a boy!

There was food everywhere, in almost all the main-floor rooms: cookies, finger sandwiches and fixin's for other small sandwiches (using small croissants), cakes and other pastries and fruit. Yum-m-m, yum! For liquid refreshment we had coffee, wines white and red -- and a superb eggnog with had added ingredients of ice cream and Jack Daniel. M-m-m, hm-m-m!

As I surveyed the large crowd in attendance -- probably 90% of the ground floor space not already occupied by furnishings had folk standing -- I could tell that this is definitely the best-attended member meeting of the year for the Conservation Society. And as I noticed how many were garbed in Christmas apparel items (sweaters, ties, etc.) I decided to roam the crowd and count how many men were wearing, like me, a Christmas necktie. I probably counted a few ties twice so let's just say, dear reader, that it was in the lower twenties out of about 30-35 men.

In one of the front rooms, which had a floor-to-ceiling Christmas tree in a side bay window and a grand piano, there was singing. A couple of Afro-American fellows, including a talented piano player, and two Anglo young ladies regaled us with Christmas carols and songs. None in Deutsch, alas! But on the ornate center table of that room were printed booklets that contained scores with lyrics of popular carols, and we of the crowd got to sing along. And I lu-u-u-v to sing!

This evening Weihnachtsfeier was simply a supreme delight for yours truly. As I sat eating some goodies next to another male member of the Society "tied" for Christmas, I mentioned that I could have come last year, having been granted associate membership, but that the date had somehow passed me by. (Easy to do in the busy month of December, right?)

"Well, you'll have to make up for lost time, then," he suggested.

"I'm doing my best!" was my reply.

Fröhliche Weihnachten! Merry Christmas, y'all!

Saturday "showtime"

2007-12-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I had several things in mind to do. Things didn't go quite as I planned -- they went better!

It began Friday nite, when I opened my mail. The newsletter from Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples) had a notice that there would be a memorial service for Ed Zink the next day at one. I had been told about Ed's passing away and the Saturday service at choir practice -- but hadn't written this down when I got home and had forgotten. Until I read the newsletter. It was one more thing to do, but one I very much wanted to do.

You see, my first Christmas as a San Antonio resident Ed, an elder emeritus at AHCC and one who faithfully attended Sunday worship (even while needing aid of a walker), invited me to spend Christmas (or Christmas Eve) at his home. His son Jeff, a "special" guy who lived with Ed and also a member of the church, was there, along with sister Deniece and a large dog. Ed loved dogs. The house, on an acreage north of Windcrest, an incorporated suburb in northeastern Bexar County, was a charming, older rural home. It had been a true delight to spend the day with the Zinks!

Before attending the memorial service I did errands, including checking my e-mail and doing brief Web surfing. At "Voices", a blog of my fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha, a regular contributor had posted about the significance of Thanksgiving for him personally. His was such good reading that I came to this, my blog site, and copied off my post about Thanksgiving '06 to contribute as a comment (or reply) at his "Voices" posting. I inserted a couple of phrases to make my words of a year ago more inclusive our our common Brotherhood -- for which I am always thankful!

After doing the blogging and other errands I returned home, quickly changed into a suit and tie (apparel I seldom wear on Saturdays) and took the bus to AHCC for the Ed Zink memorial service. Both his son and daughter were there (Ed had been buried in Ohio), as were several folk with whom he had worked years earlier in the geological engineering field and the oil industry. The service was nice and for the most part uplifting. still, my head leaked a little, as we listened to a poem about Ed which our Pastor read and written by a sister (who wrote poems about all family members!). It described a special kindness Ed had done for her during an illness. I'm glad I was at the memorial service, to give my respects to the memory of this brother in Christ who had done me the kindness of sharing his home and family during my first S.A. Christmas!

Then it was back to the efficiency, to change back out of the suit and tie and resume work on some agapé I was preparing for Men's Walk to Emmaus #1413. This was a Walk for which I had wanted to be on the team before the Lord pointed me in the direction of doing team work on Kairos Weekend #2 at Briscoe. However, this Walk featured David McNitzky as Spiritual Director (SD also on my Pilgrim Walk, #327), and would be the final Walk presented by Care Bexar before my Fourth Day Group goes inactive. So I yearned to go to Candlelight and contribute in other ways. While I made my agapé, I listened for the phone to ring with a call from Sharon, a former Lay Director for Care Bexar with whom I'd spoken earlier concerning getting a ride to Candlelight. I also took just a few minutes to phone other possible attendees for Candlelight -- only to find out that every one of them had other plans -- holiday season plans -- for the evening.

After I got the call from Sharon, and had discussed and then dropped the idea (her suggestion) of using VÍA bus routes to get across town to be picked up on the way to Kerrville, I got an unexpected call from Howard, a Pilgrim from Walk #1005 ,the first Walk on which I had served on a Team. He was going, too, and arranged to meet Sharon and me at my place.

Then I returned to hurriedly finishing the agapé, colored index cards with a packet of Splenda sweetener taped to the middle. Above the packet I wrote "A 'Walk to Emmaus' with Jesus is simply", and if one lifted the packet one read "Splenda" under it! That way, should a Pilgrim or Teamer wish to actually use the sweetener in their Sunday morning coffee, the agapé card would still make sense! Agapé often include such puns, and when I tho't up this one I considered it very good. Agapé, to refresh your memory, dear reader, is Greek for "unconditional love" -- the highest love, divine love -- and in Cursillo movements such as Emmaus and Kairos the word signifies deeds done or items given to express God's love for the retreat participants. I finished the cards just in time, as first Howard and then Sharon arrived!

Now consider: I'd invited Howard or given him permission to ride along with Sharon and me without asking her first. So I was nervous. But. . . God is good -- all the time! All the time -- God is good! The journey to and from Candlelight at Mt. Wesley was a wonderful time of conversation, and dining at a Mexican restaurant in Kerrville before arriving at the camp. When we arrived we saw that some of the camp's live oak trunks were decorated with those nets of Christmas lights that have become so popular. It was a beautiful and appropriate display of light!

And Candlelight itself was beautiful, delightful and a blessing! The numerous Emmaus community members present were treated to a fine Emmaus worship with a rousing sermon from one of our Emmaus clergy. When Team and Pilgrims of #1413 joined us, it truly seemed like we were in Heaven! I was delighted to see four Team fellows in total whom I knew, including not only David but also William Clarke (co-Team member onWalk #1327). It truly seemed that my head threatened to leak a good one! This Candlelight for the final Care Bexar-sponsored Walk was that special for yours truly!

So. . . whence the "showtime" in my title for this post? Well, honestly, most of the activities on this Saturday contained an element of entertainment, so in that general sense the title fits. But I give it the added significance that for all I experienced this day I needed to set aside time to SHOW some heartfelt thanks to Abba our celestial Daddy and God, for SHOWING his goodness -- all the time! And particularly on this Saturday of Saturdays!

And so, "Thanks, ABBA!" O en español -¡Muchísimas gracias, Papá celestial!

Holiday season: family, lights, sounds

2007-12-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

This holiday season of A.D. 2007 is turning out to be different yet still special (or memorable) for yours truly. By "holiday season" I mean everything from Thanksgiving Day to the end of the year/ New Year's.

To include today, St. Nicholas Day. In some cultures and countries around the world this day of 6 December is THE DAY for gift-giving (alternatively, Epiphany or 6 January serves for gift-giving). St. Nicholas, who definitely WAS a REAL person (as in "yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"), became renown for his generosity -- and hence he's the patron of gift-giving. I like this idea of 6 December (or 6 January) being the gift day, because it keeps the focus of 25 December on the coming of God to Earth as the firstborn baby of Mary of Nazareth, delivered in humble surroundings in Bethlehem. Let me add that Spanish-speaking areas are among those which do the afore-mentioned gift-giving (on today or 6 January).

BUT. . . let me back up! I just defined the "holiday season" as commencing with Thanksgiving Day. And this year for the first time in seven I got to spend this very family-oriented holiday -- can you sing "over the river & thru the woods to grandmother's house we go'? -- with blood relatives! Yep, I was over on Fort Sam with "baby" brother Patrick, his wife LaRae and he youngest son, Zane, and his new wife, Misty. And my sister-in-law is a TERRIFIC cook! I cherished every minute of being there in Patrick's quarters celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family!

Now, don't get me wrong. I appreciate that the "Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner" is put on in the Convention center, for folk who don't have family with whom to celebrate. I've been there and deeply appreciated and enjoyed it -- but nothing can beat family (in the blood relative sense) for spending such holidays as Thanksgiving.

You will notice that I do not call it "Turkey Day". Indeed, I get livid with anger whenever I hear anyone call it such. The day IS NOT about eating turkey and stuffing ourselves with other special foodstuffs! It's about giving thanks! (See my posting of 27n November 2006 about this.)

Now I'm beginning to enjoy the Advent-Christmas season. For details on why observing these holidays of December in San Antonio is so special, see my postings of 23 and 26 December 2006. Yep! this "Party City" has so-o-o-o many ways and means of observing holidays of December -- to include, let's not forget, Our Lady of Guadalupe Day on the 12th -- that it took TWO postings to cover even the ones with which I'm most familiar.

The lights shine brightly again, on the Incarnate Word campus, at Fiesta Texas for "Holiday in the Park" and the Riverwalk. And elsewhere. See my posting of 23 December A.D. 2006 for details. May all these Christmas lights of S.A. reflect the light of Christ shining on the world! Especially on this city that Spanish Franciscan missionaries founded on 1 May A.D. 1718 as a mission station for spreading the Gospel and civilization among the native Coahuiltecans.

Best of all, I look forward to spending Christmas or Christmas Eve with family here in San Antonio! (They will be brother Patrick, his wife LaRae & Dad's flying in from Boise.) For the first time in six Christmases! Family will make this Christmas of A.D. 2007 extra special!!!

FM radio station Q-101.9, lite rock, is again playing only Christmas songs, and even KKYX-AM 680, classic country music, has broadcast a couple of Christmas tunes, of country & Western artists, of course. One "country Christmas" song that really gets to me is "Conrad's Christmas Guest". It's a recitation by the late Grandpa Jones of Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw fame, with soft background music, about an elderly cobbler (I'd imagine a German fellow in a small town over in Germany). He gets excited because he dreamed that the Lord told him He would visit him on Christmas Day. For further details about "Conrad's Christmas Guest" see my posting of 26 December of last year. Here let me add that the moral of the story is that "love is the greatest gift of all". Amen!

Too, in many public places the sound systems are broadcasting the "songs of the season". The places include, of course, Fiesta Texas -- opened again this year for "Holiday in the Park" (after several years absence of a winter season). Most of the "songs of the season" broadcast in the park are secular; a couple are of the humorous genre, such as "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." On a more sentimental side, Guests and employees will hear the late Karen Carpenter (of The Carpenters) sing "Merry, Christmas, Darling".

On the other hand, in Texas State Square toward the rear of Los Festivales Mexican-theme area (one goes left to the Spassburg German area or right to Crackaxle Canyon's Western theme) there's an instrumental-music show blaring in loud volume at intervals. All the music is recorded Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I think. Strings of light on the square's colonnade, "light trees" atop it and a huge structure resembling a wrapped gift in the center, shine out and change colors in choreography to this music. Some songs played are spiritual, such as "Ring Christmas Bells".

Finally, let's not forget that malls and grocery stores alike are spreading holiday cheer also, via the recorded music -- Muzak? -- that permeates their buildings!

. Ring Christmas bells, merrily ring. . .
. Tell all the world, "Jesus is King!"

God really IS -- and He's in prison!

2007-11-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

In my previous posting did I state that November to that point had been a busy month? Well, I wrote that knowing full well that the most significant happenings of the eleventh month were yet to come!

I've just returned from prison. At this point, dear reader, you might want to go back almost a year in my postings (early December of A.D. 2006) and take in my report about the first Kairos Prison Ministry Weekend retreat held in the Dolph Briscoe (prison) Unit near Dilley, Texas. Read what a tremendous event that one was!

I've just returned from prison. Earlier this year I had desired to serve on a Team for a Walk to Emmaus such as the Men's Walk my own Emmaus Fourth day Group, Care Bexar, will do next month. But that Walk got closed to me. I happened to be in a situation to inquire about another Walk, and again the door wasn't open for my participation. It was definitely God saying, "No!" He wanted me to serve instead on a Kairos Weekend, specifically, Briscoe #2 which had been delayed from the Spring by a lock-down in the prison.

I've just returned from prison. When I arrived last Wednesday afternoon at the Dilley American Legion Hall, our outside-the-prison base of ops for the weekend retreats, I was anticipating that the Lord would bless this retreat just like He blesses all Kairos weekends, but nevertheless it wouldn't be as awesome as the first Briscoe Kairos had been. Well, let me tell you, dear reader, it clearly matched #1 for awesomeness of the Holy Spirit's working!

Despite Briscoe #2 lacking the excitement mixed with uncertainty that is always part of presenting a program or event for the first time in a new place. Despite lacking a couple of the details that were (supposedly) integral to Briscoe #1. Despite the cooks among the ladies of the Outside Team grousing about the lack of a functioning reefer. (Smile.) And despite me forgetting several small items in my packing; the only crucial thing was my meds. (Smile again.)

The Prayer Circle that is done during the final Team Formation Session on Thursday morning seemed to finish up more quickly than it had on my three earlier services on Kairos Teams (Torres #9 & #11 as well as Briscoe #1). Nevertheless, it was just as deeply moving a spiritual exercise as it always is!

On the other hand, my writing of my "love letters" to the 42 Candidates ("love" in the agapé sense) took just as long as usual. I only had a couple written upon arrival Wednesday. The last two didn't get written until early Saturday morning. We're supposed to submit the letters for the Outside Team to place in bags for each of the Candidates when we come for breakfast then -- I didn't dare eat a bite 'til I'd stuffed those last two in their envelops! (Smile again.)

On Thursday afternoon, when we Inside Team men enter the prison's gym where we conduct the retreat, we're greeted by the some twenty Stewards (or Servants). They are men in white (TDCJ inmates wear all-white uniforms) who were candidates on an earlier Kairos Weekend and get the call to serve. Big smiles and big hugs all around! I'm delighted that two of the brothers in white from St. Luke Family of #1 (I was Table Clergy for them) are serving as Stewards. I'm assigned two Sponsorees -- meaning that I greet two Candidates when they first enter the gym, lead them to the food table and then sit down and get acquainted with them. As Sponsor (or Host), each morning I also greet them as they enter and lead them to their Family Table in the conference room, check on them occasionally thru'out the retreat to see how they're doing, and take any prayer request from the Sponsoree back to the base of ops to give to the lady assigned to be the Candidate's "prayer partner".

My two are Andy Longoria and Luis López. They're already acquainted with each other. Luis and I are both in the St. Peter Family; in fact, he sits at my right hand. He'd been identified as being one of two Spanish-only speakers, but even tho' he's from Guatemala he'd been in the 'States 14 years and could understand and speak English adequately. (However, Luis finds taking notes during the ten Talks difficult, so I scribe for him in Spanish, as I'd scribed for a Spanish-only speaker from Zacatecas, Mexico, on Kairos Torres #11.) The identified Spanish-only speaker who really IS Spanish-only (a couple others certainly lean toward Spanish-only!) sits directly across the St. Peter table from me, next to our bilingual Table Leader, Jaime Gonzales. He's Porfirio Enríquez, natural de México, whose first name was misspelled on two successive name tags! ¡Pobre Porfirio!

After the one-on-one get-acquainted time, we form a square "u" and each man -- Candidate, Steward or free-world volunteer -- introduces himself to the entire group, by answering a specific set of five questions, including where he's from and why he's in this Kairos retreat. We get to Bill Havard, who is my motel roommate or "cellie" to use the inmates' jargon, he steps forward and points specifically to three of the Stewards as the reason why he's here! (He had attended Closing of #1, and just like me when I went to Closing for Torres #8, the Candidates' testimony to the positive and awesome effect of the Weekend on them had "hooked" him.) It hits me as I listen to Bill that his words are surely impressive witness to the Candidates that not only will the Weekend have strong impact on them but that they themselves can be influential in their response to it! And then, two different Candidates at their turn make sort of confession and break down in tears before us all. But. . . tears aren't supposed to be shed until they get their bags of "love letters" on Saturday afternoon! Wow!

Well, I could go on and on about the work of Christ our Savior and Friend (or work of the Holy Spirit or work of God, take your pick -- they're the same in my book) during the three full days of Kairos Briscoe #2. But how'd I end? As in Emmaus, Kairos has its Fourth Day, which lasts for the rest of one's life! However, I'll summarize by affirming that I came to deeply love each and every brother in white (including Stewards), just as deeply as I love all my fellow free-world Team members (remember, I mean agapé love). The Candidates truly made themselves vulnerable fairly early in the scheme of the Weekend. Luis, Porfirio and the four other St. Peter brothers in white have an extra special place in my heart, I suppose, just as do the six of St. Luke on Briscoe #1. . . .

And I also declare and testify the following. If I ever, EVER hear some atheist say, "God does not exist", I shall firmly respond, "God most certainly DOES exist, and if you'll go with me to Briscoe Prison I'll introduce you to Him!"

A veteran plays tour guide

2007-11-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well! This month of November in the Year of Our Lord two thousand seven has been BUSY and EVENT-FILLED! Herein I simply wish to touch on a very few of these happenings.

First, I got to play "tour guide" twice -- today and last Tuesday. Last week my mother was here to visit; she stayed at Patrick and LaRae's quarters on Fort Sam. Brother's residence must have been crowded, because others with whom Mom had come from Idaho also stayed there. (My efficiency hardly has room for me, and NO privacy!) One of these folks was LaRae's mother (Patrick's mother-in-law). With Patrick as driver the two moms and I took the so-called "Mission Trail" from The Alamo out to the other four old Spanish missions which form San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. We stopped at each mission and toured it, with yours truly serving as the informal, or volunteer, tour guide. In my talks I emphasized a trait or characteristic of each of the missions which was unique (distinctive) to that mission.

For example, the first of the N.H.P. missions, Concepción, features the ONLY one of the five missions churches that has not needed to be significantly restored. It has remained intact since the mid-1700s -- making Concepción the OLDEST unrestored church building in these United States!

The second mission, San José, presents numerous distinctives; among them, it has the main visitor center for the whole park and it's the most completely-restored of the mission compounds. Each mission originally had a surrounding fortress-wall (to protect against hostile Lipan Apache tribe) enclosing residences of the mission Indians (from Coahuiltecan bands of former hunter-gatherers), workshops, residences for Spanish soldiers and missionaries, as well as the church sanctuary proper. San Jose is called the "Queen of the Spanish Missions" -- of San Antonio, of Texas, of the borderland Southwest. Its famous "Rosa's Window" -- NOT a "rose window" of the European cathedral-style (round and stained-glass) but rather a stone window frame in ornate Spanish Baroque style -- has been termed the most beautiful work of art remaining from the Spanish colonial era.

We four also visited the outermost missions, San Juan de Capistrano (NOT the one of song and swallows -- that one's on the West Coast) and San Francisco de la Espada. This latter mission is probably my favorite of the five, and definitely would be my fave (with no competition from San José) were it more accessible. (It's a mile or more away from the nearest VÍA bus routes, and as you know I have no car.) Mission Espada's distinctive feature is its very remoteness which gives a visitor more of the "feel" of a mission as it was while actively converting native Coahuiltecans into good Catholic Christians and good subjects of the distant King of Spain.

As it turned out, the stop at Mission San José was appropriate rehearsal for the tour I did today. As an associate member of the San Antonio Conservation Society, I had volunteered to take a day off from sub-teaching to be a SACS tour guide for a group of fourth-graders on a history tour of San Antonio. My assigned school was Castle Hills Elementary in the close-in suburban city of Castle Hills. The city is astride Loop 410 North between Blanco Road and West Avenue. At the school I met four teachers and their students. Two classes got on one tour bus and the other two and yours truly boarded the other. There was a bit of confusion over the itinerary -- were BOTH buses to go to the same tour sites at the same time? Too late we found out "No" -- after a driving tour of attractions in downtown, including passing The Alamo, we showed up at Steves Homestead and found out our bus was supposed to have gone to Mission San José first! So away we went again, passing Misión Concepción on the way. Docent-led tours are available at the "Queen of the Missions", but on last week's visit we four were told that those tours lasted forty-five minutes. The two moms didn't feel up to that long a walk, so after watching a twenty-minute movie in the Visitor Center, called "Gente de Razón/People of Reason" about the Coahuiltecans who gathered at and built the missions, and their present-day descendants (who often are members of the parishes that these missions have become) I served as guide for a shorter tour of the mission compound.

On that occasion I became distressed that a statue of Fray Antonio Margil which had been in the church's sacristy was gone! Friar Margil, often called "the Apostle of New Spain", founded Mission San José in 1722. He did this near the end of many eventful years of missionary service that had taken him from his native Valencia, Spain, across the Atlantic to Veracruz, up to the capital city (México) and down to Guatemala and back and then down to what is now Costa Rica, and up to northwest-central Mexico, and finally to east and south Texas as it was in Spanish times. He did most of his travels walking "barefoot" (in light sandals rather than sturdy shoes or boots) and NOT by mule or on a donkey! Yet in the midst of his prodigious missionary efforts he made time to be president of one Franciscan missionary school (el colegio de Santa Cruz de Querétaro) and founder of another (el colegio de Guadalupe de Zacatecas) -- and to write numerous letters about his work as a missionary and its challenges! Fray Antonio's letters have been gathered and translated in a book titled "Nothingness Itself" (the customary signature this humble servant of Christ used on most of the letters), which I possess and greatly enjoy reading.

Can you tell that I strongly consider this Spanish Franciscan friar and missionary to be a great "hero of the faith"? No wonder that I was distressed to not find his statue in the sacristy to proudly show off to my party!

Anyhow... back to today's fourth-grade tour. Knowing that we were behind time due to the earlier schedule error, I felt it would be better for me to again play tour guide -- and I certainly wasn't reticent about it! One of the most fun jobs I ever had was "tour coordinator" at Grand Ole Opry Tours office at Opryland USA in Nashville in the late 1990s. In addition to selling tickets for everything available at Opryland or in the city under the name of Gaylord Entertainment, I served as "step-on guide" for groups that came in their own buses and needed a tour guide to take them on one of our prescribed tours of Music City. And the very best part of the job was serving as tour guide for the walking tour we scheduled two or three times a day of the Grand Ole Opry House itself. I simply lu-u-uved showing visitors my favorite venue in Tennessee and telling them the entertaining story of the oldest radio show still in existence (pun intended)! Hence, I leapt at the opportunity to show off my favorite venue of San Antonio to these fourth-graders from Castle Hills!

Following the tour of the mission we returned to the Steves Homestead to do THAT tour. I gladly deferred to a docent to guide us there. I'm not all that familiar yet with this Victorian mansion (built in 1876) that was home to the Steves (pronounced something like "SHTEH-fehs" in Deutsch), one of the prominent German families of San Antonio of the late Nineteenth Century and up to today. Many Deutsch immigrants built their homes where the Steves did, in the King William neighborhood just south of the city's center. King William was the first "exclusive" or "silver-spoon" neighborhood of the Alamo City, and also the first area to be declared a National Historic District!

All in all, this tour was just as enjoyable and memorable as the one a week earlier.

But wait! Dear reader, you're wondering about the "veteran" in my title, no doubt. Well, sandwiched between the two Tuesday tours this vet celebrated Veterans Day weekend. Some institutions took Monday off in observance of the holiday. But most remained open, and the Veterans Day Parade of San Antonio, as usual, was on Saturday (the Tenth). This year I also attended the wreath-laying ceremony in front of the church at The Alamo. Among the program's participants a Chaplain from Fort Sam offered the invocation; I spoke briefly with him afterward about my own service as Army chaplain, before he and the others in the program walked the few yards to the assembly area for the parade. I stayed at The Alamo to watch as the parade marched by.

Next day, Sunday the Eleventh, the REAL Veterans Day, I made sure to run the American flag up the flagpole in front of Mexican Christian Church. The Sundays nearest national holidays I do this; as long as we have the national colors (the church actually has two American flags) and chicanos are notable for their patriotism, I feel strongly that we OUGHT to fly those colors at least to observe national holidays! Raising the flag presented more of a challenge this time; there was a stiff breeze and as I raised the larger of the two flags it threatened to fly away in that wind, with yours truly in tow! Thank goodness, lowering it after worship was much easier!

So. . . now you know why I apply the two descriptive labels to myself in the title of this posting. Hasta luego, amigo ("See you later, friend").

An Awesome Weekend!

2007-10-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Over the year and a half (plus) that I've been keeping this blogsite, I've entered more than one entry about a very memorable weekend of events. The weekend just past is different, somehow. "Wonderful" or "memorable" or similar words just don't fit the bill to describe it. I choose "awesome" because the hand of the Lord working on me and thru me was SO EVIDENT!.

Actually, it commenced ordinarily en'uf. Sort of. I.e., "Friday nite lites" took place, only I didn't attend any football game, not even the Mules playing at home in Heights. You see, I got socked with a fierce cold in mid-week, after we had a "blue norther" blow thru on last Monday. Altho' I was feeling much better by Friday afternoon and the weather had also recovered to "perfect football weather", I didn't want to risk a relapse should a biting wind spring up. So I stayed home and listened, mostly to the Mules' romp over the Memorial Minutemen (55-0), but also to the Rockets' win (at their home stadium) over Robert E.Lee H.S.

For three days I prayed for the Lord to relieve me of the cold, and for as many I prayed for His Spirit in my sermon preparation for Sunday the 28th. I had been asked to preach at Mexican Christian Church, even tho' it wasn't a Fifth Sunday, because there were a special event the day before at the church and another just a week or so earlier elsewhere, that occupied the Pastor's time. As usual, I went first to the lectionary readings; the Gospel reading was Luke 18:9-14, Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in prayer at the Temple. Humility is a subject of which I cherish to preach, but nothing notable had come to my mind by Saturday morning. THEN that changed in a hurry!

Before dawn I hopped into a van driven by my brother in Christ and in Kairos ministry, Paul Smith, and loaded with other men, to head southwest down IH-35 to Cotulla. This small county-seat town beyond Dilley was to be site of the third Team Formation meeting for us on Kairos Weekend #2 for the Dolph Briscoe Prison. If you've been reading my blog all along (or at least for a year), you know what an awesome event Weekend #1 turned out to be! And I've all confidence in our Lord, that He will use us to make #2 just as much a "Wow!"

Meeting site was the Methodist Church in Cotulla, home church of Jim Daniel, Lay Director for Kairos Briscoe #2. It was a distinctive structure, white with green gables and trim, and an arcade (arched walkway) with courtyard (un patio, in Spanish) behind it between the sanctuary and the fellowship where we met. Interesting! Kind of a Spanish style , at least in layout.

Theme for this formation meeting (I had missed the other two due to work schedule) was "Humility". This was no mere coincidence, because all thru the session ideas for the sermon with the same theme kept coming to mind. Also impressing on me was pondering of "Lord, what have I to contribute? I know my limitations and faults and so do You." The response of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:13) cropped up: "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." It's NOT about me; Kairos is about being Christ's arms and legs (and voice) for the 42 Candidates who will experience Kairos Briscoe #2. As we departed for the journey back home I felt refreshed and ready to go and serve on the weekend (15-18 November).

After being dropped off by Paul & company at my room and going out briefly to run an errand, I popped a movie DVD into the laptop player Mom had given me. I needed to finish watching this one because it and the other movie were to be due on Monday. The two movies are the Western classic "The Magnificent Seven" and its Japanese original "Seven Samurai", by renown director Akira Kurosawa. I had seen the Western several years ago, probably on a movie-classic channel such as AMC. That it had a Jap precursor leapt out at me at that viewing. I'd read comparison/contrast of the two in my on-again-off-again research into the Westerns, or "oaters", genre of films. So when I saw that both movies were available in the S.A. public library system I requested both.

By this point (Sat. eve.) I'd already seen "Seven Samurai" and about half of "The Magnificent Seven". One thing that astounded me -- despite my years-earlier viewing -- is the theme music of this Western; its lush orchestration not infrequently enters my mind while I'm walking somewhere on a sunny day. I had considered that the music playing in my mind was either from the Marlboro commercials or from TV Western "Gunsmoke"! So the source being "The Magnificent Seven" took me by pleasant surprise. Just as pleasant as the music itself! Isn't it remarkable, dear reader, that the usual theme music for Westerns (silver-screen or TV) features vivid orchestra music rather than the perhaps-expected solo guitar and/or harmonica?

In case you know nothing of this classic Western or its Jap original, the plot for both is that a village of farmers (in remote Japan in the one and borderland Mexico in the other) is suffering depredations from a large gang of bandits led by a merciless chief. In desperation these peace-loving farmers turn to professional fighters to resist the bandits. In Japan it's the Samurai, traditional warriors of that society. In the Western version it's hired gunmen, led by Yul Brynner. (This last caught me by surprise on that earlier viewing of the Western; Brynner will ALWAYS be for me the actor who played exotic Oriental monarchs, the King of Siam and Pharaoh Ramesses -- and it was strange to see his bald head in a Western!)

As I watched the conclusion of "The Magnificent Seven" I could understand why it is considered a classic of the genre. I saw why it's also a pivotal film produced between the "golden-age" oaters (think, "Stagecoach" or "Shane" or a Randolph Scott flick) and the "spaghetti-westerns" of director Leoni and actor Eastwood, which became the death-knell of the Western. But what most kept leaping at me was that HERE was an opening illustration for my sermon of the morrow. Lift up those Mexican farmers as paragons of humility; they KNEW their limitations (when it came to combat) and were NOT too PROUD to ask for help (from professionals).

And so, Sunday morning I went to Mexican Christian Church and preached. And what a joy it was! Especially the cold symptoms were largely under control (at least until I went to give the closing benediction). I'm certain that a smile brightened my face all during Worship.

In my sermon one item was the upcoming Kairos Weekend retreat at Briscoe (remember what I said was the theme of Saturday's meeting?) and how anyone and everyone could assist. I laid out my Prayer Chain sign-up, and the cookie instructions. And got a few signers out of the typically small number of attendees. Later on this day, while riding the bus, it came to me that being a fourth Sunday it should be the monthly meeting for Emmaus people at Laurel Heights UMC. So I went by that church, and indeed it was Emmaus meeting day, plus youth-group meeting. So I got to address TWO more groups on this Lord's Day, about Kairos Prison Ministry, Weekend #2 at Briscoe, and the needs with which they could help.

Wow! What a way to end an AWESOME weekend!

Football + Music = busy weekend

2007-10-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping that you, dear reader, aren't getting tired of my various postings about weekends loaded with activities. E.g., my second-most-recent posting is titled "Crowded Weekend. . . ." On the other hand, I might confess that I'm getting tired of writing these! "Tired" from all the activity available in this city whose middle name is "party" that is.

Considering that it's autumn now, the season not only of falling leaves but of "Friday Nite Lites", i.e. my beloved sport of high school football, it's no surprise that autumn weekends are so busy for me. And Friday nite I was at one exciting high school game while listening to an even more exciting one on my radio. Before my eyes the defending 4A Division I State Champs Alamo Heights Mules were opening District 27-AAAA play by hosting Fredericksburg. Ahead 10-7 at the half the Mules let the "Battlin' Billies" (billy-goats, that is) from the Hill Country get ahead 14-10 early in the third quarter after an interception near our goal line. But AHHS roared right down the field on the ensuing series, to regain the lead. We never gave that lead up again, but "Freds-town" kept it close to the end. Final score was Mules 24, Billies 17. Time for some cabrito!

Meanwhile, in my ears I listened to the Judson High Rockets come from behind at home in nearby Converse. Down 10-0 at the half, Coach Jim Rackley's team took the lead early in the third quarter, only to see visiting District 26-AAAAA rival Madison regain it. With a late field goal Judson tied the score. And then on the very final play of the game the Rockets' place kicker again drilled the pigskin thru the uprights, for a 20-17 Rockets victory! Whew!

The next day, Saturday, the Lanier HS Voks, the "Pride of the Westside", faced Sam Houston HS in Alamo Stadium. It was again a close game, with the winner in doubt 'til the "bitter end" one might say. But my Voks notched another victory in their quest for the District 28-AAAA title and/or a playoff spot.

However, much as I support the Voks and enjoy sports events in picturesque Alamo Stadium, I wasn't there. Instead, after clocking out from work at Fiesta Texas I went to the Take-a-Break Café (the employees cafeteria) and had the "special" for supper, while watching part of the LSU at Kentucky football game on the big-screen TV. LSU, one of my least-favorite football teams in the Southeastern Conference, was ahead when I began to watch. However, the University of Kentucky Wildcats, my next-favorite SEC team after Vandy and Georgia, scored a quick touchdown to come within six points of the Number One ranked Tigers. Later I heard that the Wildcats went on to defeat LSU in triple-overtime! It was one of two upsets of Top Ten teams that day, and one of a spate of upsets to this point in the season! Can you say, "parity"?

When I was done eating supper I took the bus downtown to historic La Villita and the International Accordion Festival. The first year I lived in San Antonio and learned about the festival I smirked, considered if Urkel (sp?) would be there, and then attended it and discovered what an amazingly versatile instrument the accordion is, and how many, many genres of music use it! On Saturday nite I went to the Arneson River Theater beside La Villita and enjoyed a group from San Francisco with FOUR accordions, called "Those Darn Accordions". The "Weekender" section of the Friday Express-News had commented that one might consider four squeezeboxes to be "overkill" but that the group actually began with many more than that! The article went on to say that their beginning consisted of musicians who played other instruments grabbing the "stomach Steinways" and going into places to perform informally -- until they would get kicked out. Hm-m-m! Sounds like even in "anything-goes" 'Frisco the squeezebox gets no respect!

However, I enjoyed "Those Darn Accordions" very much, especially when they did a humorous yet touching tribute to Lawrence Welk. The tribute presented the story of his progress in live entertainment with the accordion and mentioned several (perhaps all) the regular musical and singing artists oh his TV show -- one of my cherished memories from childhood.

I left the venue early in the evening, with the jolly sounds of the squeezebox still ringing in my appreciative ears, so I could get sufficient sleep. I wanted to be ready to sing in the choir at Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples) Sunday morning. This was the final Sunday for Janis Erwin, our dedicated, accomplished and inspiring choir director. We choir members had suggested that she choose the anthem for this final Sunday of her service. She chose "Make Your Life a Song to God", and as I practiced the lower-voice line before the rest of the group showed up, I mused that the message and happy tenor of this song were most appropriate for Janis' final Sunday.

. Make your life a song to God; sing loud and string and clear,
. Make your life a song to God for ev'ry-one to hear.
. Jesus will put the melody into your heart. . . .

The song leading into the pastoral prayer was changed from the one we had practiced on Wednesday, to "Come and Find the Quiet Center", words by S.E. Murray and set to the tune Beach Spring, based on a traditional American melody.

. Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,
. Find the room for hope to enter,
. Find the frame where we are freed,
. Clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes to see
. All the things that really matter,
. Be at peace and simply be.

Sort of post-hippie lyrics, but still a good theme is expressed here: quiet and silence are all the more important in this chaotic, noisy, angry society in which we now live. The third and final verse also has a surprising and catchy phrase about "the Spirit's lively scheming". That word "scheming" usually has a negative intention when applied to a human, but combined with "lively" it may just apply to the divine Spirit -- and in a positive way!

There was a "farewell" reception for Janis right after worship, in the church's spacious lobby. Lots of visitors and irregular attenders were present. In the former category were Lynn and Neena McChesney; he was one of my roommates on my Pilgrim Walk to Emmaus, Men's #327 back in A.D. 1993, and now volunteers in Kairos Prison Ministry, in the Torres Unit near Hondo. In the latter category would be Janis' husband, Dr. Bill Erwin, who hasn't been at church much (at least those Sundays I go to AHCC rather than Mexican CC) since his term as Elder ended.

From Church I returned home briefly, to exchange a few things before heading back downtown to La Villita the Accordion Festival. In mid-afternoon, the great Santiago Jiménez, Jr., took the Arneson River Theater stage with his accordions (like most accomplished, veteran squeezebox performers he's got more than one) and his backup band that includes that other essential instrument for conjunto music: the bajo sexto (a twelve-string guitar). Santiago Jr. belongs to a famous dynasty of conjunto accordionists, which includes his father Santiago Sr. and brother Flaco (who was at my first Accordion Festival, back in '02). He was terrific: as he played old polka standards older chicano couples got down to dance in the wide section of the Riverwalk between the Arneson's bankside seating area and the edge of the San Antonio River. (The Arneson stage is on the other side of the river -- unique for a performance venue!) And on one song the audience joined in on the chorus lyrics. This reminded me of when I was at Mission San José for the likewise legendary Little Joe y la Familia, and the audience would sing along on songs they obviously had known and loved for years. These chicano neighbors of mine truly love to sing!

Sad to say, Santiago Jr., que tiene 64 años, suffered from the heat of the midafternoon sun and had to cut short his time on that stage. Later we were told that he was actually taken away in an EMS vehicle. Truly, the Festival's organizers should have scheduled him for the evening, when the hot sun would have been low, if not behind the riverside trees!

Before and after the legendary conjunto star I heard from a Native American family band which includes accordion. They're called "Southern Scratch" and hail from the Tohono O'odham Nation of southern Arizona. Their tribal reservation abuts the USA-Mexican border, so it surprised me not that their musical style sounded a lot like conjunto! They call their music "waila" (pronounced "wide-ah"), which they said means "popular dance music" in the Tohono O'odham language. (The nation used to be called the Papago Indians.) In English it's called "chicken scratch", which leads to the second word of the family band's name. That term was the white man's way of describing the natives' dance motions -- or by another telling the natives' way of describing the white-eyes' movements! But either way, it includes the jolly vibes of the squeezebox and is very danceable!

Hail to the accordion!

"I'd died & gone to Heaven!"

2007-09-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, dear reader, that's what I was saying during and after a certain Saturday night event. "I felt like I'd died and gone to Heaven!" The event involved a trip with my brother Patrick to a local institution of fame, Texas dance hall Floore Country Store in Helotes, northwest of San Antonio.

But no, the "heavenly" feeling didn't involve any two-stepping or waltzing on my part or "baby" brother's. Rather, the pleasure came in listening live to one of my favorite country-pop singers, the great Ray Price. Now, if you return to my postings in August 2006, you'll read how I won a certificate for free admission for two to Ray Price's previous concert at Floore, courtesy KKYX-AM 680. But then I couldn't find anybody who'd go with me and thus give me a ride. (Before I moved to S.A., the bus company, VÍA, had a route going out Bandera Road into Helotes, but during my time VÍA gets no closer than several miles inside Loop 1604 on Bandera Road.)

Well, early last week I again won admission for two, to this year's concert. And yeah, buddy! it sure helps to have kinfolk with wheels living in town! I just wish the admission had been for three or even four (like KKYX's ticket prizes to Missions baseball games). That's because my sister-in-law LaRae knew who Ray Price is and likes his singing. Brother Patrick, on the other hand, wasn't familiar with the legendary singer, whose biggest pop hit was probably "For the Good Times" in the Sixties. They felt they couldn't afford the cost of an additional admission to make it a threesome. So just Patrick and I went out to the small town that's home to John T. Floore's dance hall.

When we entered the grounds I found out that the whole concert would begin an hour later than I had thought (the certificate didn't have a time, just the date). But this gave time to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere and to explore the grounds. During the roaming I noticed that KKYX-AM 680 had set up a tent; I went over and thanked the radio station's employee for the free admission which allowed Patrick and me to attend the concert. He divulged that Jerry King was present, near one of the outdoor bars. So I walked over there to chat with my "old friend". Jerry, weekday morning deejay on the classic country music station, is renown for being the first to broadcast a George Strait recording. In the past five years he's been inducted into the country radio deejay Hall of Fame, located inside Opryland Hotel next to the broadcast booth of WSM, home of the Grand Ole Opry. Later this night he served as Master of Ceremonies for 20 seconds -- long enough to introduce the star of the concert. If there were such a thing as a "Jerry King Fan Club" I reckon I would be President!

The "store" really is a tavern, with a small dance floor as well as seating and a small performance area. But Ray Price and his Cherokee Cowboys band, and warm-up act Texas Sapphire, would be performing outdoors, behind the building. That area, about half the size of a football field, maybe, featured a large concrete slab for dancing, with a permanent stage on the east side, the store on the south side and several rows of picnic tables for seating, under a few live oaks, on the west side. Texas Highway 16 runs along the north side, but the tall wooden fence surrounding the grounds keeps out the noise of traffic.

As opening time for the concert's warm-up approached, this space filled up. Most folk were my age or older -- folk who were around when Price was a hit-making singer. Almost all of us were Anglos; some women wore outfits one associates with older country music fans of the female persuasion. And a majority of the men wore Stetsons and other western wear. Actually, I surprised myself in grabbing one of my caps rather than my own cowboy hat. Patrick remarked that he, too, was surprised at my choice of headgear. At least I sported blue jeans and a Western-cut shirt (with "pearl" snaps). And like most of the men I drank a couple of beers during the evening -- my taste for brew running to Lone Star Light.

Let me tell you, the whole atmosphere of Floore Country Store is quintessentially Texan!

The warm-up act, Texas Sapphire, was a brother-sister duet from Austin. They sounded pretty good, and seemed to be singing mostly original songs in a range of musical styles, to include traditional country with steel guitar accompaniment, in their performance of about an hour. But we were here to hear (and see) Ray Price! Well, after several "dead" minutes of nobody being on stage Ray Price's band members came out and began preparing instruments for performance. Then I noticed that several dozen folks, mostly men, had gathered in front of the stage. I remarked about them to both my brother and a woman sitting at the same picnic table. She replied that they were "groupies". Considering myself a Ray Price "groupie" of sorts I decided to saunter over there, myself!

After four songs led and sung by Ray's guitar-playing son, the great singer himself stepped out, beginning things with "San Antonio Rose". This was appropriate, since the formerly remote Helotes has been bumped up against by the ever-expanding San Antonio! After a few words of greeting, Ray went into the second song. And I "died and went to Heaven"!

That song is "Crazy Arms". Working at the ticket center at Opryland in 1991 and again a couple of years later, daily I was listening to a set of a few dozen country hit recordings that were played over and over in that area at the entrance to Opryland and the Grand Ole Opry House. Such hits as "Satisfied Mind" by Porter Waggoner, "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks and "Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind" by George Strait. Country-music lover that I am, I never tired of these songs. My very favorite came to be "Crazy Arms" by Ray Price! Being early Ray Price (before he eased into a more "Nashville Sound" pop-music style such as "For the Good Times"), it's a traditional country song about unrequited love with traditional accompaniment, including a great pedal-steel guitar. That steel guitar has a concluding slide that simply "sends me" whenever I hear it!

Now I was hearing Ray Price himself singing "Crazy Arms"! Wow! I made my way back across the dance floor, now filled with dozens of couples "cuttin' the rug", and announced to my companions that "I feel like I've died and gone to Heaven!" And I quickly added the explanation.

On a later song Ray actually stopped singing to let the fiddles, etc., do an instrumental rendition of the great Bob Wills classic "Faded Love". Why he chose to not sing the lyrics I don't know, but the fiddles alone were okay. Traditional country music connoisseurs speak of "twin fiddles"; Ray went further and had quadruple fiddles in his band! Oh, and I ought to mention that one day in the 1980s I was listening to WSM-AM 650, home of the Grand Ole Opry, when the station had a listener call-in poll of our favorite country songs of all time. George Jones' song "He stopped Loving Her Today" topped this poll, but the one I called in, "Faded Love", placed high. This was a few years before I began to work at Opryland and fall in love with "Crazy Arms" and before George Strait released "Love Without End, Amen" which continues as my fave.

Well, "baby" bro Patrick is even less of a night owl than I, so we didn't stay for the whole concert. I reasoned that after all, what could be better than "San Antonio Rose", an instrumental "Faded Love" and that wonderful "Crazy Arms"? As we walked back to bro's car, he did say that he'd recognized some of Price's songs. He's more into contemporary-hit country music (and thus probably enjoyed Texas Sapphire more), but I sensed that he had enjoyed the whole evening. And I had the satisfactions of having "died and gone to Heaven" when Ray sang that song, and of having introduced my brother to that characteristic Texas institution, the dance hall. Yep! I've "Texanized" my bro!

Crowded Weekend -- Champs Win!

2007-09-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was crowded with all sorts of events from which to choose. Well, dear reader, I'd say that's typical for this city that loves to party. And so I had to pick and choose -- and didn't always pick what I initially most wanted!

And it began on Thursday; at the San Antonio City Council meeting I received two items concerning Diez y Seis. One was a medal for the holiday, the other a printed schedule of all San Antonio events to do with this holiday that celebrates the independence of Mexico.

It's Diez y Seis (Spanish for "16") because the struggle for our southern neighbor's freedom from Spanish rule started on 16 September 1810. At midnite on the 15th, the priest of the village of Dolores, Miguel Hidalgo, rang the church bells, to call together his parish. He then uttered the cry for independence, which began the long struggle. And so, at midnite on the fifteenth the President of Mexico utters a version of el grito ("the cry" or "the shout") from the balcony of the National Palace, to open the Diez y Seis celebrations. San Antonio, even tho' longer a city of Mexico, holds its own El Grito ceremony in Municipal Auditorium. I attended it once, missed it last year because the concluding cry was done two hours early (at ten), and desired to attend again this year.

So, with the medal and printed schedule, I was all set to go enjoy the El Grito ceremony, right? Wrong! I worked at Fiesta Texas 'til 2:00, then went to a library to do some work until the library closed at 5:00. And then I took the bus home and listened to KKKYX-AM 680's broadcast of the Missions championship game in Missouri for the 2007 Texas League crown.

And what a game it was! San Antonio's baseball team dominated the game until the bottom of the ninth. The Missions led 11-0 at that point, and for several innings Springfield's team, despite playing at home, didn't even have a hit, let alone a run.

But. . . don't give the visiting Missions the 2007 TL crown just yet! The Springfield Cardinals, farm team of MLB's St. Louis team, came alive -- very alive -- as the bottom of ninth commenced. They gained six runs before the Missions' defense even got an out on them! Things were looking grim for awhile there. But once there was one out, the ending for Springfield and San Antonio came quickly. Final score was Cardinals 7, Missions 11.

The San Antonio Missions had three wins to one loss in the best-of-five championship series. They thus had won the Texas League crown for 2007!

I went to sleep considering how this was the second sports championship for '07 that San Antonio had earned, the other being the Spurs winning the NBA. And I knew that the baseball guys wouldn't get the recognition that the Spurs got back in June. Folks in this city just do not seem to know or care that there is more to sports here than the Spurs and the "Friday night lights" of high school football. Oh, well, I'll get off my soapbox. . . .

Sunday morning I awoke and began the day's entry in my prayer journal. I wrote the heading: "Sunday 16 September. . ." Yeah, today, the Diez y Seis holiday, I would be preaching the sermon at Mexican Christian Church. . . wait! "¡Diez y Seis!" This means that I missed El Grito ceremony last night at Municipal Auditorium! Oh well, one cannot turn back the hands of time to participate in some event one has missed. . . .

So I simply continued preparing to attend church and preach a sermon. This BTW, was why I had gone to the library after work on Saturday, to finish my sermon preparation. We had a good number of people at Mexican Christian Church for worship, including several small children. That's great! My sermon was "Gracia y Gratitude / Grace and Gratitude", with the featured Scripture being I Timothy 1:12-17, with reference also to Psalm 14 and Luke 15:1-10. All three Scripture readings are from the lectionary (the list of recommended Bible reading for a given Sunday), and had God's grace and a person's gratitude as theme.

Following worship I did get in a little celebration of the Diez y Seis holiday. I had Sunday dinner at Mi Tierra, the well-known restaurant in S.A.'s El Mercado. Then I wandered around the marketplace and enjoyed the live music and other elements of the Fiestas Patrias (more or less "Patriotic Parties", what Spanish-speakers would also call the U.S.A.'s celebrations on or about the Fourth of July) annual festivity.

And once in awhile I'd think back on what I had missed the evening before -- El Grito over at Municipal Auditorium -- AND also what I'd experienced: listening on KKYX-AM 680 to the San Antonio Missions win the 2007 Texas League AA baseball championship! Hooray, Missions! Y también ¡Viva San Antonio!

Brother in Christ, Gone Home to Jesus

2007-09-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

You know, dear reader, I could almost hate three-day summer weekends. On the Labor Day holiday just observed, many places with public computer terminals were closed on Sunday and Monday, and I had to work at Fiesta Texas on Saturday, thus eliminating any opportunity to blog, check e-mail, etc. But anyhow. . . here I am!

Friday evening I attended a memorial service for a man I had only known since moving to San Antonio in '02. At that time Larry West was the pastor of Western Hills Christian Church (Disciples) in the northwest of the city, out beyond the medical district. The first time I visited that church for Sunday worship and met Brother Larry, I got a "good feeling" about him, that HERE was a Man of God! Any time I got to be around him I felt a peace and a joy. When I learned that Brother Larry was a Navy chaplain, I found a strong connection between the two of us, since I'd been a chaplain in the US Army, endorsed by the Disciples of Christ, as he was endorsed for the Navy chaplaincy. On a subsequent Sunday I visited Western Hills CC again; it must have been the Sunday prior to Veterans Day, because all us military vets who were present were recognized. Brother Chaplain Larry was wearing his Navy dress white uniform. Even tho' he was in his sixties and somewhat overweight, he truly looked dashing in that splendid uniform!

Now, the previous Pastor of Western Hills CC was Harold Guess, sponsor for my (pilgrim) Walk to Emmaus, Men's #327 in October '93. When I learned that Bro. Larry was going on HIS pilgrim walk, I made sure to get a ride to Candlelight, and to sign up for the prayer vigil for that Walk. Not long afterward, he retired from the pastoral ministry, and then he had back surgery. Apparently he never fully recovered. . . and now he's gone to be with the Lord.

This is one of those situations when someone I esteem has died, and while cherishing every incident in which our two paths crossed, I also regret that I didn't do more to get to know the person even better, and to express my esteem.

The memorial service in Western Hills Christian Church was just right. There were tears, yes, but a lot more of simply celebrating joyfully Larry West's life, his passions for food (like me!), railroads & model trains (like me again!), family, country and God. He had served in the US Navy 43 years. Forty-three years! Wow!

During the early portion of the service I had mixed feelings of gladness that Bro. Larry no longer suffers in his back or anywhere else, that mild regret about my not doing more to get to know him better (he was quite the role model), and a little envy that he had gone home. It all seemed to coalesce when we began singing as a congregation the hymn "What a Friend we Have in Jesus" -- one of my faves. I was suddenly given a vision of Larry in his Navy dress whites (and still with glasses, too) with the Lord Jesus giving him a welcoming hug into Heaven! Wow!

I was very impressed with a painting that was displayed just outside the door from the lobby into the sanctuary, of Bro. Larry from about the waist up (and arms positioned as tho' he were sitting) in Navy dress blues (the equivalent of the Army's dress greens or "Class A's") above a panorama of Western Hills Christian Church (Disciples) with emphasis on its three monumental iron I-beam crosses. I was told that a member of WHCC painted it for Larry's retirement. It was beautiful, and I felt that it expressed Larry exactly as I will probably best remember him! (Well, granted, I never saw him wearing Navy dress blues, just the whites.)

The Lone Star Spectacular, one more time!

2007-08-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, 25 August, was quite a day at Fiesta Texas! Projected attendance was very high, with a major portion of it being employees of Dell (the computer company, headquartered near Austin). Therefore, the gates opened about 9:15 a.m. and we interviewers were asked to clock in if possible by 8:30.

Yup, I switched positions at the theme park again. I'm now an interviewer for Marketing at the front gate, and later in the day within the park. The later interview involves approaching Guests who are resting in the shade (e.g. while other family members are on a thrill ride they don't care to experience), striking up a conversation with them and then asking if they'd consent to do an in-line survey of their park experience once they return home, to help Six Flags make the park experience even better. That part of the job is "right up my alley" so to speak, and gives me opportunity to "push" the terrific shows of this park, winner of the "Golden Ticket Award" for Best Shows for eight straight years!

Earlier in the day (usually 9 to 2) I do palm pilot surveys (demographic) in the front gate area; this is what I did in '04 and '05. For once, today I gained 100 surveys! One question on the palm pilot survey asks for the Guest's ZIP, and Saturday I got a lot for Pfluegerville, Round Rock and other Austin area ZIPs, thanks to so many Dell employees coming in.

But God bless Dell and their employees! You've heard of a show being "back by popular demand"? Well, thanks to "Dell demand" the park showed the Lone Star Spectacular one more time this past Saturday nite!

I got to spread word about the showing and to thank Dell employees for it. While I was doing the in-park interviews I "pushed" the extra showing, giving proper credit to Dell for this. I finished with 11 consents to do the on-line survey, just after 4 in the afternoon, and went to the Admin Building to drop off the forms. As I passed the Arboledo Picnic Grounds, reserved for a huge and (I'm told) de-e-elicious Dell employee picnic, I heard Toby Keith's recording of "Shoulda Been a Cowboy" -- I love that song! It perfectly expresses what I've cherished in a corner of my heart since growing up in the remnants of the Wild West in Idaho.

. Shoulda been a cowboy, shoulda learned to rope and ride
. Wearin' my six-shooter, ridin' my pony on a cattle drive
. Stealin' the young girls' hearts, just like Gene and Roy
. Singin' those campfire songs, Oh, I shoulda been a cowboy!

Having delivered the papers at Admin and taken a second break at the Take-A-Break employee cafe, I returned to the front gate area, to hand out coupons like I did on 5 July. Whenever I saw someone wearing a Dell shirt, I smiled broadly and thanked them (for the return of the L.S.S.).

As soon as I got signed out (or "off the clock" so to speak) just before 9:00, I made a bee-line for the Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre and my favorite spot in it to watch the laser and fireworks celebration of Texas and America. I inquired from Guests already sitting nearby if they'd ever seen the show. When they said "no", and I ascertained that they were Texans I assured them that they would lu-u-uv the Lone Star Spectacular!

Since more than once I've mentioned this, my favorite feature of Fiesta Texas, I should give a synopsis. The show opens with laser clouds, laser lightning and the sound of thunder, then the galloping of a herd of mesteños (mustangs). Then laser images of two huge hands -- the Creator's presumably -- take a hammer and chisel and shape a laser outline of the State of Texas on the cliff wall, and then lift a huge branding iron to brand it with "Texas" in playbill-type letters. A longhorn erupts thru this, and then a cowboy appears, to tell the audience that "it takes a lot of songs to tell a story as big as Texas". He's San Antonio Sam, the laser-image narrator of the show. His assistant -- she's too pretty and smart to be called his sidekick -- is Alamo Annie.

Together Sam and Annie lead us thru a quick history of Texas, starting with indigenous tribes like the Caddo and Comanche and ending with admission of the erstwhile Republic into the Union as a state. Strangely, nothing is said about the Confederacy, and indeed little is made of the six flags that flew over Texas -- despite this now being a Six Flags park! (The first park of the corporation was Six Flags Over Texas, opened in the early 1960s in Arlington.) Then we get a tour of a few of Texas' cities, each represented by at least one song, starting in Laredo ("Streets of Laredo") and going thru Dallas (theme from the TV soap "Dallas"), etc., to San Antonio ("San Antonio Rose"). The latter being the home of the theme park, it gets a little extra treatment: mariachi music, mention of Fiesta (the April party-to-end-all-parties), the "Chicken Dance" celebrating the German heritage, and Rodeo.

Then Sam boasts that Texas also features plenty of sports competition, indeed "a plethora of teams" -- to which Annie interrupts that she hopes Sam isn't using a word like "plethora" if he doesn't know what it means. Various Olympic or professional sports heroes are celebrated (my faves are late Cowboys coach Tom Landry and former record-setting Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan -- oh, and David Robinson and Tim Duncan of the Spurs) as well as teams. This athletic celebration segues into a celebration of America, which includes salutes to the five military services by the playing of their anthems. This US Army veteran always sings along on "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail as those caissons go rolling along. . .", the Army's anthem. Presidents associated with Texas are honored, including the current occupant of the White House and our First Lady -- they were Governor and First Lady of this State before moving east to DC. And the Americana portion wraps up with "God Bless America", rendered so movingly that my head always leaks.

The finale is San Antonio Sam's laser image returning to the cliff (assisted by Alamo Annie, of course), asserting that all the varied regions in the huge state make up Texas, and that "it's people like you who make Texas the friendliest State". Sam calls for a loud "yee-haw!" from the audience, and then the laser rays and fireworks go crazy as a recorded orchestra plays a rousing rendition of "Deep in the Heart of Texas"

And this is the Lone Star Spectacular -- back by Dell demand for one more '07 appearance. God bless Dell! God bless Texas!

You might say, dear reader, that this past Saturday was a Grand Finale for the Summer of Ought Seven! Today the park is closed, and it will only be open on weekends (to include Labor Day) until end of October. For today is the first day of classes for 2007-08 for public school students and teachers here in Texas. And I already have a substitute teaching assignment for Thursday and Friday in Alamo Heights High School -- defending State Champs in $-A Division 1 football!

Lunch with a Brother

2007-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday (day before yesterday) I had a lunch date with a Brother. No, not my blood brother Patrick, even tho' he now lives here in San Antonio. This Brother is a fellow Lambda Chi Alpha brother. He's Christopher "Chip" Haass.

Until June of this year "Chip" had been my Councilman, representing S.A.'s District Ten on the City Council. But that's over-and-done now. Indeed, one reason I wanted to get together with him was to learn what he's doing these days, now that he's no longer on the Council.

We did lunch at Jim's - Jim's #1 on Broadway at Loop 410. When Brother "Chip" was a newly-elected Council member back in A.D. 2003, I was working at that Jim's as a sometimes waiter and sometimes cashier. I was doing cashier duty during one lunch-time, when "Chip" stepped up to the cash register to pay his lunch bill. I recognized him as one of the rather impressive young new members of the Council, and I congratulated him on his election to the body. Since I had first met him there it had occurred to me for us to do lunch at the same place. Not to mention that Jim's has long been one of my favorite places to eat in the Alamo City, going back to my residency in Devine.

I was rather surprised to learn that Bro. "Chip" had been to Mexico City since leaving the Council, as a private citizen at Mexico's invitation. Turns out that he had been heavily involved in getting San Antonio to take a stand on the current "hot-button" issue of immigration. Apparently he hadn't been able to go south during his service on the Council -- he described it as a very busy and demanding post -- and so he had gone afterward. He also let me know that he will be starting law school this fall, at the excellent School of Law at St. Mary's University here.

We also chatted about experiences at our mutual institutions: Texas Christian University, where I studied in the late 1970s for a Master of Divinity in the seminary (to qualify to be an Army chaplain) and he much more recently studied for a bachelor's in education, and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Turns out that "Chip" hadn't associated with the brotherhood until after his freshman year, but was so impressed with the demeanor of the TCU brothers and the teachings of LCA that he knew it was the fraternity for him. Later he served as High Delta of the Zeta (chapter)at TCU. I myself had served as High Kappa (fraternity educator) and High Phi (ritualist) at the Idaho Zeta.

Let me tell you, dear reader, that I had ordered one of my three favorite burgers on the Jim's menu -- which is much more varied than just burgers -- the "Golden Mushroom" burger. But I was so focused on conversation with Bro. "Chip" that I basically just ate the burger without savoring it! Indeed, it was such a pleasure to converse with Bro. "Chip" that I hated for the lunch hour to end. But he had things to do and I had to go home and get ready to get to work at closing shift at Fiesta Texas. So we gave a hearty handshake and said farewells with blessings. But I shall not soon forget this terrific lunch-time date with a beloved brother of our beloved fraternity!

In & Out of the Hospital

2007-08-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

This time last week (Wed.) I was experiencing some symptoms that were cause for concern. I'd recovered from all-over body aches and mild fever of the day before. BUT now I saw that my right shin had a red rash all over -- varying intensities of red. And by mid-day the shin was also swelling!

Now, every time that right shin even feels a bit weird, I get nervous, because in early 2003 I had suffered a staph infection and blood clot there. And now it was looking just like back then! I sighed, "Here we go again!" as I rode the bus the the ER at the VA Hospital that Wed. afternoon. After a few hours' wait, I was seen by an ER physician, a Dr. Vu (a Vietnamese man?), who told me he would admit me to the hospital, and then sent me to Radiology for an ultrasound and X-rays.

Once I was in room #517 on Floor 5A, I got word that the X-rays indicated no clot. Thank God for that! And they got me on IV antibiotics immediately. After 24 hours (Thu. PM), I noticed no change in the looks of my shin. However, I was less likely to feel pain there when I'd stand up (before walking a few steps). I was seriously beginning to wonder if the IV was having any real effect, and for how many days I'd be in the VA Hospital -- and missing necessary days of work?

But not to worry! When I awoke Friday, I could see that the red rash was shrinking, and likewise the swelling. AND the sun came out for the first time in days! The windows of our room faced easterly, so upon finishing breakfast I walked over to a window and just stood there, relishing the feel of sun rays on me. I'm a witness: there IS such a thing as "solar therapy"!

I say "our room" because I was sharing room #517 with three other vets. It was good to share space with these fellows. I particularly appreciated the man next to me (I was in bed #23 and he in #24), Howard Wakefield. He's from Brackettville (about 100 miles west of San Antonio), is in his eighties and is a brother Christian and a brother Mason. So we had some great conversations. The other two occupants of 517 were a Mr. Ruiz, a quiet, elderly chicano, and Steve Brady, closer to my age, but always up and about the hospital corridors.

Release from the IV came by Friday evening (to be replaced by antibiotic pills), and from the VA Hospital came mid-day on Saturday. My brother Patrick and his wife LaRae came to get me and take me home. The care by the VA staff on 5A was excellent. Nevertheless, it was GOOD to be "free" and on the way to familiar places again. And especially to return to my necessary employment -- the rent HAS to be paid on time, ya know, dear reader!

Independence Day Ought Seven

2007-07-06T09:47:00.001-07:00

Celebration of this nation's Independence Day this year involved some rain and a lot of work. But fireworks and "old-fashioned" patriotism still got featured too!

The day started out with the usual Wednesday men's Bible study and breakfast at Mama's Café on Nacogdoches Road. Well, it really wasn't "the usual"; only four of us were present and we included neither the facilitator nor fill-in facilitator. One of the other three suggested that, since we didn't have the usual outline e-mailed from the facilitator, that we read and discuss an addendum he'd put on his e-mail notifying concerned parties that there wouldn't be a Bible study on Independence Day (to which I had replied to everyone that I would still be there). The addendum listed seven blessings given in the Book of Revelation. And no, these DON'T have to do with the seven churches, letters to which form the first section of this final book of the New Testament. The seven blessings are actually scattered thru'out the book. Anyhow. . . we had a great discussion of these seven blessings, and tasty food and uplifting fellowship.

I started work at Fiesta Texas in mid-afternoon, and we had rain sprinkles off and on from that point. (Northeast San Antonio along Austin Highway, the part of the city where I live, got a gully-washer for a couple hours in late morning.) The theme park's parking lot was only about half full upon my arrival for work, but lots of folk entered thru the turnstiles in the couple of hours prior to the park's renown "Lights of Liberty" fireworks show. This show preempts the "Lone Star Spectacular" on the nights of 3 and 4 July every year.

The daily special at Take-a-Break Café (the park employees' cafeteria) was brisket, Polish sausage, pinto beans, potato salad and macaroni salad. Just like a "fourth-of-July" picnic. Well, sort of. And this food was delicious! Oh, and I avoid calling our number one national holiday "Fourth of July". After all, every nation that uses the Western calendar has a fourth (day) of July (month)! I much prefer to call the holiday "Independence Day" -- after all, that's what the holiday that happens to fall on the Fourth celebrates.

I was "lucky" to be at the turnstile with the best view -- such little view as one gets -- for watching the fireworks when they began. I would stoop down and see much of the pyrotechnics between and thru trees. I kept going "Wow!" at certain sky bursts, and singing along and even dancing to the accompanying music. Then the supervisor on duty signed me out, and I got to watch the final few minutes of the "Lights of Liberty" from nearby Texas State Square in the Los Festivales area of the park. I actually prefer to see the show from the square rather than Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre, the featured viewing locale.

As I approached the square I passed first Speedy Gonzales and Pepe Le Pew and then Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck watching the show. After it was over and I was leaving I passed those latter two Looney Tunes characters and remarked to Daffy, "That wasn't despicable, was it, Duck!" Ha, ha! He and Bugs both waved to me. (As one would expect, the Looney Tune characters which Six Flags added to Fiesta Texas upon park takeover do not ever speak; they just go around with "frozen" smiles, waving, shaking hands and posing for pictures with Guests.)

I also worked the next day at the theme park. It was in effect a double shift, or opening to closing of the park. For I had responded to a posted call for park employees to help out in distributing samples and coupons at the front gate from five to nine P.M. (Hmm-mm-mm! Hark! I hear a certain Dolly Parton song about "working. . ." oh! that's right; she sings NINE to Five, not my five to nine!) The coupon distribution turned out to be pretty fun, but my legs did get sore from just standing in basically one place rather than walking around or sitting down (we have stools to use when we work the turnstiles).

The best part of working opening-to-closing on this day after Independence Day was that I was released from this work right at 9:00, start time for the "Lone Star Spectacular" show, returning after two nites' preemption by "Lights of Liberty". The L.S.S. really IS better seen from seating inside Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre, but I knew it wouldn't be easy to find a good seat by this time. And I had discovered that one got a tolerably-good view from the edge of the log flume ride beside the gate into Lone Star Lil's -- right across the way from the steps up to Der Pilger Bahnhof (the train depot in Spassburg). So there I went.

I watched what I could, listened to the narration, sang along and clapped to my favorite songs of Texas and America, did the "Chicken Dance", and cheered the various Texas sports heroes as their names lasered across the old quarry cliff. I heard the thunderous roar from within the amphitheater when "San Antonio Spurs" blazed across that rocky face, with the newly-added words "Champions 2007"! And of course this patriotic son of these United States got teary-eyes again at the song "God Bless America". And then came that grand finale, when the fireworks and laser rays go crazy while the recorded orchestra blasts out "Deep in the Heart of Texas". I joined in the cheers for the pyros and in the four quick claps at the appropriate points of the song.

And so ended what was in effect a two-day celebration (AND both days work days!) of the independence of the U.S.A. God bless America! God bless Texas! God bless San Antonio and Fiesta Texas theme park!

God Bless. . . America the Beautiful

2007-07-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Sunday the First of July in the Year of Our Lord 2007, featured a rather different Sunday worship for me.

For one, due to working later at Fiesta Texas on Saturday than scheduled, I decided to return into the Park after "clocking out" as a Guest and enjoy a couple of shows, a couple of rides and the "Lone Star Spectacular" multimedia (fireworks, laser images and rays, recorded music and narration) celebration of Texas heritage and of Americana. The latter is done toward the end of the half-hour show, and concludes with "God Bless America". Then the whole show concludes with "Deep in the Heart of Texas" while the fireworks and laser rays go crazy! So crazy that we viewers are left breathless at the final note of "Deep in the Heart" and concluding sky burst of sparks! As always, when I left the Park after the L.S.S. I felt proud to be an American, proud to be a Texan and proud to be a San Antonian working at this theme park with its award-winning multimedia show!

Now, on Sunday I was to lead singing at Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples). The choir director, Janis Erwin, is to be absent much of June and July and had called on volunteers to lead singing and pick out the songs for their Sunday to lead. I'd picked out mostly patriotic hymns and songs to sing, such as "America the Beautiful" -- which I firmly believe should STILL be our National Anthem rather than the limited-reference and difficult-to-sing "Star-Spangled Banner" -- and "God Bless America." (I made these selections before I even tho't I'd be at the L.S.S. the nite before!) Also, Pastor Bruce Williamson had encouraged me to sing a special song or anthem; I'd picked "Shine, Jesus, Shine" for that.

But after I got to church (where worship is an hour earlier during these summer months and during July and August is in the large foyer to the sanctuary) and had tuned my guitar, I went to play a couple of songs to warm up. And I found that my singing voice was gone! Truly I sounded to my own ears like a frog or a hinge!

And then, not only was my voice missing but also I started out not very well at leading congregational singing. An older choir member told me after the first two songs (during the greeting and sign-of-peace time) that I needed to LEAD the singing with not just voice projection but also hand gestures. Well, I tried it, and altho' I'm not the professional that Sister Janis is, I suppose I did all right. Better yet, when it was time to do "Shine, Jesus, Shine" I invited -- no, urged -- the congregation to join me in singing the chorus (the highest and most difficult notes for me to sing). Several did, and by the second time of the chorus I could tell my singing voice was returning. Thank God!

After worship several of us went to EZ's, a rather classy (and sort of pricey, too, in my book) burger, et cetera, cafe just a block away. Without my asking or hinting someone offered to cover my order. So I ordered the Alamo Bowl, which is a rather involved take-off on nachos grande or supreme. It was delicious! And the conversation was delightful, too.

Thank God for loving brothers and sisters in Christ, who bear each other up in adversity (e.g., my initial lack of singing voice) and celebrate as one the blessings of life on God's green Earth!

My Summer Adventure: A Wedding

2007-06-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

This time last week (i.e., Wed. mid-morning) I was fixin' to set out on my adventure of the Summer of Ought Seven -- a trip to a wedding. No, not mine, dear reader! My son David's, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The start of the adventure was WET! The skies above San Antonio opened up for a "gully-washer" as I finished my prep to go to the S.A. Greyhound depot. I got soaked from the knees down (i.e., below the poncho's hem) while out doing last-minute errands. So I phoned for a cab to take me from my door to a VÍA bus shelter and keep my luggage and me dry. They say that you should allow 20 minutes for the taxi's arrival; it was there in about 5! So my final packing was very hurried. And I skipped over a few items, the only necessary of which were my meds. Oh, well!

All during the bus trip there and back the buses were running from half an hour to over an hour late. And in most cases the drivers insisted on taking the 20 or 15 minute layover at stops listed on my ticket summary! Also, on the return the typical Greyhound thing happened in Dallas. My scheduled bus to S.A. was full, so I had to wait for the next scheduled one. Oh, well!

But 'nuf 'bout me. There was a WEDDING!!! It and the whole stay in Lincoln were wonderful! David wed Allison Nelson, oldest of three daughters and one son to Randy and Kathy Nelson, natives of Lincoln. Melissa, one of Allison's sisters, had married last June, and she was matron of honor; brother Aaron was a groomsman. David's best friend Arthur was best man. It was the first time I'd seen Arthur in over five years. He kind of surprised me by wearing cornrow hair and a wispy goatee. But he still had his delightful-to-be-around personality: easy-going and cheerful.

Back to the Nelsons. They're a very nice family. I'd had a good feeling about Allison since David first said anything about her. Meeting her and her family simply confirmed that that "good feeling" was real and valid. They home-schooled the four kids, and the home-schooling included courses (high-school level) involving other home-schooled students. The Nelsons are very active in their church in Lincoln.

We had rehearsal in Warren UMC Friday afternoon the 22d, followed by dinner at Da Vinci's, a pizza and salad buffet café. As we ate the skies opened up -- but this Nebraska gully-washer lasted only a few minutes. Then as we left Da Vinci's, we saw a beautiful double rainbow in complete arcs across the eastern sky! Several of us took this a sign of blessing upon the upcoming nuptials.

The photo session was Saturday, 23 June, in the morning a few hours before the ceremony. Dominant colors for the party were lavender and light blue. The groom and his comrades wore black tuxes. The bride wore the same dress worn by her mother and grandmother; talk about "family heirloom"! During the couple hours between pictures and the ceremony I used my cell phone to call first Mom and then let her speak with the groom, her grandson. Then I phoned my brother Patrick and let him likewise speak with the groom, his nephew.

And then it was THE event! The music was fine, and included two congregational hymns in the early minutes. Ellen and I were both impressed with Allison's vocal projection of her vows. It was very evident that she'd had good drama coaching even before she joined Covenant Players! There was a good-size crowd in Warren UMC to witness the event. I was told to stand beside the mother of the bride in the receiving line, and thus Kathy introduced me to most of the folks in attendance. Several, who were either members of the church or fellow home-schooling parents, commented to Kathy, "two down and two to go!" This referred to Aaron and the youngest daughter, Leighann, still being single.

After the reception family members drove out into the country to to the Nelsons' home, where David and Allison opened the few gifts and the many cards. Since they will continue their travels with CP, they had asked for gifts of cash or gift cards of chain stores. Most of the cards contained one or both such gifts, including mine, which had $60 and two tickets to Fiesta Texas. I was sort of impressed that the newlyweds received more than one Kohl's gift card (I've heard ads for Kohl's many times on S.A. radio, but have never been inside; guess I'll have to check out the department store).

The next day, Sunday, I joined the newlyweds and the bride's family at Warren UMC for worship. Then we had Sunday dinner at the Village Inn. And then Randy Nelson gave me the "grand tour" of Lincoln, including a visit into the Nebraska State Capitol. The city is neat and beautiful, and the skyscraper Capitol is fascinating. It was being built when the Great Depression commenced and still got finished, and altho' over-all it's Art Deco in style, it's an eclectic Art Deco. Numerous exterior bas-reliefs and interior murals and mosaics celebrate the history of humankind with focus on the progression of law and government into 20th-century American democracy. The building also celebrates the history and culture of Nebraska up to the Depression. I couldn't help but notice that this city and state, which is stereotyped as homogeneously white-race farmers (in my mind anyway), emphasized the diversity of its cultural heritage -- including the original indigenous (or Native American). Just like San Antonio!

Randy and I happened to enter the Capitol about 20 minutes before a tour was scheduled. So we walked a couple of first-floor hallways until time for the tour. Side hallways contained busts of famous Nebraskans. I was impressed with the detailing of some, which made them appear almost life-like. For example, a noted journalist and public servant was depicted reading a newspaper he held open. Near him another statesman's glasses frames were so real-looking that I was surprised to not see any hint of lenses. His necktie stood out from the shirt sufficiently that one felt one could run one's hand behind the tie -- and then either straighten the knot or jerk the wearer along! On the tour the highlight for me was being inside the Supreme Court chamber, wich had a very ornate, three-dimensional (kind of like an upside-down waffle) ceiling, which held my rapt gaze while the tour guide spoke about the rest of the chamber. After the tour we two went up to the fourteenth-floor observation deck and got a 360-degree panorama of sun-drenched Lincoln. Beautiful!

And thus went my adventure of the Summer of Ought Seven: a bus trip to and from a lovely city and state, for the wedding of my firstborn and only son! God's blessings be upon David and Allison, now and always!

The Dynasty now ruling roundball

2007-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

"Dynasty!" Two years ago when the San Antonio Spurs won their previous NBA title (their third), the organization was hesitant to accept talk of a "dynasty" of Spurs. According to today's newspaper report, they're still a tad on the humble side. But last nite, the sportscasters covering the final game of the 2007 NBA Championship series weren't at all shy to use the word. Nor was the Express-News issue this morning. Nor am I! The Spurs are indeed the current NBA "Dynasty"!

Let's be real. San Antonio's NBA team has won three of the last five titles, and four of the last nine. In A.D. 2003 not only did the Spurs win the NBA but Coach Gregg Popovich was selected Coach of the Year. Actually, one sports journalist noted that San Antonio is THE MOST SUCCESSFUL professional sports franchise of the past decade! All San Antonio lacks is back-to-back titles, and THIS may be taken care of in '08!

I went to Good Time Charlie's cafe and bar to watch Thursday's clinching game. GTC is where I've often gone to view the Spurs on TV during NBA playoffs. When I first walked in, the place appeared almost empty, to my surprise. But by the end of the first half GTC was pretty much full. And what a game we saw!

Since I was scheduled for opening shift the next day at Fiesta Texas, I was considering leaving for home and bed if the Spurs were comfortably ahead midway thru the third quarter. And indeed San Antonio had a ten or twelve point lead. BUT. . . hold on to your seats! The home team, the Cavaliers, came back and actually got ahead by three points in the fourth! I feared that the visiting Spurs might go into meltdown and wind up losing.

But not to worry! The men in Silver and Black took control again quickly. Manu Ginobili, our native Argentine Spur, shone in the final minute or so, as he mad all but one free throw after Cleveland did the typical desperation effort of constantly fouling. The final score was 83-82 Spurs. However, the final three points of the game were a meaningless three-point basket by a Cav with time running out.

Then it was time to celebrate San Antonio's latest NBA title! There had actually been a drizzle in my part of the town during the final half, but a few raindrops didn't stop many citizens, if any. As I awaited a VIA bus to go to the typical downtown celebration, it was already commencing on Broadway itself! Cars were driving by with Spurs flags, signs or other Spurs items hanging out windows and drivers constantly honking horns. Passengers were hollering cheerfully for the Spurs, while we on the sidewalks joined in. Some people hoisted brooms aloft, a pictorial reference to the fact that the Spurs "swept" the series with the Cavs in four games.

By this time it was past 11 o'clock, or 23 hundred hours as we say in the military. (I served in the US Army in 1981-1984). I chose to play what I call "Bus Roulette". In this case, should the FIRST bus to show be the outbound 14-17 lineup, I'd go home & to bed. But the first bus to show was the inbound 9 lineup, so downtown I rode.

When the VIA bus got into downtown, even Broadway was jammed with celebrants, spilling out from the usual venues of Commerce (westbound) and Dolorosa/Market (eastbound) and Navarro (northbound) and St. Mary's (southbound). As the cars turned the downtown portion of Broadway into a parking lot, a man was actually going down the middle stripe, sweeping with a "Spurs"-adorned broom!

Yes, downtown San Antonio was a madhouse. But at least it was a positive celebration! None of this turning over cars, vandalism or looting stores, as some other cities do when their teams win national championships. San Antonians just drive downtown and cruise those four streets named above -- plus others, as was the case Thursday night -- honking horns and cheering. This has happened every time the Spurs have won the NBA during my residence here, as well as when local high school football teams win significant titles. I tell you, dear reader, this city KNOWS how to party, and how to celebrate things like sports championships!

And so, NOW begins the celebration of the Spurs' fourth NBA championship. Sunday there will be a parade on the San Antonio River -- the downtown Riverwalk -- and a nighttime celebration in the Alamodome. "Four (victories) for four (titles)!" GO, SPURS, GO!

A rather sad farewell

2007-06-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the final City Council meeting for the current government of San Antonio. My own Councilman (and fraternity brother) Christopher "Chip" Haass and five other Council members will not be back on the dais in Council chambers on Main Plaza at the next meeting.

I attended the opening of this Council meeting, but not just due its being Chip's final one. At the San Antonio Conservation Society meeting in mid-month and again in the Wednesday Express-News word was out that the Witte Museum intended to destroy over a hundred trees in Brackenridge Park in order to erect a multi-story parking garage. I strongly wished to voice my strong objections to such destruction! When I arrived and looked at the printed agenda I could not find any item that seemed to be about this matter, and shortly afterward City Manager Scully and Councilman Wolff (whose District 9 includes the Witte and Brackenridge) set me straight on it, that it wasn't an agenda item and it wasn't the horror it had been portrayed as being.

But in the meantime I'd encountered an item requesting transfer of budgeted funds for a defunct summer youth program (which had been sponsored by UTSA) into on-going summer youth programs. I signed up to speak on this issue, with an "etc." afterward, in case I wanted to throw in a few words about the tree issue (or non-issue, as it were) or say "Farewell" to the departing Council members. However, after lengthy presentation and discussion (over half an hour) of the youth programs and proposed school sites for them there was no call for citizens to be heard on the matter before the call for vote.

I was shocked! Stunned! So much so that I couldn't even rally to holler "Point of order!" as had fellow citizen Jack Finger, who had almost been likewise passed over before the call to vote on the previous issue. I left Council chambers to go do errands. I was in a huff, feeling like I'd been slapped in the face by the one concern I'd had about this city government that was about to go out of office. They had been bad about sticking around for the final item of every Thursday meeting's agenda, the "citizens to be heard". And as I told His Honor (Mayor Hardberger) and my own Councilman, both of whom were chief offenders by absences, it gave the appearance that they didn't care to listen to the voice of the people. And now they hadn't even let me speak to a specific issue. So much for this being a good government for S.A., or so I concluded.

However, after riding bus with my best friend Joe Tovar on Zarzamora Street and then going to a late afternoon medical appointment with my VA-assigned P.A., Mr. Lothery in Loopland, I found I could return to Council chambers in time for both ceremonial recognitions and citizens to be heard. Recognitions involved, first, the up-coming Texas Folklife Festival, and then farewells to the six departing Council members. Of course, each departee had opportunity to give a farewell address. Hmmmm, were they mushy, gushing with emotion! A couple of them (men as well as women) came very close to breaking down in tears as they spoke about their service and accomplishments on the Council, and their admiration for their comrades on the dais (with emphasis on the other departees). Since Chip Haass represented District Ten, he was last. He began his comments by acknowledging his reputation for long-windedness and apologizing that is would probably be the longest farewell speech (which it probably was, 'tho I didn't time them all).

Listening to them all and especially to my frat brother Haass, I calmed down considerably from my huff of earlier in the day. I had signed up for "Citizens to be heard" to protest the earlier omission, but as I went up to the podium His Honor apologized for the accidental omission (seems he hadn't been given the correct sign-up sheet or something). I accepted his apology, and after briefly explaining what I had wanted to address that morning I got around to thanking the Council for their good service and wishing Godspeed to those leaving the Council.

So, a day that started in concern and quickly descended into anger, ended on a very positive note, if a sad one of farewell. These folks had their flaws (including the absenteeism for CtBH), but they were generally a very conscientious and efficient set of city leaders. I love every one of them, and most of them I consider to be truly my brother and sister Christians, "walking the talk". I truly shall miss seeing them in Council chambers on Council meeting Thursdays. And I do surely hope that Mayor Hardberger can get the city charter changed to allow longer terms of service than a mere two years with one allowed re-election! San Antonio deserves to have an excellent set of government leaders for more than just two years (in this case, June 2005 to June 2007)!

A memorable Memorial Day (observed)

2007-05-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

A very clear memory I have of my boyhood in Boise is how Memorial Day, which then was always 30 May and a school holiday, we Grahams would go out to Cloverdale Cemetery and decorate the grave of Grandpa Graham. Funny, that an annual Memorial Day visit to a cemetery would form such a strong and pleasant memory. I suppose this was so because it was always a peaceful day and a peaceful place, and the visit was routine.

It was only well into my adulthood that I learned that Memorial Day's purpose was more specific than simply honoring all the dear departed, but rather was for honoring those who had died in combat service to their country.

Monday morning I attended the ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. It was my third Memorial Day visit in my five and a half years of living here. Of the three this A.D. 2007 ceremony was definitely the best! I heard terrific singing by the Alamo Metro Chorus, aka Sweet Adelines, who include Alamo Heights Christian Church's choir director and another choir member. Then I listened to a very inspired and inspiring message by recently-retired General Ricardo Sanchez! He was commander of forces in Iraq at the time of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and unfairly took some of the blame for it. So he never got the fourth star on his shoulder (he'd have been the first Hispanic four-star general) that he so truly deserved!

Anyhow, Gen. Sanchez began by saying that he had been requested to speak at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, on Memorial Day two years earlier. One night just prior, he awoke, got up, sat down and wrote what he was about to share with us. His creation was a prose-poem, "When a Soldier Cries". I found it to be a wonderful expression of the the feelings of the average soldier who faces combat. Truly the General's words were very expressive and heart-touching!

So, after the ceremony adjourned I went up and congratulated him on it, expressed my admiration and my conviction that he should have received that fourth star, and saluted him. Then I visited the graves of Gen. Robert F. McDermott (retired head of the US Air Force Academy and of USAA) and CMH earner José López and paid my respects to these exemplary men who died just last year.

In this way I observed Memorial Day as it was intended to be observed. But I admit that I also celebrated the holiday as so many Americans do exclusively any more, by having outdoor fun. In my case, I went in mid-afternoon to Six Flags Fiesta Texas (surprise! they gave me the day off!) and enjoyed the park for a few hours. I rode the train, of course (more than once), and also Roadrunner Express and the Boomerang. Best of all, I watched four music shows, including both "new" country shows and another new one called "Encore! One-hit Wonders". Odd name, that last, since if the artist had merely one hit, he, she or they didn't have and "encore" hit!

The newly-revised traditional country music show, "Down Home Country", is FANTASTIC! It features a series of hits by well-known women in country music (Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline) and a salute to old-time gospel standards (including one of my very favorites, "Unclouded Day"). And naturally, an early hit released by our next-door neighbor, golden-voiced George Strait!

Gloria a Dios en el Westside

2007-05-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

This morning I traveled to the Westside, to Mexican Christian Church, where I had consented to provide music for a funeral. Or rather, a memorial service. How appropriate it was to attend such a memorial service as the observed three-day Memorial Day weekend was about to commence! It was pouring rain -- a true "gullywasher" -- when I went out to catch the first of three buses to get from home to church. But by the time I was at the church the rain had eased considerably. And by the end of the service it had stopped. Therefore, we had good attendance.

I had been asked to do "Amazing Grace" and my choice of a second song. My choice was "Pues si Vivimos", the first verse of which is basically Romans 14:8 (in Spanish) set to music. When I began "Amazing Grace" I started out a capella, and didn't add guitar 'til the second verse. My initial experience of this beloved hymn was Judy Collins' entirely a capella recording of it, at my very first church camp, back in the summer of A.D. 1969.

And who was the deceased being memorialized? He was Jesse Ybarra, born and raised on the Westside. His family were members of M.C.C., and he spent many years working as a social worker at the nearby MCI/Inman Christian Center. The Center was begun about a century ago as an outreach ministry of the Disciples of Christ (my denomination) to the poor and destitute Mexican-Americans of San Antonio's barrio. He served in the armed forces during WW II and earned the Bronze Star -- a significant fact considering the approaching holiday. In mid-life Brother Ybarra moved to Riverside, California, where he worked in a similar institution. He died last month and was buried in Riverside.

After the memorial service, the Inman Christian Center held a reception in one of their buildings (but not the main one with which I'm familiar). And at this reception I found out WHY there had been a memorial service HERE for Bro. Ybarra. Attendees had been encouraged to share any memories of the deceased, and there were several middle-age to elderly men who had plenty of memories! Turns out that Jesse Ybarra had started a group at the Center for boys of the barrio, called "Las Palomillas", and these representatives of that group had high praise for what Jesse and the Center had done positively in their lives, to get them going down the right road: the road to good and productive citizenship instead of joining the gangs.

It deeply touched my heart to hear these old chicanos speak about their growing-up years on the Westside, and various incidents pertaining to their interaction with Bro. Ybarra and/or one another! How I wish I'd had a tape recorder going to capture these stories!

You know, dear reader, the Westside doesn't have a great reputation, being stereotyped as the poorest, most deprived, most crime-ridded section of this city of San Antonio. But when I hear tales of growing up on the Westside like I heard this morning, and like I've heard on Sunday mornings at M.C.C. (especially from Brother Villarreal who grew up on Guadalupe Street across from the church), I just KNOW that there is good here in the barrio! There are blooms rising above the trash, diamonds shining amid the dull coal! I remember a few years ago, when I often attended the evening service at Soldiers of Christ Church (another little Westside church), that Hermana Cabrera who usually preached -- and preached with PASSION -- would often utter a grito (cry or shout): «¡Gloria a Dios en el Westside!»

To which I say, in my heart, «¡Sí!»

The S.A. Conservation Society

2007-05-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday afternoon I attended a general meeting of the San Antonio Conservation Society. This group began in the early 1920s, when some high society ladies organized in order to prevent destruction of historic buildings of San Antonio. They lost their first battle (to preserve the old Market Building), but early entered into the fruitful effort to not only preserve the remains of the Mission San Jose compound but also to reconstruct it.

Being the lover of history and historical structures and locations that I am, for as long as I've known the story and mission of the S.A. Conservation Society (it also champions environmental issues, hence "Conservation" in the name), I've felt that I ought to become a member. But I held back, thinking it was "only" well-heeled upper-class ladies. However, last year I attended a Society meeting to which I'd been invited, and found out that it's diverse, and dues are low. So I applied for associate membership, was accepted and attended my orientation in February.

On Wednesday the meeting was held in the "River House" building (earlier an indoor private pool) behind the mansion of the historic Steves Homestead, a property owned and managed by the Conservation Society. Guest speaker was City Manager Cheryl Scully. She spoke about the progress and changes in city government since she arrived from Phoenix about a year ago.

The Conservation Society also held elections, in which associate members cannot vote. But even without the right to vote, I appreciated being at this meeting. One of the Board of Directors and elected to office in this election is Roberto Hinckson. After I had met him at the first Society meeting I attended, I chose him to be my sponsor for membership. He's a really nice fellow with a gentle and cheerful spirit, and always dresses sharply. At this meeting he was wearing tan slacks, a plaid shirt of white and two shades of blue, and a necktie that was solid light blue -- the dominant shade of blue of the shirt! He looked terrific.

I had seen Roberto and other members on Saturday morning the 19th, at Joske Pavilion in the local version of NY's Central Park, Brackenridge Park. There the S.A. Conservation Society was celebrating "Historic Preservation Month" thru various activities. These included a couple of re-enactors and a quick review of the history of the Joske family and this attractive pavilion. This had been a delightful event! I was just as glad to attend Saturday morning as I was to attend on Wednesday evening.

San Antonio elections

2007-05-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

Two Saturdays ago (the eve of Mothers Day) elections took place in San Antonio, surrounding communities, and indeed thru-out Texas. There were five bond proposals up for voters' approval or denial, and all the S.A. City Council members and the Mayor had to run for re-election or step down due to term limits. So, even tho' it wasn't a general, Presidential, election and early voting numbers weren't spectacular, I certainly more of my fellow registered citizens cast their ballots.

The matter of term limits irritates me. Some time in the recent past (before I moved here in January of A.D. 2002) an ordinance was forced into the city charter, making mayoral and councilmanic terms a mere two years. Making matters worse, members can be re-elected only once. The current City Council and Mayor are very conscientious about governing this huge city, and they've done basically a very, very good job as public servants! And we CANNOT re-elect all of them! This is a terrible shame! What were they thinking about, those who set those foolish term restrictions in place? Corruption and a "good-ol' boy" situation -- that's what they must have been thinking of and seeking to fight. Oh, well and good, but WHAT good can any elected official really do of a lasting nature in a mere two years, or if re-elected one mere time, four years?

Ah, sigh, let me get off my soap box, dear reader. My own councilman (and fraternity brother), Chip Haass, could not run for a third term. The two men running to succeed Chip both struck me as excellent candidates for the District Ten spot on the Council. I chose to cast my vote for the younger, Rey de los Santos. The other candidate, John Clamp, won. But I'm not sad that my choice didn't win, I just wish the percentages for the two had been closer.

As for Mayor Phil Hardberger, he won re-election in a landslide over six opponents. That he got almost 80% of the vote isn't surprising, it's a measure of how good and effective he's been as our Mayor. And all five bond issues passed, too, after the Mayor had devoted his campaigning energy to these rather than his own re-election.

Of the five Council members who could run for re-election, only Elena Guajardo lost. I was somewhat sad about this, because she volunteers in Kairos Prison Ministry and always struck me as just as conscientious as the others. However, Elena had a couple of things working against her. She's openly lesbian (but that didn't seem to keep her from initial election) and early in her service on the Council a man sent her an e-mail complaining about a night club on Fredericksburg Road in her district and then committed suicide after his company, Zachary, learned from her that the e-mail was sent from a company computer terminal. The e-mail mess is a tragic situation, and because I didn't know details or Elena's side of it I didn't hold it against her. But apparently several of her constituents did, since she hadn't ever spoken up about her side of the matter, or apologized for "causing" the man's death.

The merry month of May. . . .

2007-05-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, dear reader, since I posted any new posts here on my blogsite. As I mentioned, I considered that a year's time was what I came to plan for this blogsite to cover. But I also said that I'd contribute new postings occasionally.

Well, much has happened this month (my title is a phrase from song lyrics in a musical -- I want to say from "Camelot"). Especially this past weekend, in mid-May, has been very busy and eventful. Here is an account of some of the happenings.

Friday evening, the 18th, I attended the monthly gathering of the Northwest San Antonio (NWSA) Emmaus Fourth Day Group, or community. NWSA was the sponsoring FDG of the Walk to Emmaus, Men's #1327, on which I served as a clergy Team member last October. Getting to the church which hosted the gathering was something of an adventure. It's St. John's UMC on Bandera Road. I had wanted to ride the bus on Bandera Road from Loop 410 in, to Culebra, where there is an HEB store. On the way in I would look for the church (by a telephone call I had determined the general neighborhood), to know exactly where to get off the bus, then buy food to contribute to the gathering, at the HEB. But as time and the VÍA buses went, I ended up not being able to be on Bandera Rd. before buying the food and then taking the bus out toward Loop 410. And I missed setting eyes on the church! (It sits back from the road, and from the road isn't readily recognizable as a church.) So I ended up getting off the bus closer to the loop, and walking up a hill for half a mile to find the church. But it was worth the hike! The NWSA gathering was abundant with food, singing, and just the joy of the Lord! And I discovered that the current pastor (but soon to retire) is Kenneth Sellers. He was the Spiritual Director for both the first Walk to Emmaus AND the first Kairos Weekend on which I served as a Team member! (At that time he was a UMC pastor in Del Rio.)

Sunday evening was almost deja vu, as I attended the monthly gathering of my own Emmaus FDG, Care Bexar, at Bulverde UMC. But before I went there I went to Alamo Heights UMC for the Baccalaureate service for the Class of 2007 of Alamo Heights High School. The church was packed, like it was last year, for the AHHS Baccalaureate. The music, both congregational (including "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee", whose melody is basically Beethoven's Ode to Joy) and special (performed by the AHHS Varsity Choir), was uplifting. The message, given by the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, was inspiring. And I caught myself shedding a few tears for these young folks who are about to receive their diplomas. After all, I've known almost all of them thru subbing at the school, and I love them all.

There was a reception after the Baccalaureate, in the Christian Life Center of AHUMC. Since it would be a short while 'til my ride arrived I went in there, and looked around for the serving line. I noticed several people moving to the opening into the adjacent parlor, and I followed, thinking the parlor was where the refreshment table was. Wrong! They, mostly men and graduating boys, were gravitating into the parlor to watch the NBA playoff game on the big screen up in a corner! You see, while we had been worshipping with the graduates in the sanctuary, our Spurs were playing the first game of the Western Conference championship at home against the Utah Jazz. It was already well into the fourth quarter and our hometown "boys" were well ahead. With 20 seconds to go and the spurs leading by eight, I had to leave, to be ready for my ride to the Hill Country. Go, Spurs, go!

As I say, the Care Bexar Emmaus monthly gathering, up in the Hill Country in Bulverde, was almost deja vu of the NWSA gathering of Friday. Same abundant food, about the same number of people (150-200), same joyful spirit among frineds and brothers/sisters in Christ. The major differences were two: at Bulverde the gathering all took place in the church's gym (Friday we ate in St. John's UMC's fellowship hall and worshipped in the sanctuary), and instead of using the green-cover "Songs" book (it's the one by Johann Anderson, and is employed on Walks) the Bulverde rock band had lyrics projected onto the wall above them. I only knew one of the songs, and all the songs were very rock-music style, with Old Testament-inspired lyrics. I considered that it was more like a Jewish synagogue service, if those folks use rock music!

But I don't want to complain. The order of worship was pure Emmaus, and the Fourth Day speaker was very moving in her description of her spiritual journey and her love for the Bulverde church she'd found after her move to the San Antonio area. So what if the music was unfamiliar and not exactly Emmaus style? So what if the worship wasn't in the Bulverde UMC sanctuary with its breathtaking view of Cibolo Creek? I'm still very glad I was there! A monthly Emmaus gathering is ALWAYS a blessing! Thank God for Emmaus!

Fiesta '07 is history

2007-04-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

The 2007 edition of San Antonio's party-to-end-all-parties is over. Finis. Kaput. Done & history!

As I declared in the previous posting, I won't go into detail about Fiesta events I attended, since I covered these a year ago. However, I shall share any unique or otherwise notable happenings.

The Texas Cavaliers River Parade on Monday evening had a new originating point this year: the former finish point on the river near Municipal Auditorium and the Central Library. Thus the floats floated down the river, for once. Being in my accustomed viewing spot, I was now near the start rather than the finish of the parade route!

As usual, two or three barges passed by to commence the River Parade, and then there was a long gap of several minutes before the remainder began to pass. But this time during the gap we had some excitement! A woman on the opposite bank fell inte the river (it's only little more than waist deep). While she was attempting to climb up out of the water, a man on my bank decided to play rescuer and dove in. By the time he swam to the other side spectator there had assisted the woman out of the river. Then they had to turn their attention to assisting the wannabe hero!

Also, this year I personally knew two float (barge) riders: my Councilman "Chip Haass" and another LCA brother, and undergrad from UTSA. Both of them tossed me throws, chip a string of green beads adn the UTSA Lambda Chi an '07 UTSA Fiesta medal.

Tuesday evening's Tejano Explosion, a Fiesta event presenting live concerts by several Mexican-American musical artists, had Emilio Navaira in its line-up. I went to Cattlemen's Square (on the near Westside) to hear Emilio, who was probably THE leading male star in Tejano music during my second sojourn in Texas (1992-94) -- only to discover that due to the strong threat of thunderstorms the concert had been moved to Sunday evening. Oh, well!

The extra time I thus found on my hands allowed me to attend a debate at the Semmes Branch Library (far northeast, on Nacogdoches Road) of the two candidates for the District 10 Council seat. They are Rey(naldo) de los Santos and John Clamp. Both made favorable impressions, but I'm leaning toward voting for the former candidate.

Each Wednesday evening for three or four years I've gone to "Fiesta in Blue", a concert at Laurie Auditorium on the Trinity University campus featuring the excellent Air Force Band of the West (headquartered at our own Lackland AFB). As always, the musicians looked superb in their dress blues (the military uniform equivalent of the tux) and sounded jsut as superb! This time they ahd a guest performer, John Johnson of the country-rock group Little Texas. He sang a patriotic song of his own arrangement just before intermission. Following intermission he was joined by a quartet of the AF Band who had exchanged the dress blues for apparel that included shirts that resembled the flag of Texas. They backed him up as he sang three greatest hits of Little Texas: "You Gotta Kick a Little", "What Might Have Been" and "God Blessed Texas". On the latter, which rapidly became an unofficial state anthem, we of the audience were up, clapping, stomping feet and singing along!

. "God blessed Texas, with His own hand
. Dropped down angels fron the Promised Land
. Gave them a place where they could dance
. If you wanna see Heaven, brother, here's your chance
. I've been sent to spread the message:
. Hm-m-m, God bless Texas!"

One major difference of this year's Fiesta experience is that I resolved to NOT just give myself over to ten days of partying. (Cancellation of Tuesday's Tejano Explosion assisted me in this resolve.) Hence, after the Battle of Flowers Parade on Friday afternoon, instead of doing the usual further Fiesta participation I attended a Lambda Chi Alpha initiation ritual. The zeta, or chapter, of St. Mary's University initiated four udnergrads into the Brotherhood, in an old Spanish-mission style church just south of downtown. One of the four has an uncle who is an alumnus of the zeta, and he came down from Austin to witness the ritual also. I cannot divulge details, of course, but the ritual of L.C.A. is well worth foregoing a Fiesta event or two!

The Battle of Flowers Parade was the Fiesta-topper it always is, but I only got to see the Fiesta Pooch PArade from a distance as I rode bus to work on Saturday morning. Instead of my usual concluding the Fiesta experience with attendance at Mission San Jose's Fiesta de la Familia, I went to Fiesta San Fernando in la Plaza de las Islas in front of the Cathedral on my way to Tejano Explosion (to try again to hear Emilio). As I arrived at the plaza one stage was broadcasting recorded music, the song "Hey, David, Who's that Gringo?" This song by David Lee Garza's conjunto band, is on the Fiesta CD for 2005. I truly enjoy this song, because I can easily fantasize about being a "white boy" in a conjunto group. "I may be white on the outside, but I know my heart is refried."

Alas! As I arrived at Cattlemen's Square Sunday evening the sky opened up in a gully washer. It didn't last long, but water got into the sound system. They tried to find a replacement system to keep having the concert. But in vain. So I still haven't heard Emilio live! Oh, well!

Party-to-end-all-parties, '07 edition

2007-04-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, dear reader, the A.D. 2007 edition of Fiesta San Antonio, the Alamo City''s party-to-end-all-parties, is well under way! And as usual, I'm in the thick of it!

This year I won't go into detail about everything, since I covered Fiesta '06 rather well. If you missed my reports about last year, scroll down (i.e., back in time), looking at the dates of the postings, until you get around 21 April. That date is significant, because the ten days of Fiesta always include this, the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto victory of the rebel Texians under Sam Houston over the forces of Santa Anna.

But I shall cover a few specific and unique items of this year's Fiesta! First and foremost is that I have FAMILY living here, to introduce to Fiesta! When Patrick and his wife LaRae moved here in February, I asked specifically when my brother had been at Fort Sam Houston for his training to be a medic in the Army. He replied that it was August to December. I remarked at the time that he had missed all the best stuff: Rodeo, Folklife, and of course the party-to-end-all-parties. And LaRae hadn't ever been in this city prior to the recent move!

Yep, I was lickin' my lips and rubbin' my hands in anticipatory glee!

We three celebrated our first Fiesta event together by going to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens for "Walk across Texas" this past Saturday morning. The sky was cloudy, but it didn't rain. As in each year's Fiesta, this one-day event featured free coffee and homemade biscuits (with gravy or jelly) using the locally-milled Pioneer Flour. And there were demonstrations and guided exhibits around the three areas of the Botanical Gardens that present three of the major environmental areas of the state: the East Texas Piney Woods, the Hill Country and the South Texas chaparral. I could tell that LaRae really enjoyed some of the demonstrations/exhibits!

Then we drove across town to the Westside, for "Piñatas in the Barrio" at Guadalupe Plaza. I feared we would arrive late and miss opening ceremonies, but not to worry! Latin American types are always fashionably late, and "Piñatas" was no exception! I delighted to point out to the two new S.A. residents, that chicanos or Mexican-Americans are about THE MOST PATRIOTIC of all ethnic groups in these United States, and for instance have a disproportionate number of Congressional Medal of Honor earners among them. Such loyalty and dedication to US military service is the more remarkable, when one considers that a large percentage of them have ancestors who were already living in the area that is now the southwestern states when it was part of Mexico, and by force of war they were taken into the USA. As chicanos like to say, "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us!"

It was also a great delight to introduce Patrick and LaRae to Council Member Patti Radle, who represents District 5 (the bulk of the Westside) on the S.A. City Council. Patti and I have known each other for about as long as she's been on the Council. She's been a good public servant, and was the only Council vote in December 2004 against permitting the PGA to build a luxury golf resort over the aquifer recharge zone. But alas! soon she will have to step down; our Council elections are coming up in just days, and she cannot run for re-election. By city law the Mayor and Council members serve two-year terms and can be re-elected only once.

After "Piñatas" we drove to another Fiesta event, a "Pow-Wow" in Mission County Park near Mission San Jose. It appeared to be typical of one-day Fiesta neighborhood events: some live performances in a stage area, surrounded by booths, mostly for typical Fiesta food items. These are: gorditas, funnel cakes, tacos, roast corn, etc. It didn't look interesting to my brother and sister-in-law, so we didn't go in. Instead I spent some afternoon time at their quarters on post.

Saturday evening, after resting, I attended a new Fiesta event, at La Villita Assembly Hall. New to me, that is; the "Patriotic and Historical Ball" has been held for some 88 years. I hesitated to go, even tho' I'd been trying to get a ticket to the free event for years (the ticket -- actually an invitation -- is for crowd control). I feared that I'd be to only attendee going stag, and that after a brief opening ceremony it would be all dancing, and also I wouldn't see anyone I knew (not counting Fiesta royalty). However, I saw a couple of other fellows attending stag, and also someone I knew thru Emmaus events. Best of all, the ceremony was rather lengthy, with numerous elements. Most impressive were the US Army Drill Team, in their dress blue uniforms, with chromed weapons, as they did their skillful precision drill maneuvers with these latter. In short, I was glad I attended, and even enjoyed observing the "Grand March" that commenced the dancing portion -- even tho' I was a "wallflower"!

Military was the emphasis again on Sunday afternoon, when Patrick and LaRae came and got me and took me back on post for the Fort Sam Fiesta & Fireworks. Part of the military ceremony of this Fiesta event (there was also a "county fair" area of a performance stage and food booths) included (again) the US Army Drill Team. Due to the damp weather the well-dressed soldiers could not do all the performance they had done the previous nite. Patrick and LaRae had never seen them live before (by contrast I had already seen them a couple of times prior to '07), so I filled them in on the missing elements. The 82d Airborne All-American Chorus of men singing a capella also performed, the same show they had done at the "Official Opening Ceremony" on Friday morning. I was glad that my two companions got to hear the skillful drill team and the excellent singing group!

After the "Pass in Review" parade the drizzle returned and edged toward rain. But we all kept on having Fiesta fun. And the fireworks went on, too. The pyrotechnics often disappeared into the cloud cover, to then let off a light sort of like colored sheet lightning. Sometimes sparks from the explosions would be seen coming down out of the clouds. And sometimes the clouds raised sufficiently to allow full view of the bursts. All in all, it was an interesting effect, thanks to soggy Mother Nature! And I was glad to be there, with Patrick and LaRae. Rain or shine!

A Frat of which to be PROUD!

2007-04-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

A few of my previous postings concerned (or at least mentioned) my collegiate social fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha. Well, last nite San Antonio was the site of a historic FIRST for the Brotherhood. Here, in the Skyroom atop the newest building on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word, was held the first ever tri-Zeta White Rose Gala.

"Zeta" is what we in Lambda Chi Alpha call a local collegiate chapter. In S.A. these are Sigma-Beta Zeta at St. Mary's U., Phi-Upsilon at UTSA and the newest (celebrating its third anniversary as a full-fleged Zeta), Pi-Epsilon at Incarnate Word. As I say, the three chapters PLUS the strong and active San Antonio Alumni Association put on the Gala. It was a wonderful as well as historically eventful evening!

Indeed, I was so impressed by the event, that I posted a report at the Website for Lambda Chi Alpha's e-magazine, Cross & Crescent. Here is my post:

Gala deep in the heart of Texas
April 14th, 2007 by Glen Alan Graham

Wow! Something very historic for Lambda Chi Alpha occurred last night in San Antonio! The three local Zetas plus the San Antonio Alumni Association put on a magnificent White Rose Gala, in the fairly new Skyroom at University of the Incarnate Word.

I’m so glad I was there! Lover of history that I am, I appreciate being involved in something of a historic or “first-time” nature. And lover of the Brotherhood that I am, I relish ANY activity that allows me as an alumnus to keep participating in the fraternity that meant SO MUCH to me as an undergraduate at the University of Idaho (Epsilon-Gamma Zeta).

Almost I hesitate to give an account of last night’s Gala; you almost had to have been there. Certainly you HAD to be there to feel the “electricity” generated by this gathering of undergraduate brothers, alumni brothers and their wives and dates! Everyone was “dressed to the nines”, and the women were stunning in their gorgeous gowns. Many of the men looked elegant in black tuxedos with either bow ties or colorful neckties. One that particularly caught my eye was a black tux with a vest and necktie in light, metallic chartreuse green. I was one of some who wore a business suit, dark brown (purchased for the occasion), and necktie — golden yellow on a dark green shirt, the closest I could get to the fraternity colors! Oh, and we had one Brother in US Army dress blues and one Brother wore the dress green uniform or”Class A” of the Army ROTC. So we had patriotic as well as elegant apparel.

The pre-function or mixer time was in the lobby of the Skyroom which ex-tends between the ballroom itself and an outside wall of the top floor that is a continuous series of picture windows giving a fine view eastward across the southern edge of the Incarnate Word campus toward the classic old building that used to house Brooke Hospital on Fort Sam Houston. And once we could enter the ballroom itself we had another set of picture windows oriented southward, from which we could see San Antonio’s famous and excellent zoo below, the unique architecture of nearby Trinity University’s campus to the right and the downtown skyline straight ahead! The food was delicious, a species of chicken cordon bleu on wild rice, with asparagus.

The speakers were even better. My own City Councilman, Brother Christo-pher “Chip” Haass (a Lambda Chi at TCU), was one of these. He spoke well and briefly about his fraternity experience and how it colored his undergrad years.

Keynote speaker, and representing the Grand High Zeta, was Brother Terry Means, an SMU alumnus and a US district judge in Fort Worth. Since he is ser-ving us as Grand High Phi, I wasn’t surprised that he focused on our great ritual and its teachings and ideals. His was a great exhortation to all of us, alumni as well as undergrads, to live out our ideals and teachings, to truly become Vir Quisque Vir, by kalepa ta kala and most important, make our lives truly lived Per Crucem Crescens! (I myself was High Phi at EG Zeta my junior and senior years; our ritual has always meant a lot to me, since it opened important truths of the New Testament to this then “baby” Christian in 1972.) Bro. Terry’s keynote words were very much appreciated by at least this alumnus!

Then came what was possibly the highlight of the Gala, the simultaneous installation of the new High Zeta officers for the three local Zetas: St. Mary’s, UTSA and Incarnate Word. Bro. Terry read the charge for each of the offices, each ending with description of the collar with insignia to be placed around the neck. How appropriate that a Brother who’s a sitting judge gave the charges! It was wonderful to hear again those words exhorting each young Brother as he was installed — or I should say each set of three Brothers being installed together in each office! When has THAT ever happened in the Brotherhood?

San Antonio, the Alumni Association and the three local Zetas can be proud of an event well done! Already I look forward to next year’s White Rose Gala.

Unexpected delightful evening!

2007-04-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

While I was substitute teaching at Alamo Heights High School Monday and Tuesday, I read flyers on the hallway walls about a strings concert to be Tuesday evening at Municipal Auditorium. When I inquired about this program, I was told that it was a district concert. I interpreted this in the UIL sense, i.e. District 28-4A. And I almost didn't go. It might be nice to just relax on a Tuesday evening instead of going to some meeting or shindig somewhere.

But I went, because I like culture!

Am I glad I chose to go. When I arrived at Municipal Auditorium and received a program for the free event, it was clear that by "district" was meant the ISD. The concert commenced with performances by the fourth and fifth grade students of the two elementary schools in the AHISD. I was impressed, first, that the schools began teaching musical instruments as early as those grades, and then that the young students sounded so accomplished and talented.

Then it was the Junior School's turn. Their first musical number was "Rumbolero" -- sounds like a combo of rumba and bolero. Indeed the piece had a very Spanish sound to it! A few of the names of performers, listed in the program, were familiar to me as students whom I had had in classes of teachers for whom I had substituted. The same was true in regard to high school musicians listed. After the entire Junior School string section had their turn, there were two numbers by a combined Junior and High School "Jazz String Band" -- distinctive concept! The first number, "Tuxedo Junction", featured soloists from the Jr. Sch., while the second presented the High School soloists.

After that the High School strings did their thing. Some of these young people have the honor of earning All-Region, and a couple of them All-State. Considering how large Texas is, this is quite an honor -- more so than in the smaller 49!

And then came the grand finale. It was all musicians from fourth grade up to seniors, doing Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." It was WONDERFUL!

Upon leaving this concert that I had almost chosen to forego, I rode bus to Flores and Dolorosa streets. I waited for my friend Enrique to come around driving VÍA trolley, so that I could get aboard and chat. While waiting (in vain, it turned out), I noticed that several Catholic priests and religious were walking away from the Cathedral, just across Dolorosa Street. When I asked about this, a priest told me that they had just finished a Mass in which all clergy from around the Archdiocese renewed their vows. I pray that the Lord will help them to stand firm in these.

The Eleventh César Chávez March

2007-03-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today San Antonio held its eleventh annual César Chávez March. The weather was BEAUTIFUL -- a VERY pleasant change from the frequent rain of March. Indeed, as the rain fell yesterday the old record for March precipitation in S.A. fell. And the annual Mule Relays at Alamo Heights High School got cancelled.

Indeed, the recent torrential weather apparently kept the number of marchers down from what it was last year. This was despite the day of the march (today) being just as perfect a day for marching the three miles from Guadalupe Plaza to The Alamo. Before the march commenced a la una de la tarde (1:00 PM) there were two hours of speeches, VIP introductions, singing an dancing in Guadalupe Plaza. This location isn't una plaza or a square in the usual sense, because no streets lead in or out of it. It's an open space between Guadalupe Street and El Paso Street, across the latter from Guadalupe Church. A statue of Ignacio Zaragoza faces the church at the north entrance to the plaza. Zaragoza was the Texas-born Mexican general who defeated the vastly-superior invading French army at Puebla on 5 May A.D. 1863 -- the origin of la celebración del cinco de mayo.

The César Chávez March for Justice and Peace was supposed to commence at 1:00, but the first units -- a trio of folclórico dancers in Aztec costumes, and a large banner identifying the march, among other vanguard elements -- didn't move out onto Guadalupe Street eastbound until about 1:20. ¡No problema! En San Antonio como en toda la América Latina, es muy de moda llegar tarde o comenzar tarde. (In S.A., as in Latin America, it's quite fashionable to be late in arriving or starting.)

Once the march was under way it proceeded steadily toward its finish point at Alamo Plaza. Along the way at various points folk along the side of the march route were giving out free chilled bottles of water for us thirsty marchers. Alas! there surely weren't such roadside refreshment points for those who marched from Delano to Sacramento, California, during the famous march for farmworkers' rights that Chávez staged back in the Sixties.

As we walked over the Guadalupe street overpass/bridge above the railroad tracks and Alazan Creek -- which actually had water running vigorously down it due to our recent heavy rains -- I admired the new banners attached to the light poles. With bright colors these presented motifs from chicano culture, such as el nopal (the prickly-pear cactus), the head of Our Lady of Guadalupe, el gallo (the rooster) and indigenous people as portrayed in ancient Mexican codices. I also admired the skyline of downtown San Antonio nearby to the northeast, brightly visible in the clear air against the blue sky. As a Fiesta song declares, «¡San Antonio, te quiero!»

To which I might add, «César Chávez, te admiro por tu lucha para los derechos del pueblo común, que salió de tu fe cristiana.» That is, I admire Chavez because his leadership in the struggle for right for the common man came out of his deep and lively Christian faith. In this way, he was much like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Because of the faith foundation for César's struggle for human rights, it's most appropriate that there be a major march in his memory (encouraging the continuation of that struggle 'til the goal be accomplished) here in this city, which also has a Christian faith foundation -- in the mission that was the very beginning of permanent habitation along the banks of the San Antonio River near its headwaters!

Churches of San Antonio

2007-03-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

In a city that is the eighth largest of these United States there will be numerous churches. Of course. I've already posted about "sacred spaces" here in San Antonio, and have commented about church architecture. But herein I would like to list my candidates for top ten churches in this community that began its permanent settlement as a Christian mission station.

First, in terms of being the oldest continuously-active congregation or parish, would be San Fernando Cathedral. Not only is this church extremely prominent historically and an attraction to tourists, but it hosts numerous community events as well as opening to the public major Catholic celebration such as La Gran Posada and also the regular Mass schedule. And Archbishop José Gómez has been prominent in the local news and has himself published several very good writings!

First as far as being my original "home church" is Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This church helped me above and beyond expectations during my first weeks here in January of A.D. 2002. Which led to my joining the congregation on my first visit for Sunday worship that same month!

Most beautiful church building, in my estimation, is Laurel Heights United Methodist Church. Like the first two churches I've commented on this church in earlier blog-postings.

Just two blocks south of Laurel Heights on Belknap Street is Christ Episcopal Church. Like Laurel Heights UMC, this church is of the classic Gothic style architecture. The stain-glass windows are breath-takingly beautiful, and in some subject matter rather Catholic in appearance.

Up in the Hill Country portion of the city, west of the vast medical center, sits Western Hills Christian Church (Disciples). It's also been spotlighted in my postings.

I've been to many events, including Emmaus and Kairos team formation meetings, at Alamo Heights UMC. This is one la-a-a-arge facility, very visible from nearby US 281 on the other side of Quarry Market. Indeed, I'm told that when it was built in the 1990s (earlier AHUMC had been on Broadway in "downtown" Alamo Hts.) it was nicknamed "The Methodome"!

On the South Side of the city, not far from Stinson Field (airport), is Ashley Road Baptist Church. If any church is named as being the home in San Antonio for Southern Gospel music, it would be Ashley Road! Every Second Saturday the little church hosts a local or regional gospel artist or group. Every Saturday they air "The Gospel Train" radio broadcast of my beloved music. And every New Years Eve they have a watch nite service and concert.

One of many small churches scattered on the Westside is Soldiers of Christ Church. It's a storefront church, or so I would have described it when I first noticed it there on West Martin Street. Back then one could still discern that the building had earlier served as a business. But the congregation and pastor Alfonso Gonzales have worked hard to upgrade their facility, so that now one can hardly tell the building didn't always house a church. I used to attend their afternoon service, to sing the Spanish praise songs and listen to preaching in Spanish. But alas! the service go dropped due to fallign attendance.

Also on the Westside is of course my other church home, Mexican Christian Church (Disciples). This church is called the "mother church" of Hispanic Disciples churches, because it was the first Disciples church founded to minister specifically to Spanish-speaking and Hispanic heritage people, over a century ago. It also has the distinction of being the oldest Disciples of Christ church of ANY type in San Antonio!

In La Villita historic neighborhood is Little Church. The formal (or official) name is "Little Church of La Villita". I think it's a non-denominational church now, but was founded as a Methodist of Lutheran church. Nowadays it holds a worship on Sundays, that features a guest preacher. And often when I'm passing thru that historic district that's now the downtown home of arts, crafts and culture, I will notice a wedding going on in the picturesque little church!

This list contains ten churches of personal significance to me, and not always in order of personal importance. It still leaves out some congregation of significance for yours truly. And then there are other church buildings and/or congregations which are better known. Such as Oak Hills Church of Christ, where Max Lucado is senior pastor. He is an excellent, inspirational Christian author! The ever-growing church has moved out beyond Fiesta Texas on IH Ten, recently dropped "of Christ" from its name (so as to not be denominational-specific), and Brother Lucado has just announced that due to a medical condition he will step down from the senior pastor post, but remain on the church staff and continue to preach.

Also well-known nationally is Cornerstone Church, where John Hagee preaches and conducts a television ministry. Cornerstone is another very large church, sitting on the north side of Loop 410 in the Stone Oak area of Loopland. Oh, and back downtown is St. Mark's Episcopal Church beside Travis Park. This oldest Anglican congregation in S.A. once had Robert E. Lee as a member. Also downtown is St. Joseph's Catholic Church, founded to serve Catholics among the flood of German immigrants who came to S.A. in the mid-1800s. Joske's Department Store, which was originally built beside the church, expanded around the back and other side to completely surround it, leading wits to nickname it "Saint Joske's Church." But that joke doesn't work any more, now that Joske's had become on of the Dillard's chain of stores! Over on the Westside is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. It's not much to look at on the outside, but the interior is beautiful, and it had a notable pastor in Father Carmelo Tranchese, called "the rumpled angel of the slums" or something similar. He was a strong advocate that public housing be built so that impoverished chicanos could move out of the jacales (shacks or hovels) in which they had been living on the Westside. Fr. Tranchese was also responsible for preservation of the script for and continuance of the performance of Los Pastores morality play about the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem to see the newborn Jesus. Los Pastores is performed annually at Guadalupe Church and at Mission San José. Speaking of which, I do NOT want to omit the old Spanish missions, certainly not those like Mission San Jose that continue to serve as active parishes.

And finally, back out in Loopland is University UMC, located between the campuses of UTSA and USAA. If anything it appears larger than AHUMC and should be the church nicknamed "The Methodome"! Just about every time I'm inside for an Emmaus event or something else, I get lost in the way it wraps around itself (AHUMC, by contrast, has two "wings" going straight out from the central portion that has the sanctuary and offices)!

Cumpleaños inesperado

2007-03-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday (yesterday) I by serendipity got in on a birthday celebration -- un compleaños inesperado. And it was a delightful experience!

First of all, the birthday person is a member of Mexican Christian Church, my Westside spiritual home. He is Robert Santana. He's been ill recently and therefore I was pleasantly surprised to see his car parked at the church when I arrived Sunday morning! Indeed, as soon as I opened the door I saw Robert. I gave him a bear hug and expressed my delight in seeing him again.

He's a dapper dresser, wearing dark pants, a brown-grey suitcoat, a light blue shirt and a necktie of basic lavender with small white and blue stripes. (The tie's blue stripes picked up the blue hue of the shirt, I might add that once, while he and I were browsing thru ties in the thrift store I saw the tie and commented that it would look great on him -- he probably was wearing the same shirt he was wearing yesterday.) And topping it all off was a grey hat of the type one would associate with Texas law enforcement officers. Indeed, more than once during the day someone would comment that Robert looked like a Texas highway patrolman or a county sheriff!

During church it was mentioned that Robert had celebrated his birthday on 20 March, while he was still ill, and that he is now a noble 80 years old. Later I overheard him speaking with other church members about going to dinner at Don Pedro's. This is the South side Mexican restaurant I had pointed out to Patrick and LaRae just the day before, as a place of good reputation. Since I was so happy to see Robert well and back at church and since I'd never eaten at Don Pedro's, I maneuvered an invitation to go with him (dutch-treat).

Eventually there were eleven in our party at Don Pedro's. These included Robert's children and grandchildren, as well as the church folk like myself. The food was worthy of the reputation. This gathering turned into a real party -- a belated birthday party for Robert Santana! Several cards, most with money gifts inside and/or with scripture references on them, and a few gifts for him enlivened the scene. I managed to whisper to our waitress the reason for the gathering. A little later, lo and behold! she came to the table with two waiters and un sombrero de charro. She set the hat on his head and the trio sang for his birthday celebration.

As a result of all this, I enjoyed a completely and unexpectedly delightful Sunday afternoon. I was in the midst of a small group of chicanos in a Mexican restaurant -- a favorite situation in which to be, given my delight en el idioma español, my taste for Tex-Mex food and my pleasure at being in the company of chicanos. And all this to help a man I esteem celebrate his 80th birthday. ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Roberto!

In the air: birds, planes

2007-03-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

One of my early postings on this blogsite concerned "things to dislike" about San Antonio. One of those few items was a species of bird called grackles.

Be aware that I'm a strong supporter of responsible use of our earthly environment, and being good stewards of all creatures. The very first Earth Day took place during my sophomore year of high school. So concern for the ecology made a strong impression me. And continues to impress me.

Nevertheless, there is ONE SPECIES that I hate with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I dearly long for this species to become extinct, as I see no redeeming worth to their cluttering up the environment. These are the infernal grackles.

In case you are unfamiliar with these birds, the are the size of ravens, are midnight black all over (except for their halloweenish eyes), and have the appearance of being all tail feathers and not much else. When they fly, those tail feathers go in a vertical file rather than horizontally like other birds. (This description may be of the males only; I think the females are drab colored -- much better than that satanic black!) Grackles have a very unpleasant call, sometimes a sort of harsh whistle, sometimes more of a clacking sound. They are almost always found in either groups of about half a dozen or in huge flocks. In this city they're always in huge herds in certain downtown areas such as Travis Park and out at the Medical District. BUT NOW they're EVERYWHERE, alas! They're a plague!

But I don't wish to dwell on the negative. So: now from the bad to the good. Or, from birds to planes (yes, I mean to allude to the opening of the old, old TV show "Superman"). . . .

This morning Patrick , LaRae and I toured the Texas Air Museum, located in a hangar at Stinson Field on the South Side, on Roosevelt Street, across the river from Mission San Juan Capsitrano. It was a fun as well as an educational experience!

In the hangar that houses the museum, when one enters he or she is at the gift shop, and that end of the hangar has numerous displays, about air history in and near San Antonio. It emphasizes military pilots, aircraft and air fields. This is natural, since military aviation was born in S.A. -- on the parade ground of the US Army's Fort Sam Houston. (Until about the end of WW II it was a corps of the Army, and only then became a separate branch.) This military aviation beginning blossomed into no less than FOUR Air Force bases, of which Lackland AFB remains "the Gateway to the US Air Force" as its basic training site. In the museum one will see several military uniforms, of all branches, from various notable pilots.

Particularly interesting to me was a sizable display about air campaigns in Mexico, during the Mexican Revolution, including against bandit rebel Pancho Villa. I was also sort of amused at an under-sized Quonset hut indoors. I pointed out to my two companions (who are new S.A. residents) that Quonset hits are common in the Alamo City, especially on the South Side and the Westside.

Just past the Quonset hut a small door led to the outdoor exhibit of two fighter planes (WW II vintage, I think) and a military helicopter. Back inside the hangar we saw that the runway-facing end, which had a full-size door for airplanes, had several actual airplanes. All were flyable, including two or three old biplanes and a triplane.

What really caught my eye was a much newer plane, a Cessna 150 that was facing the door to the runway. It was green and white, and I longed to climb into this beauty, rev the engine and take off into the wide blue Texas sky! You see, dear reader, after my junior year of high school I had learned to fly (on a scholarship awarded thru Junior ROTC) and had earned a private pilot license for the Cessna 150.

John Tosh, who runs the museum and is a friendly, informative older gentleman, is the owner of the Cessna. He told us that just that morning prior to opening the museum he had flown for awhile in the Cessna. John showed us a video film about Katherine Stinson and the Stinson air-pioneer family. This airport, one of the first non-military airstrips, is named after her. To be frank, her exploits before, during and after WW I are as remarkable and admirable as those of the slightly later Amelia Earhart!

Upon leaving the Texas Air Museum and John Tosh, we three ate a somewhat late lunch at Church's Chicken -- a great S.A. chain and superior to the Colonel and his nation-wide KFC! Then, to get to evening work at Fiesta Texas I gave Patrick and LaRae a guided tour of the South Side and far Westside. As we drove west on Military Drive I pointed out such landmarks as Don Pedro's, at the corner with Commercial Street, reputedly the best Mexican restaurant on the South Side. Awhile later we drove past Sea World, which I do not consider to be competition for the Six Flags park, because the two theme parks literally have different themes.

By the time we got onto Loop 1604 west (S.A.'s outer loop, with 410 being the "inner" loop) to go north toward my park workplace, we were deep in blossoming bluebonnets! The State Flower (Wildflower) was all over the median and both shoulders. I was somewhat amused at my sister-in-law, who was busy taking photos left and right. But then again, I wish I had had my camera, so that I too could record this gorgeous natural carpeting!

Favorite spots on bus routes

2007-03-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

During this year of sharing with you my life here in San Antonio, dear reader, I've often written of the city's mass transit, VÍA, on which buses and trolleys I get around this fascinating city. So, I consider sharing with you some of my favorite places to be on the bus as it passes along.

Before I get to that, a word about my favorite routes. Actually, for the first year and a half of living here, my favorite routes were #11 New Braunfels and #15 Fort Sam. That's an interesting coincidence, in that my two favorite numbers are 11 and 15 (don't ask me why, they just are). But #11 had a stop on either side of North New Braunfels outside the front door of my church, Alamo Heights Christian Church. Therefore, it was my way to and from church activities. And North New Braunfels is such a lovely street (see my early posting about "Streets of S.A."), passing between the Botanical Garden and the uphill, wildflower end of Mahncke Park, the S.A. Country Club, the McNay Art Museum, and lots of pretty houses (and a few pretty apartments) in Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills and adjacent parts of the '09 portion of San Antonio.

Route #15 actually went along the south edge of Mahncke Park and its wildflower-carpeted uphill end, then cut across the northern part of the Army post, to exit onto Harry Wurzbach and pass by the National Cemetery.

Alas! in August of A.D. 2003 both routes were among the third of VÍA bus routes that tanked in the so-called "Consolidated Service Plan" to allegedly help the transit company get back into the black.

So, which routes are my current faves?

Well, my favorite of all is #520 Zarzamora. This is the one my best friend, Joe Tovar, drives on weekday mornings, which alone would make it my fave. But then, it does pass certain cherished spots on Zarzamora, such as Karam's Mexican Restaurant,the Malt House, the now-defunct Salsa Mora's cafe, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church (it looks like an old Southwest mission), the Basilica of the Little Flower (it looks like a colonial church straight out of the Bajío area of central Mexico), and my barber shop, García's.

Also favored routes of mine will include:

505 Basse. This one serves the very closest bus stop to my room, and goes from Randolph Park & Ride to Crossroads Park & Ride, including the entire length of Basse Road.

IH Ten Express. This used to be #93, but then it was split into two, with #93 operating only on weekdays and only as far as UTSA. #94 skips Crossroads P & R on weekdays and goes to Fiesta Texas daily (it, however, doesn't go to the drop-offs for entrances to the park if the park isn't open to the public -- not even when there ARE employee events such as training). Also, toward the end of '06 this #94 began serving the new shopping center still being built on the other side of IH Ten from the park; it's called "The Rim".

68 Guadalupe. This route passes my church on the Westside, Mexican Christian, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and the adjacent Guadalupe Plaza.

42 Roosevelt. This one passes Mission San José and the visitor center for San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. If I want to get to the most remote mission of that park, Espada, I'd have to take #42 almost to its end and then walk a good mile to the left (east).

77 Martin. This one passes two other small Westside churches that have personal significance: Soldiers of Christ, a storefront church located on Martin, and El Buen Pastor, a Mexican-American Methodist church on Poplar. And the neighborhood at its end-of-line reminds me of Devine, Texas, for some reason.

515 Southcross. This one goes along the east-west street on the South Side of that name. I kind of like the neighborhoods it passes thru, the name of the street, and the route number (which includes my special number, 15). Plus the facts that my eye doctor's office lies near the east end and the west end loop for this route involves a rather short street with the name of Bynum -- a small village near Hillsboro (northern central Texas) and home of one of my favorite authors and cyber-buddies, "Ace" Collins.

NOW: for my favorite spots to be on a bus as it rolls along its route.

Tops is southbound on North New Braunfels Avenue between Chichester and the Terrell Hills City Hall -- #8 and #509. As the bus reaches Chichester it begins descending an increasingly steep hill, at the bottom of which are three traffic signal sets in quick succession (at three closely-spaced cross streets). It's something of a thrill to look out the windshield as we descend, especially in twilight! It has the sensation of going down into a body of water with a channel marked by numerous buoys (the traffic signals).

IH Ten-bound on La Cantera Parkway (from UTSA), after passing most of The Shops at La Cantera -- #94. The bus rider gets a great, fairly close view of The Rattler wooden roller coaster in Fiesta Texas. If one is fortunate one will see a train of cars as they reach the first summit and plunge down into the old quarry that's now a theme park. And in the distance are Superman Krypton Coaster and Scream. As one rounds the hill and approaches the four-way stop at Fiesta Texas Drive, one gets a full view of the guest parking and beyond it employee parking and the building that houses ESO (Employee Services Office) and Wardrobe.

Southbound on San Pedro Avenue between Rector and Rampart -- #3. This major north-south avenue descends from the higher elevations around North Star Mall and the airport, to the lower area closer-in. One gets a great view of the Tower of the Americas and other downtown skyscrapers in the distance, beckoning one to draw closer.

Either direction on Nacogdoches Road north of OConnor Road -- #640. Here the bus is passing Comanche Lookout Park (west of the road). It's reputed to be the third highest high point in the county and was a good lookout post for watchers for marauding natives back in the mid-1800s Indian conflict -- hence the name. The park appears to be largely left natural and undeveloped except at the south end next to the fairly new Semmes Branch Library.

Railroad crossing and a railroad-side street in "downtown" Converse -- #639. Most of far-suburban Converse is the same Loopland-like soul-less spread of fairly recent residential areas alternating with strip-shopping -- "all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same". BUTthis particular couple of blocks still has old buildings, some still in use, from when Converse was just a remote rural hamlet serving surrounding farms.

Either direction on WW White south of Southcross -- the "Looper" routes 550 & 551. This is one of the few places on the Looper routes that still has a rural look to it. One certainly won't find such "open country" on the Loopland portion of the Looper!

Southbound on South Flores Street between Nogalitos and the railroad crossing -- #44. There are interesting little old buildings and xeriscaping (landscaping with "desert" plants) on the east side, and St. Henry's Catholic Church and School on the west side. St Henry's features the California-mission style of architecture and is white with a red roof. And just beyond the church is a street marked (in the City of San Antonio style) "W Fest". The "W" obviously stand for "West", as just across Flores is "E Fest". But I don't look that way; I smile instead as "West Fest" call to my memory the little north central Texas town of West, settled by Czechs and featuring an annual celebration of Slavic heritage called "Westfest"! Ha, ha! Cute pun, which admittedly few folk in S.A. would even "get", but I do, since I've "been there done that"!