What's his name?

 The former President's day during the insurrection will be laid out by the Jan. 6 committee on Thursday night.

And it won't be a day in the park for him!

They will turn his world--already deeply troubled--upside down and shake it out on the table.

And the country and the world needs to see it all unfold.

It will be impossible for all but his most fervent supporters to deny the truth

He must be held accountable for his actions leading up to and including Jan. 6th.

And for his inaction for most of that day.

Even if you haven't been watching the hearings, you should plan to on Thursday at 8 p.m.

I've watched them all--damning for the former president to say the least.

And I can hardly wait until Thursday for the damn to break and to drown him....

Yeal, right!

 I heard today on NPR that the head of the Southern Baptist Convention 'declared' that sexual abuse was a sin.

Yeal, Right!

The Southern Baptists are rivaling the Roman Catholics in the number of clergy who have committed sexual crimes.

And they don't know what to do.

How to clean this mess up. How to make things right.

I have a suggestion for both branches of the Christian church--prosecute the bastards.

To use your power and authority as clergy to commit sexual abuse is not only a sin--it's a crime.

Churches have to stop protecting offenders.

Think of the victims--harmed for life.

Clean house, Southern Baptists.

Make things right.

Do it now.

Louise Penny

Have you ever read a Louise Penny novel?

I think I've read them all--even the one she co-authored with Hillary Clinton.

She's Canadian and writes mysteries featuring the Head of Police in Quebec, Armand Gamache and his associates.

But they are about much more than that.

Gamache and his wife live in rural Three Pines and all the people in that village are amazing.

They have two grown children and--by now, four grandchildren. One son and daughter in law and two children live in Paris, where Gamache and Renee-Marie visit often.

His daughter, Annie, is married to Jean-Guy, who is Armand's second hand in the police. They live in the city but visit Three Pines often.

I don't that often recommend books, but I will now.

Louise Penny--go to your library and read her!

You won't regret it.

 

Sunday's sermon

July 17 Sermon

        I seldom talk about the collect of the day, but today I want to.

        I find it cringe-worthy.

        Look at it on you lessons sheet.

        In it we tell God we are ‘needy’, ‘ignorant’, ‘weak’, ‘unworthy’ and ‘blind’.

        That’s a little—no, a lot harsh on us.

        So, how do we, in our own hearts and minds end up that way?

        The answer may come from Luke’s gospel today.

        Jesus visits the home of two sisters—Mary and Martha. He doesn’t mention here that their brother, Lazarus, also lives there.

        Mary sits by Jesus’ feet to hear his teaching, while Martha busies herself with household chores.

        Not unusual in those days—or in our day either—women are expected to handle to house while men do more ‘important’ things!

        At some point, Martha comes to Jesus to complain that Mary has left all the work to her and asked Jesus to tell her to come and help.

        But Jesus answers her: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

        Did Martha then join them or did she go back to her worry and distraction?

        We don’t know.

        I told the study group on Wednesday that I was reading a novel and a detective goes to question a woman Vicar in England about a parishioner who had apparently committed suicide but the police suspected a misdeed.

        “Was she worried?” the detective asked.

        “Of course,” the vicar answered, “church is for worried people.”

        I told the group I didn’t believe that.

        Church is for people seeking community and worship and the sacraments and hope and joy, not ‘worried people’.

        And I stand by that.

        What Jesus tells Martha is leave behind your worries and distractions and listen to God.

        Our worry and our distractions make us ignorant and weak and unworthy and blind.

        What we need to do is to listen for God.

        We need to cultivate our “Mary nature” and push away our ‘Martha nature’.

        Oh, there is always work to be done—like today’s concert, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, welcoming the stranger.

        Lots to be done.

        Always.

        But before the work, we need to listen for God.

        I practice what’s known as ‘centering prayer’. It is a prayer of silence, not words.

        You need to be still and listen for God within you.

        I want to end this sermon by practicing it with you.

        Usually ‘centering prayer’ is for 20 minutes, but we’ll only do it for a few minutes.

        When, I lead it I give some instructions.

        Close your eyes. Close them.

        Try to clear your mind of all the babble there.

        Take a few deep, slow breaths.

        Listen for God within you.

        When thoughts come, ask them to lead with a word you pick. Mine is ‘shalom’.

        Alright.

        Be still and know that I am God.

        Be still and know that I am.

        Be still and know.

        Be still.

        Be.

                           (three minutes)

Shalom and Amen.

 

       

 

 

 

Wellness visit

I had a 'wellness visit' with my doctor today. It took about half and hour.

Most of the time was spent with me answering questions about my health, my well-being, my facilities, my house, stuff like that.

Took my blood pressure, my oxygen level, my temperature--all very good. Listened to my lungs and heart. My weight was 172. Did look to see if my ankles were swollen (they weren't) but that was all the doctor stuff that was done.

Given an appointment for October and a blood draw order, I went to the wine store and then home.

Wasn't what I expected for sure.

A 'wellness visit' is not a complete physical exam.

I'm not sure what it is, except a way to make money.

Is that too harsh?

 

Rain, Rain, come and stay

It is very dry in CT right now.

I was talking to my cousin, Mejol, near Baltimore and she told me it had been raining for three days. Hard.

I told her to send it to us.

Of course, she can't.

But we need to rain to come and stay.

For days.

Weather reports don't look hopeful.

I just hope they are wrong.

 

I talk to the owls

You can't tell Bern this--she thinks I'm a little loony anyway--but I talk to the owls on our deck.

There are two of them. I've named them Oliver and Olivia but I call Oliver "Olli".

They are plastic and meant to scare away squirrels.

But they don't.

I've seen squirrels sitting next to Olli on the banister. 

Olivia used to have wings and sat on a pole in the back yard.

I think the creatures liked her.

When he wings tore, Bern tried to throw her away--but I saved her.

So when I'm out by myself I talk to them.

About the weather, current events, creatures.

They never answer but listen well.

I like them a lot.

Owls are great--even plastic ones.