“Stay-At-Home” Order — Alabama Style

Our collective great-aunt, Governor Kay Ivey of Alabama just had a press conference with a “Stay-At-Home” order. Don’t you just love Aunt Kay with her South Alabama drawl; all our Southern politicians of old talked like this once upon a time, it was a requirement. I really like her, I really do. I would like to sit and have a chicken liver dinner with her, complete with potato salad, baked beans, and ice tea.

This “Stay-at-Home” order basically puts some enforcement teeth to the suggestive guidelines that have been in place. You can still buy groceries and needed medicines. I’m writing this just after 7 pm and I know Walmart is going crazy with people buying cans of beans and salsa before the apocalypse hits. Calm down people!  If I was a betting man, I would put a million dollars on the sun coming up in the morning. (Hint-If it didn’t I wouldn’t have to pay anyway.)

It looks like we will be having church online in the month of April like we have the past two weeks. Facebook Live has become our friend and all of us ole country preachers have become famous televangelists with a pickup instead of a Lear Jet.

Resurrection Sunday will be different this year as you sit at the breakfast table listening to your Preacher, preach about the Resurrection of Jesus. You ladies will be wearing your Easter bonnet along with your Snuggie you bought off the TV for $19.99 + shipping and handling. Your kids will look at you with that teenage gaze while dragging out the blessed word, “Mommm!” Dad will be glad for a good excuse to take that pink shirt and matching tie back to Belks that his wife bought him, if they ever reopen.  She said he would look handsome in it–after four kids and eight grandkids, he’s not too interested in being handsome anymore.

The leadership of our church collectively read a book some years ago about cell groups. The author started a cell group that grew into many multiplying cell groups eventually becoming a sizable congregation. They began a Sunday morning celebration service for all their cell group members. Soon, they had others attending on Sunday mornings who did not participate in their cell groups; so, they cancelled their Sunday morning services for a month to blow away the fluff. Hmm! I wonder if God is blowing away our fluff!

No! Mom in her pink fluffy Snuggie is not the fluff I’m talking about. She’s eaten too much cornbread and fried taters to be considered fluffy anyway. It is about the folks who get a little religious about once or twice per month and come to get their fire insurance policy renewed. They kinda, sorta follow church but not Jesus!

We’ve been talking about this day coming when the important stuff would really matter. Now it counts. Loving God and loving people. Every home a beacon of light for Jesus instead of a dugout for a ball team. When Walmart does not actually have everything we need, but Jesus does. When being stuck at home should be the best place in the world.

This day brings out the hidden reality right under our noses, that we worry about kids being endangered in their own homes rather than the safe place at school. Our little kids living in the greatest country on earth yet may not have all they need to eat. The elites who have cursed those who homeschool now encourage homeschooling. Strange isn’t it.

Oh yes, in the news conference today, Aunt Kay skillfully had the Rev. Dr. Cromwell Handy, pastor of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery give us some encouraging words and a prayer at the end. He did a great job and I was proud to call him my brother in Christ. His words were flowing and articulate but simple and strong. He prayed in the strong name of Jesus not mincing his words. On a day of crisis, we do not have the luxury to be enlightened by futile minds, but we need the Word of God. Yes, on this day, we do not have time nor the ease to be politically correct or inclusive, but the preacher spoke the Word uncensored and called upon the only Name which is above every name–the Name of Jesus!

Harry L. Whitt