Yes. Nora Franks lived it out everyday of her life by providing me with stability and unconditional love. She protected me from the poor choices of my parents and sacrificially gave of hereself. She fleshed out Jesus in our home and in her work. She wasn't perfect, but she never claimed to be.

I was meaning on a larger scale, not an individual one. But you do bring up a good point. Thanks for the gentle reminder that there are still some mighty good people here

BTW, most of your family's been very nice to us. Just so you know .

you can join my house of worship gid.. it's called

I Ain't religious, I just LOVE THE LORD

There is just a few rules to join, you must love your fellow man or woman.

Treat everyone with respect.

Spread 'HIS" love.

Never say anything about someone that you would not said about you.

From what I've seen, most people in small town America go to church on Sundays because it's there and it's open. They go because that's what they've been doing their whole lives. Their parents did it, their grandparents did it...and so on, ad infinitum. It has less to do with being Christian and more to do with tradition. It's just what good people do, and they consider themselves good people, so they go.

You've pissed them off Gid. You've come into their town, an outsider, and from their point of view you've done nothing but cause trouble ever since you got there (the following is NOT my personal opinion, it's my take on what small town people are like; it's my interpretation of how they think and the conclusions they jump to):

You came and proclaimed yourself a Libertarian and an activist and you said that you were thinking about running for office - you challenged the status quo politically when you had no right to do that. You've got 5 children but you don't have what they consider to be a 'proper' job to support your family and they all wonder how you're making ends meet. You don't even have a TV for crying out loud; you're depriving your children from having a 'normal' lifestyle by keeping them at home all the time. Normal familes have TV's and send their kids to public school, didn't you know that? Because you're low income but refuse to apply for food stamps you're depriving your children adequate nutrition, so now in addition to depriving your kids a 'normal' lifestyle you're also starving them. Your wife is a timid little mouse who has difficulty participating in things without you being present, which must mean that you're abusing her too. You wanted to bring black hurricane refugees into town after the whole world saw them looting and rioting and raping and pillaging on national TV, so you obviously have NO respect or concern for the community of Lefors. Yeah, you do a lot in the community with the Fire Separtment and whatnot, but as far as they're concerned you're a long haired wife beating child starving hippie who thinks he's all that and then some. You came into town and decided that you were going to do what you wanted, when you wanted to do it and by gawd they're not going to stand for that. They're tired of your attitude and they want you out of town.

You're trouble as far as they're concerned, Gid. They don't want you there, and no amount of public service on your part is going to change that. I would say that the only way they're going to leave you alone is if you conform, but I'm afraid that it's too late for that as well.

Sorry.

I prefer my method Gideon. Even though I have accepted Christ as my personal savior, as you know, there are many who don't consider me (or any other member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) a Christian.

My answer to that is, I'll just not worry about it and let Christ be the judge of who is "really Christian" and who isn't. Something tells me that we will all be surprised to see who is and who isn't. ;~D

Gid I am so sorry for your suffering.

Peace brother.

(the following is NOT my personal opinion, it's my take on what small town people are like; it's my interpretation of how they think and the conclusions they jump to):

Oh, I understand that, dharma, and you're spot on.

Matter of fact, if Jesus Christ were here right now, they'd be buying lumber and a rope to have themselves a first class hangin'

Unfortunately, I ain't Jesus Christ, not by a longshot, and I have to think of my wife and family first. Things are going about as good for us in Pampa as they are bad for us in Lefors, so i'm going to chat with a few friends to see if we can't just move on up the road. Lefors can have their little Peyton Place, and continue to complain that their little town is dying.

From the blog and the comments, it seems most has already been said.  I am sorry that these hypocrites have the ability to ruin lives.  Best to you Gideon.