Kindness on a special day

 So, I went to Big Y to order fish and chips for our Anniversary dinner (Bern's choice) and to pick up this great cheese cake with fruit topping for our desert.

The couple in front of me had bags and bags full of stuff. They used a gift card and then nearly $100 in cash to pay.

As the clerk was ringing up my dessert the guy came back and said, "how much?"

She said, "fifteen dollars" and the guy threw a ten and a five on the counter to pay for the cheese cake.

I was so stunned I said, "did he just do that?"

She smiled and said, "happy anniversary".

I had told her when I was checking out and he must have heard.

I rushed to catch up with them and they were out and gone before I could find them.

What astonishing kindness from a total stranger who didn't wait to be thanked.

What a day...in so many ways....

I need to figure out how to pass it on....

We all do....

 

Tomorrow!!!!

 Bern and I will be married 56 years tomorrow!

Hard to believe I've been so lucky to spend over 2/3 of my life with her.

There have been rough spots along the way--but not many.

2 kids and 4 grand kids have come out of it all.

A lots of dual respect and love.

Until I retired from full time ministry she came to church almost every Sunday and brought the kids. At one point they could have been a great trio of voices.

Since then, she's retired from church!

Fine with me. She did so much along the way--trained church school teachers, was a reader in services, did lots of behind the scene stuff and gave me great advice.

I love her so.

Now she does a lot for me as I'm not the young man I was....

I am one lucky guy to have met her in high school Latin class....Amo, amas, amat (if that's right...been a while).....

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....