Wisdom - 15 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 674

Micah 6:8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+6%3A8&version=ESV
Proverbs 18:15  Proverbs 4:7
Yes, your life matters. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30:19&version=ESV

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?

262 years ago, on 15 January 1759, the British Museum opened. While its treasures make is controversial these days, there is no doubt that the Brits, by taking various items of archaeological interest back to Great Britain from their homeland did preserve many discoveries, as well as make famous many places that otherwise might have gone unnoticed until their glories had succumbed to the ravages of time.

A glorious mission, and a wondrous place to visit - I recommend that you stop in for a long time should you ever have the chance. It really is awesome in the truest sense of the word.

Then, 242 years later, on 15 January 2001, Wikipedia went online. While its contents are often the subject of controversy as warring tribes of theorists edit and re-edit article after article. Still, on anything not terribly controversial it's a great place to get a first look at what something or someone is or was or means.

I do recommend it much less highly than the British Museum, but I do use it on occasion.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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.

Peace In Our Time - 14 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 673

Micah 6:8
Isaiah 57:18-21
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?

238 years ago, on 14 January 1784, these United States ratified a peace treaty (the Treaty of Paris - no, not the guy from the Trojan War, the city in France) with Great Britain ending the Revolutionary War. (The treaty had been written and signed in 1783, but not ratified by the US until 1784.) That peace didn't really hold well - viz. the War of 1812. Of course, once that unpleasantness was over, and once we were done tearing ourselves apart in our Civil War, England/Great Britain/the United Kingdom became our long-time closest ally.
After all, that's where we came from - how could we refuse to be friends eventually?

At any rate, I'm still a bit of an anglophile, so I'm pleased that we're still avoiding hostilities with our friends across the pond.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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.

Animal Update - 13 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 672

Micah 6:8
Genesis 7:2-3
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?

You may be getting tired of this by now, but we're getting pretty excited and hopeful here. The dog and the cats are starting to actually be in the same room with us and not bother one another. It's quite a nice development.

We've really disliked forcing the animals to take turns being around us, using gates in the doorways and such, so this will be a really nice change. It will make our lives easier as well if we don't have to step over or move baby gates anymore! (No, those aren't our animals in the picture - it's something I found online.)

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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.

Go For It! - 12 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 671

Micah 6:8
2 Peter 1:13-14
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?

Football season is nearly over (the North American kind - not what our overseas brethren would call proper football). I was surprised to learn that today marks the anniversary of the NCAA's addition of the two-point conversion to the game; that happened on 12 January 1958.

I guess I had never considered when or whether that might have been added to the original game. I suppose I should have. I've seen basketball destroy itself by adding things. I'm not opposed to the 3 point shot in basketball, but clearly every dunk is offensive goaltending, and adding the shot clock meant a quality offense was now essentially outlawed - it all came down to UNLV-style run and gun.

I still remember watching classic games where teams would run a beautiful stall. "Guys, we're up by six points, let's stall and make sure they can't score," was the kind of thing you'd hear at a timeout on the sideline, and a well-run stall was a thing of beauty that today's fans will never see.

But back to football. As a fan of the CFL (Canadian Football League), I'm accustomed to seeing scores of any size on the field. I've seen everything: touchdowns (6pts), field goals (3pts), two-point conversions and safeties (2pts), and singles/rouges (1).
"What's a single or rouge?" I hear you ask. Truer to its name of FOOTball, the Canadian game makes kicking a bigger part of the scoring. A kick that can't (or at least isn't) returned from the end zone gives the kicking team a single point. In fact, a missed field goal that goes through the end zone, or at least isn't returned to the field of play, is also a single point.

Even more fun, a punt can be done as an on-side kick too. We've seen our Hamilton Tiger-Cats very near the end of a game pull an on-side punt to keep a drive alive. It's an amazing part of the differences between the CFL and NFL games.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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.

They're Long Fellows! - 11 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 670

Micah 6:8
Psalm 40:1-4
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?

Meeting notes will rhyme today
Bullet points will shine.
"What to do" will scan and say,
"the task that's done is mine!"
Burma Shave.

Yes, you guessed it; today is National Poetry At Work Day I'm hoping to see some call reports in iambic pentameter and some memos in terza rima.


Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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.

Plague Journal Day 669

Micah 6:8
2 Samuel 7:6
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?

This weekend we helped Christian and Mariam move a bunch of furniture, kitchen equipment, and food from one home to another. Even with a smallish apartment, there's still a ton of stuff to move - it's no wonder we've stayed in the same place for so long: moving is horrible.

Today is National Gluten Free Day.It's also National Bittersweet Chocolate Day. I'm almost completely certain that every bittersweet chocolate bar you'll encounter today is gluten free. Therefor, I suggest eating some bittersweet chocolate to join the gluten-free celebration. Why not kill two birds with one stone, after all?
You know, just as with the caffeine from decaf (yuck!), I've always wondered what they do with the gluten from gluten-free foods. Now I know! You can buy extra gluten on Amazon!

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane 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 - 09 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 668

Micah 6:8
Isaiah 60:1-6
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 AM worship service we will have a solo at offertory time and our standard three hymns for congregational singing. Last week Pastor Ray warned we might have a "different" service as he is planning to fly home on Saturday to be in the pulpit on Sunday, but given the current spate of flight cancellations, one never knows. Why not join us to find out what happens?

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