Friday, February 26, 2021

Tell Me a Story - 26 February 2021 - Plague Journal Day 351

Micah 6:8
Esther
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 Tell A Fairy Tale Day. Fairy tales are often cautionary tales (much like the old mountain and bluegrass murder ballads - Girls, beware of guys named Willy who want to marry you and take you down to the river!) meant to encourage caution in the hearers/readers. There are so many great fairy tales that I don't want to even consider choosing one to recommend to you.
The presence of supernatural or paranormal elements serves to heighten the dread factor.


Appropriately, today is also Purim - the feast of lots - which centers around telling a story. The difference here is that not only is the story true, but it also doesn't (explicitly) include any supernatural elements. (I'm pretty sure that the book of Esther is the only book of the Bible where God is not mentioned by name.)
The story is a really good one, and it's definitely short enough to go ahead and read at one sitting - I encourage you to do that.

Of course, if you'd rather have the story told to you (and why wouldn't you?), here is a link to a brilliantly funny telling of the whole megillah. I watched it a couple days ago, and it really took me back to when we (the youth group at church) presented a nearly-as-funny version of the story to a UMW dinner theatre group. I encourage you to watch the Purim funny story, and even consider donating to the charity it's supporting.



I didn't want to miss the fact that on 26 February 1932 Johnny Cash was born. What a great singer, songwriter, and man. He is missed.


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.


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