Press On

[Call me Deacon Blues]

There’s a little church down the road from my house, and every year for the past several years, they’ve put on a production of “A Christmas Carol” for the holidays. They have a big sign put up about this time of year for tryouts, and I’ve always admired them for reaching out to the community in a non-sectarian way. I’ve never actually been to see it, but judging from the pictures on their web site, they do an admirable job. This morning I’m driving by on my way to work and I notice two things: 1) the sign has been taken down (I guess tryouts are over), and 2) the marquee sign they have, instead of your usual cutesy religious platitudes (you know what I’m talking about), has two words. Press On.

I thought about those words on my way to work, and how they could apply to so many things in our life, from personal relationships, to work, to financial security, to health. Really, it’s a simple observation – as human beings we have no choice but to Press On. Those poor people in New Orleans and Texas, the terrorized innocents in Africa, the families of the slaughtered and tortured dead in Iraq, the father- and motherless children of our sacrificed soldiers, the suppressed gay population in this country, the grown victims of pedophile priests and the young victims of fundamentalist sadists; all of them, all of us, have no choice but to Press On.

I get down sometimes about this fool of a president, and this fool of a nation that elected him. I can’t be happy about the little victories like Cindy Sheehan’s unmasking of Bush’s cowardice, or Tom Delay’s long-deserved indictment, because the country and the media is still controlled by a cabal of unfeeling monsters who would literally sacrifice your life and mine if it meant increasing their bottom line. Their philosophy at the root is based on greed and lies, and that root is deep and thick and will take all of our effort to dig it up and kill it. We have to keep fighting. We cannot let up, we cannot relax, we cannot take our eye off the goal. It’s not over; it might not be over in our lifetime. We cannot quit while there is work still to be done.

We have no choice. Press On.


Cross posted at my blog: http://teflonsoapbox.blogspot.com/

[MercutioATC]

1. At least you have decent church signs....

Ours usually have some announcement that doesn't mean anything if you're not a member of the congregation or strange/severe messages.

My two favorites:

"God has a big eraser", and

"FEAR THE LORD" (o.k., I saw this one in Alabama)

[babylonsister]

2. Nice post! Press On, or have faith

despite all the challenges we all face. Thanks for your eloquence!

[texpatriot2004]

3. Press on Indeed. n/t