Boxing Day! - 26 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 289

Micah 6:8
Matthew 19:16-21
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Boxing Day! This year it's likely there were fewer punches thrown on Christmas Day than usual, simply because there were fewer folks in close enough proximity to throw those punches, but it's the day after Christmas - Boxing Day - when fisticuffs are the order of the day.

Actually, that's not what it's about. The origin of boxing day seems to be that after Christmas, folks would box up their surplus to donate to those in need. There's an admirable way to follow up the gift-giving of Christmas, eh? By giving gifts even after the day of gift giving, we remind ourselves that all we have is a gift. It seems to me that an attitude of generosity leads inexorably to an attitude of gratitude. Try it - you'll like it!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Merry Christmas! - 25 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 288

Micah 6:8
Isaiah 9:1-7
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Merry Christmas to all! It's not a normal Christmas, but that only fits the rest of this abnormal year.
The thing is, it doesn't really matter what the weather is like, nor how many or few presents are under the tree (that may or may not be there), nor even how many friends and family you actually get to see in person. What really does matter is that today we celebrate with Joy and Thanksgiving the fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.

With that gift - the gift of Jesus, the gift of gracious forgiveness, the gift of eternal life - what else could possibly matter? Rejoice! Emmanuel! God is with us!

Hallelujah! Amen!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Christmas Eve! - 24 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 287

Micah 6:8
Luke 2
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

At last, it's Christmas Eve!
It's hard to believe, the way time has both dragged and flown by at the same time, but we've made it at last.

 May you all feel the Joy and Peace that Christ brings to His world and His people.

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Amen.


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

23 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 286

Micah 6:8
Matthew 2:1-2
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

It's hard to believe that it's almost Christmas Eve (let alone almost Christmas), but it is.

In these days of COVID and other sources of unrest and dis-ease, try to remember that wise men still seek Him.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

The Winter of Our Discontent - 22 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 285

Micah 6:8
Matthew 2:9-11
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Well, yesterday was the winter solstice, so that means today it is well and truly Winter. Winter in 2020 can be nothing but a winter of discontent, no? Still, we're just about to celebrate Christmas - commemorating the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. So with no apologies to Shakespeare for the deliberate misquote:

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by the Son of God.

Let the Joy that Christ can bring into your life make you a beacon of light and warmth for the world around you!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

The Cat Who Hates Santa - 21 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 284

Micah 6:8
Matthew 2:7-12
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. At last, Winter has returned to the Northern Hemisphere! (To all my readers in the antipodes, welcome to Summer!)
The Winter Solstice means that we're very near to Christmas, and thus to the visit of the big guy in the red suit. Sadly, there is one inhabitant of our home who is not happy about that big jolly fellow.

  

Roma is officially the Cat who hates Santa.

Why? You see her above in her wonted position on the back of the couch where she can look out the front window and watch all her bird friends in the bushes and trees. The big shadow in the window - right from where she would normally watch - is cast by Santa himself (or rather a painted wood effigy of that jolly old elf - also seen above). While it would be easy enough to move over a foot or two and look out a different part of the window, Roma, being a cat, would rather be angry. Thus, she sits behind Santa and scowls. One wonders what the feline equivalent of coal will be this year. Maybe oregano in a package marked catnip? It would serve her right, no?

Today is also Crossword Puzzle Day, because on this date in 1913 the first crossword puzzle – with 32 clues – was printed, in New York World.

PS - I wouldn't mind a Solstice like this one:

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Worship - 20 December 2020 - Plague Journal Day 283

Micah 6:8
Psalm 126:1-6
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

  

It's the fourth week of Advent!

With the current spike in COVID cases in Grosse Pointe, we've paused our in-person worship, probably for the rest of the year. We will only be streaming our services on YouTube until further notice, so please join us online.

Speaking of joining us online, we have closed the church building for a while, so it was a mad scramble to make a video virtual service from clips recorded at members' homes, emailed, and assembled by the crew of Last Minute Productions, Ltd. Why not take a look and see if we were adequate? (I know the music for the offertory was more than adequate!)

Today's stream should just appear as the latest entry on our YouTube channel, here.
You'll find all our previous worship videos right there at that same place, and today's stream will stay there as a recording as well.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.