Another month in the history books as November 2015 comes to an end.
We are now within a year of the next presidential election in the USA and it is hard to believe that there have already been several debates. I have to honestly say that I haven't watched more than a few minutes in total -- and that includes the internet video clips and news channel highlights. I will be paying much closer attention as we drawn nearer to election day and Missouri's primary election. For now, it's just a lot of noise.
The Christmas shopping season rolls in with the usual post-Thanksgiving bang. It was nice to see some of the big retailers remain closed on Thanksgiving day this year. Maybe the big Black Friday deals will slow down in the coming years. I think that more and more shoppers are shopping online and avoiding the crowds altogether.
Along with the Christmas shopping season comes the winter weather season in the USA. This past weekend saw lots of rain in the Midwest that caused flooding in some areas and icing in others. We had three days of light, but constant rain in Southwest Missouri. I'm just happy that temps stayed a few degrees above freezing so that we didn't have snow. We'd be up to out butts if it would have been three days of snow. The cold rain kept me in for most of the weekend, but as I am fond of saying -- You don't have to shovel rain!
I'm working on getting into a good seasonal spirit. Hopefully, it won't take a heavy snowfall to push me over the edge.
Well there are things I must be doing today so I had better get to it.
Blessings,
John <><
Monday, November 30, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Unexpected Encouragement
Sometimes I feel out of place in church. I'm not sure why, I just do.
Perhaps it has to do with all of the people. I've mentioned that I'm a bit of an introvert. I'm not really uncomfortable around people. In fact, I'm very comfortable around them and can easily converse and get along well with most people. It's just that I would generally prefer to be alone.
And church is an interesting mix of people. The one thing that we have in common -- worshiping the same God -- is often the only thing we apparently have in common. Truthfully, we might never meet or relate to each other in any way if we had not first met in church.
But we do have much more in common with each other than worshiping the same God. Though we may come from different backgrounds, have different levels of education and different levels of wealth (or poverty), we are still people living in the same community and we all have struggles. Some of us have similar struggles; some are very different -- but we all deal with life.
And, occasionally, we can all use a little encouragement.
Maybe that's why I still feel compelled to go to church. To encourage others and to be encouraged.
Today my encouragement came from one of our high school guys. He sought me out after the service to tell me that the message of my sermon from several weeks ago has really helped him. He said that he often repeats the words to himself throughout the week and they are a part of his devotion time.
It seems a little odd that I have had several adults tell me that they really liked the message that day, and others have asked when I might preach again, but none of those comments have encouraged me the way this young man's did today.
I am always appreciative of the positive comments of others, but there was something special about today.
I am reminded that words have power.
We can be an encouragement to others simply by taking the time to let people know that they have helped and encouraged us.
Is there somebody that you need to thank for something?
Why not just do it?
Go out of your way. Send them a note, an email, a text or go to them and tell them that they have been an encouragement and help to you. I promise you -- it will be an encouragement to them!
John <><
Perhaps it has to do with all of the people. I've mentioned that I'm a bit of an introvert. I'm not really uncomfortable around people. In fact, I'm very comfortable around them and can easily converse and get along well with most people. It's just that I would generally prefer to be alone.
And church is an interesting mix of people. The one thing that we have in common -- worshiping the same God -- is often the only thing we apparently have in common. Truthfully, we might never meet or relate to each other in any way if we had not first met in church.
But we do have much more in common with each other than worshiping the same God. Though we may come from different backgrounds, have different levels of education and different levels of wealth (or poverty), we are still people living in the same community and we all have struggles. Some of us have similar struggles; some are very different -- but we all deal with life.
And, occasionally, we can all use a little encouragement.
Maybe that's why I still feel compelled to go to church. To encourage others and to be encouraged.
Today my encouragement came from one of our high school guys. He sought me out after the service to tell me that the message of my sermon from several weeks ago has really helped him. He said that he often repeats the words to himself throughout the week and they are a part of his devotion time.
It seems a little odd that I have had several adults tell me that they really liked the message that day, and others have asked when I might preach again, but none of those comments have encouraged me the way this young man's did today.
I am always appreciative of the positive comments of others, but there was something special about today.
I am reminded that words have power.
We can be an encouragement to others simply by taking the time to let people know that they have helped and encouraged us.
Is there somebody that you need to thank for something?
Why not just do it?
Go out of your way. Send them a note, an email, a text or go to them and tell them that they have been an encouragement and help to you. I promise you -- it will be an encouragement to them!
John <><
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Weekend Thoughts
It's the end of Small Business Saturday and I have to admit that I didn't buy anything from a small business. The only place I've been in the last three days is a brief visit to Starbucks today for a cup of coffee that I didn't have to make myself. Other than that, I haven't even been out of the house.
At some point in the coming days, I suppose I'll have to get our Christmas decorations out of the attic and up. It has been some time since I've really felt like being festive around the holidays. Christmas Day isn't the same with the kids grown and moved out. Aaron and Jenny will be here around New Year's Day. I don't know if we'll wait until then to exchange gifts with Hannah and Daniel as well.
It probably sounds pretty strange coming from a preacher, but I am becoming weary of the celebration of Christmas. In truth, there is little about the season that points to the birth of Jesus (an event that happened more than 2000 years ago).
I don't think that Jesus expects a birthday celebration on his behalf. And I don't think that we give our gifts with Jesus in mind.
Don't misunderstand me -- I like giving and receiving gifts. I like getting together with family and friends. I like the parties and festivities (and food) that goes along with the season.
But I wonder what God thinks of all the celebration.
I wonder what God thinks of our make believe "war on Christmas" that people talk about as they take their kids to see Santa and put up a holiday tree (see what I did there?).
I wonder what God thinks of us as we go much of the year never sharing Jesus with our neighbors and now take offense that they don't know about Him or observe Christmas as a celebration of His birth.
I wonder what people would think of us if we turned that around and talked about Jesus throughout the year and then just celebrated Christmas like most everybody else does.
And...
I wonder if I'm just becoming a curmudgeonly old man that is tired of listening to people complain about the great life they have.
I wonder...
John <><
At some point in the coming days, I suppose I'll have to get our Christmas decorations out of the attic and up. It has been some time since I've really felt like being festive around the holidays. Christmas Day isn't the same with the kids grown and moved out. Aaron and Jenny will be here around New Year's Day. I don't know if we'll wait until then to exchange gifts with Hannah and Daniel as well.
It probably sounds pretty strange coming from a preacher, but I am becoming weary of the celebration of Christmas. In truth, there is little about the season that points to the birth of Jesus (an event that happened more than 2000 years ago).
I don't think that Jesus expects a birthday celebration on his behalf. And I don't think that we give our gifts with Jesus in mind.
Don't misunderstand me -- I like giving and receiving gifts. I like getting together with family and friends. I like the parties and festivities (and food) that goes along with the season.
But I wonder what God thinks of all the celebration.
I wonder what God thinks of our make believe "war on Christmas" that people talk about as they take their kids to see Santa and put up a holiday tree (see what I did there?).
I wonder what God thinks of us as we go much of the year never sharing Jesus with our neighbors and now take offense that they don't know about Him or observe Christmas as a celebration of His birth.
I wonder what people would think of us if we turned that around and talked about Jesus throughout the year and then just celebrated Christmas like most everybody else does.
And...
I wonder if I'm just becoming a curmudgeonly old man that is tired of listening to people complain about the great life they have.
I wonder...
John <><
Friday, November 27, 2015
Random Thoughts: Black Friday and Other Things
It is a rainy Black Friday in the Ozarks.
While thousands of crazed shoppers brave the fall rain and the other crazed shoppers looking for the best Christmas deals, I'll enjoy my comfortable couch, Costa Rican coffee and share a few thoughts here at Out of My Hat.
I was thinking --
If Black Friday is called Black Friday because it's the day that retailers finally hit the accounting black for the year, how can they do it on a day when they offer such huge deals on merchandise?
Yeah, yeah. I know that there is a huge volume of their sales that will come from things that are not at great prices, but if this is the day that makes up for the rest of the year's losses, they must really be ripping us off for the first eleven months of the year.
Just wondering ...
I was also thinking --
Earlier this month was the Leonids meteor shower. In a couple of weeks will be the Geminids shower. There are periodic meteor showers throughout the year. Most of them are caused when the orbit of the Earth intersects with the orbit of a comet (the Geminid shower is caused by an asteroid) and the particles left in the comet's path are burned up in the atmosphere.
Yikes!
I usually think about this as I am enjoying the shooting stars. Yeah, somewhere out there is a comet (actually, several of them) on a collision course with the Earth!
No worries. It's a huge solar system. What are the chances it could actually happen ...
... again?
I was also thinking --
Why is it that some people claim that God is in control, but seem to be more fearful of the country's (or world's) condition than anybody else?
I was thinking --
How did we let Christmas get kidnapped by marketers and retailers to become a holiday that celebrates greed and capitalism more than the birth of Our Savior?
I was thinking --
Why do we still have Advent -- a season to prepare for the coming of the Savior -- when He is here?
He was born more than 2000 years ago, right?
I was thinking --
It's a good thing we have a monetary system. If we still relied on barter as a means of trading for goods, I'd be in pretty sorry shape.
I was thinking --
I have a very blessed life.
And I don't know why.
I don't know why I have been so favored that I live a simple, yet very comfortable life. I have a great, loving family and more material wealth than is necessary. I am not rich by any materialistic standard, but I am doing well. My struggles are few and relatively insignificant in a world that is often torn by violence and greed.
Yes, I was thinking -- I have a very blessed life, indeed!
John <><
While thousands of crazed shoppers brave the fall rain and the other crazed shoppers looking for the best Christmas deals, I'll enjoy my comfortable couch, Costa Rican coffee and share a few thoughts here at Out of My Hat.
I was thinking --
If Black Friday is called Black Friday because it's the day that retailers finally hit the accounting black for the year, how can they do it on a day when they offer such huge deals on merchandise?
Yeah, yeah. I know that there is a huge volume of their sales that will come from things that are not at great prices, but if this is the day that makes up for the rest of the year's losses, they must really be ripping us off for the first eleven months of the year.
Just wondering ...
I was also thinking --
Earlier this month was the Leonids meteor shower. In a couple of weeks will be the Geminids shower. There are periodic meteor showers throughout the year. Most of them are caused when the orbit of the Earth intersects with the orbit of a comet (the Geminid shower is caused by an asteroid) and the particles left in the comet's path are burned up in the atmosphere.
Yikes!
I usually think about this as I am enjoying the shooting stars. Yeah, somewhere out there is a comet (actually, several of them) on a collision course with the Earth!
No worries. It's a huge solar system. What are the chances it could actually happen ...
... again?
I was also thinking --
Why is it that some people claim that God is in control, but seem to be more fearful of the country's (or world's) condition than anybody else?
I was thinking --
How did we let Christmas get kidnapped by marketers and retailers to become a holiday that celebrates greed and capitalism more than the birth of Our Savior?
I was thinking --
Why do we still have Advent -- a season to prepare for the coming of the Savior -- when He is here?
He was born more than 2000 years ago, right?
I was thinking --
It's a good thing we have a monetary system. If we still relied on barter as a means of trading for goods, I'd be in pretty sorry shape.
I was thinking --
I have a very blessed life.
And I don't know why.
I don't know why I have been so favored that I live a simple, yet very comfortable life. I have a great, loving family and more material wealth than is necessary. I am not rich by any materialistic standard, but I am doing well. My struggles are few and relatively insignificant in a world that is often torn by violence and greed.
Yes, I was thinking -- I have a very blessed life, indeed!
John <><
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thursdays are for Thanksgiving -- especially this Thursday!
It's pretty hard not to be a thankful soul on a morning like this. Though overcast, it's not a bad day out.
There are storms forecast for later in the day, but temperatures are seasonably warm and you don't have to shovel rain.
Chris worked prepping most of the Thanksgiving dinner yesterday so pies are baked and everything else is pretty much ready for the oven.
I really enjoyed my weekend visit to Chicago and could see getting used to city life (again), but I am also very thankful for the quiet and pretty boring community of Ozark MO. In fact, I would also be happy living out in the woods with no neighbors for miles. While many areas of the world are tormented and oppressed, I am peacefully sipping on a cup of coffee made from freshly roasted beans and typing away on my Chromebook.
I am free to type without worry of censorship and I can write about the government, religion, politics or controversial social issues without fear of imprisonment or fine.
Later today, I will walk the streets of my neighborhood or town and I will not have to go armed and will not be afraid of my fellow Ozark residents.
We have plenty of food and will share it with friends later today.
And when this day is over, we will rest peacefully in a comfortable home.
Yeah, I've got a good life!
And I am thankful!
John <><
There are storms forecast for later in the day, but temperatures are seasonably warm and you don't have to shovel rain.
Chris worked prepping most of the Thanksgiving dinner yesterday so pies are baked and everything else is pretty much ready for the oven.
I really enjoyed my weekend visit to Chicago and could see getting used to city life (again), but I am also very thankful for the quiet and pretty boring community of Ozark MO. In fact, I would also be happy living out in the woods with no neighbors for miles. While many areas of the world are tormented and oppressed, I am peacefully sipping on a cup of coffee made from freshly roasted beans and typing away on my Chromebook.
I am free to type without worry of censorship and I can write about the government, religion, politics or controversial social issues without fear of imprisonment or fine.
Later today, I will walk the streets of my neighborhood or town and I will not have to go armed and will not be afraid of my fellow Ozark residents.
We have plenty of food and will share it with friends later today.
And when this day is over, we will rest peacefully in a comfortable home.
Yeah, I've got a good life!
And I am thankful!
John <><
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Thanksgiving Eve
Why isn't there a Thanksgiving Eve?
Okay, I suppose there is one, but why don't we celebrate it?
We have Christmas Eve celebrations, services and family traditions.
We have New Year's Eve parties and watch night services.
Why not a Thanksgiving Eve?
Or an Easter Eve?
Just a thought...
John <><
Okay, I suppose there is one, but why don't we celebrate it?
We have Christmas Eve celebrations, services and family traditions.
We have New Year's Eve parties and watch night services.
Why not a Thanksgiving Eve?
Or an Easter Eve?
Just a thought...
John <><
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Non-traditional Thanksgiving Dinners
We've always had pretty traditional Thanksgiving Day dinners.
You know the kind -- roasted turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, some kind of sweet potato dish, cranberries, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie.
Oh yeah...and the dinner rolls that you forgot to take out of the oven!
We'll have pretty much the same this year, too.
So I was wondering...
Do any of my readers have non-traditional Thanksgiving family traditions?
Or have a meal tradition of something other than turkey and the fixin's?
Do any of you have a daily tradition like a morning run, football game, etc.?
Or maybe you have a pretty traditional kind of day plus something special.
A part of many people's holiday includes travel over the hills and through the woods. We won't be doing any travel and rarely have for Thanksgiving. With a career that was one of those 24/7 kind of jobs, we usually were home for the day and often scheduled dinner time around my work day.
This year we'll have a few friends over for a late afternoon meal with Hannah and Daniel coming over, as well. Aaron and Jenny have started their own Thanksgiving tradition of hosting a holiday meal for international students that go to school at IIT in Chicago. I'm really proud of them but miss having them around our dinner table.
I'm pretty sure I'll try to be careful but will overeat anyways.
Okay -- let's hear about your non-traditional traditions!
John <><
You know the kind -- roasted turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, some kind of sweet potato dish, cranberries, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie.
Oh yeah...and the dinner rolls that you forgot to take out of the oven!
We'll have pretty much the same this year, too.
So I was wondering...
Do any of my readers have non-traditional Thanksgiving family traditions?
Or have a meal tradition of something other than turkey and the fixin's?
Do any of you have a daily tradition like a morning run, football game, etc.?
Or maybe you have a pretty traditional kind of day plus something special.
A part of many people's holiday includes travel over the hills and through the woods. We won't be doing any travel and rarely have for Thanksgiving. With a career that was one of those 24/7 kind of jobs, we usually were home for the day and often scheduled dinner time around my work day.
This year we'll have a few friends over for a late afternoon meal with Hannah and Daniel coming over, as well. Aaron and Jenny have started their own Thanksgiving tradition of hosting a holiday meal for international students that go to school at IIT in Chicago. I'm really proud of them but miss having them around our dinner table.
I'm pretty sure I'll try to be careful but will overeat anyways.
Okay -- let's hear about your non-traditional traditions!
John <><
Monday, November 23, 2015
Monday, Monday. Can't Trust that Day!
Wow!
What happened to Monday?
The day is nearly gone and no post for the day -- yet!
I had a pretty full and enjoyable weekend. The Thursday drive to Chicago was uneventful (that's a good thing) and pleasant. I arrived around 6pm and then took Aaron to pick up their car from the shop. We then grabbed a quick bite to eat and waited for Jenny to get out of class. It was pretty cold out and I was dressed for driving (just a light jacket) but managed a short walk on the IIT campus while we were waiting.
Aaron had a Friday morning meeting. I tagged along and had coffee at a Bow Truss coffee shop and managed a morning post for the blog. Then we had a late breakfast at The Little Goat. On Friday afternoon, Aaron took me to where they roast the Bow Truss coffee.
Oh my! There were pallets and pallets of green coffee beans from all over the world. Somebody was roasting coffee and several people were weighing and bagging coffee. It wasn't fancy and many might have found it a boring place, but I thought it was pretty cool.
And when you walked outside -- oh the aroma of the roasting coffee beans!
Yeah, it was pretty cool to get to see that!
Anyways, I had a great visit, got to eat at a few of my Chicago favorites and even managed a short visit and dinner out with my mom and dad on the way home. Today was an all day drive. Tomorrow is a day of helping someone move. Wednesday is get ready day and Thursday is Thanksgiving!
Gonna be a full week!
I hope yours is a grand one.
Be thankful!
John <><
What happened to Monday?
The day is nearly gone and no post for the day -- yet!
I had a pretty full and enjoyable weekend. The Thursday drive to Chicago was uneventful (that's a good thing) and pleasant. I arrived around 6pm and then took Aaron to pick up their car from the shop. We then grabbed a quick bite to eat and waited for Jenny to get out of class. It was pretty cold out and I was dressed for driving (just a light jacket) but managed a short walk on the IIT campus while we were waiting.
Aaron had a Friday morning meeting. I tagged along and had coffee at a Bow Truss coffee shop and managed a morning post for the blog. Then we had a late breakfast at The Little Goat. On Friday afternoon, Aaron took me to where they roast the Bow Truss coffee.
Oh my! There were pallets and pallets of green coffee beans from all over the world. Somebody was roasting coffee and several people were weighing and bagging coffee. It wasn't fancy and many might have found it a boring place, but I thought it was pretty cool.
And when you walked outside -- oh the aroma of the roasting coffee beans!
Yeah, it was pretty cool to get to see that!
Anyways, I had a great visit, got to eat at a few of my Chicago favorites and even managed a short visit and dinner out with my mom and dad on the way home. Today was an all day drive. Tomorrow is a day of helping someone move. Wednesday is get ready day and Thursday is Thanksgiving!
Gonna be a full week!
I hope yours is a grand one.
Be thankful!
John <><
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Chicago! Chicago! That Freezing Town!
It is a frigid Sunday morning in the city of Chicago. The thermometer hasn't moved from the 14F (-10C) from when I first woke up a couple of hours ago. It's eventually supposed to climb all the way up to 29F (-1.6)! I had to move my car yesterday afternoon. California Street (where it was parked) by Douglas Park is a snow route. It's now parked a couple of blocks away near the Lagunita's brewery. I'll need to stop by their Schwagshop before I leave today to pick up something for a neighbor anyway. I had a late lunch there yesterday with my favorite daughter-inlaw. I had the Hogunitas with mac & cheese.
It sounds like we are going to hit The Haymarket for brunch. I already know what I'm having -- the morning riot! Aaron has to work this afternoon and at some point I'll make way to Metamora to visit with my parents. Home on Monday.
Part of the good thing/bad thing of not living in Chicago is that there is so much in the way of really good food -- from pub food and sandwiches to the fancy, high dining places. With just visiting from time to time, I often want to go back to the places that I've been and really liked the food. Of course, that means missing out on something new! I think that we usually end up at places that Aaron and Jenny frequent and that's okay. They have great taste and know that we are open to trying anything.
Time for some coffee!
John <><
It sounds like we are going to hit The Haymarket for brunch. I already know what I'm having -- the morning riot! Aaron has to work this afternoon and at some point I'll make way to Metamora to visit with my parents. Home on Monday.
Part of the good thing/bad thing of not living in Chicago is that there is so much in the way of really good food -- from pub food and sandwiches to the fancy, high dining places. With just visiting from time to time, I often want to go back to the places that I've been and really liked the food. Of course, that means missing out on something new! I think that we usually end up at places that Aaron and Jenny frequent and that's okay. They have great taste and know that we are open to trying anything.
Time for some coffee!
John <><
Saturday, November 21, 2015
A Saturday Supplement
As long as I posted Thursday's thanksgiving post on Friday, I figured that I'd post a Saturday supplement to it this morning. I suppose it's kind of a kidding/not kidding kind of thanksgiving but I'm definitely saying that I am thankful that I don't live in Chicago!
I love visiting the kids here but prefer to visit them during the summer months.
Why?
Because it is cold and snowing -- and it is not even winter, yet!
It was snowing last night from about 8 o'clock and was still snowing at past 1am when I went to bed. There were still a few flurries coming down when I woke up this morning, but it has now stopped.
And it is cold.
My phone tells me the current temp is 34F (or just above freezing for my Celsius friends) and that is the expected high temp for the day. Tomorrow's high is forecast to be 26F (-3.3C) with tonight's low at 14F (-10)!
YUCK!
I know that there are many of you that love the snow and don't mind the cold. Great! You can have it. I am grateful that Southern Missouri doesn't get the snow and cold of a Chicago winter (although I understand that there is also light snow in Ozark this morning).
In a rather self-serving kind of way, I don't think I'll mind if we have a snowy winter in the Ozarks this year. I don't have to be out in the bad weather as far as driving goes. I can walk in the snow. And every time I hear Chris say, "I hate winter," I can suggest that we move to a beach in Mexico!
Have a great weekend!
John <><
I love visiting the kids here but prefer to visit them during the summer months.
Why?
Because it is cold and snowing -- and it is not even winter, yet!
It was snowing last night from about 8 o'clock and was still snowing at past 1am when I went to bed. There were still a few flurries coming down when I woke up this morning, but it has now stopped.
And it is cold.
My phone tells me the current temp is 34F (or just above freezing for my Celsius friends) and that is the expected high temp for the day. Tomorrow's high is forecast to be 26F (-3.3C) with tonight's low at 14F (-10)!
YUCK!
I know that there are many of you that love the snow and don't mind the cold. Great! You can have it. I am grateful that Southern Missouri doesn't get the snow and cold of a Chicago winter (although I understand that there is also light snow in Ozark this morning).
In a rather self-serving kind of way, I don't think I'll mind if we have a snowy winter in the Ozarks this year. I don't have to be out in the bad weather as far as driving goes. I can walk in the snow. And every time I hear Chris say, "I hate winter," I can suggest that we move to a beach in Mexico!
Have a great weekend!
John <><
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