I'm sure you've noticed that before you can sign in to this blog, you have to say you with to continue.
Apparently, the Blog Folks find some of my content to be unacceptable.
So they scold me like this....
I'm not even sure what they object to.
I've gone back and read past blogs and besides the word 'fart', I'm not sure what I'm being scolded for.
Ah, well, not the first time I've been scolded!
And, hopefully, won't be the last!
This Sunday is the last one before Christmas.
I wrote my sermon on Mary, the mother of Jesus.
She was a simple woman chosen by God for reasons unknown, to give birth to his Eternal Son.
The Gospel was from Luke--when Mary visits Elizabeth and Elizabeth's baby leaps for join in her womb.
That baby was John the Baptist and though they were both fetuses John knew Jesus was there.
So did Elizabeth. She says, "Why is the mother of my Lord visiting me?"
Quite a story.
An amazing one, at that.
Truly amazing....
Sometime during the night on Sunday, our furnace went off.
It was finally fixed by 4 p.m. on Monday--by that time the temperature in our living room was 52 degrees.
As you know from earlier posts, I hate the cold.
Monday was miserable to me.
I stayed in stores some of the day and drove around with my car heater on high.
Finally, by bedtime, it was 68 in the house and all was well.
Cold is COLD!!!
The readings today in the bulletin were for Advent 2, not Advent 3.
It messed up things a lot.
But we got through it.
The person who did it apologized and my sermon went well enough.
Things like that happen.
Welcome to my world....
Have a good time here.
All three lessons before the Gospel use the word 'rejoice'.
So that's what I'm preaching about tomorrow--"rejoice".
I like my sermon but can't share it with you since, being and idiot about technology, I accidentally erased it from my computer....
Truly and idiot.
But not when preaching about 'rejoice'....
I got the readings for Sunday and realized I've already talked about the Gospel with John the Baptist.
I didn't realize that where it ended last Sunday would continue on, so I talked about what came next--this week's Gospel!
So I have to write a sermon without the Gospel.
I always preach on the Gospel.
What a mess.
I'll figure it out.
I hope....
Today the views of this blog passed 500,000!
Thanks to you for reading it.
You made half-a-million happen!
I appreciate it so much....
I watched 3 videos on Youtube about conjoined twins that were separated at the Mayo Clinic.
It was amazing!
These 6 girls (they were all female twins) have great lives and are very close to their sisters--though not as close as they were at birth....
Very moving.
My eyes were wet watching.
Pray for them and all conjoined twins.
And give thanks for hospitals and surgeons.
We all should do that.
The older I get, the more times I see doctors.
I went to my Cancer doctor A. this week.
My Cancer is gone but she keeps seeing me to make sure. I trust her totally. She's also an Episcopalian and goes to a church I know well.
I always let all the people in doctor offices know that I am an Episcopal priest. I don't know for sure that makes them treat me better--but I suspect it does.
Here's how terrific Dr. A. is--because I broke my thumb and cracked my shoulder, she is sending me to have my bone density checked next Wednesday at a practice just down the street from our house.
I never even thought about how dense my bones are and have no idea how they find out.
But if Dr. A. tells me to jump, I jump.
I trust her that much.
Probably more than I trust myself....
Seems it snowed last night.
Lot enough to cause any pain--besides shoveling walks and driveways--which Bern did before I woke up.
But it's cold...so cold...so very cold....
I put on socks--something I haven't done since last March.
That's how cold it is.
The only thing I would hate worse than being cold would be to live in Florida!
Just me talkin'...or, more accurately, writin'....
G. at Trinity told me to write out my sermons...which I often do not.
But my printer is out of ink and I don't know how to get more or how to install it.
I'm in a pickle--whatever that means--and hope to figure it out this week.
The sermon will be about John the Baptist and I don't need a text to do that.
Alas and alack--what to do....?
Thanksgiving is over--but giving thanks is not.
We need to be thankful every day...all the time.
Bern is doing Face Time with our granddaughter. I can hear them down the hall. They do it M-W-F and I'm always thankful.
I'm thankful, after the election, to live in the Very Blue state of CT.
I'm so thankful that Bern and I are married. We met when I was 17 and she was 14. 60 years later we are still together.
I am thankful that I'm an Episcopal priest--I have served amazing congregations and thank all of them for molding me into who I am today.
There is so much more for me to be thankful for--but I'll stop there for today.
My advice to you--be thankful every hour....
It was great to have Mimi, Tim, Eleanor and Josh with Bern and me for Thanksgiving! They are almost all I need....
I also, because of Thanksgiving and the Sunday schedule at Trinity and that Wed. Bible Study is cancelled for Dec.--I have almost two weeks without work. That's almost all I need....
But according to the stats of my Blog, Under the Castor Oil Tree, I only need a bit over 3000 more views to reach half-a-million total views.
That's all I need....
His name was Tom.
He was a very successful man. He and his wife lived in NYC and Long Island until they moved to Milton, for goodness sake.
He was 90 when he died.
His son did the Eulogy and made me wish I had known him.
His wife sang a song she wrote for him.
His daughters read scripture.
There was no communion.
He was buried in a grave yard I never knew existed about five minutes from the church.
The area around the grave yard reminded me of my home in Southern West Virginia--so rural, so barren.
I was amazed by it all.
They gave a good donation to the church.
All in all, an interesting day.
It's only a few days away....
Mimi, Tim and Eleanor are coming Wednesday and Josh early Thursday.
John usually comes but he's in a medical center with a broken back.
It will be good to be with them and to eat too much.
Hard to imagine I worked in Higganum for several years.
I couldn't find my way there and came home for Bern to give me directions.
Even those weren't great--so, I was a couple of minutes late for the service.
The alb didn't fit at all--much to big.
I was a nightmare.
But I got through it well
Lots of folk there I knew but had forgotten their names.
Faces, I am good at--not names.
Talked to Mejol, my favorite cousin a couple of hours ago. She's 5 years older than me--and she said the same: Faces not Names.
Getting old is not fun....
I have a funeral tomorrow of an old friend and one on Tuesday of someone I've never met.
I will begin both with this from a classmate in college that she wrote for a man she loved who died in Vietnam.
When people die
It's like a bird flying into a window on the coldest morning
of the year.
When people die
It's like the bears are out of the zoo and
eating children on the street.
When people die
It's like a maniac is in the power station and the
lights go on and off and on
off and on and
off.
When people die.
I think you'll agree.....
Bern and I have two children--Mimi and Josh--and four grandchildren--Emma, Tegan and Chris Bradley and Eleanor McCarthy.
I worry more about them than Bern and I. We are in our 70's and not long for this world. But they have decades to live.
What the new government will mean to them is beyond my expectations.
I long for them to live in the nation I've always lived it.
But I don't know if that will happen.
I pray so....
My right thumb and shoulder hurt from time to time.
The heels of my feet sometime brother me at night.
My knees aren't what they used to be and hurt a bit.
But what hurts is my heart....
My oldest friend is going into a nursing home in Hamden.
I worry about my children and grandchildren.
I hurt about our country and what the next four years will bring.
And I'm 77 and worry about how much time I have left....
Hurt can point us to what matters.
Really.
Try it....
Time will pass--it always does.
What do we need to do and 'be' looking ahead?
We must live in hope and 'do' what hope requires. That means keeping working for the poor, the disabled, the immigrants....
Here's what pisses me off about the whole deal about people entering the country to find a better life--if you aren't a native American--your family entered this country from somewhere else to find a better life.
Bern's family came from Italy and Hungery and mine came from Britian and probably Sweden.
We came here from somewhere else.
And the President-elect wants to send back people who came for the same reason--to find a better life.
Send us all home--though for me it would be generations, but for Bern it would be one generation on her mother's side and she would be the first generation born here on her father's side.
Send us 'home'....But this is 'home' and can be for many others.
That makes me crazy--the deportation Trump plans!
But I'm not as 'crazy' as he is for proposing it......
It's been 9 days since the election.
Donald Trump won. I don't get it--which means I'm on t he outside looking in.
I'm still in shock.
Four years of Trump--who wants Matt Gatz to be Attorney General?
I long to breathe well.
And I can't.
Not yet.
We shall see.
We shall see what we must do.
I hope.
Most days I have what people would consider two breakfast meals.
I'll have an egg with turkey sausage and raisin toast in the morning and bacon and a blueberry waffle with maple syrup at noon.
Does that make me weird or strange?
You tell me.
In today's Gospel from Mark, Jesus condemned the rich and praised a poor woman who gave all she had.
I talked about wanting to be honored and given the best seat. I've been like that.
But now, with the President elect, my friend fighting for his life in Yale/New Haven hospital, my child in a life changing position, my injury still effecting me--I feel poor.
But someone called me about her husband being near death and I was comforting to her.
Even when we are poor--we are rich in compassion, care and love.
Just that.
The unusual warm weather of this week ended today.
I don't like the cold and it is cold outside.
I even have a heater on beside my desk though the house is at 68 degrees.
I also don't have a sermon ready for tomorrow.
Alas and alack....
I need to pull it together.
All is not lost.
The Dodgers beat the Yankees and Trump beat Harris.
But all is not lost.
Have hope and courage and longing.
Ponder how to live the next four years.
Reach for the stars.
You may catch one....
Who knows?
I've had time to ponder the world I live in since yesterday.
Pondering is one of my best traits.
We survived Trump the first time--why not this time?
How many millions of people who voted for him voted against their own best interests?
Pray the Democrats win the House--that will give them a spring-board.
I'm so glad to live in CT--a truly Blue state!
Stay awake and alert.
It won't be an easy ride.
Not only is my oldest and probably best friend on life support in Yale New Haven Hospital. One of my children is facing a hard decision and Trump won the election.
Not a good day, still recovering from a broken thumb and a crack in my shoulder.
At least I have lots of pain meds and wine to get me through.
Things could be worse--though I don't know how....
Pray for me....
My computer is so screwed up it was hard to get to t his page.
I have to use my finger instead of my mouse for most things.
So sorry I haven't been posting--but it is a challenge.
The vote is almost over.
We'll probably know by Friday who will be president.
I'm a mess.
My oldest and best friend is in Yale/New Haven hospital totally out of it. Spine breaks and brain bleeds.
I can hardly believe it.
And Trump may win.
God help u s!!!
I'll try to get things fixed and be back with y ou.
Shalom....
I haven't worn my sling today. Shoulder is feeling good. Right thumb cast makes hitting the space bar a little tricky--but not bad.
Bern and I voted this morning at the town hall.
They were very helpful and diligent--lucky to live in Cheshire.
If Trump wins I'll be suicidal--pray for me.
The next few days are tense and dreadful.
We shall see when we see....
I haven't worn my sling today.
Went to church and preached and celebrated.
I spoke about 'faith', which I have learned a lot about in the last two weeks.
Bern's care for me has given me 'faith' in my life.
Faith may be something we gain from others.
Maybe....
I didn'twear my sling most of yesterday.
Last night I couldn't sleep for the pain in my shoulder.
I went downstairs at 2:30 a.m. to take pain pills.
I slept maybe 2 hours.
I called and got myself outof the Diocesan Convention.
I'll be better better by Sunday and go to church and preach.
But theworld series begins tonight.
GO YANKEES!!!
The doctor took off my cast and I have both hands free again.
I'll be writing more about my condition in the days to come.
But above all, VOTE!
For Harris and Tim.....
Sunday a.m.coming in from the back porch, the storm door caught my right foot and made me fall.
I went to church in pain and couldn't sleep that night.
Ifrractured my right thumb and shoulder.
Cast and sling take away mt right hand--can't do much .
Bern takes care of me lovinngly.
Won't be posting for awhille. So keep me in your hearts.
Tomorrow I'm talking about Mark's Jesus condemning rich people.
In the first century, Jews thought wealth meant God's approval of rich people's lives.
But Jesus turns away a rich young man who won't give up his wealth to follow Jesus.
The disciples are shocked but Jesus tells them: "it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
Pretty tough, no?
Some early scholars suggested that there was a gate to Jerusalem that was called 'the needle' and a camel could go through on it's knees. But why would a camel owner do that because there were other gates.
Besides, history says there was no such gate.
But Jesus saves the rich by saying "In God, all things are possible."
In God all things are possible.
Something to ponder and reflect on.
In God, all things are possible....
I've been sneezing and blowing my nose for two days.
I got the Covid booster yesterday and blamed it. But Bern told me I was crazy....Which I am.
I feel better tonight at 9 p.m. so I hope that holds.
Not great to have a cold as it's getting colder out in the world.
I hate both kinds of 'cold'.
...we started reading Ezekiel, which I don't think many of the other 5 there had ever read.
People were astounded at God's bitterness and punishment toward the people of Israel in exile.
They were thinking of Luke's depiction on God as forgiving and loving.
Ezekiel is a different matter.
God is angry and feels betrayed by the people of Israel.
Don't get on God's bad side!
It's 8 p.m. And it's cold.
Not as cold as it will be as the year winds down--I know that. But I don't like it cold.
My wife and I fight over the thermostat.
She wants it at 65 and I want it near 70.
We were watching TV a while ago and I have on a shirt, a sweatshirt and my Kansas City Chiefs jacket with the hood up.
She said, "are you cold?" Which seemed like a silly question to me.
So, she's going to hook up a little heater on my side of the bed tonight.
I'd rather turn up the thermostat....
Which is why I don't put them on my blog any more.
I make notes as I read the lessons and preach from the notes.
I've been doing this a long time--I don't need a text to read. I know what I want to say and how and I say it.
Today's sermon was about divorce, children and Job.
Mark's Jesus was harsh about divorce so I assured the congregation that the Episcopal church allows it.
Jesus was also with children today and Trinity has a great stained glass window of Jesus with children.
I talked about children being dependent, loving, patient and kind.
(The youngest person in the congregation today--8--told me she wasn't patient at all!)
Then I talked about Job--whose tribulations made up the Old Testament lesson. I talked about how he accepted the good and the bad and did not blame God for the bad he experienced.
I told the congregation (and myself!) we must be like little children to enter the Kingdom and like Job in accepting the bad with the good.
That's what I said.
We always know when the mailman comes (I should say 'mail deliverer' since it could be a woman) because our dog, Brigit barks when he or she is on our porch.
Brigit didn't bark for 3 years after we adopted her as an abused dog.
But she found her voice a few months ago.
I hate the sound, but I'm so, so glad she thinks she's safe enough to bark....
Driving up to Trinity Church, Milton, normally takes around half-an-hour.
But Wednesday I got stuck in a traffic jam a few miles before the Watertown exit off RT 8 North. It took me 20 minutes to go 2 miles and then it simply broke up. Try as I may I can't come up with a reason that it happened....
Then, on the way back, somewhere in Waterbury on I 84, my power steering went off.
I nearly lost both arms driving without it.
I called our favorite service place when I got home and they couldn't look at it until Friday.
I took it down today--power steering working fine--and left it for them to look at tomorrow.
I can't figure that out any more than the traffic traffic jam.
I wish I had the super power to 'beam' myself to places and not use a car....
We have a spider web on the wall of our tiny back porch between the back door and a window to our living room.
Insects get caught in it and my leaning is to free them. But Bern tells me 'no, let Nature take it's course."
I've come to agree with her.
Though we humans do a lot to destroy Nature, we should let it take it's course.
And do all we can not to destroy it.
My father was in New York City ready to ship off to Europe in WW II when a generous man gave him and some of his friends tickets to a Yankees/Dodgers World Series game.
Being from Southern West Virginia in the 40's, no baseball team was close enough to root for.
So he decided whoever won the game would be his team.
The Yankees won.
So I grew up as a Yankees fan and am until this day.
They just won the East and are on their way to the playoffs.
Go Yankees!
...how I used to go up and down stairs easily.
But not now.
My knees are bad.
I hurt and have to be careful coming up stairs.
I'm better going down, but not by much.
Oh, I long for those days when stairs were just stairs and not a problem....
All you have to do is watch a Trump rally to realize how messed up in the head he is.
Every other sentence and text he puts out is full of lies.
Though some of his rallies aren't full, the people who are there are fully supportive of him.
It's like the Republican Party is a cult not a political party.
I pray and pray that Harris beats him.
If she doesn't I will sink into depression and our country will be a mad house.
A truly 'mad house'.
Bern's been working in the front and back yards for a week or more.
(She leaves the side yard alone since our pet cemetery is there!)
I watched her do a lot of it but even with first hand knowledge of her work, I have no idea what she's doing!
She shears branches and cuts them up.
She digs up plants and cuts them up.
She removes things and cuts them up.
Today I counted and found 10 leave bags full--those big old bags.
And I have no idea what she's doing or why.
If she goes to the home before me, I'll be living in a jungle before long....
But odds are I'll go to the home first and she'll continue doing what she does in the yards.
And I'll be so demented I won't wonder what she's doing....
A totally deranged man who once voted for him was on his Golf Course to try to shoot him, kill him?
It was a weird thing.
Just like T and V are weird.
Very strange.
And Vance blamed Democrats for it?
And with all the vile things they are saying about Kamala, they say Democrats should watch what they say????
Weirder and weirder every day....
I went to my primary care doctor today.
She outweighs me by about 80 pounds, but is competent.
I'm pretty fit for a 77 year old man who grew up in West Virginia and smokes and drinks white wine.
Go figure.
My vital signs are really good.
My mind in not so good.
I forget things.
Today, after I fixed my lunch, I left the burner on. Bern caught it though it was on low.
Shame on me.
But I want to live a while.
Next year is Bern and mine 55th anniversary.
She was 20 and I was 23.
So we've been married to nearly 2/3 of our lives.
Imagine that....
I hadn't realized until an hour of so ago that this was Friday the 13th.
I'm not superstitious, so it doesn't matter that I didn't know.
Hope your Friday the 13th was as uneventful as mine was.
The presidential debate was a walk off win for Kamala!
No doubt about it....
Trump's 'dog eating' outburst would have been enough. But he avoided and lied over and over.
And the split screen showed us all Kamala's reactions to what he was saying.
It was wonderful and poetic.
She laughed and frowned and put her hand on her chin and shook her head in amazement.
Quite a contrast between the two.
Don't eat your neighbor's dogs...alright?
We had a big crowd at Trinity, Milton, yesterday.
St. Michael's in Litchfield's Rector is suspended--no one seems to know the story--so a bunch of their parishioners came to Trinity for communion.
43 people! We average around 22, so it seemed like a lot of folks.
The music was wonderful--as always, since our musician is go good. How this little church has him is beyond me--he could be anywhere in the Diocese! But some of St. M's choir were in the congregation and they added a lot to the singing.
Lots of people thanked me for my John's Jesus vs. Mark's Jesus sermon.
Maybe they were just being polite...or maybe something showed up for them they weren't expecting. Who knows?
Bill reported it all on our on-line newsletter. He's really great!
If you'd like to be on his list let him know at bill.starr@mac.com.
You won't regret it.
We've been reading John's Gospel for weeks. I enjoyed it.
But last week we shifted to Mark--and I don't like it.
What I'll do tomorrow is contrast Mark's Jesus with John's Jesus.
You see, Jesus is different in all four gospels.
Mark was the earliest and shortest of the Gospels. It was written around 70 A.D.--given life spans then and there, about a generation after the life of Jesus.
John was written another generation later--somewhere around 110 A.D.
John's Jesus knows everything--who he is, what he's going to do, who will betray him, how he will rise from the dead.
Mark's Jesus is just learning as he goes along.
John's Jesus takes his time. Mark's Jesus is always moving--the word that can be translated "immediately" occurs 40 times in Mark.
John's Jesus wants everyone to know about him. Mark's Jesus tries to stay secret.
Lots of other stuff will come in.
We'll see how it goes.
Today is our wedding anniversary.
Bern and I have been married 54 years.
Amazing in the face of so many divorces we all see.
It's over 2/3 of Bern's and my lives
We were 20 and 23 when we married.
Now we are 74 and 77.
I can hardly believe it.
But it is true!
Happy Anniversary to us......
I am a 'yellow dog Democrat'.
What that means is if a yellow dog was running against an upstanding, moderate Republican--I'd vote for the yellow dog!
The Presidential election is absolutely the most important one in a hundred years.
Trump and Vance stand for everything I oppose.
Kamala and Tim aren't quite as liberal as I wish--but they stand for everything our country needs.
Not a hard decision.
Vance being booed by a labor union is enough...isn't it?
And Trump being obsessed about crowd size is crazy since he is losing on that at every turn.
So what do they stand for?
Division and name-calling and avoiding issues.
That's what.
Harris and Walz--that's who our country needs....
No doubt!
I know both our front and back stairs in the house have 13 steps--yet I count them every time.
It's 22 steps from our front door to my car--and I count them every time.
I tear off random toilet paper and fold it up--if it comes out even, I win. If not, I lose.
I back out of the driveway--though there's lots of room to turn around.
I eat biscuits and gravy every breakfast--turkey sausage, by the way.
Every time I go to Trinity Church, Milton, I check the mileage on my trip. It's always 31.
I don't put on my stole until I'm in church and take it off after the recessional and carry it around to hear the after service music by our great musician, MF.
I re-read books by David Rosenfelt--my favorite author.
I shave my neck on Wednesdays and Saturdays--never any other day.
Lots of other weird stuff too--won't mention them here....
We're reading Romans, which fills the room with questions.
Circumcision vs. not. Righteousness vs. Law. Even what 'reckon' means which Abraham was 'reckoned righteous'.
Outlining Paul's reasons for what he writes is my job--and not an easy one!
We only read two chapters today because there were so many questions and lively discussion.
Just what Bible Study should be....
Donald Trump is dangerous and crazy and should be in jail or an insane asylum.
Evangelicals who support him don't understand Christianity.
Everyone is equal in our society--those who have millions and those who have nothing. We have to find ways to 'truly make them equal'.
Dogs are better companions than most human beings.
If I didn't celebrate and preach, I'm not sure I'd go to church (that's painful to admit.)
Kamala and Tim are people I'll be proud to vote for.
Democracy is fragile and must be protected at all costs.
The Yankees are the best in baseball. (I've rooted for them all my life. My father and a few friends were in NYC waiting to ship out for WW II and some people gave them tickets to a Yankees/Dodgers World Series game and my father decided which ever team won would be 'his team'. Guess who won....)
My wife does too much for us and I do too little--but we are both ok with that.
Just a few of the things I think.
Feel free to disagree....
The drive to Milton was fine. I used my cane during the service.
Michael Ford, the Music Director with a bad knee, even faked a cane fight that Bill took a picture of and published it in Trinity's newsletter today!
I feel quite a bit better than I did Friday.
Still pain but not as bad.
I move around quite well.
Getting into and out of bed is the worst. The doctor told me to elevate my head, but I can't sleep like that.
As time passes, it will all get better.
I pray!
Wednesday I tripped and fell on my left side in our TV room.
I hit my left wrist and it bled overnight but was fine the next morning.
But I hit my left side and today went to Urgent Care and discovered I had fractured a rib.
Boy it hurts!
I have patches for it and will take Aleve and be better they tell me in 2 or 3 weeks.
Great! Two or three weeks of pain.
When I'm sitting--like now--it doesn't hurt.
But movement hurts.
And I'm walking with a cane to cushion my left side.
Ah, Well--I'm getting old. Things happen.
Great first day--but they have to control the time more!
Biden wasn't on until I'd been asleep for two hours.
Hope tonight goes better.
I want to go to bed and not wait for it to end.
Want to hear Barack Obama though....
It rained so hard this morning that I was sorry to be driving to Trinity Church in Milton.
By the time I got onto I-84 and Route 8 and then 254 my wipers were on full speed and I still couldn't see well.
It usually takes me 30 minutes--today it took 45.
The drive home was no better.
And going to Big Y at 5'30 and back was no better.
Rain, Rain, go away....
And still it rains.
Getting Brigit to go out tonight will be a challenge.
Alas and alack.
...is not what we get.
I want world peace--and two horrible wars are going on.
I want a stable democratic nation--and Donald Trump is running for President.
I want a world worth living in--and climate change is making that more and more difficult.
I want a lot I can't have.
That's just the beginning of the list....
Our dog, Brigit, chases stuff in our back yard.
She chases squirrels, rabbits and a ground-hog or two.
I like that.
She never catches them and does no damage but I think she makes them think twice about coming in our yard.
But she's started chasing birds as well.
I don't like that.
I love birds and want them in our yard.
Birds are off limits, Brigit!
My contract only allows me to do 3 Sundays a month at Trinity. Milton.
Tomorrow is my Sunday off this month.
I jokingly said at a Wednesday Bible Study at Trinity that "I keep working even though retired because if I wasn't celebrating I wouldn't go to church."
People laughed.
But I long ago realized that jokes are often ways to tell an uncomfortable truth.
That's what that one is.
On my Sundays off I either take a supply job or don't go to church.
I'm a priest, not a church-goer.
That may sound like a contradiction.
But for me, it's true.
I love church when I'm preaching and celebrating.
Otherwise, not so much.
Alas....
The Governor of Minn., Tim Walz was a great choice for VP!
He's who came up with 'weird' for the Trump/Vance ticket.
And they are.
Plus he's military, a teacher and a coach, served in the House and brought his state into the 21st Century on abortion and many other things.
Way to go, soon to be President Harris....
We have a kitchen towel with 15 different animals on it and the term to call a group of those animals.
I don't think I knew more than 2 or 3 before the towel.
See how you do....
*A Leap of Salmon
*A Prickle of Hedgehogs
*A Trip of Hares
*A Skulk of Foxes
*A Parliament of Owls
*A Plump of Seals
*A Bouquet of Pheasants
*A Squabble of Seagulls
*A Murder of Crows
*A Paddling of Ducks
*A Romp of Otters
*A Crown of Kingfishers
*A Cete of Badgers
*A Leash of Deer
*A Circus of Puffins
How did you do?
Bern loves the Olympics--watches all she can.
I do it on Youtube for the things I like.
I think I'm a bigger sports fan than her--my fandom is baseball, basketball and football.
She love tennis.
Not me.
But still we've been married all these years.
Sports hasn't come between us.
Thankfully....
I can't print it because I didn't write it down--I 'winged it'.
I've been preaching long enough to 'wing it' with ease. But this was too easy. John's Gospel for yesterday contained the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on water to save his disciples boat and their lives in a storm.
And when he stepped on board, the storm ended and the were moved miles to arrive where they were headed.
Lots of stuff to talk about there.
In the back of the church were boxes and baskets full of clothes and food. So the people of the parish feed the hungry and clothe those who need it.
The 'walking on water' part lends itself to talk of sharing your faith and getting others to the other side of the lake.
Good stuff to talk about. I ended with this poem by Mary Oliver called "Logos".
Why worry about the loaves and fishes?
If you say the right words, the wine expands.
If you say them with love
and the felt ferocity of that love
and the felt necessity of that love,
the fish explode into many.
Imagine him, speaking,
and don’t worry about what is reality,
or what is plain, or what is mysterious.
If you were there, it was all those things.
If you can imagine it, it is all those things.
Eat, drink, be happy.
Accept the miracle.
Accept, too, each spoken word
spoken with love.
I went for my allergy shots at Waterbury Hospital today and when the nurse I wasn't very familiar with asked me how I was doing, I told her about my knees. She listened and told me the bone doctors might have injections to help me.
God bless her.
I'll call on Monday and get an appointment if between now and then I can remember what a bone doctor is called.
I'll google it.
That should work.
The support for Kamala Harris has been amazing.
They raised $100 million in 48 hours.
Democratic leaders have endorsed her in total.
She is ahead of Trump in the first polls.
Let's go, Kamala!!!
Joe is out of it as of today. He won't accept the nomination and urges Democrats to let his Vice-President Harris have it.
I'm not sure how I feel yet.
I was on his side and wanted him to stay in.
But all those high-ranking Democrats who asked him to step back know much more than I do..
They thought he would lose to the Devil Incarnate.
Whoever they nominated might lose too.
Alas and alack.
Bern cried when she heard.
I haven't cried but I've wondered a lot since then.
I'll vote for Kamala or whoever they nominate.
I'm a Democrat to the core.
And I hate the orange hair guy.
We'll see.
I went to my allergist today--Dr. R.
He's a great guy. Been going to him for 25 years or so.
I get shots every two weeks and take meds.
I have had no symptoms for several years now.
Asthma is not something you want. I'm not kidding.
So, I appreciate him and the nurses who give me shots and the meds I take more than I can tell you.
Thank you God, for all that....
I've done a lot of funerals in my career--one yesterday.
It was for a woman I never met. But her son and granddaughter said things about her that got the 80 or so folks there to laugh a lot.
Not unusual--laughter at funerals.
It is a way to quiet the pain and suffering.
Doing funerals isn't easy--but you learn a lot about the person and those who loved them.
Don't know what I meant to say in this 'untitled draft' on July 5th.
Still don't.
Ah, not as alert as I once was....
I think you know by now I hate Donald Trump and all he stands for--including Project 2025.
But I would never kill him--no one should.
The attempt to kill him has brought out both sides. Some say it was faked to enhance his election chance. Others say Democrats are behind it.
Neither is true.
It was a crazy kid with a rifle.
Too many of those around.
Good luck recovering Don.
Hope this doesn't happen again.
And I think your VP choice is a huge mistake....
When I sign into my blog I get a message that "questionable content" is on it.
What did I do to deserve that?
Was it the blog about 'farts'?
Maybe.
Or maybe one of my sermons was considered heretical.
Wouldn't be the first time.
*
Gene, a guy at Trinity, Milton, where I serve, collects my sermons. They're in a folder in the parish hall.
I tried to find him today to show him my sermon--but he had left.
This is it:
"Things that I hate...
*beheadings
*conspiracies
*arrogance
-thinking you're better that others
-not being able to admit you were wrong "
Just that--about the death of John the Baptist.
The forecast for the rest of the weekend is Hot/Hotter/Hottest.
Today was fairly warm, but pleasant.
Bern still wouldn't let me use the oven, so I did chicken and onion rings and sweet potato tots in the toaster oven. Plus a salad.
It went ok.
I don't 'hate' the heat but that might change.
Did you hear that the Orange Asshole said if he was elected we would "drill, drill, drill"--meaning more oil and more climate change.
He can't, can't, can't win.
Do whatever you can to make sure of that.
Thanks, Jim
On Wednesday at Bible Study (we're reading Acts) I asked "who is doing church on Sunday?"
People looked at each other and then said, in unison--"you!"
I had written the Sundays down wrong on my calendar. I thought I had this Sunday off--but it's the 21st I have off.
Lucky for everyone I asked or I wouldn't have shown up and no one would have been ready for Morning Prayer with a homily.
Ask questions.
You may get lucky.
Everyone seems freaked out with Biden's debate preformance.
Not so many talk about the dozens of lies Trump told!
In my book, forgetfulness is not nearly as bad as lying.
The calls for Biden to step down seem to be toned down.
Who would replace him? Harris, I guess.
She and Gretchen Whitmer would make quite a ticket--but can they beat the Liar in Chief?
Biden has. And will again, I hope and pray.
He's only 4 years older than me--but the Orange Guy is a year older than me.
I forget stuff from time to time--but I don't lie.
I'm still with Biden.
Hadn't done a wedding for a while.
C. and V. got married today at Trinity by me.
Great crowd. All the men in Tuxes and women in gowns.
Never had a congregation so well dressed!
Hot but went well. I left out some prayers (don't tell the Bishops) to get us out sooner.
They had two buses to bring most of the guests.
I skipped out on the dinner since I've never worn a tux and never will.
But they seem truly in love.
Let it last, Lord, let it last....
I have Wednesday off this week. And the 4th of July is the next day.
But on Friday I have a wedding rehearsal and on Saturday, the wedding.
And back for the Eucharist on Sunday.
Three days in a row--two of them in the evening and a Vestry Meeting (one of least favorite priestly things!) on Sunday after the service.
I've been retired from full-time ministry for years. Three days in a row is a rare thing.
I'll probably survive, but won't be happy.
Shalom.
The service today was good--I only messed up a couple of times.
In every church I've ever served, a lay person leads the Psalm. Not at St. Peter's. I sat for about a minute when one of the chalice bearers came about 40 feet to tell me I was to lead it. (The altar area is huge!)
Then I forgot to ask for announcements so a woman in the congregation stood up to tell me so.
The other things is that after communion the wine gets taken away. I don't know what they do with it.
I tell people from time to time that I became a priest so I could finish the wine after communion.
That might even be true....
The music was great and the group of 50 or so seemed to like the service.
So, that's good.
Tomorrow I'm preaching and celebrating at the Episcopal church in my town--St. Peter's, Cheshire.
I've done it once before--last month, I believe. There is only one service in the summer at 9 a.m.
Last time there were 90 or so folks. They are my neighbors and I like them.
I didn't write a sermon because the Gospel is so familiar to me I can wing it.
Wish me luck.
Shalom.
I thought I had this Sunday off, but then I received and email from St. Peter's here in Cheshire reminding me I had agreed to do their Eucharist Sunday.
They are between Rectors and trying to find supply priests wherever they can.
Since I forgot, I didn't bring my alb home with me.
So I went over to try to find one with them.
Every vestment they had was too long except for one that was two small.
Their altar folks must be a basketball team and a midget.
So, I have an hour drive--up and back--to Milton tomorrow to get my alb.
Some Sunday off....
The worst job in the world, in my opinion, is being a man or woman handling the phones for an group designed to make calls and try to take money from the person on the other end.
It is 5:15 p.m. and I've gotten 13 calls today. None from friends or family--all from scams.
And I'm horrible to them--though most of them are recordings--I yell and curse and hang up after telling the recorded voice to lose my number.
Must be more than me doing that.
So, worst job in the world--worse than trash collectors (trash doesn't yell) and emergency workers (they might hear yelling but are doing a good thing.
So, if you would like to break my record of nothing but bogus calls--call me.
203-525-6846.
I'm a Public Radio Junkie.
I listen all day.
Yesterday, "Audacious" did an hour program on Farting.
I kid you not.
Kyone Wolfe, the host, talked with people about farts.
Some were professional farters--who made money from it.
Then they talked to people about which animals fart.
Fascinating stuff.
But an hour about farting?
But I enjoyed it....!
Against my better judgment, we're having an outdoor Eucharist on Sunday.
If it is as hot tomorrow as it is today, I'll be lucky to avoid a heat stroke.
There's a tent but that won't help much.
The service is to celebrate Summer.
I've been asked to preach about Summer and warmth.
Don't know if I can pull it off, but I'm going to 'wing it' and keep it short to save lives....
Bern and I watch Jeperodey (which I can't spell!) every night.
A woman who had won 15 days in a row lost tonight.
I was upset.
I really liked her.
I'll keep watching. but my interest has lagged....
Paper was the greatest invention ever!
So many helpful things are made of paper: tissues, bathroom paper, paper towels, calendars, newspapers, typing paper and my favorite of all--books.
I read at least 5 books a week--mostly mysteries. But there is also the Bible and Episcopal Prayer Books.
I find a lot of comfort, hope and wonder in books.
Thank God for paper....
I'm off this Sunday and the Sunday after next Sunday.
By contract, I only work on three Sundays a month and this month has five Sundays.
I like time off, but I don't go to church.
I've told people the reason I still work at 77 is if I didn't I'd never darken a church door.
That's pretty much true.
I don't know why, but I don't go to church as a participant--only as a priest.
Probably bad of me, but the way it is.
I wore a long sleeve shirt all day.
Not as hot as tomorrow will be.
I don't care.
I love the heat.
It's the cold that gets to me.
I'm getting old.
Cold and 'old' don't do well together.
Today we started on the Book of Acts.
I don't like much about Acts.
I believe even less about it.
But we began with the Holy Spirit descending on the disciples.
It was a good session.
Lots of thoughts and questions.
And we begin with communion--very short.
A good hour to be at.
The sermon I gave today (posted earlier) was one of the shortest I've even given.
But I got over a dozen compliments and questions.
Maybe I preach too long.
Huh!
You can email me!
I get in through Micrsoft Edge in a way I can do but don't understand.
Frustrating but do-able.
See you on email soon....
June 9, 2024
From time to time, I have heard people criticize Jesus’ actions in the Gospel you heard this morning.
Some of the time they say he is disrespecting his family by not recognizing their presence.
Other times they say “no one can be a brother or sister without sharing DNA.”
Let me tell you a little about myself.
I am an only child. My father was 40 and my mother was 37. I might have had bothers or sisters had my father not served in World War II until 18 months before I was born.
Another thing—I was born into the Pilgrim Holiness Church. We left when I was 5 and became Methodists. Let me assure you that “mountain Methodists” in Southern West Virginia made Methodists in New England seem like high church Anglicans!
Everyone in both those churches were called ‘bother’ or ‘sister’. I was ‘brother Jimmy’ until I went to college and found the Episcopal Church. My introduction was in a ‘house church’—no building to call it’s own.
In fact, the ‘house church’ was the attic above our apartment in Morgantown after Bern and I were married after I received a Master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School. We moved back there so Bern could finish her degree and I could be a social worker in child protection.
The first time I was in a brick and mortar church was to be received into the Episcopal Church.
But I assure you of this—the other members of that ‘house church’ WERE my brothers and sisters. It was them that convinced me to go back to seminary and be ordained. And lots of them attended my ordination.
So, I fully understand what Jesus meant when he called the people in the room were his brothers and sisters and mother.
The only member of the house church who was over 30 was a woman in her 80’s who was the first to tell me “go back to seminary, Jim. I mean it!”
The people in all the churches I have served have been my brothers and sisters.
And now it’s your turn.
Thank you from the bottom of heart, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
For an only child, I’ve had a lot of siblings….
Thank you and Shalom.
