The passing of Fess Parker this week has brought many memories back to this coonskin capped fan of the 1950’s.  The Wonderful World of Disney was an exciting time for me as it appeared on our black and white TV on Sunday afternoons between morning and evening church services.  I always wanted to see the surprise presentation coming from “Frontier Land” as that usually meant another episode of Davy Crockett.  One of the great character actors of our generation got his start as Davy’s sidekick.  That was Buddy Ebsen who portrayed George Russel and was always there to back him up. 

But it was the message that this man portrayed that helped to form the moral and cultural expectations of people of this era.  Honesty, truth, integrity, and courage were common traits that Davy exemplified in the stories and characters that came out of these dramas of frontier life in America.  There were stories of high adventure such as his hand to hand combats with bears, as well as conflicts with the giant of a man, Mike Fink, king of the river, and of course his final story of heroism at the Alamo. 

But today, I am reminded of the episode entitled, Davy Crockett goes to Washington.  He resembles in many ways the character of Mr. Smith goes to Washington as the pressures of political expedience gave way to his strength of character about right and wrong.  How fitting that we ponder the disposition of a health care bill that is flanked on the one side by pressure to vote YES so that you can go along with the crowd.  And on the other side an equivalent pressure to vote NO so that you can bring down the other side! Would that we had more statesmen to solve problems, and fewer politicians who would appease special interests!  A unified bilateral effort to solve a difficult problem seems so unlikely in our world today.  Maybe if Davy Crockett were still around, we could get it done properly! 

 II Timothy 1:13-14 (RSV) “Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.”

Monday Morning Message Sent 3/22/10

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