Holy Gambling

We live about 1/2 mile from a large Catholic church and private school. Twice a week, the parking lot fills with more cars than on Sunday morning. Everyone is there to play Bingo. I'm not sure what you pay upfront to join and what percentage of that amount goes to the church, but there is a fairly large pot for the winner. When I first saw the sign advertising the nights I was really shocked ~ gambling in the Lord's House?? Apparently Holy Redeemer is simply following in the footsteps of Christ the King and other churches. Can't get enough from the plate? Hire a caller, rent one of those funny rolling bin things and let's make enough money to sponsor that yearly carnival, guaranteed to bring in the dough. Or cheddar, whichever you prefer.
I'm just not sure that money should be changing hands in the Father's house. I'd pretty much stopped thinking about the Bingo nights until today. I saw a sign advertising a $5,000 Texas Hold 'Em tournament. At the church, across the street.

Bargain

Tonight I noticed a tattoo on J's Grandpa's arm. When he was in the Army, he went with his friend down to Main St (here in Evansville) as a form of moral support while the other man got a tattoo. For 50 cents, a man offered to put his name on his arm. Always a man with an eye for a bargain, Grandpa reluctantly agreed. But the man left out the 'H' in Chuck so he got Cuck Dartt for 50 cents. The funniest part are the roses the man put on the C and K as an effort to fix his mistake. I wonder if you look at your arm every day and think about the lapse in judgement or just kind of shrug it off as part of being young and up for getting anything you can for a bargain.

Art and Dad

For the last week, the Central High Art Show has been going on at my work. The first floor has been transformed with 2-D and 3-D art. Some is good, some is interesting, a smaller percentage is both. Some is weird. I've only seen a couple pieces over the last two years that makes me think, "That is about as bad as some of the assignments I did in grade school." Maybe I just didn't understand them. Very possible.
Several events have made this year's show more interesting. The first would be the ceramic coconut with eyes and nose that one of the Vice Presidents knocked off the stand. The artist was asking $20 for the piece (most of the art is marked NFS, Not For Sale) and I can confidently say that she only got someone to buy it because of the accidental breakage.
Some of the art is sketches of people/animals/flowers, some are abstract. The majority seem to represent what the student is wanting to "creatively explore." The interests of the employees wanting to purchase art does follow a theme this year ~ several have remarked that such-and-such piece reminds them of their dad and it would be perfect for Father's Day. One gal remarked that one charcoal sketch was "exactly what her father would be doing back on the farm." And another was planning on purchasing a sketch of a '55 Bel Air for their father....(but someone else bought it first, coincidentally for their husband as a Father's Day gift).
I got to thinking about the painting my Dad did. I wonder where the abstract painting of primary-colored shapes (with Jesus in the middle) is now.
This coming Sunday is Mother's Day and I wonder why no employees have found artwork that they identify with their Mom.