A Castle…If You Can Keep It (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

I toured Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Fixer Upper castle. It changed what I was going to write about this week.

 

For the past couple of years, I’ve been re-reading the scripture reflections I’ve written over the last dozen years, and then choosing one to update, improve, or revise. My idea is that, once I have refined enough of these, I could publish them in a collection. I had a lot of good choices this week. I could have written about the rock band Toto and its hit single “Africa” (“I bless the rains down in Africa!”). Or, I could have written about The Clash and its best-known earworm (“Should I stay or should I go?”). Both come with interesting stories attached. I also had a neat little story about a local craft village and its pottery operation. Any of these would have worked. 

But, no. 

 

Writers will tell you that sometimes a story just won’t leave them alone. That’s when they know they have to tell it. And that’s what happened to me after I toured the castle. So, instead of a re-do, I’m going to share a tale about a castle that kept not quite getting done. 

 

In 1890, a stone contractor named John Tennant bought a piece of property on the western edge of the little town of Waco, Texas. The town, named for the local Native American Hueco tribe, had only been established for 41 years at that point. It would probably be wrong to call it the “Wild” West, but it was definitely not yet tame. 

 

Mr. Tennant decided to build a home on his new property. Sixteen years later, he had only completed the basement and the foundation. That’s when he decided to sell the land and its partially constructed home to Ridley Hanrick, who immediately hired Mr. Tennant to continue doing the stonework. Just two years later, in 1908, they were both out of money. Everything came to a screeching halt. 

 

Five years passed before Roy E. Lane, a well-known architect with impressive local buildings to recommend him, enticed Mr. Alfred Abeel, a well-off local merchant, to buy the unfinished project in 1913. Lane is credited with turning Mr. Tennant’s basement and foundation into a castle, modeled after a small German castle near the Rhine River. Soon, enough was done so Mr. Abeel and family could occupy his castle. “Finishing,” though, took over two decades of framing, flooring, roofing, importing materials, paneling, furnishing and decorating the place. The result: three stories and a basement, eight fireplaces, servants’ quarters and a tower; a castle tucked tidily into 6,000 square feet. They lived there until 1941, when they sold the castle to the Pipkin family.

 

I called this a tale of a castle that kept not quite getting done. You may be thinking I misled you. Clearly, people were living in it. Just wait. There’s more to the tale. To coin from a borrowed phrase: “A castle … if you can keep it.”

What came next was a succession of owners. Some invested in the property, some just used it. A local church used it mostly for youth gatherings. One owner managed to repair some aging problems and renovate the second floor, as well as secure a historical designation for the castle. Later owners bought with good intentions, but usually ran out of money before any significant renovation could be completed. On the whole, the decades leading up to the present have seen a long, slow decline. 

In 2019, after 20 years of unsuccessful bids, Chip and Joanna Gaines finally purchased the castle. But, even for such a talented couple, the work to restore it to a livable home was daunting. Most of the floors could not be salvaged. Most of the walls were covered in graffiti. Massive repairs were needed inside and out. Plumbing, electrical, modern dwelling codes—all had to be addressed. The entire kitchen had to be relocated from the basement to the main floor. But, per their usual approach, the duo had counted the cost well before submitting their bid. They knew what they were in for. 

The result is breathtaking. 

You can see that result yourself by taking the tour. But time is limited. Those tours will end on October 29, 2022, when Chip and Jo start airing the “Fixer Upper” episodes documenting the castle’s restoration. See the links below for more information.  

The long and winding tale of the castle’s see-saw through time perfectly illustrates what Jesus said in this week’s Luke passage. Most of those who owned the castle came to that position without properly counting the cost of making it habitable. In the scripture, the crowd following Jesus has grown very large. Jesus turns and questions their willingness to pay the real price of discipleship. 

Are they ready, He asks, to be rejected by their family because they have chosen to follow Him? Are they ready to be dispossessed and/or evicted because of their belief in Him? What will they do if falsely accused and forced to be publicly disgraced? If they realize they can’t win, will they keep following? Will they stay with Jesus, even at the cost of their very lives?

What about us? Are we like those well-intentioned people who took on the castle without properly assessing what it would cost them to live there? Can we stay the course? Only time will tell what challenges will arise in our Christian journey. Have we considered what those might be? Now is the time to count the cost, well before those challenges arrive. 

 

_________________________

PHOTO: Steve Orr

Waco’s Castle Ready For Fixer Upper Treatment:

https://wacotrib.com/news/local/history/wacos-castle-ready-for-fixer-upper-treatment-in-gaineses-new-tv-series/article_071ab74a-d6ef-11ec-b1e8-6b965825d5ca.html

A brief history of the Cottonland Castle with photos:

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=131557

The Castle: A Restoration Story (blog by Joanna Gaines):

https://magnolia.com/blog/article/422164/the-cottonland-castle-a-restoration-story/

A longer history of the castle (with “before” photos):

https://wacohistory.org/items/show/94

Link to “Africa” performed by Toto (with lyrics): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDLJ3pUZm9A&app=desktop

For more about Homestead Heritage and their pottery:

http://www.homesteadheritage.com/

Link to “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” (with lyrics):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9dhHv7xrdc

________________________

Friday morning is coming. Will you be with us? DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast is a perfect place and time to explore the scriptures, discuss how they impact our lives, and eat a nice meal. We read, we talk, we eat, and we laugh. Join us at 8:00 at Our Breakfast Place or on Zoom.** 

 

Blessings,

Steve

**Contact me for the Zoom link:

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=278

Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper18.pdf

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1

Philemon 1:1-21

Luke 14:25-33

Proper 18 (23) (September 4, 2022)

High Flyer (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

 

The flight out of Midland was packed. 

My carry-on was an over-the-shoulder Kluge garment bag. Since it incorporated a space to carry a suit, wrinkle-free, it was the only piece of luggage I would need for this trip. As I made my way through First Class, I couldn’t help but wish I was joining them. They looked so comfortable in their very roomy, extra-wide seats. I saw they had already been provided beverage service. The rest of us wouldn’t get that until we were half way to Dallas.

Continuing on, I placed a restraining hand on my bag. Wouldn’t do to accidentally smack one of the high-paying customers. Once I passed into the main cabin, where six of us would occupy about the same space as two in First Class, I kept my hand on my bag. Wouldn’t do for it to smack one of my own, either. 

I made my way toward the back third of the plane. I liked being a “tailie,” preferring to be nearer the coffee and the restroom. Finding Row 26, I was pleased to see there was still space in the overhead. I slid the bag in with its new buddies and sat down.

As I settled into my aisle seat, I took a look at my row mates. In 26A, the window spot, I saw a petite, young woman. I’ve always felt a little squeezed in a window seat, but I could have handled it. The window adds a couple inches at shoulder height, right where I need it most. Problem was, they were almost as hard to snag as aisles. Next to me in 26B was a big guy like me. He looked miserable. Those centers were nightmares. Especially for us big folk. 

Despite the extra few inches of shoulder room I would enjoy sitting on the aisle, I knew I would still be crowded. And don’t get me started on those flyers who feel the need to crank their seats all the way back. I tended to be a bit stoic about air travel. It didn’t spark joy, but I’d get through it. So, I settled in and awaited my usual mid-flight beverage—coffee, black.

And that’s when everything changed. 

I became aware of someone in the aisle to my right. When I looked, I found myself looking into the eyes of a friend. I had known Tom for a couple years, and had, in fact, spoken to him just a few minutes earlier. Tom was an airline agent. He had taken my ticket as I passed into the jet bridge on my way to board this very flight. Still, I was puzzled to find him next to me. Why was Tom here? Why was Tom in the aisle on my flight to Dallas?

With a twinkle in his eye, Tom said, “Mr. Orr, I am so sorry. There was a mix-up with your ticket. You’re supposed to be in First Class. If you could retrieve your bag and follow me, we will get this cleared up right now.”

OK, I’ll admit I didn’t quite know what was going on. But I knew Tom, and I had definitely heard him say “First Class.” So, I did as I was told and got my bag from the overhead. But before I could take a step, Tom took the bag from me and walked back up the aisle. When we arrived in First Class, Tom indicated an empty aisle seat on my left. He handed my bag to a flight attendant who whisked it to that little closet we all pass when we first enter the plane. Tom looked down at me and said, “Enjoy your flight, Mr. Orr.”

As I watched Tom walk off the plane, a flight attendant asked me if I would like a beverage. Still a little stunned, I mumbled, “Coffee.” Shortly, she was back with a small tray holding a ceramic coffee cup, a silver creamer, a silver sugar bowl, and a silver spoon. As she moved these items to my own tray, she apologetically explained that she would need to collect them soon, because we were about to taxi. But she assured me she would bring me a fresh cup as soon as we were airborne. 

Luxuriating in the broad, leather seat, I wondered if this was how royalty felt. Then, in honor of the occasion, I added a little cream to my coffee. 

I can’t be certain, of course, but I imagine some of those attending the meal in this week’s Luke passage might have felt as I did on my very first First Class experience. It felt amazing to be invited to join those who were already sitting in the best seats. I felt special and, well, elevated. 

The reverse would have been humiliating. 

Jesus warns us against positioning ourselves in the places of honor. It’s the same in this week’s Proverbs passage. An honor is something someone bestows upon us, not something we take for ourselves. 

Jesus then neatly pivots the lesson from one of positional power to a lesson about what God desires of us: More important than where we sit at the banquet is whom we invite to it. God doesn’t really care where we sit. God doesn’t care about our power games at all. What God wants is for us to open our eyes and see the real needs of the real people all around us. 

That’s the real First Class experience. 

_________________________

PHOTO: 

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/original-kluge-travel-bag-tan?a=565248

Join us Friday morning at Our Breakfast Place or on Zoom** for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. The hour starts at 8:00 and is comfortably packed with Bible discussion, Breakfast, Prayer, and fellowship. We would love for you to join us. 

Blessings,

Steve

**Contact me for the Zoom link

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.

 

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=277

Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper17.pdf

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Psalm 81:1, 10-16

Proverbs 25:6-7

Psalm 112

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Proper 17 (22) (August 28, 2022)

Those Cows Messed With My Sunday (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

Even as a teen, Sundays were mine. My "day of rest." My day to worship, attend Sunday School, and, in the afternoon, participate in youth activities before evening worship. We teens had such a great time being together, we often went out to the Dairy Queen after evening worship. Nobody messed with my Sundays. 

 

But one Sunday, the cows did.

 

Dad worked with a family friend to run a small dairy operation just outside of town. The two of them alternated. One handled the dairy while the other one was away working on a riverboat, and vice versa. So, every other month, for the duration of that month, Dad drove out to the farm twice a day to milk the cows. My participation in these activities was sporadic—and mostly limited to early mornings on school days.

 

I awoke early that Sunday to the sound of my Dad calling my name, telling me to get up. He needed my help with the cows.  

 

For a moment there, I was completely disoriented; wasn't this Sunday? Then my head cleared and I knew it was Sunday…very early on Sunday. I pulled on my jeans and a shirt and headed downstairs, but I griped all the way down the stairs…and all the way out to the farm. I whined about losing "Sunday time" to the cows. I was emphatic that we had to finish in time for me to get to church. I was oh-so-righteously ticked off at Dad for making me do this "on a Sunday!"

 

Dad didn't say a word all the way to the farm. He just let me rant. But once we arrived and were walking toward the dairy barn, Dad turned and stopped me with a palm to the chest.

 

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

 

Of course, I hadn't heard anything other than the sound of my own voice for several minutes. But as I paused to listen, I did hear something.

 

"Yeah," I said, "It's the cows bawling."

 

Then he asked the question, the one that really shut my mouth: "Do you know why they're bawling?"

 

Up to that point, I had never once stopped to wonder, well, any thing about the cows. I had to admit that I had no idea, really, why they were bawling. Somehow, in my youthful mind, I just thought they were ticked off that we were late. 

 

Well, no.

 

"They're bawling," said Dad, "because they're in pain. They will stay in pain until somebody milks them."

 

There’s a term for what I had been doing that morning: aesthetic outrage. It refers to a person having an angry reaction to events that, in reality, have had no actual impact on them. I was like those folks in this week's selection from the gospel of Luke. I couldn't see past my own well-ordered world view to the actual living beings who were in need.

 

In the Luke passage, Jesus messed with somebody’s church time. He healed a woman while at church! To our modern sensibilities, this may seem absolutely the right place and time. But the leader of the synagogue didn’t see it that way. He was offended. How dare Jesus—or anyone—say or do anything to breach the decorum of the Sabbath?! In his view, all that healing should take place on one of the other six days. 

But Jesus came back with inescapable logic. None of them would leave their farm animals bound on a Sabbath, unable to have access to water. How does that stack up against providing much needed relief to a human on the same day?

You may find that some people prefer the traditional pieces of worship to the actual work of worship. Nothing Jesus said that day was new, and it wasn’t news to His audience. For centuries, the Prophets had been telling God’s people that the work of worship—attending to the needs of the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, the imprisoned and the ill—was more important to God than the sacrifices and festivals...even though God had instructed them to do those things, too. 

The acts of worship have meaning and purpose. They are not, however, satisfactory on their own. Like Jesus, we must become attuned to the needs of those near us—our neighbors, if you will—and act on that knowledge in a timely manner. In other words, do the actual work of worship.

Once I could see those dairy cows as real beings with real needs, it completely changed my attitude toward them. 

Can we do any less for people?

_________________________

PHOTO (and a brief article about a family running a micro dairy. It will give you an idea of our dairy operation): 

https://www.grit.com/animals/small-dairy/

___________________________

I look forward to seeing you Friday morning at DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We're still having a great time discussing the scriptures and enjoying a great meal at Our Breakfast Place in Waco. Join us there or on Zoom** at 8:00.

Blessings,

Steve

**Contact me for the Zoom link

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.

 

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=276

 Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper16.pdf

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Psalm 71:1-6

Isaiah 58:9b-14

Psalm 103:1-8

Hebrews 12:18-29

Luke 13:10-17

Proper 16 (21) (August 21, 2022)

The Vine and The Clouds (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

 

Film critic Roger Ebert loved A Walk in The Clouds.

 

He called it “a glorious romantic fantasy, aflame with passion and bittersweet longing. One needs perhaps to have a little of these qualities in one's soul to respond fully to the film, which to a jaundiced eye might look like overworked melodrama, but that to me sang with innocence and trust.”

 

The plot: Paul, a veteran fresh from the trauma of World War II, befriends Victoria, a pregnant woman on her way home from college. She’s been abandoned by the man she thought loved her. Now she fears a harsh reaction from her father, the strong-willed master of their family and of “The Clouds,” their family vineyard. Paul agrees to temporarily pose as her husband, and she hopes this will blunt her father’s anger.

 

But don’t let any of this drama distract you: it’s really all about the vineyard. The family’s entire existence revolves around it. Each day is filled with what it takes to keep the vines healthy and producing the varietals needed for a great wine. The challenges are constant. Before the film is over, an existential crisis threatens the vineyard.

At the heart of it all is the original vine, the root. Without it, the vineyard would be lost.

It’s the same for the vineyard in this week’s scripture selections from Isaiah and Psalm 80. The vineyard God has planted, there, represents His people. God’s vineyard also needs its root to flourish, and that root is Jesus. The vineyard cannot survive on its own. Sadly, all that rootless vineyard will produce is wild grapes, useless for making wine. That is, God’s people keep failing and then begging to be forgiven. Over and over.

Eventually, God has had enough and says He is giving up on His vineyard. Then animals, plants and even the weather work to destroy it.

Centuries pass before someone appears to end that heartbreaking cycle. As we know, that cycle-breaker is Jesus, the promised Messiah, the root, the original vine. Without Him, the vineyard will be lost, cut off from God.

 

Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who He is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.” (John15:5-8, The Message)

 

Is what Jesus said sentimental? Definitely. Idealistic? Maybe. Too simple for a cynic to believe? Perhaps. But it absolutely sings with innocence and trust. And nothing could be more true.

And that’s the point of this reflection. Because Jesus volunteered to be the new vine, He now sits to the right of God. When God looks to His right, he sees the son He loves, the true vine, and not those wild grapes of His wrath. 

_________________________

PHOTO: Steve Orr

Check out A Walk in The Clouds here: 

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0114887/?ref_=m_nv_sr_1

 

Check out Roger Ebert’s review here: 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-walk-in-the-clouds-1995

 

 ______________________

 

Friday mornings are a treat. DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast meets at 8:00 and includes an hour of scripture, discussion, food, prayer, and laughter. Join us at Our Breakfast Place or on Zoom.** We are usually in the function room (down the outside of the building, near the back).

 

Blessings,

Steve

**Contact  me for the Zoom link

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.

 

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=275

 

Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper15.pdf

 

Isaiah 5:1-7

Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19

Jeremiah 23:23-29

Psalm 82

Hebrews 11:29-12:2

Luke 12:49-56

Proper 15 (20) (August 14, 2022)

The Frying of Doug (a Steve Orr scripture reflection)

 

We depended on the English language to make our move to Boston easier. I’d have expected challenges had we moved to, say, Scotland. But not the USA. I had supposed we would only have to factor in the New England accent. I was so naive.

 

From the very beginning, we could not communicate. 

We had to learn all-new terminology. A shopping cart was a “carriage.” Sprinkles on ice cream? “Jimmies.” A milkshake was a “frappe,” and a water fountain was a “bubbler.” Those small cardboard cups of ice cream with the little wooden spoon? “Hoodsies.” And don’t get me started on the drama that followed ordering a “double dip” in an ice cream shop when we should have requested two scoops.

 

A general truth: When change encounters culture, culture wins. We weren’t going to change them. So, it didn’t take long for us to fall into the habit of assuming we just didn’t understand ... especially when a strange word appeared before us. We became conditioned. 

 

Hopefully, that explains my initial response when I saw the sign reading: FRIED DOUG. 

 

I admit the fleeting thought: Who’s Doug and why would you fry him? But I had become conditioned to no longer questioning, critically, the terms and practices of my new culture. Even if I didn’t really understand the what and why, I assumed FRIED DOUG must mean something. 

 

Or must it? My FRIED DOUG clarity came just moments later when the crowd moved aside. As it parted, I could then see all of the sign. There, immediately to the right of “DOUG,” was the letter “H.” 

Oh. 

FRIED DOUGH made a lot more sense than FRIED DOUG. In my defense, I had never even heard of fried dough. But the true root cause of my misunderstanding was much more subtle. My own habit—my conditioning—had tricked me into believing there was one meaning, when in fact, there was another. 

 

Something similar was happening with God’s people when Isaiah confronted them in this week’s scripture. God rejected all their religious practices en masse. In fact, God told them those actions and observances had become a burden, and He had grown weary of bearing them! God rejected their prayers, their gatherings, their festivals—every part of what they did or said as worshippers. 

If you’re a religious person, that’s got to sound harsh. 

 

Why would God reject their worship? What had they done to warrant such a reaction? I’m sure they attempted, much as we do, to perform each religious practice, properly. Where had they gone wrong?

 

They fell into a habit.

Their culture required certain religious practices of them. They had been conditioned to do them, and so ... they did them. Over time, though, the actions that made those religious practices meaningful had fallen away. God said their hands were bloody from doing evil. They had to restore themselves by serving justice, rescuing the oppressed, defending the orphan, and pleading for the widow.

 

They needed the clarity the Prophet Isaiah was providing. Like the “H” in my FRIED DOUG sign, they were missing something essential. Without that missing piece, their worship was worse than meaningless. The object of their worship no longer wanted to hear from them. If they wanted their religion to be acceptable to God, they had to actually do good. 

 

They were going to have to make some serious adjustments. The question is: Do we?

 

________________________

PHOTO (plus “Forty Boston Slang Words and Expressions You Should Know”):  

https://www.timeout.com/boston/news/40-boston-slang-words-and-expressions-you-should-know-090121

________________________

 

DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast meets Friday morning at Our Breakfast Place and on Zoom.** We start at 8:00, and enjoy a wonderful time of scripture, prayer, food, and fellowship.

 

Blessings,

Steve

 

**Contact me for the Zoom link

NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.

SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK

Find them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=274

Print them here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper14.pdf

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23

Genesis 15:1-6

Psalm 33:12-22

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Luke 12:32-40

Proper 14 (19) (August 7, 2022)

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