"And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:13
May 27, 2024 - When I was a college ministerial student, I was invited to preach at the Neuville Baptist Church near Center, Texas. It was a "Half-time Church" meeting on the first and third Sundays of each month. I was already preaching on the second and fourth Sundays at the Patroon Baptist Church, another "Half-Time Church." So, these two half-time churches now had me… a half-grown Baptist preacher… preaching for them.
I arrived at the church on a cold, rainy morning… and carefully maneuvered my '49 Mercury down to the church. As the members arrived, they walked straight to the center of the small frame building and stood… hands to their back… around a small wood heater… and when everyone was warm, we sat down together for Sunday School.
After Sunday School, I stepped out on the front steps and spotted two brothers (Fate and Jehu Bailey) walking up the clay hill with a stringer of small catfish.
"Y'all come in for church," I hollered. "Oh, no, we're too muddy," they quickly replied. But after we talked a while, they laid their muddy rubber boots and fish on the steps and came inside.
Afterwards I went home to eat with them and while Fate played his guitar, Jehu cooked. My mouth literally watered from the aroma coming from the kitchen. Jehu's meal was both simple and delicious: fried catfish and eggs scrambled with green onions. It was a meal I have never forgotten…
But as much as I enjoyed it, it's a wonder that I have never… at any time since then… eaten scrambled eggs with green onions again. But that doesn't mean I never will. I'll probably try it again…
… some day.
