how stupid I am

Remember how I posted that my windows in the car--except for the driver's window--couldn't be controlled?

I took my car the English Auto today and Bern brought me home.

They called at noon and said to come pick up the car.

So, we went.

The problem was I--or Bern--had hit the child lock and disabled the other three windows.

How stupid I am.

I actually didn't know that button did that...or anything?

English didn't charge me and told me they get those all the time.

Bern said "that must have made you feel better."

And I replied, "I think they told me that to make me feel less stupid."

Alas and alack.

How stupid I am.

 

Rain and pain

It's been raining for two days.

One of the problems is that I left my car windows down in the front and the rain somehow messed up the raise windows function of my car and I have the front passenger window down about six inches.

I'm taking it to English Motors tomorrow and hopefully they'll figure it out.

But I have had to have garbage and leaf bags covering it in the rain.

Driving with them is frightening--they blow out and up.

Plus, Bridget, our dog, hates to go out in the rain.

Plus, my left hip hurts a lot.

I have salon pas on it, but the stairs make it ache.

Not been a great two days for me....

Diocesan Convention

 Friday and Saturday were the dates of the Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

I went on Friday since M.C. drove with me.

The Convention bored me nearly to death.

But M. and I left an hour early and had a good dinner together in a restaurant that luckily served wine.

I didn't go today because I would have had to drive since M. had a funeral to preside at and because I felt sick and didn't want to endanger anyone else there with my illness.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Long retired from full-time ministry, I really don't give a s*** about what the Diocese is up to.

And I don't think retired clergy should attend or vote since what will the future have to do with us--as long as no one tries to dismantle the Church Pension Fund!

Shalom and good night....

MONTAINI SEMPER LIBERI

I was looking through the desk drawer I hardly even use--except for a nail cutter--and found two things I had forgotten about.

An unopened iron-on patch of the state seal of West Virginia which depicts a coal miner on one side and a Davy Crockett looking fellow on the other of a rock with the date July 20, 1863 on it. That was the date that West Virginia was created out of a weirdly strange area of Virginia with two panhandles, for the Civil War. It also had the Latin phrase above, which means, "Mountaineers are always free".

The other was a half-dollar sized nickle from McDowell County National Bank dated July 20, 1963--for the 100th anniversary of the state.

I've had these things a long time--long enough to forget them.

But it was a joy to find them.

I was 16 when the Centennial happened.

I hadn't yet met Bern.

Memories are good.

I my even iron the patch on a jacket....

 

Autumn

It's Autumn in Connecticut and the sound of leaf blowers is in the air.

I hate them because they are so loud and annoying.

Bern hates them for a better reason--leaving leaves on the ground to replenish the soil is good for the environment.

Two of our neighbors were blowing leaves the other day and I couldn't stay on the deck and read because it was so annoying.

Couldn't they make a leaf blower that doesn't sound like a bazooka being fired?

Or couldn't people respect the environment more than a leafless lawn and just leave them to decompose over the winter?

Questions like those leave me exhausted.

 

This week's sermon

 

RENDER UNTO CAESAR….

        In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees (as always) “went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said.”

        So, the followers of the Pharisees said to Jesus: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth….” (Boy, that is buttering him up with faint praise!)

        “Tell us, then, what you think,” they say getting ready to drop the bomb!

        “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”

        If Jesus says ‘no’—they’ve got him from treason against the Roman Empire.

        If Jesus says ‘yes’—they can tell the people he sides with the Romans against the Jews.

        They’ve got him either way…at least they think so.

        But Jesus knows what they’re up to and tells them: “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?”

        Jesus can be depended upon to be a step ahead of his critics. I admire that about him.

        So, he asks to be shown what is given to the tax.

        They show him a coin and he asks who’s likeness is on the coin.

        They answer, ‘the emperor’s.”

        So, he tells them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

        Point, game, set, match to Jesus!

        Don’t try to play tennis with this guy….a

        In another translation, Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God, the things that are God’s.”

        It’s my contention that over 2000 years ago, Jesus set the stage for our country’s ‘separation of church and state’ which is a part of our constitutional legacy.

        And now, it is my belief that our constitutional legacy of ‘separation of church and state’ is in danger of being uprooted.

        Let me be clear—it is not the state that is trying to uproot that legacy—it is the ‘church’.

        Evangelicals and Roman Catholics are asking the state to infringe on the church and on individual freedom.

        I could give you several examples, but let me cite one—abortion rights.

        I’ll be clear, I abhor abortion, detest it—but it is the right of the woman to choose, not my ‘right’ to tell her she can’t.

        The Evangelicals and Roman Catholics are urging state governments and the United States’ government to take away rights that should be protected and upheld.

        I’ll talk to you more, if you wish, about this—but let me be clear: the church—at least parts of it—are trying to blur the separation of church and state.

        Render unto Caesar and render unto God may soon be tarnished. I pray it won’t be, but fear it will be. What can we do to prevent that? I’m not sure. I wish I did.

Amen.

 

 

Sunday sleep-in

 I slept until 9:30 this morning.

Luckily, I didn't have church today since the service in Milton started just as I woke up.

To wash, dress, eat a little something, drive to Milton and get vested would take about an hour.

But this was  "Sleep-In Sunday".

I feel really rested....

Confirmation Sunday

 Trinity, Milton--which is actually in the town limits of Litchfield--which I serve very part time, joined St. Michael's, Litchfield on Sunday for Confirmation.

I presented 3 for confirmation, 2 to be received and 1 to reaffirm her vows.

Both buildings of Trinity would fit inside St. Michael's sanctuary--leaving room for the altar!

Bishop Laura told me before the service that I was in her sermon.

I was nervous since most of my career I have annoyed Bishops.

But it was about serving the outsiders and she told about my work at St. John's in Waterbury with a Soup Kitchen that served 100 or so a day and a food pantry and restrooms open to the homeless.

All in all a good day.

But Trinity's coffee hours are better.

I really hate Halloween!

 I hate everything about it.

A block and a half from our house is a house that has 14 huge, scary displays in it's yard.

I wouldn't let my kid Trick or Treat there. If they're that into terror, what might they give children who come to their house==bed bugs, maybe.

My hatred of that night goes back to my early childhood.

My parents would dress me up in a costume and mask.

I was 7 before we knew how near-sighted I was.

Seeing people dressed in scary costumes through the eye holes in my mask freaked me out.

And some people in my day (and probably still) would do bad things to private property if they didn't get enough candy.

Fear and destruction aren't for me.

So, I hate Halloween.

Brigit found her voice

Our dog, Brigit, was a silent creature the first few years after we rescued her.

But she has found her voice and now barks--at the mailman, anyone on our front porch, even at me if I come in unexpectedly!

It annoys me but I guess it means she feels it's okay to bark--she won't be punished.

But she can really bark!

She'd let us know now if someone was breaking into our house--that's good.

But it still annoys me.

I'll get over it because I love her so.

 

As frustrated as I've ever been

 This afternoon has been a nightmare!

First I get a mail from Consumer Cellular that I need to update my SIM card.

Lots of email and phone calls get me nowhere.

I'll try again tomorow.

And then an email bill for $599 from Norton--a company I've never heard of.

I spent nearly an hour on line and the phone with them before I realized it was a scam and they wanted my bank number.

What a scam!

Bern found it on line and it was exactly what happened.

Elder folks are victims of scams a lot.

They tied down my computer for a couple of hours but it back now.

I'm as depressed as I get--which isn't very depressed.

Glad it's over.

The Voice comes on in 22 minutes--so I have reason to cheer up.

A sunny day at last!

 At Trinity Church in Milton this morning the sun was shining bright and someone said, "what is that golden orb in the sky?"

It's been a while since a sunny day--but today it was!

The other 'sunny' thing is that the Speaker of the House darted away from his MAGA right-wing folks and passed a bill to keep the government running for 45 days.

A shut-down would have been a disaster. Good for the Republicans who joined most Democrats to pass it.

Matt Gaetz plans to try to remove the Speaker and several Republican House members plan to try to expel Gaetz from the chamber.

The Republicans are at loggerheads with each other.

Hopefully, Democrats can take back the House in 2024.

That would bring sanity to DC.

I pray that happens.

I am a Democrat from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.

No kidding.