partsofspeaking

About 25 minutes. That was enough.  Sad, to use one of Trump's Twitter exclamation.  I was amazed how much Trump kept his cool, even though his affect was "boy, I want to destroy this guy." But he actually showed some (a very little) compassion.   But I couldn't take 90 minutes of that. Obviously neither could President Biden.  This is elder abuse, and it's time to replace him, but that has to be his choice. But, in my mind it's not the issue of two old men debating; it's the issue of two old narcissistic men with no real values or moral compasses except power and "glory" defending themselves even to the point of their (nonexistent) sports prowess.  Sad but funny headline:  Biden evaluates his own debate performance from Georgia Waffle House.   This is probably only funny to people from Georgia who are familiar with Waffle Houses .

In the history of the church, there have been legends about Jesus' actions as a child, other than the the time in the temple. One is that he brought a dead bird back to life. It is the human condition to imagine and make up stories. Since, based on everything we have been told, 30 years transpired before Christ started his ministry, that leaves a lot of time for humans to think up narratives. In the absence of information, people create it, true or not.  Protestants don't really "go for" these legends. But I have heard many theories about where the Apostle Paul shows up before the martyrdom of Stephen. One of them is that he is the rich young ruler who walks away. Another was on the chat boards for THE CHOSEN.   A character is skulking, in rags, in the background during the resurrection of Lazarus. The fans posit that it's Paul.  Considering that  by the time Luke, John, and Matthew wrote (Mark, too, perhaps), Paul was very well known, it doesn't make much sen...

 In February of 2022 I started my podcast, Dialogues with Creators.  So far I have made no money, have spent quite a bit, but I've had a lot of fun. I have been able to talk to the most amazing people: an archaeologist, for one. Lots of artists. Professors and scholars; farmers, our pastors, entrepreneurs.  I think, I will have to stop at some point in time. And then I think, why? I have a record of great conversations to look back on, and they have given me much joy. I won't be traveling for a while (a couple of things planned for 2025), so this is my vacation.  Please check it out, probably starting this season and then going backward. https://rss.com/podcasts/dialogues-with-creators/ Also on the usual suspects of podcast servers.   In other news.   Who is going to watch the "presidential" debates on Thursday? They promise to be ..... cringey? painful?  funny?  or enlightening? Two egotistical old men.  Does anyone care what's goi...

There are many things I like about living in Northwest Georgia. People are lovely, I actually am ok with the climate, and there is some real beauty. The laws are more progressive than in Tennessee, and the schools are good. I am able to jump on a highway and be a lot of places quickly. And there are things that go against the grain.  First, and mainly, is the lack of classiness. Case in point, our congressional representative, who over the weekend said publicly: ‘Anyone that wants to continue to shame us for January 6 can go to hell." Such a fine Christian woman.  Another case in point. I drive up I-75 a few times a week. We have lovely billboards.  1. Injured? Call Pritchard. (Is it supposed to rhyme?) A personal injury lawyer. This is not the only one.  2. A realtor who doesn't seem to have a problem using copyrighted images.  I assume he knows exactly where to stop. "Divorcing? Get rid of the spouse, sell the house."  "Are you a Barbie girl living in a ...

The day after the summer solstice, but we can still luxuriate (and sweat) in long days in Georgia (although not as long as much farther north).  It's still dusk at 9:15 for a while.   My dog, Butter, has a wanderlust that has pushed me to the brink. Well, he either is tied up or isolated in the "back back yard," but the second is like sending a child to his room where he has Internet, video games, and streaming services.  It is a large space, he has a shed to hide under in the heat (what is it about dogs and getting under porches and sheds?) and I even put a kiddie pool out there for him to keep cool. He loves to run through creeks and get filthy. He seems to see the pool as a punishment (perhaps precursor to a bath).  I am driving to Rome, Georgia, a mystery place for me, to have a book "event" as I call them.  Normally I would be at the Rabbit Valley Market, but they are free of me for a couple of weeks.   Last night I drove about 35 miles to at...

I am being obnoxious about marketing this summer  because 1. it helps out my publisher  2. the book is very good (two people who wrote their dissertations on Appalachian fiction think so!) and 3. I need to get my money back out of all the copies I bought!!!  

I have a real website, https://www.barbaragrahamtucker.net There I have my business, more writing, links, etc.  Also my podcast:  https://rss.com/podcasts/dialogues-with-creators/ This marketing thing is hard!

  Lying In  is out, available on my website (www.barbaragrahamtucker.net) and Colorful Crow Publishing, or from me personally at one of my book events and at Rabbit Valley Farmers Market just about every Saturday. (It's in Ringgold, GA, on Depot Street.) Yes, I'm hawking this one a lot--I ordered 80 copies and want my money back! Seriously, it is good. Two professors of Appalachian literature loved it. That says it all for me. In other news....when I opened up this section of the website to post this, it gave me three AI-generated blog post topics. GRRRRRR. One of them was Arcane Literature. Yeah, that's me. Finally, a must read: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/june-web-only/break-blow-burn-make-lily-yu-writer-thoughts-creation.html  I haven't read something so profound about writing in a while; I bought the book. And today is Flag Day. According to the Library of Congress website: Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential procla...

Subdivision headings and notes in Bible are human interpretations! (The title of this post is tongue-in-cheek, by the way.) The notes in mine say Jesus did not appear to any unbelievers after the resurrection, other than Paul. What about his own brothers?  I don't see how they can make that conclusion.  (I Corinthians 15 does say 500 brethren at once.)  They were not all believers in the resurrection at that time! In other parts of the world .... This recognition of the famine and genocide in Sudan, from which came many of my former ESL students at church, is heartbreaking, and one flounders at what to do. We want to help, but the warring factions prevent aid from coming in. What wickedness. I bought tires at Costco yesterday and thought I would do some grocery shopping there....I changed my mind when I realized 1. I had plenty of food in the house already and 2. too many people have nothing. 

 Last night someone extremely close to me said they forgave me for something that I did not think was worthy of forgiveness. By that I mean I didn't think it was a sin or offense. At the most, it was a miscommunication on their part. There was no intentionality. I am mulling this over. Is this an opportunity to forgive the other person, to be wise and let it go, to wander back into the fray, or do some introspection as to why they might think I sinned against them? However, I did realize a core flaw in my being, my character, that might have led to the misunderstanding or their view of my offense. I won't go into that here, but it's definitely something to consider.  In other news, my dog has run away again and not returned. My neighbors have to forgive me for this, although he is a sweet dog who just likes to wander.  Usually he comes back by now, and he will be tied up for the remainder of the day. I have no choice in the matter, other than to spend a lot of money on a ...

 It is a gloriously cool and clear morning in Northwest Georgia--low humidity, cloudless sky, and a chorus of birdsong (I really recommend the Merlin app from Cornell University, so you can know that both a Canadian Goose and a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is making noises in your backyard; the Gnatcatcher weighs .23 ounces--how is that possible!) Christianity Today tells me Tony Evans is stepping down from his ministry due to the need to repent and recover from an "old sin."  David French's New York Times column is about how the PCA cancelled him by rescinding an invitation to speak on political polarization at their conference.  Examples of humility v. pride, maybe? Who is to say that the PCA was wrong in their decision? And then CT also tells us the SBC abuse prevention work is not done.  My thought is, what's all this airing of dirty laundry about? Do the readers of the NYT really need to know about David French's tif with the most conservative group of Presbyterian...

 John 19:31-37.  31  Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32  Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33  But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35  And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36  For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37  And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” Why this passage? John wants the readers to know he saw it and ...

I just saw a "debate" on Facebook about gun control and how people (I suppose that is a stand-in for nasty Republicans or conservatives" who don't want to save children's lives by doing something about gun control to stop school shooting.  Several people wrote, "They require the children to be born, but won't protect them or feed them." Does no one see the logical fallacy(ies) there? False analogy (apples and oranges), and red herring (misdirection), and ad hominem? The issue is that Congress is led by both sides at different times and neither does anything about the gun control laws in regard to school safety.  Not a fan of either side right now, but bad logic drives me crazy. As well as ignoring reality.

  But what is this fear of the Lord? It is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law. His wrath is so bitter, and his love so sweet; that hence springs an earnest desire to please him, and—because of the danger of coming short from his own weakness and temptations—a holy watchfulness and fear, “that he might not sin against Him” (Heb 12:28, 29).” Charles Bridges, A Commentary on Proverbs , 1847.  Our pastor used the first part of this quotation this morning. The definition is followed by some statements that some of us today might consider unhealthy or codependent. They are not; we cannot compare our relationship to God to those with people in all ways. The desire not to sin against God should be basic, not an afterthought. 

 Any time a peson buys one of my books, regardless of the profit I make, it is a gift. No one has to.  I will be at the Dalton State Roberts Library tonight at 5:30 to discuss my new novel. 650 College Drive, Dalton, GA.  I will be at Local Coffee in East Ridge, TN, on June 8, 2-4. Also at Dogwood Books in Rome, GA, 1-3, June 22.  And Crazy Bookstore Lady in Acworth, June 29, 12-4.  And Clintwood, VA, library on July 13, 10-2. 

Okay, I admit that the title is a little bit of click-bait. But I've been thinking about O'Connor a lot lately, reading her letters compiled by Sally Fitzgerald in The Habit of Being , and I kind of have to ask myself, what's the big deal? Is she really one of the greatest American writers?  She is because she was a craftsman of prose and she is someone you cannot shake from your consciousness after reading. She wasn't because she is not accessible and she has a narrow world view. That of course, is my opinion. She is not "overrated," but perhaps she is over-revered. I did a Google search on this subject. I found the following: https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/caution-writings-flannery-oconnor https://www.amazon.com/review/R18RL4F7924ZLB  https://backland.typepad.com/backland/2020/06/why-i-hate-flannery-oconnor.html https://edrenalinerush.com/2020/06/16/in-defense-of-flannery-oconnor/ https://themillions.com/2018/08/the-torture-box-a-critical-look-at-flanner...