The philosophical vision of maverick-minded people from all over the world has left its mark on our cities and towns. If you are able to look past the influx of non-indigenous humanity, you can still see hints and outright declarations of mythical Texas.
Way before political correctness. Back before the idea that stating a fact is an attacking posture or vocalizing your belief is somehow disrespectful to others. When what you did mattered more than how you felt, and when your character was more important than the right to do something, Texans were building where the rest of the world was scared too.
Gone to Texas
The collective idea among the founding fathers of our towns seems to have been, “Whatever you need, you can find it in Texas.”
For example, if you’re lonely, you can drive to Friendship, Texas. Feeling down? There’s always Comfort, Texas.
If your wagon is draggin,’ you don’t need an energy drink. Just drive a little northwest of Lubbock to Pep, Texas. If you’re still exhausted, you could land in Energy, Texas.
If you are hungry, you can have a run through Bacon, Oatmeal, Turkey and Sugarland, Texas. You’ll need to top it off with a refreshing sip of Sweetwater, and you still haven’t left our state.
If you’re cold, there’s Blanket, Texas, and if you’re hot, there is Winters, Texas.
You wanna see the world? Don’t leave the state, just drive over to Earth, and have it all. If Paris is your dream, you’ll find it not far from the Red River. You might as well go see London, Rome, Italy, Egypt, China Grove and Athens, Texas, while you’re at it.
Wanna get way…way out there? Take a visit to Venus, Texas, but you’ll want to stay out of the prison over there.
Strange Sightings
If you drive about 20 miles southwest of San Antonio, you can say you have actually seen Bigfoot because there is a town with that name. We also have Tarzan for savages and Kermit and Elmo, Texas, for the kids.
I love the name Gun Barrel City, but hate the name Santa Anna. To me, that’s’ like naming your city Hitler or Stalin. I think the name Muleshoe is cool, but I got a ticket there once. I stopped in the fair city named after me, Troy, and found no wooden horses or monuments to the Brewer. Dimebox is an interesting name for a Texas town, and no doubt there’s a neat story behind it. You see, the attitude of the settlers still speaks to us today.
The mind-set of our pioneers was that you need’nt go anywhere else to get what you need. This goes along with true Christian thinking.
TEXIANITY
Recently, I was asked, really rather accused, of being big-headed when it comes to my theology. I understand that it pegs the cringe meter of some people to hear a Christian say Jesus is the only way. I also know that some Christians have done really ugly things while pointing to Christ. I am sorry for that.
For me, to say that Jesus is the only way is to say, “There is no one else that makes you safe, and there is no one else that is coming back for you.” You and I need not go anywhere else because he is available to both of us right here and right now. Jesus, like Texas, has it all.
You need mercy, compassion, and grace to overcome things? Redemption, salvation? Jesus has it all and freely dishes it out to anybody willing. Need a new beginning and a fresh start? You need not look anywhere else. You want hope and the promise of a future? For Christians, we find that in no better place then in the person of Jesus himself. I love being a Christian even more than I love being a Texan.
Because of Jesus, I am actually a resident of Heaven, temporarily living in Texas.
The town I live in now is called Joshua. It is named by our founding fathers for the Biblical taker of the Promised Land. To me, Joshua is still a place of Promise and in Christ, the promise remains: the best is yet to come.
Contact me at www.FreshFromTheBrewer.com
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