Some Weighty Words

The number one cable news show in America is Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” hosted nightly by the colorful Bill O’Reilly. One of Bill O’Reilly’s favorite things, next to pontificating on the issues of the day, berating unpatriotic “pinheads”, and grilling guests bold (or foolish) enough to venture into his “no-spin zone,” is to broaden the vocabulary of his audience. Each night, O’Reilly dusts off some long forgotten word tucked away in the dark recesses of the English dictionary, sending it out via cable and satellite for the entertainment and education of the masses.

Some of O’Reilly’s favorite words—“bloviating”, “pithy” and “opine” (the verb form of opinion)—are frequently utilized when inviting viewers to email him their comments. He always warns his potential emailers against bloviating, emphasizing that all bloviation is the exclusive right of the host alone. He also encourages them to make their comments pithy and to be sure and give the name of their town with their name “if you wish to opine.” Then, he often will throw in some other interesting and strange-sounding word for good measure. For example, sometimes he adds “…and please don’t be a popinjay!” Or “please don’t be Pecksniffian!” or “loquacious!” or a “blooter!”

I have to admit that more than once O’Reilly has sent me scurrying to my dictionary to check out the meaning of some term he has used. Most of the aforementioned words pertain to verbal or personal excessiveness. For example, in case you’re wondering, a popinjay is “a person given to vain, pretentious displays and empty chatter.” From what I understand, the word’s origins have something to do with a parrot, a creature which interestingly offers quite a vivid illustration of the definition. A Pecksniffian is someone that is “hypocritically benevolent and sanctimonious”, the word being derived from the fictional Mr. Pecksniff, a character from a Charles Dickens novel. A blooter (as O’Reilly uses the term) is “a babbler, a bumbling idiot, a fool.” But you won’t find that one in the English dictionary. “Blooter” is an old Scottish slang expression with various meanings. After O’Reilly said the word on his show one night—without defining it—it became the most searched for word on Google the following day.

Words and their sounds can carry with them vivid imagery that helps us remember them. My senior English teacher in high school was my Aunt Jo Florence. (That’s right. Jo Florence. Never just “Jo” and never just “Florence”. Always Jo Florence. Except people usually said it altogether in just 2 syllables—“Joflarnce”.) Aunt Jo Florence taught me a lot about the English language. She helped plant in me the seeds that made me want to be a good writer. (Those seeds were further cultivated in English Composition class during my freshman year of college. My professor then was the colorful Dr. Tessa Louisa Brown Unthank, a British animal rights activist and ardent vegetarian. But that’s a whole ‘nother story!)

Aunt Jo Florence spent time with those of us that were preparing to go off to college, seeking to expand our vocabulary. She used word associations to help us create a vivid and memorable mental image for each word. One word that I’ve never forgotten is the word “truculent”, which means “fierce”. Although I never ever use that word, I always remember her telling us to “just imagine a big fierce Mack truck bearing down on you.” Yikes! Maybe that’s why I never use that word. I’m afraid to!

Anyway, words indeed are powerful tools. Jesus told us that our words are vitally important. It really doesn’t matter the size of our vocabulary. But what matters is how we utilize the vocabulary we have. Do we use our words to build up or to tear down? Do we use our speech to edify and encourage or criticize and complain? Do we speak words of healing and hope or do we use words that wound and weary others? Jesus says that someday we’ll give account for every word we’ve ever used. Ouch! In this day of mass communication, 24/7 news reporting, incessant Internet activity, and seemingly endless pontificating and bloviating—to borrow an O’Reilly phrase—it would appear that we all need to give a lot more attention to this matter than we typically do.

Words are important. Let’s use them wisely, carefully and thoughtfully. Please don’t be a blooter. Resist the temptation to act Pecksniffian. Avoid becoming a popinjay at all costs. And please, please—whatever else you do—if you write me in response to this blog, don’t be truculent!

Pastor Danny

A Capitol Fourth

For Independence Day, Sandy and I traveled up to Washington, DC to celebrate our nation’s birthday with our son and daughter-in-law. This was a first for us—celebrating the Fourth of July in our nation’s capital. It was a weekend of baseball, hotdogs, flag-waving and fireworks. What could be more American that that? We arrived in DC on Thursday afternoon, the 3rd, and ventured on up to Baltimore that evening to take in a ballgame at Camden Yards, one of my all-time favorite ballparks. (The Washington Nationals were on the road that week. That’s why we opted to see the Orioles.) It was a pretty exciting game—including four homeruns and two triples—but the hometown team lost to the visiting Kansas City Royals, 10-7. Sandy and I agreed that the funnel cakes at the park that night were the worst we had ever had—hard as a rock!—but they were offset by the wonderful crab cake sandwiches we enjoyed before the game at the Wharf Rat Restaurant.

The next day, on the 4th, we left Jordan and Melinda’s apartment near the Pentagon in Arlington and drove down to the U. S. Capitol Building, near where Jordan works. Jordan and Melinda’s friends from Florida, Rob and Anne Marie, were up visiting with them. After the six of us made our way through security, we found a spot under a tree on the west lawn of the Capitol where we would be able to view the evening concert and fireworks show. This was the 28th annual edition of “A Capitol Fourth,” a nationally televised event celebrating our country’s birthday. It rained off and on throughout the afternoon and evening, and we all got a little damp, but fortunately the big show went on. The evening’s program was emceed by actor Jimmy Smits, who, a couple of years ago, interestingly, during the final season of the long-running television series “The West Wing”, portrayed a young Hispanic U.S. Congressman that was elected President of the United States. Musical guests for the festivities included 1980s rockers Huey Lewis and the News, last year’s American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and 1950s rock n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. I was particularly intrigued by the appearance of Jerry Lee Lewis. I honestly thought he was dead! Certainly, all of his talented contemporaries from his old Sun Records’ days in Memphis are long gone now—Elvis Presley, Carl “Blue Suede Shoes” Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash. But that night at the Capitol, “The Killer” proved himself to be very much alive. In his 70s now, Lewis was still banging those piano keys and singing like he always did. He opened with Chuck Berry’s classic “Roll Over Beethoven” and then performed two of his own biggest hits—both from 1957 (my birth year)—“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”. With those two numbers, Jerry Lee closed the whole show, taking us right into the big fireworks display, visible high above the Washington Monument and across the city skyline. As we gazed upon the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, the National Symphony Orchestra played “The 1812 Overture”, complete with live cannon blasts. It was followed by an inspiring medley of John Philip Sousa marches, including my very favorite, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” (What would our country do without Sousa? Truly, his matchless patriotic compositions provide the soundtrack for our republic!)

The next morning—Saturday the 5th—was the climax of our All-American weekend. We went on a White House tour, thanks to Jordan. Once we were inside, a Secret Service agent told us we just missed seeing President Bush depart from the South Lawn on Marine One. He had lifted off only minutes before our arrival. Too bad. I had hoped to say “hello” to him. But it sure was thoughtful of him to leave the door unlocked and the porch light on for us so we could drop in for a visit. He sure is a trusting soul! After our tour, we rode the Metro back to Arlington and had lunch at a Salvadoran/ Peruvian Café (which kind of blew our All-American theme for the weekend). Then Sandy and I headed on back to Danville.

I’ve celebrated the Fourth of July in a number of settings in my 51 years. This latest one at our nation’s capital was truly one of the three most memorable I’ve experienced. One of the others was back in 2001. Jordan and I were part of a mission team constructing a church building on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in the town of Lame Deer, Montana. The 4th fell during the week we were there. We worked hard all that day and watched the fireworks that night. Launched off Squaw Hill—the highest point in town—that fireworks show was about the best and longest display of pyrotechnics I’ve ever seen anywhere. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs must have had a big budget surplus that year. On top of that, we also got to observe an authentic powwow with Native American dancers in full tribal dress. Interestingly, this was all within a short distance of Custer’s Last Stand at the Little Big Horn. Another memorable 4th of July for me was last year at The Crossing in downtown Danville. Our first Independence Day since moving back to Pittsylvania County, Sandy and I just loved it. It was a good, old-fashioned, patriotic, family-style, hometown Independence Day celebration. Truly, Americana at it’s best, the way it was meant to be. Sandy and I told Jordan and Melinda that next year on the Fourth they’ve got to come down to visit us and experience Independence Day Southside Virginia-style.

Pastor Danny

The Walking Man

Up and down Franklin Turnpike he goes. Back and forth. To and fro. Day after day. I see him most often along that 4-mile stint of 41 from Mount Hermon Baptist Church to Piney Forest Road. Sometimes, I see him quite a ways up Piney Forest, up near Mary’s Diner and even beyond. There he is. Day in, day out. Rain or shine. Hot or cold. Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. In his baseball cap, Orkin T-shirt and/or UVA hooded sweatshirt.

He walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks. I don’t know him. I’ve never met him. But I always take note of him. He’s always moving. He never stops. Never pauses. Never hesitates. He’s like a perpetual motion machine. Nothing ever deters him from his mission of mobility as he scoots on down the road at a rapid clip.

He must have one of the best cardiovascular systems in town. Certainly some of the strongest legs. And toughest feet. Walking, to say the least, is a passion--if not an obsession--for this man.

As I saw him again just today, I thought about a baseball player of yore named Eddie Yost. Back in the 1950s, Eddie Yost was the third baseman for the old Washington Senators major league baseball team. He played for the Senators for several years until they traded him to make room for some young kid coming up named Harmon Killebrew. (For those unfamiliar, Killebrew became one the greatest sluggers in baseball history during the 1960s and 1970s. But, that's a rabbit trail I can chase another day!)

Anyway, Yost was not known for his hitting. Rather, he was known for his incredibly high on-base percentage. (For you non-baseball fans, that means he got on base a lot, even without necessarily getting a lot of hits. How? By walks. Or, as they’re officially called in baseball parlance, “bases on balls.”) Eddie Yost wasn’t a great hitter, per se, but he had a keen eye. And he possessed great patience. And thus, better than most batters, he knew what pitches NOT to swing at. And, thus, he was very hard for pitchers to get out. For many years, Eddie Yost led the American League in walks. He’s also among the top 10 players in baseball history in terms of lifetime walks. Most of the other guys on that list were great hitters and household names. Guys like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. But Eddie just got walks. Hence, he became known by the moniker “The Walking Man.” And that’s what I call the guy who treks up and down Highway 41. Again, I don’t know his real name, but “The Walking Man” just kind of fits him. So, whenever I’m driving along and I see him speed-stepping down the sidewalk, I say to myself, “Hey, there goes The Walking Man again!”

As I was reflecting on all of this, I was reminded that one of the most commonly used terms in the New Testament for the Christian life is the word “walk”. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, repeatedly wrote about the importance of our walk in Christ. Biblically speaking, our walk has to do with our conduct, our demeanor, our witness before a watching world. As people traveling along the roadway of life glance our way, what do they see? Do they see us walking at a steady pace, on the straight and narrow, with a sense of direction and purpose? Or do they see us stumbling and falling, stopping and starting, ambling along uncertainly as if we really don’t know where we’re headed? The manner in which we walk is vitally important.

Walking is indeed a good illustration of the Christian life. For it’s true that we’re all on a journey. And that journey has a destination. The journey is long, and it has its ups and down, hills and valleys. But the most important thing to remember is this: It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. And it’s important to finish well. Thus, it's good to note that the journey of life is not a 100-yard dash. It’s a marathon. So, the goal is not to be a flash-in-the-pan, but a strong finisher. And the key to finishing strong is consistency and commitment.

How are you walking? Is it time for you to pick up the pace? Do you need to get refocused on the goal? Do you need to be reminded of what the whole journey is about and why you got into it in the first place? Not quite sure how to get going again? Remember what the Apostle Peter said: “…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21). Wow! That's good to know, isn't it? Someone has already charted the path for us. We simply have to put on our spiritual shoes and follow Him, one step at a time.

So from now on, whenever you’re driving down 41 and you see the The Walking Man doing his fancy footwork, let his pedestrian passion be a continuing reminder of the daily spiritual walk to which Jesus has called you.

Pedestrian...er, Pastor Danny