Looking Forward

 

I hope I will travel

Strange thing happened yesterday

when having coffee with friend

I said I’ll probably retire in June

she asked what will you do

I said oh probably play more pickleball

play mahjong more often

travel take walks be with family

volunteer with Keith at food pantry

maybe fill in at churches that need short term interim

find a church nearby

where I can worship sing in choir

does it have to be Methodist she asked

probably yes United Methodist I replied.

 

I have been watching livestreams

from churches near me I said

stumbled across small one

where I could not believe

the quality of preaching

well he is a Div student

it has been a long time

since I heard genuine exegesis

I thought I will go right there to visit

for the first time in a long time

I will choose my own church.

 

How do you know what to do? she asked.

 

When I pray about it

God seems to say your choice dearest

I will bless either

but if you choose to stay at Massey’s

you will need to put in more

mental emotional spiritual even physical energy

my reply is I love you thank you no

 

You seem so happy

when talking about all this she said

last time we had coffee

you seemed sad

I couldn’t remember the context of sad

what was remarkable about yesterday:

I went home happy

can’t remember last time

I felt hopeful happy all day

got a lot done too.

End of 2024 Challenges

 Me & Katherine on my 2022 birthday

I would be remiss if I did not write about dreadful election

no one thought grifter would win

but he did

I have been depressed

won't watch or read news

asked ai to write Sunday pastoral prayer

it composed better one

than I could have.

 

We have church Christmas project

easy one buying gift cards

for Methodist Home for Children

already someone asked to write check

can someone else purchase gift cards for me?

I said no

any moron can buy gift card at Target

I did not say

I am weary of laziness.

 

Advent is around corner

we’ll decorate after church Sunday before

because people already will be there --

captive work team

Advent's third Sunday we will have festive reception

after worship

because I did not arrange Homecoming in October

only one person said something.

 

I told usual people

I am not going to stress about Advent music this year

sing if you want

if you arrange with pianist to practice

no singing without practice

which is what they really want to do.

 

I saved small clear plates from All Saints candles

to place underneath poinsettias

somehow I dug up battery candles

for people to hold Christmas Eve

six years old they still work

a Hanukkah miracle ha.

Because 

there’s no getting out of Christmas Eve worship this year

I’ve been slippery as snake (wise as serpent?)

past few years what with Covid

then 24th falling on Sunday last year

maybe I am lazy too

oh God can you help me 

write one more Christmas Eve sermon?

 

I took off my birthday

first Sunday after Christmas

Katherine will take me somewhere for surprise!

retired elder from New York

said he would preach lead worship that day

it’s Medicare birthday for me

my 60^th fell right before Covid.

 

Then we turn to new secular year

with a clown in the White House

turning everything into a terrible circus

God help us.