You Can't Handle the Truth! - 18 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 555

Micah 6:8
Romans 3:3-5
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Big Whopper Liar Day. This was first celebrated in honor of Earnest J. Richarson who claimed to be the son of Jiles perry Richarson, Jr. (aka the Big Bopper). Earnest claimed that he was forced to stay behind with Waylon Jennings when the Bopper et al. took their fated plane ride, and commemorates both his (purported) birthday and the date of his first appearance in public to make these claims on this date in 1959, mere months after the Day the Music Died.
While his claims have never been formally debunked, there is little reason to believe any of Earnest's story, as I just made the whole thing up just now.

Today is also (and this part I'm not making up) the anniversary of the death of the famed mathematician, Leonhard Euler in 1793. He was an amazing talent, and there's a really excellent novel about his life with the Bernoulli family of mathematicians which I heartily recommend to you: An Elegant Solution, by Paul Robertson. Whether you enjoy mathematics or not, there's a good coming of age story in the midst of murder and intrigue. Really. Go read it - it's a very good book!

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

To the Moon, Alice! - 17 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 554

Micah 6:8
Psalm 8:3-4  Matthew 24:29-30
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Grammar Rant: When did we stop capitalizing proper nouns? OK, that's a bit of hyperbole, we still capitalize most of them (Paris, London, George, Elizabeth, etc.), but when did Earth get demoted to earth? Is it due to spell checkers and the fact that earth can also mean soil or dirt? I can't imagine someone writing of sending a spaceship to mars rather than to Mars, can you? Why then do I see things like 'his time on earth was brief,' or 'when I came down to earth I realized everything would be just fine' all the time?
Please pay attention to which word you're using - Earth the planet or earth the dirt - and capitalize appropriately. The high blood pressure you prevent may be mine.
Thank you.


Friday Fun Fact: Did you know that the planet Uranus was originally named George (or Georgium Sidus), after King George III? How appropriate that the original name of Uranus was that of an English king, just as was the name given to toilets. (see Robin Hood, Men in Tights for that historical tidbit)

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Make A Joyful Noise! - 16 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 553

Micah 6:8
Zephaniah 3:14-17
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Here's what's putting Joy in my heart today - Choir Rehearsal Is Go! Yes, we're going to give this a shot. We'll do what we can to help lead worship with song, and I can hardly wait to get back to that wonderful fellowship of believers who are ready to make that joyful noise. It's my other family, and I've missed it, lo these many months.

On a side note, in bizarre coincidental celebration news, today is both National Guacamole Day and World Play Doh Day. If you're celebrating these, please don't get the two mixed up. I know Play Doh is non-toxic (and so is a good guacamole), but that doesn't mean it goes well with tortilla chips! Please celebrate carefully today!

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

And Then There Were None - 15 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 552

Micah 6:8
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Born on this date, 15 September in 1890 was one Dame Agatha Christie - probably Heidi's favourite author. I had read very little of her output before marrying Heidi, and I have certainly not read the majority of it, but she was definitely a talented writer of mysteries. 

I've been sworn to secrecy on how it all turns out (and it hardly matters, as I can't remember the details now at any event), as I've seen "The Mousetrap" in London a few times. I'm pretty sure it turned out the same each time, but with about five years between each viewing one can never be sure. Simply know that red herrings abound, and there are grounds to suspect nearly everyone.

What an amazing story that play has. The first time I visited London, England - way back in 1975 - it was already the longest-running play in history. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was still running the next time we visited, twenty years later! It's moved from one theatre to another, but it's still running.

If you've a chance to see it, I would recommend it. The play itself is enjoyable, but attending another record-setting performance is also part of the fun.

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Almost to Statistics - 14 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 551

Micah 6:8
John 8:39-47
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I heard today that a majority of those surveyed were in favor of president Biden's order for large employers to require employees to be vaccinated. I'm frankly shocked. Granted, there's no reason to believe polls most of the time, as poorly as most of them seem to be done these days, still, that's a disturbing report. More than half of those surveyed agree that the President has the power to tell employers what medical procedures they must force their employees to undergo. Really?


In a sense, I'm in agreement - I think the vaccines are a good thing, and that everyone who hasn't already had COVID-19 and isn't contraindicated for other reasons ought to get vaccinated. However, I'm dead-set against the federal government deciding for everyone (except those in the Postal Workers' Union - how does that work?) what they should put into their bodies.
Not only has president Biden admitted previously that he doesn't have the authority to do this - but then he's going to go ahead and do it anyway - it's an insane contradiction to the democrat party stance that the government should keep its hands off our bodies. Surely you've heard them say that. It's impressive how many contradictory policies they can advocate at one time, isn't it? Lewis Carroll would be proud.


I have a feeling that if our current president and vice president hadn't told the American People that these vaccines are bad and dangerous and they wouldn't trust them before they said they're safe and effective and everyone should get them before they told us they're not really that effective and vaccinated folks need to wear masks to protect themselves from the evil unvaccinated hordes, well, maybe more people would have gone ahead and been vaccinated and we'd be way beyond all of this by now.
Frankly, with the numbers trending down again, perhaps it's time to declare victory and move on to the next thing to panic the populace. This one's getting old.

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Dim Sum or Dark Total? - 13 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 550

Micah 6:8
Leviticus 11  Acts 10:9-16
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today has three great celebrations: Fortune Cookie Day, International Chocolate Day, and National Peanut Day.

What a great combination of celebrations! In order to really get into the spirit of the day, we should fill a fortune cookie with peanut butter and chocolate - basically a Reese's stuffed in a fortune cookie in the place of the traditional piece of paper. Who wouldn't prefer that to a slip saying "Does one ever really know what meat is in the dumpling?" I know I would.

Keep Calm and Don't 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 - 12 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 549

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

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one? 

 

For our 9:30 worship service we have a frequent soloist at offertory time and three(!) hymns for congregational singing. (Yes - we're back to congregational singing. We're Methodists again!) Remember, we'll be streaming for all those who can't join us in person, and intend to continue that practice indefinitely. Still, know that we miss seeing you in person - please come join in corporate prayer, praise, and worship as soon as you feel ready.

As usual, 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 Don't 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