Maverick: A maverick is an animal, usually a form of cattle, that does not carry a brand. It is a word also used to describe a person who acts free from constraints or organizational guidelines. A mustang is by definition a maverick horse. [My friend, Peter, is by definition a maverick human being.]
Some veteran Jackson Mississippi Samson guys' musings, recommended resources, and Samson Society news / updates (all written by 100% Grade A - Human Intelligence)
Weekly meetings available to you are as follows:
Tuesday at 6:30 PM, Truitt Baptist Church - Pearl. Call Matt Flint at (601) 260-8518 or email him at matthewflint.makes@gmail.com.
Wednesday at 6:00 PM, First Baptist Church Jackson - Summit Counseling Suite - 431 North State St. Jackson. Call Don Waller at 601-946-1290 or email him at don@wallerbros.com.
Monday at 6:30 PM , Vertical Church - 521 Gluckstadt Road Madison, MS 39110. Mr. Roane Hunter, facilitator, LifeWorks Counseling.
Wednesday at 7:00 PM, Crossgates Baptist Church. Brandon Reach out to Matthew Lehman at (601)-214-4077 for further info.
Sunday night at 6:00 PM, Grace Crossing Baptist Church - 598 Yandell Rd. Canton. Call Joe McCalman at 601-201-5608 or email him at cookandnoonie@gmail.com.
Thursday, August 25, 2022
"I'm Officially Done With Samson Society!" (Can Mavericks Long-Term Thrive Within This, Or Any Other, Similarly Loosely Organized Community / Ministry?)
Saturday, August 13, 2022
My Friend's Nasty Refrigerator / Refusing To Take Emotional Responsibility / Emotionally Engage
I'm convinced that emotions are scary to Mississippians. At least white Mississippians. Black Mississippians not so much. As such, it creates quite the disconnect between the two races; for you have one that's marinating in emotional energy and the other who sees no use for / can't comprehend / would rather ignore it.
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Sad, Summer Boy
Not long after we "re-joined" Lakeside Presbyterian Church somewhere around 2016 (I can't remember the exact year), we were politely invited to an Independence Day pool party at a church member's home. Of note: An elder of our church was there with (most of) his family, and this included his teenage son. Also of note: I was the only adult who chose to swim with the children, and this made for an awkward assemblage. But, I wanted to enjoy the pool and really didn't give a damn. (I can remember knowing instantly that we'd likely never be invited back once I made my first pass across the hourglass-shaped concrete hole.) And that was fine-by-me. If you've ever spent any recreational time with Presbyterians (other than at a bar), it's about as much fun as taping together cardboard boxes or popping bubble wrap methodically with a rubber mallet.
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Recommended Reading - How The Internet Ate A Young Man Alive
Josh Duggar Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Child Pornography (insider.com)
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Those Wounds Are No More
Earlier this year, I was appointed to serve on a volunteer board for a local nonprofit. All of our active board members (6 individuals) had to take part in some overarching (annual) training yesterday, (4/29), and that training grouped us together with a number of other "affiliate (localized - statewide) boards" that duly represent this national org throughout the Magnolia State.
Friday, April 15, 2022
Tough As Snails
"It's like I'm married to a man! She's almost identical to her own father who was tough as nails."
Saturday, February 26, 2022
How Lockdowns Combined With The Internet Made You So Sex(uality) Crazed, & Perhaps For The Better. Be Wary of Secondhand Internet.
Recommended reading:
Why sexual identities shifted during the pandemic - BBC Worklife
Are smartphones serving as adult pacifiers? (msn.com)
The Internet certainly does wonders to keep us focused on sex. We can watch people have sex (ad nauseum), we can admire sexy people and their well-documented salacious lives, we can read about sex & chat about sex. As such, the Internet has the market cornered on sex.
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Reclaiming Childhood Trauma With The Help Of Unexpected New Friends (From MN Of All Places)
The +/-300-400 ranch housed 'hood I was reared in (Madison during the '80s) had a neighborhood pool that had been constructed as an optional amenity for the homeowners. There was no homeowners' association to govern this mid-70s' subdivision, yet this pool was fortunately maintained - seasonally - by a group of volunteers - paying utility bills, overseeing upkeep, and distributing pool "membership" keys each summer.
Sunday, October 10, 2021
The Degree By Which Demographics Impact Relationships (Within Samson Society Or Otherwise)
Just how differently (if at all) do you think about / view the world / people around you if you have / do not have (either/or) a college degree? What if your Silas has zero higher education / a college degree but you do have a college degree (or multiple college degrees) / don't have any higher education? How might those opposing demographic descriptors impact your friendship? Knowing what we do of Christian men who find themselves in crisis, Samson Society may very well fit the bill, yet every man is unique. As such, there is no categorical recipe for men to both find themselves within crisis and in turn, step into our community. It is welcome to all. But over time, their demographic will no doubt become a part of their Samson Society narrative. And this is a good thing because that's in line with the spirit of transparency that our community is built upon, but over time, that (specifically demographic) narrative will predictably pigeonhole this man into his specific group.
Saturday, October 2, 2021
He Said - She Said / Entertainment (& Success!) From "Lies"
We've lived within our 1,550 sf abode for over twenty years. Never have we replaced any of the floor finishes (carpet, wood flooring, ceramic tile) within the house despite the fact that we've lived with a chronic - under the wood floor - leak at / near the front door. My theory is that this leak is the result of a large picture window that was either incorrectly installed or manufactured faultily. The leak has badly stained the floor at the juncture of the floor plane and wall, and it's grown progressively worse (leak has expanded) over the past twenty years. It's important to know that I can distinctly recall placing my head within my hands, all those years ago, upon first realizing that we had this leak. For I knew it was going to represent a massive thorn within our home's building envelope.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
"I Can't Stand That Woman!" / Rob's Mississippi
A day or so after (9/11/01), my parents and I had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant here in Jackson with a dear retired couple (now deceased) that had served to mentor my folks during the early years of their marriage. To be more specific, my parents had served under them (when I was in middle school) within our church (First Baptist Church Jackson) as Sunday School directors within the class they taught. This particular Sunday School class was relegated to singles, and as such, it was duly popular. So much so, in fact, that many of the attendees who'd "marry out" of this class would find ways to stick around (in spite of their betrothal).
This older couple were retired educators, both having served within the Jackson Public Schools district as teachers and administrators / coaches. Hence, they were astute, articulate people, who were incredibly down to Earth and loved by many. I have a queue full of great memories of them and my parents as they came alongside each other to serve at our church during those 3-4 years of my childhood.