Books, pictures, objects and chats with friends like Diane H., have a way of jogging my memory when I think I've lost it.
This morning I was reviewing some fave pages of Wilma Dykeman's book, The French Broad. Meeting her years ago at the Governor's Writers Academy in Appalacha influenced my continued intrigue of the area! Though she was the historian of the state of TN, she was a native of Asheville, NC.
A fave chapter (#10) involved a fervent old time preacher, speaking to a heat-oppressed crowd, with the real soul-splitting, happy-shouting kind of religion. ....not mamby-pamby, low voiced stuff.
"Because, brother, I'm a-telling you straight, you've got to take the tonic of God and eat the whole word that will put some zip in your soul...."
(p. 310)
He reminded those listeners on the courthouse steps of a bone-deep thirst for God's word as similar to theirs for the little 6.5oz, green bottle of Coca-Cola. (a long-time fave of mine as well as Diane's)
The preacher's conclusion .....without God's word one can end up in the "muck and mire of hell" where there ain't no relief.....
"There ain't no fans, nor no rest and, brother, there ain't no Cokes in hell." (p. 313)
Thx Diane for a fun, encouraging chat!