Lindell's Gospel

Museums of the Heartland

Museums of the Heartland is a major new television documentary series created by Lindell Singleton for Media 13.  Each half hour episode is dedicated to one museum and the extraordinary passion of the curator, docents and patrons.

The first installment, premiering at Texas Black Film Festival, presents Texas Heritage Museum. This museum captures the stories of war, told eloquently through the eyes of voices of Texans -- of all races and ethnicities.  From the first Texan  to win the Congressional Medal of Honor-- a Black Soldier fighting for the Union army -- to the diverse narratives that followed, Texas Heritage Museum is sacred ground.


"Texas Black Film Festival applauds Lindell Singleton and the pilot episode of Museums of the Heartland. This program seeks to educate  the public as to the contributions of all Texans to our society and inspire us to seek tolerance and respect for each other", said David Small, Festival Director.

 "History seminally affects us  and tragically drives us toward our destiny. Museums of the Heartland will find the intelligent, diverse museums protecting  the stories of America and present them to this generation with knife-edged clarity, " said SIngleton.

A Short Film Presented at a Missions Conference

 

Project 300: Reaching Beyond Borders

Why would a church with a primary congregation of homeless veterans, elderly and working poor people support a humanitarian outreach to a Children's Home in Liberia?  Because giving brings dignity and honor. Giving is a function of living.
There is a reason many pennies are at The Slab. Street people fill baggies with pennies and drop them off each Sunday. One gentleman asked if he could give a $1.00 lottery 'scratch-off' card to help. It was all he had.

We're going to exhibit --for all to see-- that a group of people who live on the street and lack many basic comforts of life are pure of heart-- are givers of the highest order and are willing, in small acts of kindness, to reach beyond themselves and their needs.

There is a reason Christ emphatically said, "...love your neighbor as yourself.' The kids at the Children's Home may be geographically on another continent -- but, experientially, they are next door--they are our little brothers and sisters whose lives were ripped apart by war and their hopes lacerated with every fall of the machete.

Visit our site: http://isyourheartpure.org. Learn about The Church on the Slab and Project 300: Reaching Beyond Borders.

Slab Stories: 24 stories. 24 Lives. Changed.

 

Slab Stories: 24 stories. 24 Lives. Changed

 

Rollin' in the P.G.

 

Me and the Airmen — Grasping What Matters

I am filming a television pilot entitled. American, GI. So, lately, I've spent a lot of time around Tuskegee Airmen.

Last week, two Airmen (Hogues and Montgomery, members of the 99th) received a Congressional Medal of Honor.  

Just when I was beginning to be hopeful about things, I began this project. One of the gentleman told me that as  he was travelling by train, Pullman Porters had to ensure  the window shades down whenever the train stopped at a siding because angry whites would fire shotguns at the windows if they saw a dark-skinned face in uniform.

Another gentleman-- a pilot who flew the P47 'Thunderbolt ' and P51 "Mustang"  said this: "One year I am  escorting B-17 bombers over Europe to defeat the Nazis and the next I am in a warehouse pushing a broom and I'm told I should be thankful for the broom...all I ever wanted to do in my life was fly. Can you imagine what  this felt like?"

:...thankful for the broom. Wow.'

To be judged by the color of your skin and not by the honor of your actions--the gravitas of your accomplishments. Inestimable heartache. 

This project, in many aspects, is a source of sadness for me because I have become 'at one' with the depth of their disappointment and how, even to this day, sadness casts a long,  nefarious shadow. There aren't many of the Airmen remaining-- but, I'm going to film as many as will sit across from me and tell their story. One of the gentleman said," For years I didn't tell my family because I thought my service  didn't matter." "I risked my life, but no one cared except those alongside me...and when I got back, I felt it didn't matter.

If you think you're lonely now....

Last week we're shooting in a health clinic, in small town Texas. It's a six part series on health care. Very interesting stories....cutting edge stuff. I'm interviewing the RN, who though 60, could pass for Helen Mirren any day.  After shooting her, she looks at me and says, "Here's what gets me. We have old people who come to our clinic not because they are sick, but because they have no one to talk to. They hang in the waiting area, or talk to the Nurses because they are lonely. We ask some people, 'is there a family member you can bring with you to the next visit?' They are embarrsed to say they have no one. And what I"m telling you  isn't isolated, it happens al the time." I was more stuck by that comment than any of the other cool things she said about health care. Weird thing that I noticed when I was in Asia --there, seniors are venerated--here in the U.S.. older people are seen as a burden--a drain on resources-- hmmmm, not sure what that says about our collective humanity. 

NBA Notes: Look for Boston, Chicago or Orlando to Win the East Next Season

Here is basketball truth: The game always purifies itself, in the way that flowing rivers do the same.  If I were a still a player, I would be preparing myself to beat the best in the East, rather than joining them.  After the Boston series, I was under-impressed with James. The way he played did not remind one of  Jordan, West, Havlicek, Bryant, Roberston, et al...these guys-- they would have never quit. James, as I recall  his performance in this year's playoff run, is cut from a different cloth. Going to the Heat gives him an 'out' if they don't win-- the 'explanation' can be spread over three players and he doesn't have to absorb the brunt of failure. Perhaps the pressure of being in Cleveland- and all of the history of the tenuous relationship. between that town and professional sports-- was simply too much for him. 

82 games is a long season. I remember -- when the Lakers added Wilt Chamberlain to the mix of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. (No, they didn't win.)  Basketball is a game of synergy--where the whole must be 'greater than the sum of the parts.'  Just having three great players doesn't guarantee a championship--the chances go up  exponentially  with a great coach and a great point guard. 

But rest assured, you cannot win in the Association without shooters on the perimeter and remarkable PG play.  The resurgence of the C's in the year they won  was as much about the play of Rondo as the 'big three.' The Cavs demise this year was, to a great degree, about not having quality, consistent  PG play.

 Miami doesn't have a PG-- and  that shall be a problem in the post season of 2010/11. Aggregate scores decrease in the playoffs and that means  PG play has to be exceptional. Think about ATL in the post-season...no team leadership in the backcourt.  And Orlando's back court got outplayed by Boston's.

Now, look at the West-- what kind of PG play occurred from the last two teams (Lakers and Suns....Fisher and Nash) Fisher, though not possessing great numbers, provides quality, substantial leadership and timely 'shot making' late in games. Nash, even at 35, is dominant.

Someone must  'Captain' the ship and that emanates from the PG. Examine the last 15 NBA championships and look at the PGs-- then ask, do the Heat have a player of this capacity at that position.

And, the last point I want to make is about role players. The year the C's won--the so-called big three (Allen, Garnett, Pierce) were helped along immeasurably by Eddie House and James Posey.. And, does anyone remember someone named  Robert Horry who just came off the bench and did heroic things for Los Angeles.

Winning a championship at any level of basketball is Herculean; and, moreover, without  excellent PG play, I  bet against the Heat. The non-students of the game opine  that Wade can play PG-- I don't see it as a successful proposition over a full season. And, James, primarily played 'Point Forward' in the Cavs scheme--which, to me, didn't make a lot of sense.

Regardless of what James, Bosh/Wade do or not do, the Celtics, Magic and Bulls are going to be very tough to beat....one must not  'sleep' on any team with Derrick Rose at PG. The Bulls have signed Korver and Boozer-- trust me, they are not going quietly, nor gently into that good night. And, look at the Bucks-- an excellent backcourt (Jennings and Salmons),  with a fine scorer returning ( Redd) and a top notch center who is a 'double/double guy) Borgut.

The Eastern Conference Championship game next year could be Orlando/ Milwaukee.  I think one can safely say Miami will probably be a one or two seed in the East next season...(Miami, Chicago, Boston as the top three seeds) That leaves Orlando, Milwaukee-- and, down a bit, Atlanta and Charlotte.) So, the Heat will be in a second round series against, probably, Boston or Orlando. Miami may not emerge from the 2nd round.

As for the West, I think that the Thunder will be the biggest threat to the Lakers getting back to the NBA Finals.  The addition of Blake and Barnes make the Lakers an even tougher defensive team with more scoring punch. But Oklahoma City--with Durant and Westbrook-- are going to make life difficult for the Western Conference teams.

The Heat: I  am not a believer unless they get a real PG-- Chalmers and Arroyo aren't getting them to the NBA Finals.

Holy Ghost, Holiness and Aspects of the Pentecostal Experience in America.

Randy's Home

Randy's out of the hospital now. Although he no longer lives on the street, his condition is tenuous. Our next step is to secure semi-permanent living space-- and from there, we're going to establish an entity that provides work for he and others who live on the street. Our vision is to create original pieces called, "Rock Art." Each rock be engraved with a uplifting saying or quote-- Randy and a few others will handle the engraving and we'll move  people toward sustainability. No one should be living on the street-- not in America.