Facebook Memories & Monday Motivation

We've finally made it to the end of November's National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo).
As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, I'm not even sure if this is a thing anymore as more people move to podcasts or some other medium for sharing information. Nonetheless, this post successfully completes the month and removes the self-imposed pressure of coming up with a daily post.

Although I have managed to greatly reduce the time I spend scrolling through my Facebook feed, I do enjoy looking back at what shows up in my Facebook memories. Somethings are worth sharing again; others--not so much. And occasionally there are posts that you remember as encouraging and are still uplifting reminders of days past.

Today I saw this post from 10 years ago.

I have no idea what my message was, but I'm sure this was an encouraging post to receive. In fact, it is still encouraging today.
And it serves as a gentle reminder to be an encouragement to others. Here is a simple message that managed to reappear and offer encouragement ten years later!

Take a moment.
Think of somebody that you can encourage with a simple "thinking about you" kind of message.
Then send a text, post a message, mail a card, or make a call.
You'll both feel better for it!

John

A Better World

This is the post I wrote for this week's Student Venues. I thought I'd share it here for my Sunday morning post. The records of the kings of Israel (Kings and Chronicles) show that when the king of Israel followed the commandments of God and cared for the people of God they were blessed by God and prospered. When the kings were evil and sought power, wealth, and personal gain things didn’t go so well.

The prophet Jeremiah laments the change after King Josiah dies and his evil sons take over. Through Jeremiah God says that we know him when we take care of the poor and those in need. “He judged the cause of the poor and the needy; then it was well. ‘Is this not to know me?’ declares the Lord” Jer 22:16

Although I will never be a king or rule over a great number of people, I think that we can still learn from the experiences of these ancient rulers. God’s message of taking care of the oppressed is timeless and it is for us as individuals as well as for us as a church community, a city, or a nation (or even a school or a family). When we lift up those around us, we all benefit. Taking care of others not only benefits our world now, but Jesus says that it benefits us eternally, as well.

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Matt 25:34-36

In this crazy world of 2020, how do we deal with the challenges that face us? Do I take care of my needs, get what I want, go where I want to go, do what I want to do, and not worry about others or the consequences of my action? Why should I--a mostly white, 60 year old retired guy--concern myself with the injustices faced by people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, the unsheltered or anyone else that is oppressed or lives with injustice?

Could the answer be as simple as -- Because it’s the right thing to do? Would the world be a better place with less injustice and more equality? Over and over, Jesus teaches that we should love our neighbor, love each other, care for those less fortunate. Perhaps a good beginning would be for us to simply acknowledge the injustice around us.

The bible says that Jesus looked on the people that followed him with compassion (Matt 9:36) Compassion literally means with (com) suffering (passion). When we see others, do we see their suffering? Can we feel their pain? Can we do anything to relieve them of their burden?

It’s been about three years since my wife and I have been coming to The Venues. The biggest factor in our choice to continue to come here was (and still is) the way The Venues actively pursues serving and helping those in need. It seems that there are always places that we can join our church community in service.

But I also know that sometimes life can overwhelm us and it feels as if there is nothing that we, as individuals can do to help someone. Sometimes just acknowledging their needs, letting them know that they are not alone, letting them know they are loved is enough. And that’s something we can all do -- make the world feel a little more loved, one person at a time. A little more love seems like a good place to start in making a better world.

2020 and Changing Perspective

If you were to think back to December 2019, how many of us would have imagined a toilet paper shortage in just a couple of months? 2020 has managed to change how we think about everything from toilet paper to essential workers. We've realized that more jobs can be done remotely and that everything from tonight's dinner to the dining room table can be bought online.
We can buy groceries online and have them delivered or just pull up to the store and have them loaded into our vehicle.

We have had fewer personal interactions because of church on Facebook Live or other streaming services and even us retired folks have used Zoom or Webex Meet for online meetings or small group chats. Virtual family holiday gatherings is a reality this year as fewer people are traveling or willing to expose vulnerable family members to the coronavirus. 

While many people still enjoy their favorite sports teams, professional sports have certainly had to make some changes to continue to make money. I think that professional athletes have lost some of their celebrity shine as we realize they are not nearly as necessary to life as the healthcare worker or grocery store worker. 

How has 2020 reshaped your opinions of others or changed your shopping habits and activities?
I only watched a couple of baseball games in 2020. I do watch MMA events on a pretty regular basis, but sometimes wonder why.
How have your 2020 holiday plans changed? 
Are there 2020 practices that you will carry forward in a post pandemic world?
Where will you go when traveling becomes safe from coronavirus spread and other countries are more open to tourism again?
Who are you waiting to visit? Waiting to hug?
Has 2020 changed who you are? How?

Just wondering...

John

Discombobulated

Discombobulated is a weird word. It's also a weird feeling. Retired life often finds me unsure of what day it is, and that's become a pretty normal feeling. But it is weird when it feels like it should be a certain day and it isn't. 
Like today.

Today feels like Monday. I guess it's because of the midweek holiday. Mondays aren't really any different than any other day so I guess it doesn't really matter.
It's just weird.

John

A Different Thanksgiving Day

I kind of like it -- the smaller holiday version.
Our day isn't going to be that much different than normal. We'll have a Thanksgiving Day meal at our daughter's and son in law's house. No travel for us, just a drive into Springfield. I am a little surprised at the number of people that are traveling and still planning larger gatherings, but pleased that many others are restricting their contacts with family.

I think Thanksgiving is a weird holiday. It's weird that we have a day set aside to be thankful. It's weird that we need to be reminded to be thankful. It's weird that we can be thankful for so much and yet still covet so much more and go right back to being the greedy, competitive society that we normally are on Friday.
Even the holiday origins in the US are pretty weird. Celebrating a re-creation of an initial Thanksgiving feast with natives of the land would be way cooler if the early settlers hadn't gone on to massacre the same natives just a couple of years later.

sigh

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we shouldn't be thankful. I just think we should be thankful as a part of everyday life. And I know that many of you are and so the day is typically an opportunity to gather together as family and friends to feast and overindulge.

I hope that Thanksgiving 2020 is not too depressing for you. I hope that you will find that gratitude can be found even in these difficult times. Be safe. Be responsible. Be thankful.

John

Thankful

Four years ago, on the day before Thanksgiving, we got the test results -- Chris had breast cancer.
The days, the weeks, the months that followed were hard. The lasting effects, the scars of treatment (both surgery and chemo) are still with us today. So is Chris.

We are thankful.

That was our world as we headed into the holiday season four years ago.
This year--2020--has been another trying year and we head into the holiday season knowing that the family gatherings and holiday Christmas parties aren't going to happen for many of us.

Still, we are thankful.

It's still dark out. The eastern sky is showing that the sun is about to rise. The fireplace is warming the house and I am enjoying my morning coffee in comfort while Chris sleeps peacefully in the bedroom. Today we will make some preparations for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner at our daughter's house. I'm looking forward to the smoked turkey our son-in-law will be preparing. 

We have so many reasons to be thankful.

Contemplate. Consider where you are. Think about how far you've come. Imagine the future, but still remain rooted in the present. 

And be thankful.

John

Bah! Humbug!

I'm not sure when I became such a Scrooge about Christmas time, but it has been some time since I've really felt like celebrating the season of Christmas. Due to financial losses from a pandemic year, retailers have been having "Black Friday" sales for several weeks already. Although I'm not a big fan of Christmas shopping I do enjoy giving gifts. 
As far as receiving gifts goes, I'm the easy guy. A bag of good coffee beans, a decent cigar, a few minutes spent over a beer or cup of coffee--these are the things that make me happy. 

I guess I'm just not a fan of a Christmas that hasn't really been about Christ for a long time. I know that we say it is and we make our efforts at remembering the birth of Jesus, but face it -- Christmas without all of the pageantry and parties would be a far greater travesty than a Christmas without the religious part. And I think that's true for most hard core Christians, too. 
Even for the people that say it's about family and getting together with loved ones -- well, that's kind of in the crapper this year, right?

I'm also curious how we're going to handle this year's War on Christmas. With Donnie's defeat in the election, do liberals have to wait until next year or can they start now? Or does Melania's "fuck Christmas" quote put an end to it and we can all agree that too much forced decoration and celebration is deserving of such a sentiment. 

If you are surprised at my ambivalence towards the coming season, you don't know me well. 
If this facet of the curmudgeonly old man disturbs you, then send some Christmas cheer my way (bourbon would be nice, cookies are acceptable).
I hope your holiday season is one of celebration, reflection, or misery -- whatever you want it to be.
As for me, I hope to spend some quiet afternoons on the deck with a cigar, a drink, a book, and some peaceful contemplation about where I fit into the Universe.

John

Monday Meditation

 

Church in the COVID Era

In a few minutes I'll be watching The Venues' Sunday service online. They have pretty strict protocols in place for live, in person church and we've been there a few times, but I mostly just watch it online these days. I have been going to our Thursday night barchurch at 425 (also has COVID protocols in place), but am thinking I may need to reconsider as our local numbers are on the rise.

I would say that (pre-COVID) we were more than casual church goers. And although I generally watch online, there isn't the same attachment to the service or connection with the people. I know there are many churches that meet with fewer restrictions than The Venues and some that have struggled to adapt to a technical alternative to meeting in large groups. I'm wondering if overall church attendance is getting back to more normal numbers or if has leveled off at a much lower number. I doubt that many churches are growing at this time, even though it seems like it would be a time when many people might be looking for the comfort that can often be found in God. 

I do miss the the personal connections from a weekly gathering of friends. I miss the handshakes, hugs, and happy greetings. There is a good energy in gathering with friends that are good at loving people. But I've also grown dangerously comfortable in my isolation. While many people are desperate to resume life as usual, I am happy to now have an acceptable excuse to continue in a contemplative life apart from people. 
The online version of church works well for me. I'm going to have to be careful that it doesn't keep me isolated as life moves forward and we soon move into a post-COVID era.

John

Riding Season

Typically I haven't been one to store my motorcycle for the winter. Dress for the cold and ride anyway has been how I've dealt with winter. I'll have to see how it goes this year.
 
Getting suited up for a long cold ride isn't too bad. I've ridden for several hours in near freezing temps. Dressing that warmly for a short ride is a bit of a pain since you find yourself having to peel off layers in a pretty short time only to have to repeat the process for the short return trip. Last winter I rode in Springfield many times at or around freezing. Long johns, heavy jeans, double gloves, and a good coat were enough for city streets and a short ride.

There are no city streets or town roads around here. Even a short trip requires getting on a rural two lane highway and that means riding at speeds where more cold weather gear is necessary. I have a feeling the bike will be parked more this winter than it has been in the past.

As it is,  haven't been riding as much as I used to. I've become more aware of how I consume the earth's resources and have been more reluctant to just hop on the bike for a long pleasure ride. I enjoy riding it for small errands when I can, but it doesn't work well to pick up groceries or anything that needs more room than the saddlebags can handle. And I haven't done much meeting friends for breakfast or lunch this year. 

The bike's in the shop for some regular maintenance and tire repair right now. I'm still hoping for the occasional winter ride, but I think I'll have to rearrange the garage to make my car the easy access instead of the bike -- at least for a few months.

John

A Place of Peace; A Time of Rest

I'm feeling a sense of peacefulness this morning.
The fact that I am privileged to be able to sit on my deck, enjoy the morning sun on my face, listen to the background noise of civilization (a nearby highway) and the foreground noise of the nearby birds is not lost on me. Even as I scroll through my news feeds and read of the chaotic world around me, I am experiencing this inner calm. 

Honestly, some of that calm comes from the posts and tweets of other peaceful persons that I follow or read about. There are voices of reason in the cacophony of chaos, and genuinely kind and loving people among the self-centered ego driven masses. Those voices, those people help to keep me centered in my peaceful place. 

I know that I could shut out all of the noise - the angry voices and the calming ones - and live peacefully alone, but I'm not sure that I'm ready for that extreme isolation just yet.

Where do you find inner peace? Is there a physical place that you visit or are you able to find a mental space no matter where your body is? Is it more of a spiritual thing?

Maybe I should first ask if you even have a place of peace in your world. I fear that most of us do not. I fear that many have given up on finding even a moment of rest for their mind and spirit, let alone physical rest for their body. I think resting is fast becoming a lost art and one that has been looked down on by the go-getters of society. We have forgotten the value of restfulness. 

Mind
Body 
Spirit

All aspects of our existence need a place and a time of rest.
I hope you find a few moments today.
Peacefulness and resting are disciplines that take practice. Set aside a few moments and rest.

John

Still Doing Old School

I'm kind of looking forward to teaching at barchurch tonight. I guess that's an evolution of sorts since I've been a little uncomfortable in the past. I still worry that my storytelling style is far different from what everyone is used to, but I am trying to adapt as I go -- except tonight. There isn't going to be a whole lot of adapting going on; just me telling a story and sharing a few thoughts on it. There won't be any slides, no power point stuff, nor cute memes. It'll just be some old guy telling an ancient story and trying to figure out what it might mean for us today.
If you're up for it, we'll be live here at 6:30 (CST) tonight (Thursday), or you can find us on Facebook where we'll also be live. Drop in, grab a drink, enjoy some music, listen to an old story.

John

May the Force be with You

It's mid-afternoon and I'm just now getting around to posting today to keep the NaBloPoMo streak alive. This morning's routine was a little unusual as we made our way into the pandemic world and had breakfast out. Now I'm enjoying the sunshine, an inexpensive Nicaraguan cigar, and a Winter Grind coffee stout.
It's not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

Over on Facebook, Pastor of Stoke Ben Stinger asked the question, "How does being a Christian change the way you live?"
I am really impressed with the responses he's received.

I think for most of my life Christianity motivated my behavior with fear -- not wanting to face the consequences of sin by angering a mean, judgmental God. Or perhaps by the idea that I could curry God's favor by doing good things.
Today I would say that Christianity offers me a connection to all things. Through Christ I feel connected to God, to other people, and to all of creation. When you feel a connection to people or things, you tend to treat them better. They are a part of you. If religion literally means to re-connect (think re-ligament), then what Christ brings to us is connection to God and all of God's creation. The contemplative part of me is typically at peace with my surroundings. The reactive part of me still wants to lash out due to current circumstances, but I'm working on that self control bit. I'm trying to remember to extend grace to myself as well as to others. 

I know I have readers that are not Christian so I won't ask the same question. I'll simply ask -- What influences you to act (or live) the way you do? Do you feel a connection to nature or to others? 

I'm curious.

John

Learning Stuff

I'm wondering if any of my readers have used The Great Courses to learn a new hobby, craft, art, or maybe just to delve into a new area of history or knowledge. It looks like most courses are available in DVD format or online and there appears to be a great variety of subjects. The slogan "The World's Professors at Your Fingertips" makes it sound a bit like homeschooling for adults. I imagine business has been good during the pandemic as people look for things to do in isolation.

What would you be interested in?
Science? Music? Learning a new language?
Browse through the courses and tell me what catches your interest.

I think the full prices are way too high for me to consider and the sale prices make them look even more ridiculous. But if you just look at what you'll actually pay, it doesn't look too bad for many of them -- especially if it's an area of interest.

Thoughts?

John

Monday Motivation

COVID in the United States:

We've gone from 10 million cases to over 11 million in just one week. 

Before this week is over there will be more than 250,000 (a quarter of a million) deaths.

More on Storytime with John

It's been a few years ago that I was preaching (about this time of year) at a rural church here in Missouri. It was a pretty informal Sunday night setting and I was just sharing a few thoughts about reading the bible. I asked the question of the small congregation -- What's your favorite bible story and why?
I enjoy hearing the whys and will usually offer my own reasons for liking a mentioned story. On this particular night, one of the women said her favorite story was the story of Ruth. Ruth was my chosen story for that night. 

The Old Testament story of Ruth is an unusual story to use as an introduction to the liturgical season of Advent. In fact, I don't know of anyone else that has done that. I don't generally use a lot of notes when story telling, and if I do, I rarely keep them. So on Thursday evening when I share this story as a pre-Christmas kind of story, it will be like telling an old story with a fresh outlook. 

If you'd like to join us for a little music and a story, we'll be here at 6:30 on Thursday night. You might want to re-familiarize yourself with the story of Ruth. It's only four chapters long and you can probably finish it in 15-20 minutes. If you happen to be in the Springfield area and want to join us in person, be sure to bring your mask. The bar is open.

John

Earworm

I was contemplating what to write about this morning and considering how small the pandemic has made my world. It's a Small World popped into my head for a moment and kind of made me chuckle. I'm not one to generally get a song stuck in my head, but Chris is. She listens to music often and has a bunch of old songs drifting around in her head. Mentioning a lyric from one of those songs or singing a line or two can bring it to the forefront of her mind and it quickly becomes the dreaded earworm.

"Why do you do this to me?" seems to be a familiar lament from her.
Occasionally I'll hit on a song that she likes and doesn't mind for the first couple of times through, but then she's ready to move on -- and can't.

Are you one of those people that are susceptible to the dreaded earworm?
Are there songs that regularly get stuck in your head?
Listening to music seems to help in getting rid of stubborn songs, but some have a way of quietly creeping back into your thoughts, don't they?

What are the songs that you know are going to be stuck in your head for a time? The moment you hear the first line you think, "Oh crap! Now I'm going to be singing this all day!"

I guess I'll have to write about that small world thing another day.

John 

An Empath?

I've never really considered that I might be an empath -- until recently.
When I look at the characteristics of an empath and examine myself through that lens, I actually have more of them than I would have guessed. I wonder if they've always been there and I've just ignored them or hidden them, or if maybe I'm growing into those characteristics as I age -- kind of a gentler, wiser, old man kind of thing.

I feel like I need to examine this a bit more carefully and I'm not sure why. My current reading/learning focus is more introspective. Perhaps that is what has me thinking about this. I'm certainly not someone that feels (literally) another's physical pain, but I've noticed more of an awareness of the energy of other people and the effect that being in their presence has on me. It could be that being aware of that energy as well as the motives and attitudes of others is more of a defensive, self-preservation skill than an empathetic one. 

Because this is pretty new to me, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it. I'm certainly past the point of looking for a career where being an empath would serve me (or others) well. I don't really know how being an empath (or just being aware of it) might change how I interact with people. I don't know if being an empath is just a characteristic that one has like having brown eyes or a dark complexion. 

Maybe somebody that is an empath or has some more information on it can offer some counsel to a guy that is still trying to figure out who he is and how he fits (or why he often doesn't fit) into society.

Just some random thoughts on a Saturday morning...

John

Frosty Friday

It's a frosty Friday here in the Ozarks. I just turned off the fireplace after it brought the house temperature up to a balmy 67f (19.4c). Coffee and computer at the kitchen island counter this morning.

I'm looking for something to make me feel good on this Friday the 13th. What have you got?
A good story of something nice that happened to you? A story of how you helped someone else? Some plans or activity that you're looking forward to? A good meal that you fixed?

What is making you feel good today?
Share your joy with the rest of us!

John

This I Know -- there's a lot of stuff I don't know!

It is a cool, but sunny morning in the Ozarks. The current temperature is 39f (3.8c). I debated between coffee in front of the fireplace (it's 64f, 17.8c in the house) or out on the sunny deck. The deck won. Sweat pants, a long sleeved shirt, sweater, and socks. I'm a bit chilled but the sun feels good.

One of the areas of my personal growth is in recognizing how little I truly know. We all like to think that we are smart and know stuff, and we all do know some stuff. But there is a world of stuff that I don't know and I keep finding out that some of the stuff I know (knew) is wrong. Letting go and unlearning is hard.

I'm trying to read more and seek out certain areas of knowledge. I guess that's a pretty common approach -- find an interest, seek out information about it. Right now I'm keeping it pretty basic -- mind, body, spirit stuff. I figure I need to learn more about me before I explore other areas of knowledge. I'm looking at some pretty ancient teachings from the Far East and am finding them to be quite fascinating. I'm also realizing that my brain needs to re-adapt itself to learning from reading. I'm finding it difficult to read for learning for longer periods of time. I can read for pleasure (novels) for much longer than I can read for learning. Even reading for pleasure is more difficult than it used to be.  It could be that learning is just more difficult and I need to exercise my neuroplasticity. 
God forbid that I would ever want to stop learning or stop being able to learn!

I wonder what I'll learn today.

John  

Social Media -- Old School

I'm noticing a bit of a shift on social media. While many still use different social media platforms to connect and share news (both personal and business), many others are looking to abandon it or are in search of newer, less populated forums. They mention political division or privacy as their main reasons for wanting to leave their current forums. I know that some have already left, some will leave, and still others will continue on because they crave the connection and drama that social media allows them. It seems that they enjoy sharing their views as much as they distain the views of others.

Personally, I'm more in favor of the personal discipline of choosing who to follow and when to respond to or ignore certain posts, although I think I'd get along quite well without most of what is published. I have around 300 followers on two of the platforms I use -- Facebook and Twitter, and just over 200 on Instagram. I follow more accounts on Twitter and Instagram than I have followers. 
My Facebook followers have increased (much to my dismay) over the past couple of years, mostly from being a part of The Venues Church. There are a number of friends that I enjoying hearing from, but I mostly stay on for the forums on motorcycles, cigars, retirement, community activity, and the live video streams from The Venues.
My Instagram account has a bunch of bot followers and I should probably change my privacy settings.
I probably use my Twitter account the most. I use it for news and to follow authors, pastors, politicians, news personalities, athletes, etc. I also subscribe to a number of news outlets and get more news through those connections than from watching TV news.

In so many ways social media has seemed to drive us farther apart rather than bringing us together. We substitute a post on Facebook for a conversation with a friend. We say things on online forums that we would never say in person and we use forums to bully and criticize people we don't even know.
As much as social media has helped us stay in touch during this pandemic, it has also isolated us from many of the personal contacts that were once important to us. 

I will continue to hold on to my current forums (although I have already made changes in how I use them and how often I use them), but for today I think I'll go old school -- I think I'll make a phone call or two and maybe even write a letter. That's more my social speed, anyway.

John

Party Politics

This isn't a post about Democrat vs Republican party politics. It's about political divisions within each party. While many Democrats wonder why today's Republican leadership won't step up and congratulate President Elect Biden, the answer is pretty simple -- they can't afford to anger the Trump base. Although they may not agree with Trump policies or condone his behaviors, they need the support of his base. His base represents more than half of the overall republican voters.

The Democratic party has a similar kind of divide between its far left side (think Bernie Sanders) and its more moderate side. I fully expect a more liberal Speaker of the House than Pelosi when January rolls around. 

President Elect Biden keeps saying that he'll be a President for all of America. Truthfully, he isn't even representative of all of the Democratic party. Sure, the party united against President Trump, but they didn't really unify in their support of Joe Biden.

I see the divide within the Republican party much more disturbing than the divide in the Democratic party. Denying science, denying truth, and being racist and hateful are far different from differing policies on healthcare and climate change, but they are still dividing the parties and potential voters. Losing potential party voters is a pretty big deal for Republicans in Georgia right now.

I'd say that I don't have the answer, but the answer isn't a big secret. We all know the answer. 
We have to start listening to each other and finding ways to address each other's concerns. What is so frustrating is that so many voices are speaking and so few ears are listening. I am not very hopeful that we will be able to come together as a country. I am not very hopeful that people will be concerned with the needs of others rather than looking to guard their own stuff and prosper themselves. 

sigh
Maybe tomorrow's post will have more hope.

John

Monday Motivation

 

Perspective

It's been a week!
It's now Saturday evening and I'm enjoying a cigar, the fights are on, and I'm reflecting on the day. I thought I'd write some thoughts down for Sunday morning's post.

This afternoon (Saturday) I had just left the house to meet our daughter for a post-election celebratory drink. I was only about a mile from the house when my phone rang. It was the ER at the hospital where I am on call as chaplain this week. They told me they were moving a patient to the OB ward for post event observation after what they called fetal demise. She was 22 weeks pregnant and had just lost the baby. Although they hadn't requested a chaplain, the ER nurse called me.

I made the course correction and headed to the hospital. On the 30+ minute drive I was thinking about how small the world can seem at times. 
For the past several days, much of the world was watching as the results of our (the US) presidential election slowly came in. Here in the States, there were demonstrations, a fair amount of hand wringing, and much speculation on the future of the government's make up. We have been concerned with state elections, national elections, and international impact. This election had the greatest citizen participation with millions of more voters participating and having their voices heard at every level of government.

But in that moment, none of that mattered.

Nobody asked or cared if the young couple was Trump supporters, Biden supporters, or if they even voted. It didn't matter if they favored universal health care, were prolife or pro-choice, or what religion they practiced (if any). The medical staff at the hospital did what they were trained to do and then called me to come and minister to them in their very small world. 
On Saturday morning this young woman woke up expecting to be a mommy in a few months. By Saturday afternoon, that wasn't going to happen. That was their whole world.

Perspective.

There are millions of others that live in pretty small worlds. Around 600 people in Springfield MO are more concerned with finding a warm, safe place to sleep -- tonight. Many more than that don't know how they will feed their kids -- tonight. There are people in my community that are suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Families are separated and dealing with pandemic issues -- on this very night. 
I'm not saying that we shouldn't be concerned with the big picture. But we also need to bring our focus in and look around us, at the people and the needs around us. We need to know that we can make a difference in their small world -- in our small world, and we can do it today.
You probably know somebody that could use a phone call. Call them.
You might know somebody that really needs a visit. Visit them.
Maybe you know somebody that needs a meal. Fix them a meal, buy them a gift card, or take them out if you can. 
Not sure who to help or how to help. Visit a thrift store or discount store and buy as many cheap warm coats as you can and donate them to a shelter. You can make a difference in your world. 

Without the labels -- red, blue, conservative, liberal, Christian, Muslim, atheist, etc. -- we are all just human beings trying to make it through the day. Why not help each other?
Life doesn't have to be a competition. It isn't that important that you finish the day with more stuff than me or somehow ahead of me or anyone else. We can finish together. 

My heart breaks for the young couple that I prayed with today. I know that their world is ugly today. I don't know that I was able to offer them any comfort because they were truly devastated when I saw them. You may feel like that, too. Do what you can. Keep things in perspective. Share some love. 

John  

Call the Election: It's time to stop the dying

It's hard to believe that the 2020 United States Presidential Election is yet to be decided.
It's Saturday for crying out loud!

As the election continues to dominate the news, the US has faced a growing and spreading pandemic. We have set records on daily new infections. The national death total is climbing towards a quarter of a million dead Americans. As the election dominates the news, I wonder if anything is being done (at any level) to address our woeful handling of the pandemic.

I don't expect there to be any quick change in policy concerning the pandemic. There needs to be a change in the national attitude toward the pandemic and efforts to stop its spread. We need to start doing the right things concerning hand washing, social distancing, and masking -- All of us!

I really don't expect the science denying followers of Trump to all of a sudden believe that wearing a mask will help, but maybe they will at least recognize the foolishness of claiming it to be a democratic hoax.
Maybe.

I expect that the rank and file Trump supporters of southwest Missouri to continue with life as usual -- large family holiday gatherings, community and work holiday parties and celebrations, big church sponsored Christmas pageants, etc. Without some serious behavioral changes, I fully expect to see a half million dead by the time we hit the one year mark since the first big shutdown. I am hopeful that we will soon (before Jan 20) see more science information from the CDC experts.

I fully realize the negative economic impact of a shutdown. It may be necessary for another brief amount of time. If secondary protocols had been enforced after the early shutdown, we wouldn't be where we are today. Maybe just an enforcement of those protocols now would prove to be a positive move in reducing the spread and easing the burdens on our hospitals and local healthcare facilities.

For local friends, do your part. Encourage others to do their part. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
I'll be back tomorrow.

John

50/50: It shouldn't be a bad thing

The problem isn't that we are divided to a nearly 50% blue vs nearly 50% red nation. The problem is the divisive polarity between the two. If our elected representatives truly represented the citizens of the country they would work together for the good of all of us rather than fighting for what they perceive to be their half of the country.

It appears that we will have a President that says he will be the President for all Americans and a Senate Majority Leader that says he will do whatever is necessary to oppose everything that President wants to do -- even in opposing potential cabinet nominations.

Choosing which party leads the country forward should be just that. We still need to move forward. 
If we were a football team, it would be like the offensive line refusing to block because they want the 2nd string quarterback on the field. We are still supposed to be on the same team, still working towards the same goals. Priorities and methods may be different under different leadership, but we shouldn't be working against each other. Republicans and democrats are not supposed to be enemies, just different voices on the same team.
This is also true within the parties. The moderate factions are not the enemies of the more progressive or more conservative factions. In fact, the more moderate factions should be the bridges to reaching across the aisle to the other party. We have truly lost sight of the simple fact that we are citizens of the same country.

Just some Friday moment post-election thoughts.
I have more. Maybe tomorrow.
Maybe not.

John  

Thankful

We took some time away from checking on the status of the few remaining states last night and had our daughter and son-in-law over for dinner. It was a late birthday dinner for Hannah.

I was doing dishes after they left and mentioned to Chris how thankful I am that our kids have turned out to be pretty wonderful adults and have also managed to pick pretty wonderful spouses. 

We had a very enjoyable evening just visiting over dinner and for quite awhile afterwards. Although part of the conversation was about the election and the pandemic, for the most part the evening was a respite from the worries of the world. It was a time of just hanging out with the kids.

I've only noticed a few people doing the daily thankful-for posts on Facebook this year during the month of November. I haven't been participating in that and probably won't, but that doesn't mean that I don't have plenty of things for which I am truly thankful. My daily quiet time and added hours of pandemic solitude have given me many hours of reflection on the blessings of my life (including added hours of solitude!).

I know that there are a number of you that are struggling with how to handle typically large family gatherings for this year's Thanksgiving celebration. I have no advice for you other than to be thoughtful as you make those decisions and encourage everyone to be graceful as they recognize their thoughts and feelings might be different than others. That gracefulness in differences is something I'm working on.

Be well.
Be thankful.
Be gracious.

John

Here We Are

Wednesday morning.
Not much has changed.

Results are not finalized in the US election. It will be close -- again. Once again the popular vote will go to the Democratic candidate. The electoral vote will be close. The few states that remain in play are so close that even with 95% of the vote counted, they are too close to call.

I'm disappointed.
I'm also pretty privileged in that my life will not change much. I live in a deeply red part of the country. The pandemic is denied and slowly spreading, so we will stay at home. Our state government will continue to be red and will continue to oppress the marginalized segments of the population.

I will do what I've been doing.
I will help others when and where I can.  
I will encourage others to help when and where they can.
I will struggle to love those that oppose my efforts to love the people that they do not love.

Everybody wants to be on the winning team. But my recent life struggle has been in moving away from the binary systems of winners and losers, rich and poor, right and left, conservatives and liberals, good and evil, straight and queer, black and white.
Most of life happens in the grey, in-between areas of life. I live between liberal and conservative. I live in the grey. From the middle you can see that the sides do not communicate with each other -- they yell at each other. I think that the majority of us live in the middle with tendencies toward one side or the other. I don't think that the middle is represented very well in our government.

I'll take care of the people that I can.
Today I am going to send a glass tubed, bourbon infused cigar to a Vietnam vet so that he can have it to smoke on November 10th, the birthday of the US Marine Corps. An annual cigar is his way of celebration and remembrance; his way of honoring his fellow vets that are no longer with us. Sharing a decent cigar from my humidor allows me to honor his service.

Do something kind for someone today. Add a little good to your area of the world -- today.
Share something good. Go ahead -- brag on yourself a little. Tell me something -- big or small -- that you did or are doing for someone else.
Lift my spirits. Restore my faith n humanity. Tell me something good.

John

Two-fer Tuesday--Election Day evening thoughts

It's Tuesday evening and polls on the east coast are still open for a couple of hours. As I said this morning -- today has been pretty much like any other day. I've been busy enough that I haven't checked any news sources, nor have I spent much time on social media. In the few moments that I've scrolled through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter I have been encouraged by the relatively calm encouragement that we will go on tomorrow with calm encouragement.

While there is a certainty that we all want our side to win, there also seems to be a confidence that things will be okay no matter the outcome of the election. The losing parties will continue to fight the injustices they see and begin to form plans for midterm elections in '22. The winners will layout their plans for the new legislature in 2021 and how to work with or oppose the White House strategies.

I'm feeling a reserved, but calm energy. We will see if that changes throughout the night.
Sleep well, my friends. The sun is still planning on rising in the morning. 
And there will still be work to do.

John

A Day Like Any Other

Okay, so it's not exactly like any other day. It is Election Day in the United States.

But for the most part...
It's morning coffee on the sunny (but cool) deck.
I'm doing the daily blog thing and listening to some morning news.
I'll do a little internet surfing and maybe a little devotional reading.
After a little morning exercise (emphasis on little), I'll head out to do the volunteer chaplain thing at Mercy Hospital in Aurora.
I cast my ballot last week, so today will be pretty much like every other day.

I imagine that I'll be watching news coverage tonight -- which is not like any other day.

Tomorrow morning I expect to have my coffee on a sunny, but cool deck. I'll do the daily blogging thing and listen to some morning news. I'll do a little internet surfing and a little devotional reading, etc., etc.

I don't want to minimize the impact of today's election.
Neither do I want to pretend that there will not be some negative (possibly violent) reaction to the results from today's election. 
But regardless of the presidential winner and the legislative winners, The United States will continue on. The peaceful transfer (or continuation) of power is a hallmark of the US. In spite of words that have been spoken to the contrary, the people of the US still speak and our voices will still be heard and recognized. We may witness a child-like tantrum. There may not be a cordial letter left in the Resolute Desk, but there will be a transfer of power if that's the way the election goes. 

If you have followed me for very long or know my heart and character, you know how I voted and what my hopes are for this country. You also know that next week, next month, next year will find me still looking for ways to serve during the pandemic, smoking an occasional cigar, and working on making my little corner of the world a welcome place for anyone that drops in. 
If you will work on your little corner of the world in a similar manner, we can make that welcome feeling available to more people in more places around the globe. 

If you are a reader in the US, my hope for you today is peace.
If you are a friend in another country, my hope for you is peace.
And for all of you -- I wish you love.

John 

 

A Place of Peace

I'm spending the day at The Venues Battlefield location. The church building is open to allow people a place of sanctuary and peace, as well as a place to come and pray as we head into election day. I know that the staff has primarily been working from home, and the staff that is here has work to do. I figured that being here is a small way to help. 

I have my laptop, my phone, a charger that works for both, and my coffee. I'm pretty much set.

I was listening to NPR on the drive into Springfield this morning. They were talking about stress -- stress caused by the election, stress caused by the pandemic, stress that is a part of normal, everyday life -- and the terrible ways it can affect our health. 
Apparently, Google searches for "insomnia" are way up over the past few months. Not surprising is that they peak at around 3am. Disrupted sleep is one of the chief side effects of stress. A companion side effect is that we have to deal with people that don't get enough sleep.

Westerners aren't very skilled at meditation. Maybe it's part of the reason we lead the world in stress related health issues. Maybe it's a part of the reason we have so many wars and conflicts. It might help if we all had a nice nap every afternoon -- a world wide siesta.

I hope that you are able to find a place of peace today. If you are in the Springfield MO area and need a quiet refuge, feel free to drop in before 3pm. Your place of peace might be a nature walk, a back porch, a quiet moment at the kitchen table. Just find a place and a time to give your spirit a moment of rest; a moment of peace.

John

NaBloPoMo

NaBloPoMo -- National Blog Posting Month begins today. Bloggers are encouraged to write a post for every day of the month of November. A few bloggers do post every day, but it seems that they are becoming pretty rare (at least in my blogging circle). I've participated in NaBloPoMo for several years, and will do so again this year. I may end up with several two-fers on days that I post Monday Motivation or Wednesday Wisdom memes, or I may just let the memes serve as my daily post. I would like to write more often. I just don't feel very motivated to do it on most mornings.

November seems to draw a lot of attention. It is also National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) where writers are encouraged to begin/finish/work on a novel everyday. It is Movember -- where men are encouraged to grow moustaches to raise awareness of men's health issues like prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men's suicide.
Hmmm...Maybe I should just grow a moustache and forget the daily blogging thing.
Or I could write a few posts about men's health and actually go the doctor for a check-up. I suppose I could do both. Even doing both would be way easier than writing a novel.

In the US, November brings Election Day and Thanksgiving. Globally, it brings the Christmas shopping season. I'm envious of my southern hemisphere friends and family that are in their spring while we endure the cooling of autumn and head towards winter.
Ah, well -- life goes on.

Happy November!
John