O Brother

Have you seen the movie, O Brother Where Art Thou?
The film begins with the escape of three friends, Everett, Pete, and Delmar from a chain gang in rural, depression era Mississippi. Still in leg irons, they set out to retrieve the $1.2 million in treasure that Everett stole from an armored car and buried before his incarceration, and they've got to find it fast. In four days, the whole valley will be flooded to create Arkabutla Lake, and all hopes for riches will be lost.

It's a modern retelling of Homer's Odyssey, and it's hilarious and scary and has an amazing soundtrack that burrows under your skin like ringworm.
A gorgeous, soulful ringworm, but still.

We watched it again at the beach last week, and ever since we got back home, I've been singing Man of Constant Sorrow and When I Went Down to the River to Pray. I'm crazy about both of those songs, but my family is beginning to wish they could figure out how to change my channel.

Then yesterday, as I fiddled with this blog, adding photos of our French life to the French Living page, I came across this picture.

Yes, that man in the black coat is actually me. (I know it's not fashionable, but I'm a Carolina girl who gets cold in the snow, so sorry.)
It was taken during the first year of our French life, during our first visit to Notre Dame d'Orcival, a 13th century Romanesque basilica in the tiny village of Orcival, about forty minutes from where we used to live.

Here's a better photo of the church.

Photo by Francis Debaisieux
The basilica is indeed a world treasure, but the thing that struck me most about it is what hangs on an outer wall. See it in the inset there?

Here, let me blow it up for you.

Photo by Francis Debaisieux
Those are leg irons.
Leg irons, just like the ones binding Everett and Pete and Delmar.
I saw the photo of us standing in the snow beneath the leg irons and remembered that cold day as my brain started singing
I am a man of constant sorrow I've seen trouble all my day. I bid farewell to old Kentucky The place where I was born and raised.

Our Michelin Green Guide said that the chains had been hung "in thanksgiving for released prisoners." Ben wanted to know just who was released and if it was really safe to set prisoners free, and Sarah said that maybe they weren't supposed to be in jail anyway, especially if they were the kind of prisoners who care about thanking God.

But the chains got all of us thinking and talking about what it means for God to set us free.
And yesterday, as I looked at that picture and sung along with Everett, I remembered this verse:
⁷ He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,

⁸ the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.

⁹ The LORD watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Psalm 146:7-9, New International Version

It's a lovely scripture, but at first thought, I wasn't sure that it had anything to do with me.
I'm not really oppressed (except by my laundry pile, ha ha.) I'm not hungry or in prison, blind or made to bow down. I'm not an alien anymore, nor am I fatherless or a widow.

But maybe it speaks to me too.
I might not be guilty of doing things that land me in prison, but I know I'm imprisoned in other ways.
Even though I try not to, I do things and think things that keep me from living the whole, healthy life God wants for me.

I envy other people. What they own that I don't. Their talents. What looks like the ease of their lives. I worry too much, and sometimes I let fear keep me from doing things that would please God. Fear of what other people might think. Fear of failing.

I could go on, but you get the point.
I'm just thankful that even though God knows all about my sorry failings, He refuses to shut the door on me. God lets me in anyway, unbinding me daily from the chains that hold me back, letting me try to do better, again and again.

I can see why Ben was worried. Is it really smart of God to operate this way? To set the prisoners free, with just their word and a piddly human effort to do better?
But that's how God operates.
That's how grace operates.
No wonder they call it amazing!

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you seen the movie?
What imprisons you?

Have a great Wednesday, y'all!
Love, Becky

A Montana Mancation

Today's Wonder of the World is...a Mancation on the Missouri River.

Don't you love this photo of my Ben's bony, size 14 feet? The pic was taken as my very own Lewis and Clark spent a week canoeing down the Missouri River, eating Beanie Weenies, and reliving the Corps of Discovery, as the famed explorers called their adventures.

And to think that it all started from a footnote in a book!
Back in 1997, Stephen Ambrose's book Undaunted Courage turned my mild mannered husband into a raging Lewis and Clark evangelist. "I must see this for myself," he said, and showed me Ambrose's footnote on page 228.

It is today as Lewis saw it. The White Cliffs can be seen only from small boat or canoe. Put in at Fort Benton and take out three or four days later at Judith Landing. Missouri River Outfitters at Fort Benton, Montana, rents canoes or provides a guided tour by pontoon boat. Of all the historic and /or scenic sights we have visited in the world, this is number one. We (his family) have made the trip ten times.

"That's nice, honey," I said. "Maybe you can use some of those frequent flier miles and make the trip one of these days."
Little did I know that he was a man obsessed.
A few months later, he packed up his tent and vanished into the wilderness with his crazy friend Butch. I was six months pregnant with Sam at the time, but I didn't worry too much. After all, he was with Butch, the original Marlboro Man. The man who flies a World War II biplane for fun, who's flown water bombers into forest fires, who worked for years spraying coca plants in South America while people were shooting at him. Butch is there, I'd repeat to myself. Everything will be fine.

But this time Butch and Todd were taking my middle baby Ben.

And then Butch canceled!
I worried just a little.
Okay, I worried a lot.
They were going to be out of cell phone coverage, just the two of them, in complete wilderness.
Well, almost. To their surprise, park rangers had installed port-a-potties at various spots along the river route since Todd's last trip. They wouldn't have to dig holes after all. Aw, too bad, guys.

They had a fabulous time together.
Ben learned how to canoe without turning the boat over.


And how to pull over and set up camp.

They did about twenty miles a day and spent the rest of the time eating, sleeping, reading, and enjoying whatever fun presented itself. One day an extroverted bunny rabbit presented itself, and Ben got in touch with his inner four year old, hopping after it, making it his friend. A few hours later after Ben and Todd had zipped themselves in the tent for the night, Ben heard the bunny rabbit being attacked and eaten by a wolverine. Perhaps extroversion is not a good quality in a bunny rabbit.
Ah, the wonders of nature.

No hasenpfeffer for them. But they did enjoy some blueberry cheesecake, a goodbye gift from Sam.


They also enjoyed breathtaking sunrises.


And lots and lots of cows.


And even a surprise rope swing, in the middle of nowhere!



Doesn't my man look happy?

Scruffy, but very happy.
Who wouldn't be happy in such a beautiful place?

Have a wonder-full Monday, y'all!
And tell me, does the wilderness call your name, or do you prefer the wilds of the Holiday Inn?
Love, Becky

Demolition + Teenagers + God + Civil Rights History = An Awesome Week

Today's Wonder of the World is...A Work Trip to Farmville, Virginia!

Tell me, please, what teenager doesn't love hanging out with a bunch of other kids for a week, tearing down buildings and building them back, eating too much fast food, and seeing history first hand?
Okay, so the kids could probably skip the history part. Unless they went with Todd and Sarah on a mission trip to Farmville!
Ever since Todd and Sarah returned home and started telling me about the life stories they found there, I knew I had to share it with you. I'm not even a history buff--that's Todd's department, yawn yawn--but what happened there moved me. It may move you too.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the Beulah African Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmville, Virginia.

Flickr photo by Ireed7649
A few months ago, our youth minister, Frank Smith, went to Farmville and asked a group of pastors if any area churches could use some help with construction needs. The kids were coming to the area anyway for youth camp the week before and would welcome the opportunity for five more days of service. Anyone need 100 kids and chaperones?
Reverend Wade of Beulah AME raised his hand.
He wasn't kidding. There was a lot of work to be done.

Little did our kids know that they were about to get a history lesson. A lesson in which Beulah AME played a major part!
Back in the fifties, all the black students in Farmville went to R.R. Moton High School. Much of the school consisted of tarpaper shacks with no running water or central heat. Barbara Johns, a brave young girl, organized a protest, which led to a strike.

The families finally filed a suit against Prince Edward County which was later incorporated into Brown vs. Board of Education.


After Brown vs Board of Education ruled segregation unlawful, the Board of Supervisors for Prince Edward County refused to give any funds to the county school board for five years, thus CLOSING ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
They chose to close all public schools rather than integrate! FOR FIVE YEARS! Isn't that unbelievable?

Private schools sprung up all over for white families. Where would black children go to school?
This is where Beulah AME stepped in.


Young children went to school in church basements, but what about the older kids?
The ministers worked with the administration of Kittrell Junior College, an A.M.E. supported institution in North Carolina, to enroll students from Prince Edward County. They could graduate after all!

Now, back to the work to be done.
Here's the parsonage, the oldest piece of African American property in the county built by and for African Americans.


As you can see, it needed a lot of work.

There were other work sites too. The church itself needed quite a bit of repair, and a public elementary school had a project for our kids as well.

One of the highlights of the week was the Sunday morning service at Beulah. Everyone LOVED the music and the preaching...

Not to mention the amazing lunch prepared by the ladies of the church.

It was their favorite meal of the week.
The passersby couldn't get over the huge group of teens descending on their town. They kept asking, "Why are you doing this?" A couple folks even asked, "Why are you doing this for them?"
They answered, "Don't you think everyone deserves a nice place to worship?" After all, aren't we supposed to follow the example of another carpenter?
I guess even amongst all the goodwill present today, pockets of prejudice still fester. When Todd asked a funeral home if they would loan them one of their tents in order to shade the water coolers for the workers, the lady said, "Go ask the colored funeral home for theirs." Who still uses the word colored, anyway?

It amazes me how blind people of God can be to the humanity and pain of others. My beloved church has its own dark history. At one time years ago, black students were turned away on the front steps. Things are different now, thank goodness, but there are pockets of prejudice in our town too. It's good to be reminded of the history we share.

Have a wonder-full Wednesday, everybody!
Love, Becky

Three Cheers for Volunteers

Today's Wonder of the World is...Volunteering!

Flickr photo by ssoosay
You folks do so many good things for the communities in which you live--and beyond!
Let's celebrate that volunteer spirit today, okey doke?

A couple weeks ago I mentioned my Meals on Wheels Wednesdays, and a few friends asked me to share more about that. So I thought I'd take you with me and show you around, WITH ONE CONDITION: I'll tell you about Meals on Wheels if you'll share the cool things you do where you live.
No fair keeping quiet! Tell me about the work you do volunteering in schools, in your neighborhood, in faith communities, in the world of politics, on mission trips, et cetera. Pretty please? Otherwise I'll feel like I'm tooting my own horn. We all need inspiration, not to mention ideas of new things to try!

So here's where I go every other Wednesday morning.

It's the Meals on Wheels office for Greenville County. This organization provides hot meals daily for over 1500 homebound neighbors, free of charge.
It takes over 2500 volunteers to participate.
Some work in the kitchen, preparing and packing the meals.

Not me! I just show up and deliver the fruit of everyone else's labor. I get to play Santa Claus, giving away food for free! And I get a chance to get to know some amazing people. I've had the same route for several years now and love my clients dearly.

Anyway, back to my day...
We load up my cooler


And I get their milk and juice. (Forgive my blurry photos. I must start laying off the coffee in the morning!)


And I pick up the donated bread and treats. Notice the sign: Bread is for Clients Only. It looks really good!


Then I head off for the west side of town. My route is in one of Greenville's old textile mill villages. Our town used to be known as The Textile Jewel of the South, but most of the mills closed their doors at least twenty years ago, leaving the villages to slowly decompose.
I want to protect my clients' privacy so I won't share their sweet faces, but I'd love to show you around the neighborhood.

These are typical mill houses. There's so much history here!
There are a couple of trailer parks too.

And lots and lots of cats.

See them waiting for me? We deliver donated pet food along with the people food. The kitties see me and come running!
By the way, a local spay and neuter program is beginning to work in the community as well, offering their services for free.

I wish you could meet my clients. They're funny and sweet and very tough people. They need the food Meals on Wheels provides, but they also need the human interaction, the hugs, and the conversation. Several of them have no family left and spend their days completely alone. They break my heart and lift my spirit, all at the same time.

Plus, they're just so interesting!
Look what one of my clients carries around in his pocket!

A family of monkeys his daddy carved out of peach pits years ago!

I love their sense of humor.
See?

In case you can't read it, that unreachable mailbox is labeled Bills.

So there it is, my Meals on Wheels route.
Now it's your turn. What volunteer jobs do you enjoy most? What would you like to try? I'd love to hear about it!

Have a super weekend, everyone! I'll be taking a little blogging break next week, but hopefully I'll have a chance to drop by your place and say hi!
Love, Becky

You Look Sweet Upon the Seat...

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Bicycle!

Flickr photo by ale2000
Hooray for the freedom machine!
What? Have you never heard it called that? Put on your Votes for Women sash and have a little chat with Susan B. Anthony, who said, "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood."
Woo hoo!

Flickr photo by eyeball jello mold
Our daughters' daughters will adore us and we'll sing in grateful chorus, "Well done sister suffragettes."
Sorry. I can't get enough of that song.

Quick! Get out of the way! Here they come.

Flickr photo by Town of Ogden
Oh. They've dismounted.
Still, they look like a hearty bunch.
When we lived in France I'd see women, young and old, biking through town.

Flickr photo by just in photos
It was a beautiful sight!
Know who else I like to see touring around town? My very own Michelin man.


No doubt he was inspired by the Tour de France.

Flickr photo by tem365
Or maybe by Mr. Bib!

Flickr photo by fixedgear
Mr. Bib, you really should put that cigar down. And what's with hiking your leg up on the handlebars? What a showoff!
Did you know Michelin got its start making bicycle tires? Well, actually it was a rubber factory until someone needed a tire fixed and Edouard Michelin tried to repair it. As he worked, the wheels in his brain started turning. Why not make a pneumatic tire that's removable?
So he did. Because so much is riding on your tires.

Want to ride some tires around Paris? Why not bike share?

Flickr photo by McBrewster
But don't let Fido near your wheels. Once he tastes life on a freedom machine, you'll never get that leash on him again!

Flickr photo by National Media Museum

Have a wonder-full Wednesday, everyone!
Love, Becky


PS. If you wonder what kind of crazy bicycle Buster Keaton is riding, it's a Dandy horse.
PS. AGAIN I'm the (late) guest blogger today over at Sia McKye's Thoughts...Over Coffee. Please hop over and say hi!

A Profile on Profiles!

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Silhouette!

Flickr photo by mgm photography
Knowing how talented you people are, you can probably do this free handed...

(Public domain photo)
but it absolutely blows me away.
Do you like silhouettes?
Before photography came along, there was no way to record one's appearance except through art. Silhouettes were the cheapest way to go.

In fact, the word silhouette was sort of a put down, named for Etienne de Silhouette, an unpopular French finance minister who forced all the rich folks to melt down all their goldware and silverware to help pay for the Seven Years' War. Making cut paper portraits was a hobby of his, so the word silhouette came to mean two things: anything cheaply done and the portraits cut from black paper.

Of course if Jenny Lee Fowler had been around back then, she might have suggested he trade in the paper for birch bark, or maybe poplar leaves.

Photo by jennyleefowler.etsy.com
Leaves and bark are free. Plus they're so much more interesting!
Click on the photo and have Jenny do yours!

Emily Dickinson's silhouette is one of my favorites.

Silhouettes preserve an air of mystery, so they're perfect for poet Emily.
That particular silhouette was made by Charles Temple, Emily's French instructor when she was fourteen.
I'm pretty sure Emily preferred silhouettes to photographs anyway. When Thomas Wentworth Higginson asked her to send him a photograph of herself, she replied, "Could you believe me--without?" She said she had no portrait at the present but gave the following description of herself, "[I] am small, like the Wren, and my Hair is bold, like the Chestnut Bur--and my eyes, like the Sherry in the Glass, that the Guest leaves."
What a woman.

I wonder what she'd think about all the silhouettes hanging out around Greer.
You know, ones like this.

Flickr photo by alafia53

If you live in the city, you see your share of silhouettes too.
This kind.

Flickr photo by StGrundy
What? Yours don't hula hoop?
Maybe they ride bikes!


Silhouettes of architecture can be pretty.

Flickr photo by blende

But I like the ones of children best.

Flickr photo by Butterfly923

I wonder if Tanner the Slobber Dog could sit still long enough.
Maybe if he had some good tunes to keep him occupied.

Flickr photo by Mr. Mark
No, he'd suck those cords down like spaghetti.

Before you leave me in the dark, (ha ha,) please indulge in this Friday treat. I'd never heard of the Pilobolus Dance Theatre until my fabulous friend Louise posted this video on her blog.
Take a few moments to enjoy the dance in silhouette!




Have a wonder-full Friday and a super weekend, everybody!
Love, Becky