Tonight I am off from work. I just finished eating some butter sauted shirmp over vegetables. I am now sitting in front of the computer enjoying a Sam Adams Boston Lager (my favourite lager), the little boys are playing in their room, Morgan is in Dequincy, Christian is heading to Erath and Lisa is still at work.

God is good to me and I don't deserve the many blessing and great grace that my family and I have received from Him.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

This is my third night working graveyards. I have been bounced back to what should be my regular job. I have not worked my regular job for about four years, because I have been moved up to working the top operator position.

I'm working the "board" now and it is taking a little while getting readjusted. I'm working the board on our new unit, which did not exist when I last worked a board job. Izzy is working our other board and has helped me a lot, and I am sooo thankful for the help.

This morning I finished reading Forerunners of the Reformation: The Shape of Late Medieval Thought by Hieko Oberman. It was a very good book; I enjoyed the readings from Medieval theologians. Oberman gave a good introduction at the beginning of each section, but the bulk of the book is essays or letters from thinkers from the latter Middle Ages.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

After Christmas, I worked graveyard shift for New Years so that went by with a whimper. Next big event was the Sugar Bowl. Christian and I went to the game with Woody, who got extra tickets some how. We found out just the day before the game that we would be able to go.

It was a great game. LSU devastated the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. This was sooo sweet! Christian and I had a great time, as did Woody. We left Sulphur about noon on the day of the game. We made a pit stop at The Best Stop in Scott, Louisiana and bought two bounds of cracklins and five pounds boudin.

We arrived in New Orleans about 4 pm and went to the home of one of Woody’s friends, who lived a little bit off of St. Charles. There were already and hand full of folks gathered there. They were about to bar-b-que and had plenty of cold beer on hand. We gave them the boudan and cracklins and they offered us some beer, I enjoyed a few ice-cold Abita Turbodog ales.

A little bit after six, we all piled into an extended cab pickup (filling both the cab and the bed) and headed for the Super dome. Woody’s friend works two buildings from the dome so we had a very good private parking close to the dome.

After a great game, we were able to zip back to where we had come from, with no traffic at all. We then headed back home because both Christian and Woody had to work the next day. I drove and they slept. I was still (mostly) on my graveyard hours so it was not hard, even though we did not get home until four that morning.

Last night, Woody and I picked up MK. We then went to Coolers, a local smoke-free pub, to watch the Saints play the Eagles. It too was a great game; the Saints won. I had hoped Christian would join us but he did not make it.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Ps. I found this VERY important link today: The Boudin Link

Another Christmas has come and gone. The week before Christmas members of our house began to get ill. Our youngest child became ill on Saturday the 17th. He had come down with the flue and ran a fever for the next week. The next youngest followed him into illness, he succumb to the fever on Monday or Tuesday. I fell ill on Friday.

Saturday, Lisa, Morgan and Christian all went to Her families Christmas party, but the little boys and I stayed home sick, though both the boys seemed to be improving. We did not make it to Church Sunday. I was terribly sick and the little boys were not well but noticeably improving.

They were well enough Christmas Eve to open gifts, so we did. That way “we sickly band” would not have to get up early on Christmas Morning. I felt a bit better on Christmas day. We had some company Christmas day night (mostly family) and we played a few games, drank some wine and feasted on seafood gumbo, slow cooked roast and their accessories.

Today I feel better than I have since Thursday, but I’m still not up to speed. I woke up with an earache, I still have a cough and my nose is still not functioning as it should, but I do have a lot more energy.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

After last week’s big events, this week is just another week. To start this week off, I woke early Sunday morning and fixed pain perdue (literally-- lost bread, but known in English as French toast) for breakfast. The kids always find this to be a great treat. Once everyone was fed, I left them to get ready for church.

With that done, I went meet my Pawpaw and Mrs Esther. They go to 8:30 Mass at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church, which is the church I was baptised at. I found them sitting near the back, so I joined them. The service was good and Father McMillin gave a good homily. I went up during the Eucharist and receives the blessing, of Father McMillin (I don’t receive the host.

When Mass let out I rushed to Bethel and worshipped with my family. I arrived as everyone was reciting the Nicene Creed. Our soon to be pastor was in from Jackson, Ms. He delivered a very solid sermon. After worship we all came home.

Lisa had cooked a chicken and sausage gumbo the night before. It was great. We relaxed at home for a while, then I went with Christian to meet some other folks (most of them from Lake Charles Bible Church) to play flag football. I have not attempted to play football in at least a decade, and even now (Wednesday) I’m still quite sore, but We did have fun.

When we returned home the little boys were asking if we could go to the Sunday evening fellowship at the Duncan’s house. So the little boys and I went there for a few hours. I joined the men sitting around a fire in the backyard. This was after I was invited to fix a hot cup of “Caribbean Coco” to take with me. I fixed a steaming cup of coco with rum and crème de cocoa. We returned to our hose around seven.

Monday I had to attend to union business at the hall, and since then I have been off work recovering from my football experience.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

This has been a momentous week for me. On Tuesday I met Danny (Morgan’s Beaux) as I was walking to my truck. I was running to the supermarket to get a few items for supper. I invited Danny to come with me, which he accepted. We visited on the way there and back, when we got home he came in, had a beer and visited for a while, then as he was leaving he asked if he could speak with me outside. I followed him outside, he hem and hawed around and then he thin asked if he could marry my daughter.

I was expecting that this was the purpose. I asked him if he believed the Nicene Creed, and he said “Yes sir, I do.” And I responded, if you are baptised and believe the Creed than you may marry my daughter. Danny is Roman Catholic. I have problems with some RCC teachings, but I am not hostile to Rome as many Protestants are. I do have a good bit to say about this on my As I See It blog.

That was hard enough and today Christian signed up for the Navy (he leaves in June). I was in the Navy and have high regard for it, but he joined up to be a SEAL. That concerns me, but if I were his age I would be doing the same thing. I had wanted to tryout for the seals after boot camp, but the Navy would not let people with my job designation even try out. They were very short handed for my Job then.

I fear for my son. I love him dearly, and will pray none stop from here on out.

I pray that the Lord will bless Morgan and Christian.

In Christ,Kenith

It’s been a while since I’ve written for the blog, but tonight I am in a writing mood. I’m feeling a bit melancholy at this moment. This is mainly due to the fact that my oldest son, who just turned twenty, has gone by bus to Shreveport to take the tests necessary to join the U.S. Navy.

I am a Navy veteran myself and have high regard for military service. When I was his age I had already been in the service for a year and a half, but still I can help think about his going away and how much I will miss seeing him.

Christian has grown into a handsome, well proportioned and intelligent young man and I have to remember that he is a man. I love him dearly and hate thinking that he will be hundreds or thousands of miles from home. When I was his age I was on my way to Japan and thought nothing of it. It was very exciting to go places that I had strange exotic place some of which I had never even heard of.

I remember my dad, who is an Air Force veteran, telling me, after I returned from my four years of service, how he was seriously affected when I joined up. I don’t know what Christian will do tomorrow. I don’t know what they will offer him or if he will sign up to go, but he wants to go and will likely do so. I feel at a loss and he has not even joined up yet.

I pray God’s blessing and care will go with him (and all my children) in everything he does.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

After months of trials and tribulations without a complete kitchen, we have finally rejoined the modern world. This last week our stove became functional as did our dishwasher. We have been trying to get the gas turned on at the house for over a month. We called CenterPoint Entergy four times and each time the pertinent information was asked for and given only to find the next time we called to hear those unforgettable words “You are not in our system.”

Each time I called Centerpoint it took 20 minutes of listening to a machine pressing the correct number button so that you could hear another recording with more selections. AAAUUGGHHH!!!!!!!

So on Tuesday, my first day off in two weeks, I went to the local Centerpoint office hoping to have better luck than I had had so far on the phone. All went well and Tuesday a man showed up at the house with a gas meter and by that afternoon we had gas and a working stove. The next morning I cooked bacon and eggs for Lisa and the kids (and me too). It was so nice to eat a stove cooked meal in our own house.

Wednesday was also Morgan’s birthday. The family and a number of her friends went to Johnny Carino’s to eat and celebrate. Morgan had a party at the house last night. Last year the Hurricane ruined her birthday, so Lisa told her she could invite some friends over and celebrate, so she had a costume party.

I was at work and missed the whole thing, but she had a good turnout and everybody had a good time.

I joined Library Thing. It’s a website that will catalogue your books and show you who else has books like you. I’m very excited and can’t wait to get all my books listed in the system. I’ve listed a little over 200 books so for, but I still have a long way to go. My books are listed HERE.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Tomorrow evening I will finish these fourteen days at work without a day off. I did make the swing from night shift to day shift, which is always very hard for me. I worked off at 6 am one morning and had to return to work at 6 am the next morning. I find that quick turnaround to be brutal, so I have a prescription of ambien to help when I have to switch like that.

When I work off in the morning I have to sleep. I will usually wake up around 11 to 11:30. On my last day I try to get up and function, otherwise I go back to sleep until 2 to 2:30 pm.

On my first night off it is always hard to go to bed at a decent hour, but when I have to go to work the next morning I must get some sleep. Ambien does the trick. Thankfully this does not happen very often, so a prescription will last a good while.

Friday, Lisa drove to Dallas. Morgan (Mo) and Elisabeth took care of the little boys after school until I go home. After work that evening, TK came by to have a beer and converse on the porch for a while. Then Woody and a little later MK and his son also dropped by.

The four of us had a good visit on the porch. We drank Killians and some red wine also. We talked until well after 9 pm. When they left I got ready for bed and crashed (Lisa and I spoke earlier while the company was here).

Saturday, Mo took the boys to their Reaux Reaux’s house to spend the night. Since I was going to be all alone, I called TK to see if he was interested in joining me a Chili’s Restaurant after work. Chili’s is close to my house and it is on TK’s way home from work.

TK met me there. We had a good meal, several margaritas and good talk. After eating I went home. Woody and Elisabeth were there. I said hello, got cleaned up and went to bed. I read a little bit in Calvin and then slept until my alarm went off this morning.

Tomorrow, Lisa will be returning home and I will finish this two week stint of working 12 hours a day with no days off. I can’t wait for my lovely wife to return home and for me to be off work for a few days.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Ps. Yesterday was opening day for squirrel season. I really would like to do some hunting!!!!!

Last week was a typical week for me. I worked days until Wednesday. I have been off work since Wednesday evening. Thursday and Friday I did work around the house. We finally got our counter tops installed so I was able to run electricity to the island in the kitchen, and hooked up the sink.

Saturday, I took the little boys to Longville. I spent most of the time up there working with Pop. We were hauling stumps and brush from the field (by tractor) and stacking it all up to burn.

Daddy gave the kids each a ride next to him on the tractor and then they rode on the brush wagon. They did help some, and had a great time riding around on the wagon behind the tractor.

Saturday evening the little boys spent the night at their Taunt Rhonda’s house, so Lisa and I could go to Manning Mania. They had a good band (which was made up of a number of the Mannings and a number of their friends). They had good music going all night, including stint of my favourite Cajun Music. We visited with folks and danced a bit. Lisa and I “both passed a good time” at the Manning’s party.

Sunday morning Lisa and I got up and made the 9 am worship at Bethel Presbyterian Church. That is where we picked up the little boys. We then came home for a bit and next went to the Carrier’s house for their daughter’s birthday party.

Today, I got up with Lisa and help get the boys ready for school. Piddled around the house, at lunch with Lisa at the Dairy Barn (where we saw Izzy and Damone) then I took a nap. The little boys woke me when they got home from school. We did homework. They both read to me and then I came to work.

This is my first night of graveyards. I had a 2.5 hour nap, so I should be ok.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

This past week most of my evenings were spent at home supervising the little boys as they were doing their homework. My days were mostly spent working on or around the house and garage.

Friday night, isa and I joined our niece, Elisabeth and her fiancée (Woody), and other family and friends at a local Restaurant to celebrate Elisabeth's birthday. We had good food, plenty of wine and lots of fun.

I worked last weekend and so I missed worship services and I'm working today and missing worship services again. I did attend daily mass at Immacuate Conception Catholic Church. I've become a fairly common visitor there.


I haven't read much this week, but I am listening to lectures and books on CD. I am listening to an abridged version of Boccaccio's Decameron and I hope to start a series of lectures from the Teaching Company about Islam, but I have to finish a couple of more lectures on Shakespeare first.



Well, I have to get back to work.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

I think we will finally, after many long months, complete our kitchen this week. I have one little piece of sheetrock to put on the ceiling. We’ve been waiting on a plumber to run a gas line to the kitchen. I would have run it myself but it is not legal for me to do so.

I did do much of the work myself, which is a somewhat comical story that I will write on in the future.

On another item, I’ve recently rediscovered the The Teaching Company at the Sulphur Library. In the last month I’ve listened to 24 lectures on the United States and the Middle East: 1914 to 9/11 by Salim Yaqub. The lectures were very good and filled in a number of holes in my knowledge. Prof. Yaqub, I think, did try to be fairly objective, did have more of an Arab slant on the subject, which was interesting to hear.

I’ve also listened to 24 lectures on Famous Romans by J. Rufus Fears. These too were very good. Pro. Fears has an animated lecture style that keeps you interested in the subject.

I am now half way through the series by Pro. Peter Saccio titled Shakespeare: The Word and Action. The lectures have been fascinating. I’ve learned a good bit about Shakespeare’s writing that I knew. He too, like the other teachers mentioned above is a solid lecturer. The folks at The Teaching Company are putting out solid stuff. I can not recommend them too highly.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Things are plodding along at our household. Our two oldest children are in college and the little boys are in grammar school. Our evenings at home are spent doing homework with the boys and then their reading to me from one of their books.

Our work on the house is once again come to a near standstill, because we have to have a plumber to run and certify a gas line to the kitchen. This has got everything else held-up. I guess I will start back on the garage and try to make a little progress on it.

Friday night was “Judyfest.” Judy E. is a friend and it was her birthday. Several years ago a group of us went to DI’s Restaurant (near Basile) for this occasion and Tommy K. coin the event with the name “Judyfest” and so it has remained.

Lisa, me, the little boys, our niece Elisabeth (who has moved in with us) and her fiancée all went, as did many of the folks from Covenant Presbyterian Church (including Pastor Mark and his wife Peggy), and a number of friends from the refinery (most of whom also attend Covenant Church). I think we all “passed a good time.” Lisa and I danced for a number of songs. I had to request that the band play my favourite Cajun song to jitterbug to -- La Porte d'en Arrière by D.L Menard.

Good food, cold beer, good friends and good music at DI’s on a Friday night now that is a good way to “Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler.”

Today we went to church at Covenant. It was a very good service; Pastor Mark is a gifted preacher.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Last Wednesday evening I went to go to Baton Rouge on Union business. Some time back I met a Pastor of The Chapel on Campus (at LSU) on Christian Forums. I called him (Dr. Steve) and told him I when I was coming. He invited me to meet him at the church. I did and he gave me a tour of their facilities then we went to Chimes Restaurant for a leisurely supper. We ate (I had crawfish etouffee) and talked theology etc… for a couple of hours.

It was a pleasure meeting Dr. Steve and talking with him. He had gone to seminary with many of the theologians I’ve read over the years.

The next day our union business finished up early and so I called David H. in Lafayette to see if we could get together for dinner (lunch in modern lingo). I meet him and his daughter Sarah at a local restaurant. This too was a good time. Sarah will be leaving soon for State College, PA. She hill be working with Reformed University Fellowship at Penn State.

The rest of my time, since the last blog has been spent working of the house, cutting grass, and sending time with my family.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

It is Sunday and I am at work. Last Sunday my family was out of town and I was by my lonesome. My friend Craig (CC) has been inviting me to worship at First Baptist in Moss Bluff, as has Lisa's brother (OB) and his wife, Jamie. I took this opportunity to worship with them. I attended both Sunday school and Worship services, and I enjoyed the experiance of worshipping the Lord there with family and friends.

Things have been going well lately. Our house is slowly coming back together. We now have unstained cabinets and they do not yet have countertops, but the cabinets are in and we are making headway. We also got our new appliances in, except for the refrigerator, they are all still in boxes, but they are at the house.

I hope to finish my part in the house work this evening after work. We have someone coming to tape and float the sheetrock and he will also be staining the cabinets when he finishes with the sheetrock.

For fun, I wrote a response to one of A.R. Minian’s replies to my As I see It Blog. Dr. Minian is a fictional character invented by my close friend T.K. A.R. is a hyper-liberal, politically correct, theologian who critiques my writings (all for fun with tongue-in-cheek). He can be scathing, but he is never to be taken seriously.

Dr. Minian now has his own blogsite that he uses to deliver his broadsides. I never respond to Minian’s letters, except to laugh and past them along to others. Still, I have been desirous to meet and do battle with him in like manner. I don’t think I can compete with A.R. for very long, because I don’t have T.K.’s ability, but here is my first attempt at verbal swordplay with the great Dr. Minian:

A Response to the Minian

This letter is a response to the many barbs and missiles cast my way by the hideous and high heretic – Dr. A.R. Minian. I have, at long last, decided that it is past time that should I respond to his pedantic, perversities of pedagogic literations, which he has aimed at Reformation theology, my friends and me. He has written a litany of less than lucid letters for no other purpose but to besmirch and demean Christian orthodoxy in general and my own good name in particular.

A. R. is the self-proclaimed gendarme of doctrinal distortion and denigration. He is the perpetrator and promoter of perverse and putrid punditry, and while he is not lacking in eloquence, he is lacking in veracity. His profundity of peevishness is beyond all measure.

My good friend TK, who knows A.R. personally, has tried, unsuccessfully, to restrain and correct the many maledictions of the meandering monk of mediocrity, but he has had no success. Mr. Minian is on the “highway to hell” and is not content to get there alone, but wishes to recruit as many weak-minded men, who are made into his minions of theological midgetry, when they embrace his malevolent, malcontented, maelstrom of obtuse irrationality that he calls "clear thinking."

The words written by Martin Luther in response to Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Diatribe are much more fitting when they are used to describe the many epistles of the Minian. A.R. should be ashamed “for having defiled your most beautiful and ingenious language with such vile trash; and I feel an indignation against the matter also, that such unworthy stuff should be borne about in ornaments of eloquence so rare; which is as if rubbish, or dung [the polite translation], should he carried in vessels of gold and silver.”

I remain ever ready to defend the sacred truth and do battle with purveyors of perversity such as A.R. Minian.

Deo Vindice,
Kenith

++++++++
There, you have my meagre attempt to meet A.R. and do battle with him on his own terms. I’ve already heard from Tommy and he says that A.R. is eager to reply.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Our house is finally starting to come together. We had some of the cabinets installed and the island last week. Part of the ceiling sheet rock is installed and as soon as Lisa chooses the lights that will go over the Island, I will be able to finish installing most of the rock.

For my days off I mostly worked on the house. I also cut the grass a couple of times, because it is growing so fast do to all the rain we’ve been getting.

All the children are doing ok. One of our nieces has moved in with us. She sold her house (it is a sellers market right now) and will be living with us until her marriage next May.

MK returned from visiting his family in upstate New York. He brought back some wines from the Finger Lakes (Seneca Lake) wineries that he visited while he was up there. HE came over last night and brought one of the reds. It was a very light red wine. The reds up there have a good deal less tannins than do the California reds.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Since my last post I’ve gone to work at the refinery and I’ve worked around the house a good deal. We’ve finally turned the corner and are starting to put things back together in the kitchen. We are still held up by the cabinets. The cabinetmaker called today and said he should be able to install the cabinets this weekend. (Hooray)

This morning I woke with one of my all to frequent earaches. Still, I dressed and went to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Maplewood for worship. They have a daily 8:30 AM service. I occasionally attend mass during the week. I do this on those weeks when I am unable to worship at Bethel or Covenant Presbyterian churches.

Theologically I am Reformed and have many doctrinal differences with the Church of Rome, but I am do regard the Catholic Church as a true Christian Church. And so I worship there when I cannot worship in a Reformed Church.

I recently finished reading the existing writings of Justin Martyr. Now I’ve started reading Irenaeus. A Roman Catholic friend at work, with whom I've had a number of discussions, asked me "So when are you going to become a Catholic [again]." This was after I had mentioned about what I'd read in the Early Church Fathers. I told him that it would not be before the Catholic Church formally rejected Unum Sanctum and Vatican I, neither of which it can do without gutting its doctrine of infallibility.

This was part of a very friendly, somewhat jocular, conversation.

I’ve also started reading Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America by Colin Calloway. I am on the second chapter and so far it is excellent.

The little boys and I are home and I need to get to work.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Recently I went to Washington DC for a convention of United Steal Workers Union, to which I belong. I was one of two members of our local who made the trip. The other member was Claude S. (our local president).

On the last evening Claude and I were joined by a fellow from Baton Rouge on a bus tour of the historic parts of the city. I am big on history and found was excited that I was finally going to see a few sights. The three of us had a number of interesting discussions about history during our tour.

That evening the three of us ate decided to eat at a Lebanese Restaurant that was near the hotel. While eating the gentleman from Baton Rouge said something to the effect that the United States were founded on people not bringing their religious beliefs into the political realm. Of course I had to strongly disagree with him.

In a polite and respectful discussion I pointed out some items that clearly demolished his position. He knew his statement was inaccurate and so he quickly retreated from his statement.

I have put a short article about this item on As I see It.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Today is a wonderful day and a very sad day for me. 30 June is my brother Gerry’s birthday and so my mind is filled with sweet memories of him. Today is also heartbreaking because I remember how much I miss having him here.

Gerry died on July 6, 2003 after a three year battle with cancer. He was a good brother and a fine man. It is impossible to know the “WHY” in his death, but we bow before our sovereign God and say “I don’t understand Lord, but thy will be done.”

I am confident that we will be together again because of the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

We lived through the deluge. I was awakened during the night by a relentless rumbling of thunder, and then dosed back off. One of the little boys woke me around 6:30 am. Shortly after that my brother Terry called and asked if we were flooded. I asked why. He told me that they had heard on the news that there was serious flooding in some parts of Sulphur.

I looked outside the front door and the water was up to the sidewalk. There was almost a foot of water in the street, but we were still high and dry.

I was supposed to fly to Washington D.C. this morning with Claude, our union president, but all the flights were canceled because of the weather. I am home and the next available flight that we could catch was an 8:55 am flight from Houston tomorrow, so I will be driving to Houston in the Morning.

I have never been to Washington before and I’m pretty excited about going there. The bad news is our main sight seeing time would have been tomorrow before things kicked off. If I can see the Constitution I will consider my sight seeing a great success.

I am also excited because Claude and I are supposed to meet with our congressman and at least one of our Senators (Mary Landrieu), but I have contacted Senator Vitter’s office and I hope we can meet with him as well.

Coram Deo,
Kenith