Writing a sermon

 It's not the easiest thing--but not that bad.

I should be doing that now instead of this.

So much is coming up--our anniversary on Saturday, a visit from our soon to be ex-daughter in law and one of her college age girls, Sunday church and visiting a dying parishioner. Lots of stuff.

But I have to write a sermon.

I'm going to center on Jesus saying "when two are three are gathered in my name, I will be in the midst of them."

He's talking about 'church', though that won't happen until many decades after his death and resurrection. And the Gospels about him won't be written for several hundred years.

But he is assuring us that he will be in the midst of us when we gather to worship him.

A big favor to us--two or three--gathered in his name....

 

Bible Study today

Only 4 today--small number, but bright folks.

We decided to give up on the Gnostic Gospels and today looked at the Gospel for Sunday.

A great way to help the preacher coming up--mostly me!

Went well, but a hard reading about confronting someone who sinned against you and then bringing witnesses and casting the offender out if he/she did not repair his/her offense..

But we hear Jesus say where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I will be in the midst of them.

That's good news for churches, especially small ones.

We had 4, so Jesus was with us.

That's wonderful....

Jesus in our midst.

 

Joy and Anguish

 My dentist called and asked if I could come in at 3:30 and get the implant I've been waiting on for months.

I was so happy I got there 20 minutes early!

She fooled around with my space and put the implant in and I was delighted--it felt and looked great!

Then she said, "Jim, I've got some bad news...."

Having a dentist say that is terrifying.

The implant wasn't broad enough to touch both of the teeth on either side so she took it out and sent it to the lab to see if they could fix it a bit.

Just a bit....yet I have to wait another 3 weeks now.

I came home so depressed I burnt the bread in the toaster oven.

I have the gizmo with my fake tooth in now and I'm still in anguish....

No church, no problem

 Didn't have church today.

Bill's newsletter said they had a great Morning Prayer.

I have to go up tomorrow to give communion and healing or last rites to a parishioner whose be in the hospital. She seems, according to her son, to be in her last weeks or days.

Nothing much for me to do today.

Drove around a little--I enjoy that.

Got some mini-crossiants (sp) at the store.

Nothing going on in Cheshire.

Bern cut the grass she won't let me near with a lawnmower!

She is my heroine!

Saturday is our 56th anniversary.

Lucky to have her and to have lived so long....

Cloudy Thursday

Weather people have been calling for rain, even thunderstorms, but not a drop at 2:05 p.m.

Bern moved deck plants out to get rain.

No rain.

Even occasional sun. Just clouds.

Sometimes weather people don't have any more clue than us.

Went to CVS for some stuff, but nowhere else.

September is coming next week.

Our anniversary is the 5th. 56 years!

Hard to believe.

How long to be so lucky as to be married to Bern....

 

Since then...

 Fr. Dan Pisano, my wife's brother, visited for 3 days.

He's a Roman Catholic priest (kinda' retired, like I'm kinda' retired!).

He's been part of my Tuesday group--the only one that not Episcopalian--but only on line.

Yesterday we met at St. Peter's here in Cheshire and people finally got to meet him in the flesh. He and I co-celebrated Eucharist and I had him do the blessing of the bread and wine. Fine with everybody....

Today at Bible Study in Milton we had 8 people--a record of sorts, but Dan didn't go since he had to catch a plane back to West Virginia.

We also got a new refrigerator today and luckily I went to Bible Study while Bern filled it with the stuff she'd taken from the old one. Glad I didn't have to help.

We don't have many visitors, Bern and I, but have for 3 weeks in a row! 

Josh and Fatma toward and back from Maine and Dan this week.

Visitors take up time usually spent other ways, like writing this blog. So that's why I missed time again.

Hope to be on every day for a good long while....

See you soon....

Been a few days...

 It's not that I had nothing to say--I have.

It's not that I've been too busy--I haven't.

It's that my mind has been in limbo for a number of things.

First of all, we went from looking for a new car to spending over $700 to fix my front brakes and buy two new tires. So, I'm going to drive my car for a while longer. I'm glad....

Second, Dan--Bern's brother is coming on Monday for a visit. He's getting into Hartford on a plane at 10 p.m. or so. So Bern got an Uber to bring him to us since we're in bed before then.

Third, I am so upset about our so-called President and all the awful things he's doing. Making money instead of taking care of the poor. Declaring English as the American language and cutting funds for English classes for immigrants. Building a ballroom and fighting a war, neither of which anyone wants, instead of running the nation. Making the national debt higher than it's ever been while spending money on a war and ballroom nobody wants.

I'm just getting started--but I'm stopping there.

Church today was great except our musician is sick again, so no music. But we did a healing service after communion and after church talked about a Christmas play before a great coffee hour.

I love that church and those people.

What a lucky guy I am...except for car troubles and what's his name in the White House....