It is possible to feel more than one emotion at a time. I can be frustrated at Diego our cat for jumping up again on a counter he has no business being on and been told that many times while impressed he could get up that high. Only one of my two emotions may be expressed in my words of frustration, but I can feel both. We’re used to juggling… Read More »NOT AS IT APPEARS 2/21/21
Some of you will remember the TV show The Twilight Zone. One episode was titled “A Nice Place to Visit” and told the story of a thief named Rocky Valentine, shot by the police during a robbery. When Rocky comes to, he finds himself in a beautiful penthouse where he has everything he ever wanted. His closet is filled with perfectly-fitting, expensive clothes. Drawers are filled with more cash than… Read More »PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT 2/14/21
We know the idea that cleanliness is next to godliness. It turns out that John Wesley, Methodist Church founder, was the first person recorded saying that in a sermon back in 1778. The idea however goes way back to ancient times. You can see that in our scripture reading. Over time, it had become the norm for Jews to wash their hands before eating. So, for them, in this case… Read More »CLEANLINESS OR GODLINESS 2/7/21
This morning we have read two of the best-known stories of the Bible—the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on water. It’s a double feature. It’s like Casablanca and Gone with the Wind, back to back. It’s like The Sound of Music and West Side Story; it’s tough to do them justice. Right before what we read, news of John the Baptizer’s death reaches Jesus. His reaction is to take a boat to… Read More »KEEP THE FAITH 1/31/21