Let's Be Civil About This

 Good-SonDay!


This week Coolio passed away at age 59.  I never followed him.  I know he is best known for his song “Gangster’s Paradise.  I do know him for one thing . . . the best theme song ever.  Here is his theme song for the show “Keenan & Kel”.






Tee Time





Let’s Be Civil About This


The application of Christian civility can be done in peculiar ways.  Jo and I have lived in our house for 33 years.  In that time we established cordial relationships with our neighbors.  One of my neighbors was my biology lab partner in high school. Two of his sons, I have officiated their weddings.


Two of my neighbors are openly conservative Christians. We connect occasionally when I get the mail or when I go for walks.  We conduct the normal causal quick talk and will venture every now and then into religion and politics.  Never straight forward, but the conversation will have a right slant.


I usually just listen, I do not want to get into a deep discussion with them because the tone of conversation eventually becomes a judgement session with many condemned to eternal anguish in the after life.


One day, the conversation turned to my next door neighbors, two women who lesbians.  I do not need to go into too much of what they said other than there is a special burn for them later.  Hmmm, kind of makes you wonder what they say about me when I’m not around.  I digress.  This conversation did not sit well with me.  I said to myself, “Lord, give me the right words to say to these guys”.  


The Lord said say this, “The Word says to love your enemies (Matt 5:44).  Those women are not your enemies.  Show them love and kindness instead judgement.”  I shared those words with them. They paused and looked at me and it was like a scene from “King of the Hill” when Hank, Dale, Bill, and Boomhauer after a profound remark is made on street say . . . “Yep, Yep, Yep”.


I cut my neighbors’ grass every now and then, and I also collect their fall leaves in the autumn.  I have been doing this for about three years.  The two women are very appreciative.  This year, for the first time, I have seen my other neighbors helping the women with yard-work. Now, I am most appreciate because love prevailed over hateful judgement. New political slogan, “Make America Love Again”.


Song of the Week

A Jo pick this week.  “Positive”, 2022, Erica Campbell (of Mary, Mary).  A mixture of 90’s  r and b, gospel and hip hop. 





“Positive” lyrics


Ooh hoo

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive

Feeling free and complete from the love you give

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive

Positive, yeah, I'm positive

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive

Feeling free and complete from the love you give

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive

I'm positive, yeah, I'm positive

I know who I am and I know who I'm not

I know the difference between the two and it tells me a lot

I know who's on the throne, on the throne of my life

He tells me all the wrong lefts and when to go right

He's the king, He's the God, He's the biggest

He's the truth, He's the light, He's a realist

When He tells me He loves me, I feel it

Ain't nobody on this earth that can steal it

So I'm

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (say I'm feeling, feeling)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive (I'm positive)

Positive, yeah, I'm positive

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (say I'm feeling positive)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive (positive)

Positive, yeah, I'm positive

Gonna focus on the good, let Him handle the rest

I try to fix my bad, I keep making the mess

So I made up in my mind, smile more stress less

Gave it all to God and He gave me a bless

He's the king, He's the God, He's the biggest

He's the truth, He's the light, He's a realist

When He tells me He loves me, I feel it

Ain't nobody on this earth that can steal it

So I'm

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (say I'm feeling)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive (positive)

Positive, yeah, I'm positive (yes, positive)

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (I'm just be)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give (I choose to be, yeah)

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive (yeah)

I'm positive, yeah, I'm positive

You think I'm 'bout to fail, naw

A fall is just an obstacle I'm 'bout to scale, ya'll

A testament I got to tell, faith

I'm about to flex on 'em, study for the test on 'em

I'm positive, my God can do the rest

He's the king, He's my God, He's the biggest

He's the truth, He's the light, He's a realist

When He tells me He loves me, I feel it

Ain't nobody on this earth that can steal it

So I

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (say I'm feeling positive)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give (I choose to be, yeah)

No, you won't ever leave me, I'm positive (yeah)

I'm positive, yeah, I'm positive (yeah)

Feeling sure, feeling clear, feeling positive (say I'm absolutely, positively, certainly)

Feeling free and complete from the love you give (emphatically, definitely, confidently)

No, you won't ever leave me (affestic, down right, really, really, sho nuf)

I'm positive, I'm positive, yeah, I'm positive (clearly I'm clearly, I'm surely, I'm positive)

Positive, woo, yes sir, positive

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