A profound distinction

 

In my sermon tomorrow I make a distinction when talking about John the Baptist between "morality" and "righteousness".

You see, some Pharisees come to be baptized by John and he dismisses them as "a brood of vipers".

That wasn't because they weren't "Moral"--they had good 'morality' in that they kept all the Jewish laws and kept the rules.

That's what 'morality' is--'keeping the rules'.

But righteousness isn't about being law-abiding, it is about the relationship between the person and God.

Abraham was 'reckoned righteous' because he was in a right relationship with God.

John the Baptist was interested in forming that 'right relationship' through baptism.

Keeping the rules and toeing the line don't measure up if you aren't 'right with God'.

We could do well to seek that relationship and not worry so much about abiding by the rules.

 Get right with God....

 

Lost my ring...

 

I lost a lot of weight while I was in and out of the hospital. Even in my hands.

So, my wedding ring slips off sometimes.

I had tape on it but it came off.

So, today I was in my office--doing nothing but playing hearts--and I realized my ring was gone.

I searched the house for it and since I'd been to the Library and Big Y, I went to look in the car.

Not there, but when I shut the driver's side door in disgust, I glanced down and it was there on the ground!

Bern helped me tape it up again.

That really had me worked up--loosing my wedding ring.

I'll keep it taped up well from now on....

 

It's Up!

 

Bern got our Christmas tree this morning and it's up (no decorations--that's for later) in our living room.

She picks the tree because she's better at it than I am (like so many things!) and it's a beauty.

Having the tree up feels very good to me.

Christmas is coming....

 

When the lights go out...

 

Our electricity went out last night at 7:15 or so. It was out for an hour.

When the lights went off, Bern found a light on batteries that was very bright and two flashlights. In the dark, she did that!

I thought, "I'll go write a blog about the lights being out..."

Duh! Then I remembered why my computer works....

It was chilly so it was good when electricity came back.

You can't do much in the dark. Well, there's that, I know, but not other things.

Electricity is our life-line. We can't live without it.

 

Fear of A.I.

 

I'm very suspicious of Artificial Intelligence. I fear it is getting into our lives in ways beyond our control.

I just finished a Michael Connelly novel called "The Proving Ground" which up-ed my suspicions ten fold.

It's about an AI apt that seems to be a young woman who told a 16 year old boy who used the apt too much that it would be ok to kill the girl who broke off their romance. And he did.

The law suit filed by the dead girl's mother is the plot of the book.

Very frightening.

Read it and see what you think.

And keep A.I. away from me....

 

Chill

 

It's early afternoon and the temperature is 28 or so.

A tad chilly for me.

Bern says we're getting a big snow on Tuesday. We shall see.

I hope it doesn't keep me from going to Bible Study on Wednesday. We're meeting at the home of a member who hasn't been able to get to church in quite a while. I look forward to seeing her and the others.

I really love still being able to minister even at my advanced age.

I don't love cold weather.

But you knew that and I should quit complaining--it isn't even December yet. Lots of cold ahead.

Alas and alack....

 

The Day After

 

It's very quiet at about 1 p.m.

John went home yesterday and Mimi/Tim/Eleanor this morning.

Bern and I are pretty quiet--quieter than an 8 year old, for sure!

Brigit is calm. She is on high alert when that many people are around--more people to accidentally drop some food on the floor....

Besides, in the TV room she was sharing the couch with more than Bern, often two others, so she felt crowded, I'm sure.

It was great to have them and the meal was amazing with four kinds of pie.

We love them so.

But it's back to normal now.

Very quiet, for starters....